Our unit has already built links with some fifty renowned partners established in more than 28 countries. Through these collaborations, our objective is threefold:

•  Collaborate with the best teams worldwide to improve the scientific impact of our work on strategic themes. For example, since 2011 we have been coordinating the INFOGEST International Research Network (former COST Action), which brings together nearly 450 researchers from 150 institutes in 45 countries (all the continents are represented, see News). Likewise, we have established long-lasting and strengthened collaborations in the form of two International Associated Laboratories (LIA) with Brazilian teams (LIA BactInflam, with the Federal University of Minas Gerais, in Belo Horizonte) and Chinese (LIA FoodPRINT with the Soochow University, Suzhou).
•  Increase our influence and that of our institutes at the European level, by demonstrating our ability to raise funding within the framework of selective European calls for projects. The efforts of the STLO scientists have paid off over the last two years with the coordination of several projects accepted in different calls (FAIRCHAIN, PRIMA, EAT4AGE and EUROSTARS).
• Support international partners who wish to develop training and research in our areas of expertise. For example, following the organization of four congresses (2010 - 2014), we are behind the creation of the Maghrebian Association on Food Safety. In 2014, we created and organized the 1st “Milk, Vector of Development” Meetings in Rennes. Two other editions were held in Rabat (Morocco) in 2017 and Dakar (Senegal) in 2019 and the next meeting is scheduled in Tunis (Tunisia) in 2021.

More than half of our publications (51%) over the past five years are co-signed with foreign teams.

Over the past 5 years, 50% of our doctoral students came from a foreign university and we regularly welcome doctoral students under a co-supervision regime (i.e. students are awarded the French doctorate and that of their country of origin), in particular within the framework of our LIAs with China and Brazil.

Our researchers and teacher-researchers are regularly invited to give seminars and to stay at foreign institutes or universities under the status of Foreign Visiting Researcher (e.g. Y. Le Loir at UFMG Belo Horizonte, Brazil) or associate professor (R. Jeantet, in chemical engineering at Soochow University, China), in order to contribute to the development of collaborative research.

Contacts

Dr Romain Jeantet Head of International Relations excluding EU Phone: +33 2 23 48 56 95 Romain.Jeantet@agrocampus-ouest.fr

Dr Didier Dupont Head of International Relations EU Phone: +33 2 23 48 53 35 didier.dupont@inrae.fr