2017 saw many of our projects flourish, facilitated by fewer financial management constraints. We have become better organised, produced research that is as valuable as ever and have been in greater demand, particularly by the socio-economic world. These favourable conditions have reinforced our influence in France and abroad. They have also helped us forge new partnerships.
Within the framework of the Future Investments Programme, we obtained the certification of the I-Site FUTURE, which is a sign of the recognition of the scientific and institutional excellence of the project to create an establishment that we are jointly undertaking with our neighbouring partners: UPEM, ESIEE Paris, EAVT, EIVP, IGN and ENPC. To accompany this merger process, which will help us all to develop, the first seminars aimed at achieving mutual understanding were held. These periods of discussion between staff were a genuine success. They reflect a shared desire to step up cooperation in order to build a university with an international profile in the areas of the city and the transport of the future. For example, this project has enabled us not only to develop new multidisciplinary training courses at all levels, but also to undertake the first joint research work between the various I-Site laboratories. We should not forget our provincial sites either. Already affiliated with other schools or universities, they also contribute to enhancing training, enriching our national and international partnerships, and benefiting civil society with our innovations.
At the invitation of the Ministry of Transport, our researchers provided concrete input for the drafting of the Mobility Policy Act (LOM). For several months, within the framework of the Assises de la Mobilité (Mobility Consultation), their active participation in working groups, workshops and debates reflected our commitment to supporting public policies. This national consultation was an opportunity to highlight our research, expertise and breakthrough innovations... It also testifies to the desire to initiate a new drive for progress on the issues that concern us.
Our contract-based research activity has grown significantly.
With 163 contracts signed with a combined value of more than €18 million, our contract-based research activity has grown significantly. It has achieved its goals, namely to increase our internal resources, to favour research contracts generating profits and to increase ties with the world of industry. One example is the I-Street project. This major programme, funded to the tune of €3.7 million by ADEME, was the winner of the "Road of the Future" call for projects and links us with major partners such as the Eiffage group.
Our activity in 2017 was also notable for the start of work on the Transpolis innovation platform and the completion of work on the Sense-City Facility of Excellence. SI Research, our tool for collecting and sharing information about our teams' output, has been deployed in all our departments and laboratories. Some important projects for the Institute have also been successfully launched, for example the Goals and Performance Contract (COP) 2017 - 2021 as well as our four unifying projects. Following the example of the "R5G" project, these scientific leadership set-ups developed by our researchers have made it possible to envision new cross-cutting and interdisciplinary research in the laboratories of our five departments. It is part of an approach to coordinate and organise our research activities in order to better respond to major societal issues in the fields of transport, mobility, safety, planning and the environment.