Since the end of 2015, WCI has been working on a 5-year action programme (2016-2020) based on 4 complementary elements :
Research
Objective :
Prefigure and create an interdisciplinary research hub on experience with European-level visibility
Actions :
- Interdisciplinary scientific events to foster better knowledge and new projects
- Annual calls to fund regional research and experimentation projects
- Supporting local and international scientific events
- Monitoring of funding opportunities for research labs in Pays de la Loire and assistance for setting up consortia and projects between research actors
Higher Education
Objective :
Develop creative skills and innovative training paths for the field of experience, generating hybrid synergy between science and creative activities, in particular through the intensification of inter-institutional relations; to strengthen the overall visibility of the Pays de la Loire Cultural & Creative Industries fields.
Actions :
- Annual calls to support new curriculums in Pays de la Loire and with international partners
- Assistance in setting up consortia and international projects for higher education
- Student creative challenges
- Inter-university actions to support teaching innovations
Innovation
Objective :
Increase collaborations between research labs and companies, to improve the user experience of news products, services, places and any devices produced in Pays de la Loire or with Pays de la Loire stakeholders
Actions :
- Assistance for setting up consortia and projects between research actors and private and public partners
- Creation and promotion of a catalogue of regional skills
- Leadership of a network of innovation/economic stakeholders
International partnerships
Objective :
Raise the profile of research and training on an international scale, particularly through 5 strategic international partnerships with Austin (University of Texas at Austin), Seoul (Hanyang University), Montréal (Université de Montréal, HEC Montréal and ETS), Helsinki (Aalto University) and Dublin (Trinity College)
Actions :
Participation in the organization of international conferences
Identification of European and other international funding opportunities and assistance in the initiation of projects
Development of 5 international partnerships: supporting mobility of researchers and doctoral students, international curriculums and research projects, joint applications for international calls