Academic partnerships

The development of academic partnerships, in the region and beyond, enables the Université d'Avignon to be at the centre of a network that covers a wide range of themes linked to its core areas of identity. These partnerships involve major research organisations and partner universities. They are based on the sharing of research structures (UMR, UMS, research federations), the contractualisation of framework agreements (AU-INRAE-CNRS-EHESS, Aix-Marseille-Provence-Mediterranée Association) and the co-sponsorship of major structuring projects.

Framework agreement AU/CNRS/EHESS/INRAE

The Université d'Avignon develops its research activities in partnership with research bodies in each of its areas of identity. In April 2015, these joint commitments led to the signing of a framework agreement associating the company with theEHESSon CNRS and INRAE. This agreement lays the foundations for the international scientific centre of excellence in Avignon, in particular :
  • Creation of a Scientific Coordination and Orientation Committee (CCOS) for the Avignon cluster,
  • Structuring research activity around the 2 core areas of "Agro&Sciences" and "Culture, Heritage and Digital Societies",
  • Coordination of research transfer and valorisation,
  • Development of technical platforms and shared resource centres,
  • Concerted Contribution to Scientific and Technical Culture (CCST)
  • Involvement of staff from research organisations and EHESS in the activity of Doctoral Studies,
  • Pooling of skills and resources within the framework of concerted actions in the training of their staff.             

Partnerships with research organisations and shared units

The Université d'Avignon's collaboration with major research organisations is based in particular on the sharing of joint units, which are jointly recognised by the Ministry of Research, one or more research organisations and partner universities. These shared units are special collaborative areas that are jointly managed by all the supervisory bodies. They may be research laboratories (Unités Mixtes de Recherche, UMR) or service units (Unités Mixte de Service, UMS) that support and boost research activities.

The Université d'Avignon shares joint research units with INRAE, CNRS, EHESS, IRD and CIRAD.

Partner universities and the Aix-Marseille-Provence association

The Université d'Avignon is at the centre of a large and dynamic research area, covering a large part of south-east France and structured by the intersection of the Rhone axis and an east-west axis running from Nice to Montpellier. These collaborations are based on :

  • sharing of joint units (with AMU, Lyon, Nice, Montpellier)
  • major research projects funded in particular under the Future Investments
  • partners in federative research structures (Fruman, Ecorev, Tersys, Agorantic)
  • the Aix-Marseille Provence Association (AMP), which provides a privileged framework for developing synergies and harmonising all the activities of the site's partners. The site brings together the Universities of Aix-Marseille and Toulon, the Ecole Centrale de Marseille and Sciences Po Aix-en-Provence.

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Research federations: tools for boosting partnerships

Research federations are structures dedicated to leading and coordinating scientific projects that cut across several research units. These federations should enable the development of research ecosystems beyond the perimeter of a university site. The Université d'Avignon has two federations linked to its two key areas of identity and is involved in two others in its areas of excellence:
  • Agorantic (FR 3621). This federation was accredited by the CNRS in 2012, with a primary attachment to the INSHS and a secondary attachment to the INS2I. Its main mission is to promote multidisciplinary research on culture, heritage and digital societies;
  • Tersys Tersys: a federative research structure created in 2010, whose main institutional partners are the University of Avignon, INRA PACA and CNRS. Tersys federates and energises the activities of the research laboratories on the Avignon site, focusing on the "Agro&Sciences" theme;
  • FRUMAM (FR 2291): CNRS federation of mathematics laboratories at the universities of Avignon (LMA, EA 2151), Marseille and Toulon;
  • ECCOREV (FR 3098): a federation dedicated to the study of continental ecosystems and environmental risks. The University of Avignon contributes via IMBE and UMR EMMAH.

Mis à jour le 5 February 2024