Aix-Marseille Université
As France’s largest university with over 80,000 students, 8,000 staff members, and 800,000 m² of real estate, Aix-Marseille Université (amU) offers nearly 1,100 degrees across its 17 components (faculties, schools, and training institutes). Renowned for its scientific excellence, it ranks among the top 5 French universities in the Shanghai Ranking.
With a unique territorial presence through its 54 sites across 4 departments and 10 cities (including a branch in Wuhan, China), it plays a key role in the economic development of the region.
As the lead institution of the European university alliance CIVIS, amU combines strong regional roots with global ambition. It hosts over 12,000 international students and develops strategic partnerships worldwide.
As a research-intensive university, amU was awarded the “Initiative of Excellence” label in 2012, placing it among the world’s top universities. It is home to 121 research units, 12 doctoral schools, 20 interdisciplinary institutional institutes, and 72 high-tech platforms, in close collaboration with major national research organizations.
The university implements an ambitious innovation policy, notably through the creation of the Cité de l’Innovation et des Savoirs Aix-Marseille (CISAM), recognized as one of the 25 places transforming innovation in France. It also leads major initiatives such as the Marseille Immunology Biocluster, the University Innovation Cluster (PUI Provence), and the Mission Europe for Research.
As a socially committed and responsible institution, amU is ranked internationally for its social and societal impact. Its university foundation reinforces its commitment to diversity, inclusion, and the fight against student precarity. Furthermore, amU has made climate action a central pillar of its strategy: since 2020, it has had a Climate Council composed of scientists and civil society experts engaged in the fight against global warming.
In a world in constant transformation, marked by major challenges, amU is fully committed to its mission: supporting both individual and collective success that contributes to the progress of society.
Cité de l’Innovation et des Savoirs Aix-Marseille (CISAM)
Aix-Marseille Université has chosen to open its space within CISAM to several of its partners. Various structures have access to permanent or flexible offices to facilitate collaboration with other stakeholders in the ecosystem.
These include:
The Research and Valorization Department and its subsidiary Protisvalor, which manage private and European research contracts.
The SATT Sud-Est, which supports the development and transfer of inventions to the economic sector.
The IMPULSE business incubator and PEPITE Provence, which foster start-up creation.
The Carnot Star Institute, offering a comprehensive range of scientific expertise and know-how in sports, health, and wellness.
The Pôle Mer Méditerranée, which helps develop innovative projects and supports businesses in the blue economy.
The Lab RSE, which brings together resources and talent from socially committed companies.
The Canceropole, which coordinates and supports researchers and teams across disciplines to accelerate progress toward future therapies.
The Entrepreneurial Legitimacy Chair, which helps entrepreneurs understand and strengthen their legitimacy as they grow their businesses.
The Aix-Marseille Technological Platform label, which provides the scientific community and socio-economic actors with advanced infrastructure for research contracts, collaborative partnerships, and external services.
ENEDIS and amU: an innovation partnership
Since CISAM’s opening, the public utility company ENEDIS has set up its Artificial Intelligence laboratory within the Aix-Marseille Université space. A true public service actor, ENEDIS places innovation at the core of its development and collaborates with amU to develop AI applications aimed at improving the efficiency of its services.
In 2020, ENEDIS, Aix-Marseille Université, and the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis signed a Chair agreement named Massal’IA, aimed at developing the first AI tool dedicated to managing electric mobility across the territory.
By bringing together all these innovation ecosystem stakeholders in a single location, CISAM provides the necessary resources for entrepreneurial creativity and accelerates collaboration between industry and research laboratories. This is how innovation drives societal value creation, generates employment opportunities for students, and enhances the university’s national and international visibility.
