Job Shadowing In La Rochelle Université

In June 2021, Adrian Andronic from UTCB visited La Rochelle Université and met with its colleagues Michael Gouin and Swann Péré. Here is his testimony:

“When the announcement regarding the possibility of applying for a Job Shadowing mobility within EU-CONEXUS was issued, I contacted the EU-CONEXUS office in our university and started sending e-mails to our partners. My first intention was to participate in a mobility at La Rochelle Université and luckily, they responded very promptly. After a few e-mails exchanged, we decided that I can participate in a Job Shadowing mobility at Campus Innov with Michael Gouin.

My experience in La Rochelle Université was outstanding. Seeing first-hand how the Pepite programme is applied, visiting the spaces designated for the students, having extended discussions with Michael Gouin and Swann Péré about the programme and participating in the award ceremony for 2021 generation. During the award ceremony, I had the honor to meet the rector of La Rochelle Université, Jean-Marc Ogier. I understood a lot better how French students learn about innovation and entrepreneurship. It impressed me a great deal how eagerly they worked for their dream and I appreciated the way people involved with Campus Innov support them. I believe this programme is greatly contributing to promoting the entrepreneurial culture within students. Teaching them first-hand how to create a start-up, how to work for materializing their ideas and, in most cases, how to create a team to achieve the intended goals.

Michael prepared a very packed schedule for my visit to La Rochelle University, which allowed me to meet the director of Technopole incubator, seeing how much work there is in supporting start-ups and not only in the region. I also visited EIGSI engineering school, met the director of research, which was a good host and accompanied me and Michael in the school incubator. I’ve met two start-up teams that worked on two very interesting apps.

The second part of the stay was reserved for visiting one of the research teams in the university – The SIE, where I met prof. Emilio Bastidas-Arteaga and Rachid Cherif, which were so kind to presente their research projects and accompany me to the laboratories. We had extended discussions regarding research directions, good practices in the university and different other connected subjects. During my last day of the mobility, the vice rector for research, Christian Inard, had the courtesy to receive me and we had a very applied discussion about research topics and the possibility of different collaboration projects between our universities.

I would recommend anyone interested in developing their horizons to participate in such a mobility. In my case, I learnt many things which I can apply successfully at my university, starting from Pepite programme to good practices and mindsets. Another perk of this mobility was the city where the university is. La Rochelle is a very beautiful and charming city, together with the neighboring islands, providing an amazing visit.”