HUMANE Study Visit Europe - The Paris-Saclay Initiative: Vision, Strategy and Achievements, 9-11 April 2025

HUMANE Study Visit Europe
Paris-Saclay University
April 9-11, 2025
The Paris-Saclay Initiative: Vision, Strategy and Achievements

The Paris-Saclay University was established in 2015 by the French government to develop a high-level research-focused university that could reach the top-ten position in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) and be a top university in continental Europe. 

To reach a critical size the University brings together four leading technical French Grandes Ecoles with two universities, in a partnership with six national research organisations in a research-intensive academic campus 20 kms south of Paris.  

The University has some 48 000 students, 8 000 researchers and academic staff, 8 500 technical and administrative staff; it has over 275 laboratories, 11 fields medallists and 4 Nobel Prize winners.  It describes itself as “the beating heart for entrepreneurship and innovation”, a powerful research ecosystem in a dynamic business cluster of high technology companies. 

Paris-Saclay is at a turning point of its brief history; participants in the Study Visit will exchange with senior university leaders and professional service leaders:  

• The original ambition, vision and strategy and the achievements to date 
• The governance model
• Implications for resources and economies of scale: sharing services and infrastructure 
• Financial strategies and funding 
• Collaborative relationships with industry on the Saclay plateau 
• The organisational cultural transformation now taking place (as the end of the experimental phase is approaching in 2028)

From Vincent Jolys, Director General of Services, CentraleSupelec (Grande Ecole):     
 
Understanding Paris-Saclay University should be of great interest due to its unique model in Europe, integrating various higher education and research institutions. The institutional framework fosters synergies across disciplines, enhancing the quality of education and innovation. Collaboration between academia and industry stimulates ambitious and applied research projects, contributing to international competitiveness. The holistic approach addresses contemporary societal challenges while cultivating a dynamic ecosystem of learning and experimentation.  

I am delighted to have participated in this fabulous and demanding adventure for almost 7 years.  "Une Université les pieds dans le territoire et la tête dans les étoiles.”

The programme outline is available to view here and more information is available here and you can register here.