Research with impact

Building on its position as a major intensive research university, recognised nationally and internationally, the University of Bordeaux is working to consolidate and expand its academic excellence through its support for fundamental research. The acceleration of cutting-edge knowledge production, combined with adherence to the principles of ethical and responsible research, enables it to strengthen its capacity to respond to major societal challenges.

Its support is based specifically on ambitious strategic research management, close collaboration with national research organisations, and integrated coordination of research resources and equipment. With this in mind, the FORESITE - Facilitating and conducting research at the site level - initiative (Faciliter et opérer la recherche au niveau du site), launched with an initial group of partners at the site (CNRS, Inserm, Inria, INRAE and Bordeaux INP), aims to simplify, promote and optimise the mechanisms for managing research resources at the Bordeaux site.

In addition, the university intends to promote the simplification of administrative organisations and procedures for project management, to allow its researchers more time for academic work. Finally, it pays particular attention to the working conditions and career prospects offered to its researchers.

To support the emergence of research projects that address major societal challenges, the University of Bordeaux pursues a proactive policy to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration. Building on the international recognition of its communities (research areas, departments, or institutes) and working closely with its site partners, it promotes the development of interdisciplinary research that stimulates the cross-fertilisation of ideas and the production of new knowledge. Through its support for interdisciplinarity, it aims to foster the conditions for the emergence of new fields of research and to respond to the complex questions of contemporary societies and the challenges of the future, in particular transitions. 

To consolidate its international positioning and respond to major societal challenges, the University of Bordeaux, which is already involved in more than 150 European collaborative projects, wishes to strengthen its participation in leading international research consortia.

It aspires to play a leading role in these projects and in the production of cutting-edge knowledge, capitalising on its specific strengths and developing strategic partnerships with world-renowned institutions, particularly within the framework of its European ENLIGHT alliance (European university network to promote equitable quality of life, sustainability and global engagement through higher education).

The complex challenges facing our societies are redefining research priorities and require experts who are able to work in an interdisciplinary manner and who demonstrate a capacity to adapt quickly. This reality requires maintaining the interconnections between research and education which underpin the university model.

Hence, the University of Bordeaux promotes the emergence of new courses in line with its academic priorities and is working to develop and expand its research-based education activity. This is one of the objectives of the graduate school for young researchers UBGRS 2.0, which offers a distinctive range of research-based education programmes that are attractive to international students.

Beyond reducing dependence on commercial publishers, open science provides an opportunity to rethink the relationship between research and society, while strengthening the capacity to co-produce knowledge that leads to solutions and progress.

By making research data accessible to the entire academic community and society at large, the University of Bordeaux aims to contribute to strengthening the legitimacy of academic scholarship, its democratisation, and a better understanding of contemporary issues.

This approach requires a profound change in practices, the development of skills, and the creation of effective and secure data sharing tools. It requires a rigorous and transparent approach to data management to ensure both the scientific quality of the results and the protection of participants' personal data, thereby strengthening public confidence in scholarly research.