My background
I was trained at ENS Paris-Saclay and at Paris-Sud University, where I completed my PhD. I then worked there as a maîtresse de conférences (associate professor) and later as a full professor, dedicating over 25 years to teaching and research. Committed to issues of education, student life, and governance, I became the first president of Paris-Saclay University. The university’s transformation and growing international recognition likely contributed to my appointment as Minister of Higher Education and Research.
My own career path exemplifies the diverse opportunities that a PhD can open. The skills I developed during my doctoral studies - analysis, adaptability, and intellectual independence - enabled me to progressively take on positions of increasing responsibility: dean of a faculty, university president, and ultimately Minister of Higher Education and Research.
My vision of the role of ambassador
As a PhD ambassador, I see my role as a living bridge between higher education institutions and their students, doctoral candidates, and the socioeconomic stakeholders in my region.
My goal is to help reshape the still too narrow perceptions of the PhD in France, which is often seen as a path exclusively reserved for academia. In reality, it trains professionals capable of tackling the challenges of our time: scientific and technological innovation, ecological transition, and digital transformation.
The PhD is a valuable resource for regions: it produces high-level expertise, deeply rooted locally yet capable of international influence, and contributes to upskilling both the economic fabric and the civil service. The PhD is not just a scientific training program; it is also a school of rigor, creativity, autonomy, resilience, and ethics—qualities that are sought after in all sectors.
A key challenge for Île-de-France is to attract more engineering and business students to pursue a PhD. In many countries, the PhD is recognized as a strategic asset for innovation and a gateway to the highest levels of responsibility in business and senior public service.
We must change the perception of the PhD in France, highlight successful career paths, and encourage young talents to embrace this journey with confidence and ambition.
Acting for the doctorate in investing for our country
The PhD prepares individuals for a wide range of careers, far beyond academia, and cultivates an essential skill: lifelong learning, with an interdisciplinary mindset and a commitment to the common good.
By sharing these career paths, we can broaden the horizons of young researchers, helping them envision their future with ambition and freedom.
I aim to contribute to the many existing initiatives, such as associative forums, information websites and competitiveness clusters, as well as those organized by higher education and research institutions in Île-de-France.
These platforms provide opportunities to highlight the transferable skills acquired during a PhD and showcase the diversity of career opportunities, including in the private sector and senior civil service. Research skills - such as critical questioning, managing uncertainty, and intellectual independence - are key drivers of performance and adaptability in all professional environments.
In collaboration with the three other ambassadors in Île-de-France, I intend to coordinate our outreach efforts with institutions, businesses, and local authorities. This collective action will increase the visibility of the PhD and deliver a coherent and powerful message at the regional level, particularly to the socioeconomic world.
Being an ambassador means embodying a collective dynamic and demonstrating through example that the PhD is a true springboard. I firmly believe that valuing the skills and talents of PhD holders is an investment in the future of our country.
