Research activities are carried out at the UPV-M as a part of an effort conducted at regional level in close partnership with Nancy-Université and the local Schools of engineering. The University works in perfect tune with the industrial, economic and social environment and research work focuses on areas recognised as excellence domains at international level in exact sciences and humanities.
Recognized and promising areas of research
497 researchers with teaching duties and 592 doctoral students carry out research in seven main areas in Lorraine, ranging from fundamental to applied sciences :
- Molecular Physics and Chemistry ;
- Energy, Mechanical engineering, Processes, Products ;
- Computer science, Automation , Electronics, Mathematics ;
- Matter, Materials, Metallurgy ;
- Biology, Medicine, Health care ;
- Letters, Languages, Humanities ;
- Judicial sciences, Political sciences, Economics and Management.
Well-structured research activities
In 27 research centres including :
- 5 research centres associated to CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research) specialised in materials, chemistry, environmental sciences and 2 research centres working in partnership with a CNRS Unité Mixte Internationale focusing their activities on secured networks and innovative materials ;
- 22 équipes d'accueil (junior research teams) recognised by the relevant Ministry ;
- 2 teams associated to INRIA (Automation and Computer Science).
Research is also carried out in the framework of well-organised "federative structures"
- specific to the UPV-M :
- the Fédération de recherche GI2M (Industrial engineering, Mechanical engineering, Materials) is an umbrella organisation with renown research centres hosted by the University and Grandes Écoles), with converging points of scientific interest and offering a first-rate scientific and technological environment.
at regional level :
- The Maison des Sciences de l'Homme Lorraine and the CNRS Service and Research Unit hosts research teams in Letters, Humanities and Social Sciences focusing their activities on 5 areas.
- The Institut Jean Barriol has gained recognition by the relevant Ministry and CNRS for research in the following areas : molecules for the living bodies, organised systems, organic and hybrid materials, chemistry and microbiology for the environment, structure and dynamics of molecules : methods and instrumentation.
- The federative centre Charles Hermite - also under the aegis of CNRS - focuses on research in computer science, automation and mathematics.
- The federative structure Eau-Sol-Terre (also enjoying full CNRS accreditation) focuses on matters related to water and soil.
- The Institut Jean Lamour - also sponsored by the CNRS.
or in research centres carrying out research in innovative areas in close cooperation with the industry :
- The CIRAM (Metz Innovation and Research Centre), as an umbrella institution including the research centres of the two schools of engineering ENSAM and ENIM, and the UPV-M itself, specialising in mechanical engineering, materials science and industrial engineering and focusing on innovative products, processes and services ;
- The technological platforms specialised in the plastics industry (Plastinnov), the environment, ergonomics (Pergolab), high speed milling (UGV) ;
- The Iseetech (European Institute for Research on the Corporation and its Techniques) whose objective is to promote cooperation between the academic world and companies in research and training ;
- The Pôles de Compétitivité (Competition centres) Materalia (Materials) and Fibres Grand-Est (Fibres).
A rapidly expanding network of co-operative research partnerships
The UPV-M has developed numerous partnerships at local and international level :
- with the Metz "Grandes Écoles" in a spirit of research networking : ENIM (Engineering), ENSAM (Engineering), SUPELEC (Electrical engineering and electronics), the Lorraine Branch of Georgia Tech ;
- along the 5 priority lines laid down in the State-Region Project Agreement ;
- in the 9 research centres shared with the universities of Nancy (Nancy 2, the Université Henri- Poincaré and the Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine) ;
- with a reinforced contribution for the funding of research programs at national, European and international level via such institutions as Agence Nationale de la Recherche and various foundations and framework programs for the promotion of research, e.g. Life, Eureka, Interreg, Arcus, the Hubert-Curien programs, etc.
Education and training based on research
Students can select one of the 30 specialities for doctoral studies offered by the Metz research centres organised in the seven Doctoral colleges located in Lorraine and working under the aegis of CRED (Coordinating committee) :
- BIOSE : structural, molecular and cellular biology ;
- EMMA : energy, materials, mechanical engineering, physico-chemical engineering ;
- IAEM : data processing, automation, electronics, mathematics ;
- PIEMES : written documents, media, spaces, societies, law ;
- RP2E : geosciences, biological and environmental sciences ;
- SESAMES : chemistry, physics and molecular physico-chemistry ;
- SJEPG : management sciences, economics, judicial sciences ;
- 22 master's degrees offered by the UPV-M pave the way to doctoral studies ;
- about 90 doctoral dissertations and 15 presentations to gain accreditation as a research mentor (HDR) are submitted every year.
- the Bureau de la vie doctorale (Doctoral Studies Coordination Office) provides information and ensures proper coordination between doctoral students and the UPV-M research centres or doctoral colleges.
Opening up to Europe and the whole world in doctoral studies :
The UPV-M promotes the mobility of doctoral students in the whole world as a way to gain international experience and enhance scientific competence and life skills. This is achieved by :
- some 30 joint mentorship agreements made every year for doctoral theses ;
- the UPV-M as member of the Franco-Chinese and Franco-Japanese Doctoral Colleges ;
- the university was a pioneer for a creation of the first cross-border Doctoral College with the universities in Liège,
Saarbrücken and Luxembourg in the field of letters, humanities and social sciences; it is also the co-manager of the European Interreg project européen Université de la Grande Région (University of the Greater Region) whose purpose is to reinforce existing partnerships and impulse new ones.
