Supporting innovation

The University has a proactive policy of innovation and relations with the socio-economic world.

A LOCAL UNIVERSITY, INTEGRATED INTO ITS TERRITORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

La Rochelle Université is positioned as a key player in the development of its region, particularly through the dynamics of the innovation, socio-economic development and entrepreneurship policy (IDSE in french). Based on the specific characteristics of the territory and worked with socio-economic players, this policy takes into account local specificities to contribute to the definition of research, training and innovation mechanisms in line with the problems encountered.

The dialogue is therefore part of a perspective of complementarities and mutual benefits at the service of the living area, as shown for example by the emblematic project “La Rochelle Territory Zero Carbon” which emanates from the PIA 3 “Innovation Territories”.

Within the framework of the metropolitan dynamic, the institution also pursues a policy of collaboration with the main local authorities. La Rochelle Université has signed global agreements (teaching, research, innovation, student life) with the La Rochelle and Niort agglomeration communities as well as with the Aunis Atlantique community of municipalities.

The “CampusInnov” dynamic

Based on the research expertise of the laboratories of La Rochelle Université, CampusInnov aims to become a centre of technological co-innovation of excellence integrated into the University. The CampusInnov building, planned for 2025, will be a true scientific third place, hosting innovation and entrepreneurship projects that will intensify the link between research and the socio-economic world.

CampusInnov aims to support and accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship through collaboration between students, university researchers and economic players (companies, clusters, local authorities). The aim is to develop the enormous potential for creativity and innovation that exists in the university world.

The CampusInnov project has two dimensions:

  • The implementation of systems and a range of services designed to support the emergence, management and development of innovation and entrepreneurship projects.
  • The provision of open and shared spaces within the framework of professionalised support to help the maturation of research or the emergence of innovation projects, or the development of student-entrepreneur projects.

Career advisors to better identify La Rochelle Université’s offer for companies

The University has thought out and organised its relations with the economic players in its territory according to a thematic approach, in order to make its training offer more easily identifiable. Represented by specialised referents, these socio-economic fields constitute coherent sets of skills, in initial and continuing education and in research, from which the socio-economic players can draw resources, whether in terms of recruitment, innovation or training.

Six fields have been identified, presenting a range of training and research expertise.

The development of continuing education

The Continuing Education Department develops tailor-made training courses, co-constructed with companies and local players, in direct response to their needs.

As part of its training offer, La Rochelle Université offers the validation of acquired experience (VAE), 11 university diplomas (DU), 1 diploma of access to university studies (DAEU) and 2 certifications. The Continuing Education Department has been awarded the “Continuing Education at the University” quality service certification since 2018.

 Apprenticeships: our students are already professionals

Each year, La Rochelle Université opens new  apprenticeships programmes. They meet both the wishes of young people and the needs of employers by offering a coherent range of courses in line with the local economic fabric. Today, the University has more than 600 students on apprenticeship or professionalization contracts. More than 30 sandwich courses are offered and cover more than 10 sectors of activity: environment, digital, construction, industry, etc.

An active Foundation alongside the University and companies

Created in July 2009, the La Rochelle Université Foundation aims to support the development and influence of the University, particularly through partnerships and projects with the socio-economic world. This vocation is exercised in particular within the framework of the University’s strategic development axis around the theme of the Urban, Sustainable and Intelligent Coastline (LUDI), by articulating the local and European scales.

The efforts of the La Rochelle Université Foundation are organised around five priority areas of action:

  • Student solidarity ;
  • Support for corporate sponsors and the establishment of collaborations between the university and the institutional and economic players in the region;
  • Dissemination of scientific culture and raising awareness of societal and environmental issues, particularly in coastal areas;
  • Support for research, innovation and training;
  • Foresight.

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