Initiative of Excellence


 
 


The Initiative of Excellence is a national label awarded to Université Côte d'Azur in 2016 as part of the Investments for the Future Program (PIA) and confirmed in 2021 following an evaluation by an international jury that had monitored the project over its first five years. Thanks to its Initiative of Excellence (IdEx), the Université Côte d'Azur is positioning itself as a world-class, research-intensive university with a strong international reputation that offers excellent higher education in innovative sectors.

IdEx: a driver of growth for Université Côte d'Azur

IDEX: A DRIVER OF GROWT FOR UNIVERSITÉ CÔTE D'AZUR

Designed to contribute to achieving the ambitions of the Investments for the Future Program (PIA) and subsequently the France 2030 investment plan, Université Côte d'Azur's Initiative of Excellence is a genuine lever for transformation and a driver of growth that aims to:

  • Strengthen its position as a university of excellence that is transdisciplinary, attractive and world-renowned;
  • Develop partnerships between the excellence of its research teams and the innovation potential of the local ecosystem, in order to contribute to the growth of the region;
  • Help ensure that its education programs are based on this research excellence.
Genesis of the Université Côte d'Azur IdEx project

Genesis of the Université Côte d'Azur IdEx project

In 2016, the Communauté d'Université et d'Établissements (ComUE) Université Côte d'Azur was awarded the coveted Initiative of Excellence (IdEx) label as part of the Investments for the Future Program (PIA 2), following a rigorous selection process by an international jury. After a four-year pilot period, in which Université Côte d'Azur and its partners were able to implement the proposed project and realize their ambition of establishing in the Côte d'Azur region one of France's nine research-intensive universities of excellence with a strong international reputation, and following a final evaluation by the international jury in 2021, the French government confirmed its permanent support for the Université Côte d'Azur IdEx.

Key dates

What is now the Université Côte d'Azur Initiative of Excellence has seen a number of key milestones in its history.

2016

The initial objective was to create a new model of research-intensive university on the Côte d'Azur, with international visibility and a strong local base. Université Côte d'Azur was formed as a community of member institutes gathered around a university core (ComUE). Interdisciplinarity emerged as a key lever to increase the level of excellence and innovation at the university, so that it could be identified and recognized as a world-class university and a significant player in the region, with the ambition of positioning itself among the major European and international universities.

2020

After successfully achieving the first stage, Université Côte d'Azur was given the status of experimental public institution, which led to the dissolution of both the ComUE UCA and the Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, and the creation of Université Côte d'Azur.

The external recognition and internal confidence provided by the prestigious IdEx award have created a leverage effect that has led to other successes within the Investments for the Future Program (PIA), highlighting the university community’s level of scientific excellence, the success of its cross-disciplinary strategy and the credibility of its partnership base with all the stakeholders in the region, particularly the local authorities and businesses that support it. A growing number of major international groups, as well as SMEs and startups, are now turning to the university and its partners to increase their capacity for innovation and to recruit talented new graduates of Université Côte d'Azur.

Finally, the momentum generated by IdEx enabled Université Côte d'Azur to scale up its international and European ambitions, as illustrated by the Ulysseus European University, awarded under the European Universities program, the establishment of strategic partnerships with other world-class universities, the co-construction of mirror campuses abroad and increasing participation in networks of influence and scientific diplomacy.

2021

The permanent status of the Initiative of Excellence means that Université Côte d'Azur can become the world-class university that the Côte d'Azur needs to successfully transform its model of growth to meet the major challenges of the twenty-first century. Following its confirmation in 2021 by decision of the Prime Minister, the members of the Université Côte d'Azur Initiative of Excellence wished to have a dedicated university foundation to steer and manage IdEx, to give it the autonomy and agility necessary to achieve its objectives, which are outlined in the devolution agreement between the University and the State. To this end, on 1 January 2022, Université Côte d'Azur created the IdEx Université Côte d'Azur Foundation with founders from the original IdEx consortium. The mission of the foundation is to manage the IdEx funds and allocate them to actions aligned with its objectives.
Interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity

Interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity

Since the launch of its Initiative of Excellence (IdEx) in 2016, Université Côte d'Azur has made interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research one of its strategic priorities to meet the challenges of the modern world. By encouraging excellence and dialogue between disciplines, the university transcends scientific boundaries to develop innovative approaches that address environmental, social and technological issues.

Interdisciplinarity lies at the heart of the support schemes set up by the university, notably through its Academies of Excellence, its thematic institutes such as NEUROMOD, its Graduate Schools (Ecoles Universitaires de Recherche; EURs) and support structures such as the Center for Modeling, Simulation and Interactions (Maison de la Modélisation, de la Simulation et des Interactions; MSI). These structures foster the emergence of new concepts and encourage collaboration between researchers from different backgrounds. By facilitating the exchange of know-how and supporting high-impact projects, these initiatives enrich disciplines while strengthening the societal impact of research.

In an increasingly complex and interconnected world, this approach is essential to anticipate tomorrow's challenges, position Université Côte d'Azur as a key player in the region's scientific and economic development, and raise its international profile.

IdEx: Comprehensive, structured support

In addition to support for research structures, IdEx helps the university’s researchers and faculty with their career development and progression, paying particular attention to the interdisciplinary aspects of projects selected, notably within the framework of the Advanced Research Program, which aims to foster high-level collaborations, and the Collegium of Advanced Studies, which creates an environment in which faculty members can launch, develop or finalize projects of excellence and can benefit from high-level outgoing mobility.

Interdisciplinarity also requires administrative and financial support, which is provided by IdEx to foster interdisciplinary projects and assist academic structures such as the Academies of Excellence and EURs in recruiting dedicated support staff.
 

Key figures

NUMBER OF INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECTS
SUPPORTED BY IDEX
IN 2023

of projects supported are interdisciplinary



 
   in total funding for interdisciplinary projects

These figures demonstrate Universite Cote d'Azur's commitment to excellence in research that is open and strongly focused on interdisciplinarity, transdisciplinarity and innovation
IdEx structures
IdEx structures
research program
research program
Pedagogy and Innovative Education Program
Pedagogy and Innovative Education Program
Innovation program
Innovation program
International and Europe program
International and Europe program
Members and partners
Members and partners
Supported actions
Supported actions
Labelled projects
Labelled projects
Calls for proposals
Calls for proposals


NEWS

INSIGHTS

insights
insights
INSIGHTS, the magazine of the Université Côte d'Azur's Initiative d'Excellence (IdEx), highlights the people and places that exemplify our community's research excellence, while also providing an overview of IdEx actions in international development, training and innovation. Its various sections include the Pitch Challenge, Projects in the News and Outside the Box. Each issue features a special section devoted to research in one of the university’s key thematic fields

Read the issues of INSIGHTS: