Your voice of reason at Paris-Saclay
Fabian M. Suchanek 2016-11-05, terms of use
F&M: Dr. Naibaf, it may well happen that the government will stop supporting Paris-Saclay. Would that not mean the end of the project?
Naibaf: If a project is not supported, this does not mean we have to stop it. ParisTech, e.g., was once meant to become the MIT of France. In 2011, however, the government stopped supporting it. Still, ParisTech lives on happily ever since. It will be the same with Paris-Saclay: It will live on no matter whether it is supported or not.F&M: But if the government withdrew its support, this would be a strong signal that something is not working right. Why should Paris-Saclay then continue existing?
Naibaf: Look no further than my own school, Télécom ParisTech. Our LTCI research lab recently lost its CNRS status. And yet, we are recreating the same structure again, the LTCI. It would be the same with Paris-Saclay.F&M: But how can a structure survive if Polytechnique is hesitant to join, Paris-Sud is rethinking its engagement, and Versailles never showed any intention of moving to the common campus?
Naibaf: If we want to create structures, we cannot take into account what its members want. Look at the Institut Mines-Telecom: Its members are exclusively Telecom schools. The Mines schools are only “associated members”. Thus, you have here an example of a structure that survives even if crucial constituents do not really want to be full members. It will be the same with Paris-Saclay.F&M: But many institutes have not even moved to the campus. Télécom ParisTech, e.g., will not move until 2019. It will then most likely merge with Télécom SudParis, which will keep its campus in Evry. How could this ever work?
Naibaf: Our goal is to keep the current functioning of Télécom ParisTech: It has already 3 campuses. We hope that it can be the same at Paris-Saclay.F&M: What is the opinion of the administrative staff, researchers, etc. about Paris-Saclay?
Naibaf: We have not asked the researchers whether they want to join Paris-Saclay or not. The creation of Paris-Saclay is a strategic decision. It is not taken by those who are affected.F&M: We thank you for this interview!