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SAC Nurtures Its French Affair
SAC researchers visit the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) (opens in new window)
A recent visit by SAC researchers to the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) has signalled an exciting new phase in the organisations’ ongoing partnership.
Led by Academic Director and Vice Principal of Research Professor Geoff Simm, the SAC team visited INRA’s PHASE Division (Animal Physiology and Livestock Systems) at the Theix research station near Clermont Ferrand in the Auvergne region.
The purpose of the visit was to explore possible opportunities for greater collaboration between INRA and SAC. It built on the dialogue that SAC’s Research Liaison Professor John Oldham has been developing with INRA livestock scientists over the last few years. These links have played an important part in SAC becoming more actively involved in the Animal Task Force that links EU Technology Platforms and research providers from several EU countries.
The meeting started with overviews of institutional interests and research approaches from Benoit Malpaux, Head of PHASE, and from Geoff.
Geoff said: “From our discussions it was very clear that INRA and SAC share similar perspectives on the big drivers for research over the next few years and, in particular, the importance of strengthening inter-disciplinary working and systems studies.
“INRA is ten times the size of SAC and has much greater capacity for ‘strength in depth’ in many scientific disciplines. But SAC also has much to offer, perhaps especially in a more integrated approach to key problem areas, combining both technical and social scientific expertise. Research to enable the development of sustainable systems of livestock production was agreed to be a ripe area for strengthening cooperation between our two organisations.”
The next actions will include a ‘sustainable systems’ workshop, the setting up of an online information-sharing resource and the establishment of at least one shared post-graduate studentship.
PHASE colleagues will visit SAC later this year and Geoff reports that an overall expectation of a significant increase in meaningful collaborations between SAC and INRA.
He added: “The spirit of our discussions was very positive and our INRA hosts’ hospitality was warm and welcoming. While our latest meeting focused on the livestock sector the hope is to look for ways to achieve the same spirit of co-operation in other sectors too.”