France Universités: Creation of the University Awards

On January 13, during its annual congress, in the Grand Amphitheatre at the Sorbonne, France Universités awarded for the first time its Prix des Universités: prizes were awarded for Student Commitment, for Research, and for Franco-European initiative benefitting students. With these awards, France Universités hopes to improve recognition for French public universities: their student profiles, their multidisciplinary approach to research and education, their action in favor of ecological transition, their relations with local communities and with international partners, as well as their role in the European context.

The Prix des Universités for Research was presented by Karine Lacombe, head of the infectious diseases department at Saint Antoine Hospital, and awarded to the Programme Intelligence Environnementale Commun (PIEC) of the UNIR group, represented by Luc Aquilina (Université Rennes 1) and Véronique Tilbeurgh (Université Rennes 2). The aim was to reward collective and collaborative work in research and innovation relating to ecological transition and local communities. This initiative had to be multidisciplinary and mobilize one or more teams involving public universities and their partners, including research organizations.

The Prize for Franco-European initiative benefitting students was presented by Frédérique Vidal, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, and awarded to the “Session inaugurale de l’Assemblée des étudiants européens pour l’Université”, represented by Constance Chevallier-Govers, from Université Grenoble Alpes. In recognition of the French presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2022, the aim was to reward an original initiative that could be deployed in other European universities and that would promote student mobility.

The Student Commitment Award was presented by Guillaume Gellé, President of the Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne and Vice President of France Universités, and awarded to Salim Kerim, Arthur Fossier, Corentin Duquesne, and Thomas Peixoto for the organisation of the Journée amiénoise du Sport et du handicap (Université Picardie Jules Verne). The objective was to reward students who demonstrated commitment to society and who, through their actions, helped to improve daily life, health, access to culture, physical and athletic activity, entrepreneurship and/or employment prospects for vulnerable populations.

Applications were open to all member institutions of France Universités. The winners were designated by its Board of Directors.