From June 8th to June 12th, a week-long joint scientific workshop was successfully hosted in the buildings of INSA Lyon. This international seminar brought together researchers, professors, and PhD Students from the University of Passau, the University of Milan, the Technical University of Deggendorf, and INSA Lyon.
The primary objective of the workshop was to provide a collaborative forum for PhD students to showcase their doctoral research while getting constructive feedback from the trinational team of IRIXYS. To fulfill this, dedicated “Talk” sessions were structured across every single day of the week. During these sessions, PhD students presented their current thesis topics, detailed their methodology, and openly shared complex technical research problems they encountered.
On Tuesday, the workshop transitioned outside office boundaries for the “Tuesday Outdoor’s Trip”. This dedicated social and sports itinerary was designed to strengthen team cohesion and build trust among the international team of IRIXYS.
Thursday marked the institutional phase of the week, with the inauguration of the franco-german chair in AI and Cybersecurity between Lyon and Passau. After an arrival coffee that welcomed distinguished guests, the official ceremony opened with formal addresses from the Presidents of the University of Passau and INSA Lyon, alongside institutional endorsements from the Consul General of Germany in Lyon and the President of the Franco-German University (FGU).
Following this, the Chair co-founders Prof. Dr. Lionel Brunie and Prof. Dr. Harald Kosch, delivered a presentation detailing the long-term objectives, strategic framework, and collaborative vision of the Chair.
The academic rigor, at the heart of this Chair of excellence, was still present during the ceremony with keynotes interventions from experts, notably Dr. Sonia Ben Mokhtar, a prominent researcher at the CNRS. To reaffirm the important link with industries, Dr. Alexander Krebs highlighted the long-term partnership with Atos Germany. The event ended with the official signing of the Chair agreement, followed by a buffet that allowed students, professors, and institutional delegates to discuss.
As a result, this IRIXYS workshop proved to be a dynamic forum for scientific dialogue and academic networking, while being the opportunity to sign for a longer partnership with the new Chair. Thank you to all participants for their contributions; their presence illustrated the importance of European collaboration and research in order to address global challenges.