The “Défis clés” of the Occitanie Region support researchers in strategic areas

IRIT is involved in three of the eleven “Défis clés” of the Occitanie Region . Launched in 2020, the “Key Challenges” allow the support and creation of research fields of excellence in key areas, in line with the regional ambitions of the Green Pact. Implemented by the Region with all the universities of Occitania and public research institutions, the “Key Challenges” aim to make regional research more collaborative, visible and attractive. These “Key Challenges” aim to position Occitania as a leader in the fields of the future and to support the emergence of new skills and the professions of tomorrow.

Three key challenges at IRIT

The key challenges in which IRIT is invested are :

  • “Institut de cybersécurité de l’Occitanie / Cybersecurity Institute of Occitania” – Contact Abdelmalek Benzekri
  • “Mobilité intelligente et durable / Intelligent and sustainable mobility” – Contact Marie-Pierre GLEIZES
  • “Observatoire de la Terre et des territoires / Earth and Territories Observatory” – Contact Josiane MOTHE

Launch of the ICO calls for projects

The challenge “Institute of Cybersecurity of Occitania (ICO)” aims to position Occitania as a leading region in this area and to develop a “cybersecurity” sector. This project aims to strengthen research, develop the training offer and improve the valorization of scientific advances to support the economic actors of the sector. With the “Key Challenges”, the Region supports Occitanie researchers in strategic areas, chosen for their strong potential for innovation, the density of researchers and the quality of work conducted. In exchange for the “roadmaps” established with each scientific community until 2024, the Region provides resources, up to 2 to 3 M€ per challenge.

The ICO aims to stimulate upstream research, develop training and promote collaboration and innovation with industry. The ambition of this project is to focus on strategic sectors and application areas that are historical markers for the Occitanie region, such as aeronautics, automotive, space and health. Another strong differentiator of the Occitanie ecosystem is the interdisciplinary nature of the research conducted, which covers computer science, mathematics, as well as the legal, sociological, geopolitical and economic aspects of cybersecurity. To meet its objectives, the ICO is launching calls for theses, postdocs, projects and scientific events 2022. 

The research in cybersecurity in Occitania aims at developing new solutions of protection against maliciousness and experimental methods of security analysis allowing to answer these stakes. They cover several aspects declined in 4 main themes, crossing different disciplines. The first theme concerns the reinforcement of hardware, software and system security. The second theme focuses on ensuring the security of future networks and connected environments and emerging technologies. The third theme focuses on better protecting data and privacy, and improving trust in social networks. The fourth theme aims at improving design through formal approaches and studying the impact and contribution of artificial intelligence.