Success for the Montpellier Université d'Excellence project!

This is a major success for the entire Montpellier scientific community, and a great endorsement of its potential and projects. After a hearing by an international jury on February 21, the Montpellier Université d'Excellence (MUSE) project was awarded the Initiatives - Science - Innovation - Territories - Economy (I-SITE) label.

François Hollande with HORIBA Chairman & CEO Dr Jai Hakhu and President Philippe Augé

The Commissariat Général à l'Investissement (CGI) has decided to allocate 550 million euros to the project led by the University of Montpellier: 350 million euros for the new MUSE actions and 200 million to perpetuate the LABEX. An endowment on a par with IDEX funding.
Around the University of Montpellier, the project involves 10 research organizations (BRGM-CEA-Cirad-CNRS-Ifremer-Inra-Inria-Inserm-IRD-Irstea), 4 schools (ENSAM-ENSCM-EMA-SupAgro), 3 health establishments (CHU Montpellier-CHU Nîmes-Institut de Cancérologie de Montpellier) and an international organization (CIHEAM-IAMM).
More than 150 partners support MUSE and are committed to increasing their involvement in university-company partnerships: SMEs, major groups (including five preferred partners: Banque Populaire du Sud, BRL, Horiba, Invivo and MSD) and competitiveness clusters (Derbi, Eau, Eurobiomed, Mer, Optitec, Qualiméditerranée and Trimatec)..
Horiba's role was particularly decisive, since its Chairman & CEO, Dr. Jai Hakhu, took part in the hearings before the international jury, and will continue to be so in the future, since Dr. Hakhu has also agreed to take part, alongside the four other preferred partners, in the advisory bodies that will monitor the progress of the project.

Strengthened scientific ambitions

This result confirms the ambition of the MUSE project, the largest scientific project ever imagined on the Montpellier site, to meet three major challenges for the 21st century: feeding, protecting and caring. "By capitalizing on Montpellier's strengths in the life sciences, the environment and agriculture, and providing a collective response to these three interdependent challenges, MUSE has played the winning card," says Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier. Through research, training and innovation, MUSE will set out to conquer new scientific and economic areas, and contribute to food security, sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems, and improved treatments for emerging infectious diseases, chronic illnesses and cancers.

"Muse's mission is to make Montpellier an international reference in health, environmental sciences and agriculture".

Around the University of Montpellier, the project involves 10 research organizations (BRGM-CEA-Cirad-CNRS-Ifremer-Inra-Inria-Inserm-IRD-Irstea), 4 schools (ENSAM-ENSCM-EMA-SupAgro), 3 health establishments (CHU Montpellier-CHU Nîmes-Institut de Cancérologie de Montpellier) and an international organization (CIHEAM-IAMM).

An exceptional presence in the South

With 400 researchers currently permanently based in the intertropical zone, Muse boasts a network and expertise in southern countries that are unrivalled anywhere in the world, thanks in particular to the know-how of CIRAD, IRD and CNRS. As France's leading agri-environment-biodiversity site, Montpellier is today the French leader in research into new agricultural models and environmental management. Similarly, the Montpellier site is a benchmark for the study of emerging infectious diseases and transmission vectors. These two issues are of prime concern to developing countries, and are at the heart of the accredited project.

Today, Montpellier is the French leader in research into new agricultural models and environmental management.

Recognized cooperation momentum set to accelerate

With its 6,000 scientists and 50,000 students, the MUSE project enjoys the active support of the Occitanie/Pyrénées-Méditerranée region and Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole
The creation of an internationally recognized thematic research university capable of bringing together all scientific communities in a positive dynamic (not only agronomy, ecology and biology, but also chemistry, hard sciences, engineering and social sciences) is a strategic asset for the development of the region. What's more, more than 150 partners have backed MUSE in the race for accreditation, and have pledged to invest further in university-company partnerships: SMEs, major groups (including five preferred partners: Banque Populaire du Sud, BRL, Horiba, Invivo and MSD) and competitiveness clusters (Derbi, Eau, Eurobiomed, Mer, Optitec, Qualiméditerranée and Trimatec). Objectives: to set up world-renowned joint laboratories, send research teams to campuses, co-develop teaching adapted to tomorrow's challenges, co-construct European projects...

Obtaining the I-SITE label will boost the partnership between socio-economic players and the MUSE cluster of scientific excellence.

Muse: an endowment to match IDEX funding

The Commissariat Général à l'Investissement (CGI) has decided to allocate 550 million euros to the project led by the University of Montpellier: 350 million euros for the new MUSE actions and 200 million to perpetuate the LABEX. An endowment on a par with IDEX funding.
As the global endowment is non-consumable, the interest generated by this endowment, i.e. 17 million euros, is to be used each year to fund the MUSE project (10.5 million euros) and the LABEXs (6.5 million euros).
This funding will be boosted by the Occitanie/Pyrénées-Méditerranée region, which, following the recent establishment of its SRESRI (Schéma Régional Enseignement Supérieur Research Innovation), has undertaken to top up certain MUSE initiatives.

17 million euros will be allocated each year to the MUSE project (10.5 million euros) and the LABEX (6.5 million euros).

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