Launched in 2023, the Evolutive Learning Factories program Evolutive Learning Factories taking shape at Arts et Métiers. We meet Dr. Sébastien Fernandez, who was appointed director of ELF development in June 2024.
What is the role of the new management?
My department works with the Deputy Director General to structure the ELF approach, supporting her in the development of the program: project engineering, financial engineering, structuring, information, communication, etc.
We also support the Arts et Métiers community Arts et Métiers setting up and coordinating collaborative projects that contribute to the ELFs. For example, as part of the AMI CMA (call for expressions of interest in "Skills and professions of the future," led by France 2030), which funds the creation or development of training programs. As the ELFs focus in particular on the modernization and development of the technological platforms used for teaching at the school, these projects are a natural fit with this strategy. Beyond the CMAs, other types of projects can finance the ELFs: JENII is a response to the call for projects Démonstrateurs pour l'Enseignement Supérieur (Demonstrators for Higher Education), and ConfluencES is a response to the call for projects ExcellencES.
Within the ELF development department, we have an overall view of projects and we also handle the administrative side of things.
How is it structured?
The first recruitments have been launched: a project manager for the CAIRE program, which is an artificial intelligence training projectArts et Métiers . It is funded as part of the CMA (French Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and contributes to the ELF (French Chamber of Commerce and Industry) by supporting digital transformation for individuals and organizations. We have also recruited a coordinator who is responsible for the ConfluencES project. This is a collaborative project led by the CNAM, of which Arts et Métiers is a member. It consists of financing the development of ELFs through investment and human resources. We also have an educational engineer who was already with us before the department was created and who works for CAIRE on the Aix-en-Provence campus.
Expertise on the various calls for projects will be built up over time, and this will become a real asset in supporting anyone wishing to submit a large-scale project.
What are the goals for this year?
The main short-term challenge for management is to be clearly identified by the entire community in order to support all project leaders in setting up and coordinating their projects. There is also a significant communication challenge, both internally and externally, in order to highlight the community's achievements and accelerate the implementation of ELFs.
The long-term ambition is to become a center of expertise and resources for the development of ELFs.
His career
After earning a PhD in theoretical chemistry in 2008 from Pierre and Marie Curie University, Sébastien Fernandez worked for a consulting firm. In 2011, he joined ParisTech, where he was responsible for doctoral and international policy on behalf of the 12 member schools. In 2013, he worked as an international development officer at École Polytechnique. In 2017, he joined Sorbonne University (formerly Pierre and Marie Curie University) where he took up the position of administrative director of the doctoral college (a group of 23 doctoral schools).
He joined Arts et Métiers 2022 as Deputy Director General for Research and Innovation (DGARI) as project manager for the JENII project.
