A worldwide recognized research
Research is a key element in EURECOM's development. It is carried out by teams of international research professors in synergy with teaching activities.
Priority has been given to three research areas: Digital Security, Data Science and Communication Systems, which have defined the organization of the teams into three research departments of the same name.
Each department is free to define its strategy and the means to achieve its objectives. The research program is supervised by the Scientific Council, which is made up of representatives of the members of GIE EURECOM.
EURECOM has a particular interest in transdisciplinary activities at the intersection of the three departments, such as security in 5G, AI and communication systems, and AI and digital security.
A SUBTLE BALANCE BETWEEN BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH
At EURECOM, we know that exploratory research at the frontiers of knowledge or Research and Development [R&D] are interdependent and complement each other. All innovations require industrial research, which in turn is based on fundamental research.
Thanks to the close links it has developed with industry, EURECOM is able to direct an essential part of its research activities towards the areas of interest of its industrial partners. One of our challenges is to bridge the gap between basic and applied research at our partner companies.
The different strategic axes of our fundamental research:
EURECOM actively participates in the various joint research programs set up by the European Commission to support basic research in Europe.
- [ERC Grant]: EURECOM is a recipient of four highly competitive European Research Council [ERC] grants. These ERC grants are awarded to projects led by junior or senior researchers on the sole criterion of scientific excellence.
- 3 projects in Communication Systems: Sonata, Perfume, Duality
- 1 project in Digital Security: Bitcrumps
- [FET] Future Emerging Technology: FET projects are implemented in a collaborative manner, following the classic Horizon 2020 rules, and have an application orientation.
- 1 project in Data Science: OligoArchive, on data storage on digital DNA
At the national level, EURECOM is involved in various research programs of the French National Research Agency [ANR],
including:
- The Young Researchers program [JCJC], which allows the younger generation to develop their own research themes, to consolidate their team or to create one. It is aimed at young researchers who have obtained their thesis within the last ten years.
- 5 JCJC projects in the last few years
- Based on the excellence of its scientific activity EURECOM has developed Research Chair programs without an application orientation.
- 1 research chair with Huawei on advanced and intelligent wireless networks in the context of the future 6G
- 1 research chair financed by the AXA Research Fund, on new computational statistical approaches to risk modeling.
Scientific publications and theses
Fundamental research work is also reflected in a high number of scientific publications that are regularly awarded, as well as active participation in learned societies and international scientific events.
EURECOM actively monitors the state of the art in its fields and detect emerging subjects. We can thus guide exploratory research by proposing relevant thesis subjects and foster the introduction of new techniques in future products and services.
Applied research developed in close collaboration with industry
Over the years, EURECOM has developed a strong research activity in conjunction with companies and thus participates in the development of innovation and the technology transfer to a constantly changing society. Projects play a key role in EURECOM’s research activity. Beyond the financial and human resources they provide for the exploration and development of a scientific topic, one of their main interest lies in the interaction they generate within EURECOM’s partners.
The main axes are:
- European projects of the H2020 type, which represent around half of our contractual research turnover
- Bilateral contracts between industry and EURECOM on strategic business themes
- ANR contracts carried out jointly with other academic partners and French companies
- Theses conducted in large part with companies (Cifre)
- Experimental technology platforms, such as OAI [OpenAirInterface 5G software]
- Expertise and prototyping
A recognized cooperative research
EURECOM is a component of the Institut Carnot Télécom et Société Numérique. All of its research was awarded the Carnot label in 2006. The Carnot Label was designed to develop and professionalize cooperative research. It is granted to research organisations that put partnership research in the heart of their strategy.