COMUE
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| COMUE | |
|---|---|
| Name | COMUE |
| Native name | Communautés d'universités et établissements |
| Formation | 2013 |
| Dissolution | 2019 (partial reform 2019–2020) |
| Type | Public consortium |
| Headquarters | Paris, France |
| Region served | France |
| Language | French |
| Leader title | President |
| Main organ | Board of directors |
COMUE
The Communautés d'universités et établissements (COMUE) were French public consortiums created to group Universités, grandes écoles, Établissement public à caractère scientifique, culturel et professionnel, and research institutes such as CNRS and INSERM into coordinated regional entities. Established by the Law on Higher Education and Research (France) 2013 they sought to foster collaboration among institutions like Sorbonne Université, Université Paris-Saclay, Université de Strasbourg, Université de Lille, Université Grenoble Alpes, and Aix-Marseille Université. COMUE structures intersected with national initiatives including the PRES movement, the Idex and Labex programs, and the Investissements d'Avenir plan led by the Agence nationale pour la recherche.
History
The genesis of COMUE traces to earlier institutional groupings such as the Pôle de recherche et d'enseignement supérieur model and the formation of project-based clusters during the 2008 financial crisis recovery policies. Debates in the French Parliament culminated in the 2013 law, influenced by experiences from Université Grenoble Alpes merger attempts and precedents like Université Paris-Saclay project and the reorganization of Université Pierre et Marie Curie. Between 2014 and 2017 numerous regional consortiums were established, aligning partners including École Polytechnique, Sciences Po, HEC Paris, INSEAD, ENS Paris, and regional research bodies such as INRIA. Subsequent reforms around 2019–2020, motivated by criticisms from entities like the Conseil d'État and recommendations from the Haut Conseil de l'évaluation de la recherche et de l'enseignement supérieur, led to partial dismantling or reconfiguration into new legal forms similar to EPE or mergers exemplified by Université Paris Cité.
Purpose and Legal Framework
COMUE were conceived to implement coordinated strategies for higher education and research across territories, aligning with national policies such as Idex, Excellence Initiative, and the Investissements d'Avenir program managed by the Caisse des Dépôts. Legally they were established under the French Code de l'éducation provisions introduced by the 2013 law, granting capacities for awarding doctoral schools in partnership with entities like CNRS, CEA, INRAE, and IRD. The statutes permitted delegation of responsibilities involving degrees, research doctoral supervision associated with European Research Council grants, and international partnerships with organizations such as the Erasmus Mundus consortium and European University Alliance initiatives.
Membership and Structure
Membership combined multi-category institutions: Universités, grandes écoles including École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Mines ParisTech, Télécom ParisTech, public research organizations like CNRS, INSERM, INRIA, and cultural institutions such as the Bibliothèque nationale de France in some partnerships. Structures typically featured a board of directors comprising representatives from major members like Sorbonne Université, Université de Lyon, Université de Montpellier, and associate members such as Centre Pompidou or regional authorities like Région Île-de-France. Internal units included graduate schools modeled after Doctoral School of Sciences frameworks, research clusters akin to Laboratoire d'excellence aggregates, and technology transfer offices resembling SATT entities.
Governance and Funding
Governance combined elected officials (presidents drawn from rectors or university presidents) and appointed representatives from institutions including CNRS and INSERM, supervised by central state actors like the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (France). Funding sources comprised state allocations via the Agence nationale de la recherche, regional subsidies from bodies like Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, endowments linked to Fondation de coopération scientifique initiatives, and competitive grants from programs such as Horizon 2020 and the European Research Area. Financial management mirrored public accounting rules applied in entities such as EPST and required audits by authorities comparable to the Cour des comptes.
Academic and Research Activities
COMUE coordinated doctoral education across Écoles doctorales and fostered interdisciplinary programs partnering units like Institut Curie, Collège de France, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, and Institut Pasteur. They facilitated joint master's programs with schools such as HEC Paris and Télécom SudParis, enabled shared laboratories (UMR) alongside CNRS and INRAE, and supported technology transfer through collaboration with BPI France and regional SATTs. Research outputs connected to international projects funded by the European Research Council and collaborations with institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Max Planck Society, and Fraunhofer Society.
Evaluation and Impact
Assessments by agencies including the Haut Conseil de l'évaluation de la recherche et de l'enseignement supérieur and analyses by think tanks such as OECD and World Bank highlighted mixed outcomes: increased coordination in regions exemplified by Université Paris-Saclay and Université de Strasbourg but persistent tensions among partners like Sorbonne Université and certain grandes écoles. Impacts included improved access to European funding (e.g., ERC grants), enhanced global rankings for consolidated entities comparable to Times Higher Education and QS World University Rankings, and challenges in governance continuity noted by the Conseil national des universités and student organizations such as UNEF.