Montpellier-Sherbrooke: a lasting agreement
From June 18 to 21 in Sherbrooke, Quebec, the9th Montpellier-Sherbrooke Scientific Meetings brought together researchers, teachers, and academic representatives from the University of Sherbrooke (UdeS), the University of Montpellier, and Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3 University (UPVM3). The program included scientific symposiums and institutional workshops, particularly on the central issue of sustainable development, which is shared by all.
Transatlantic relations between Montpellier and Sherbrooke are in full swing, and have been for more than twenty years. At the opening of the9th Montpellier-Sherbrooke scientific meetings, which took place from June 18 to 21 in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Pierre Cossette, current rector of the UdeS, enthusiastically stated: "Virtual connections are great, but meetings remain an opportunity to get to know each other, understand each other, explore new collaborations, and truly share."
Since 2006, this event has been held every two years, alternating between Quebec and Montpellier, and is jointly organized by the international relations departments of the University of Sherbrooke (UdeS), the University of Montpellier, and Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3 University (UPVM3). It was designed as an opportunity for exchange aimed at strengthening and developing research partnerships and joint training programs while forging new links, both in the cutting-edge fields of the three universities and in the sharing of best institutional practices. All this takes place in a privileged French-speaking context.
A shared strategic agreement
This year, the event marked the renewal of the strategic alliance framework agreement linking the three universities, signed by Pierre Cossette, François Pierrot, Vice President for International Relations at UM, and Isabelle Launay, Vice President for Campus Life at UPVM3. "This is a very important partnership," says Pierre Cossette. Over the years, there has been a great deal of student mobility, both French and Quebecois, professors have come and gone, and numerous scientific collaborations have taken place in a wide variety of fields: science, law, education, engineering, health sciences, and more."
François Pierrot confirms this: "Indeed, the partnerships and exchanges have been varied. For the University of Montpellier, this concerns almost all of our entities: faculties, schools, institutes, of course, but also central administrations and laboratories. For a long time, the University of Sherbrooke was seen by UM as a benchmark for everything related to student life and educational innovation. Increasingly, we see it as an extremely powerful, motivating, and inspiring partner for research and innovation."
Exchanging glances between France and Quebec
Over three days, nearly 40 scientific and institutional workshops on the theme of "Cross Perspectives" brought together more than 200 participants, either in person on the main campus of the University of Sherbrooke or remotely. These workshops covered a wide range of fields, including law, business administration, engineering, arts and humanities, education, medicine and health sciences, science, and physical activity sciences. These shared moments allowed teachers and researchers to meet, discuss their practices, take stock of their collaborations, and reflect on new avenues to explore from both a scientific and educational perspective.
This provided an opportunity to go behind the scenes at two locations on the UdeS campus, both inaugurated in 2023, which allow students to apply what they have learned with a high degree of autonomy while gaining direct exposure to the professional world. Starting withthe Siboire School Brewery, a non-profit organization supported by the local Siboire microbrewery and a consortium of companies, where " all management, executive, operational, and marketing positions are held by students,"as explained by its coordinator Steve Dussault. Participants even had the opportunity to preview the collaborative beer that was developed there in close collaboration with Polytech Montpellier as part of the Débryde project. As for the Creation Studio, supported by the Huguette and Jean-Louis Fontaine Foundation, it is a place for creation, technological innovation, training, and entrepreneurship, accessible 24 hours a day to the entire student community on campus.
Other UM departments present at these scientific meetings includedthe Institute of Business Administration (IAE) and Montpellier Management (MOMA), as well as laboratories such as LIRMM and the Icireward center dedicated to water sciences. This diversity was essential for tackling such varied topics as humanoid robotics, cybersecurity, mental health, and design thinking applied to education during three very intense days. Other meetings were held on the themes of innovation, technology transfer, and collaborative research between businesses and universities. "The University of Sherbrooke was thus able to highlight highly advanced mechanisms for, for example, strengthening links between researchers and small businesses, supporting the maturation of technologies, but also, a mechanism that is lacking in Montpellier, accelerating the development of young companies through a dedicated investment fund," analyzes François Pierrot.
The ecological transition at the heart of discussions
At the same time, institutional workshops were open to all university audiences, some focusing on sustainable development and student life. Frédérique Carcaillet, Vice-President for Environmental Issues, presented the UM's sustainable development strategy, including the Ecological Transition Master Plan (SDTE) adopted last November, to her counterparts at the UdeS, Denyse Rémillard, Vice-Rector for Administration and Sustainable Development, and her deputy, Patrice Cordeau. She was accompanied by Alexane Lequart, Vice-President of Student Affairs, who spoke about the place of ecological commitment within the master plan for student life (SDVE).
"Our discussions revealed many commonalities, such as the need for a structuring document, like the SDTE at the University of Montpellier or the STARS certification framework for UdeS, to engage the entire university community, staff, and students," emphasizes Frédérique Carcaillet. "It was also an inspiring moment with the presentation of the 'sustainable development hub,' a kind of student green office that coordinates actions related to the ecological transition of students, which is essential to ensure the visibility and continuity of actions in the medium and long term." The University of Sherbrooke, which is proud to have achieved carbon neutrality, has shown great interest in the biodiversity mapping project launched on the Triolet campus. "We would like to extend this mapping to other campuses,"says the vice president.
The Montpellier delegation also discovered the extraordinary ecological richness of Mont-Bellevue Park, located on the university campus, which will soon be classified as a nature reserve and 75% of whose 200 hectares, mainly forest, belong to the UdeS. In two years' time, Montpellier will in turn welcome the Quebec university to its green campuses. By then, there is no doubt that numerous scientific collaborations and institutional exchanges will have flourished on both sides of the Atlantic.
