Message from Yasmine Belkaid: Next Steps in building “Pasteur 2030” strategic plan

Read Yasmine Belkaid's message on the next steps in the co-construction of Institut Pasteur's future strategic plan, "Pasteur 2030".

"Dear Pasteurians,
 
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for your kindness and your warm welcome since my arrival at the beginning of this year.  
 
The Institut Pasteur is a unique place, recognized for its science and its extraordinary depth of human talent. It is an honor and also an immense pleasure for me to start working with each and every one of you.  
 
At the New Year ceremony on January 11, I set out the first steps in the process that we will be embarking on together in the coming months to build a shared ambition for the Institut Pasteur. I am delighted to see that the conversation that we began at the ceremony is continuing day after day! Our discussions have given me new insights and a real sense of enthusiasm, and I would like to thank you. I am determined to continue this conversation with you throughout my term as President.  
 
I am writing to you today about our future Strategic Plan, "Pasteur 2030."  
 
I would like to begin by sharing my thoughts about the meaning, the "why" behind this process of strategic reflection.  
 
Our aim is to continue producing the best and most innovative science possible, in the Pasteurian spirit; we want our research to benefit health, progress and our basic knowledge of the living world. We need to have a positive impact in a world that is dealing with multiple crises, and science is a powerful tool in responding to the challenges facing society. As members of the national and international scientific community, we have an important duty and responsibility to the next generations that represent the future of humanity.  
 
I firmly believe, as I know the vast majority of you do, that the Institut Pasteur is part of the solution and that we can go even further in our commitment and our action for the benefit of society. This is the aim of our new "Pasteur 2030" process of strategic reflection.  
 
We will work hand in hand to develop an ambitious project, one that brings us together, and I would like to tell you a little more about the method that we will be adopting over the coming weeks.  
 
We will be holding a participatory, open process of reflection that will give each and every one of you the opportunity to express your wishes, your expectations and, above all, your plans for our institute.  
 
The priority is to determine our key scientific areas, both on the basis of our current strengths and what sets us apart, but also taking into account the ways in which scientific practice is changing and future prospects for exploring the living world. The department directors have already begun working to identify priority research areas, and I very much appreciate the quality of the work they have done so far. This process will be further developed over the coming weeks and will serve as a basis for a series of open working groups that represent the diversity of campus, with the aim of establishing clear ambitions for the next six years.  
 
These scientific areas must incorporate our interrelated missions – research, education, public health, the development of research applications and our membership of the Pasteur Network – in a synergistic approach.
 
We will also further explore several cross-cutting themes, each of which plays a key role in our approach and our action. These themes include three highly strategic issues:  

•    Investing in people, especially in diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI): the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Employee Resources Group (ERG-DEI), led by the Career Development Service for Scientists, or CARE (previously MAASCC, the Welcome, Support and Career Development Structure for Scientists), and the Disability Office will play a key role here;  

•    Protecting our environment by striving for excellence in sustainable development: the Technical Resources and Environment Department and the GreenTeam, who I met last week, will be drivers for change in this field;  

•    Investing in state-of-the-art technologies to foster groundbreaking innovation so that we remain globally competitive: the Department of Technology and all staff working in the technology core facilities will be directly involved in this area.  
 
I have also asked the members of the Senior Management Board to to review, in cooperation with their teams, the efficacy of the measures taken to underpin our founding missions. On this basis, I have asked them to identify avenues that will help us develop a synergistic approach with the other teams at the Institut Pasteur.
 
You will all be consulted, after the Economic and Social Committee (CSE) has given its opinion, via a survey that will provide us with an up-to-date barometer of your views and expectations. This process will be repeated at regular intervals throughout the implementation period of the Strategic Plan. Rest assured that these surveys will be anonymous and that the results will be shared with you.  
 
Finally, as I have already mentioned, I will be continuing my meetings with all internal stakeholders (the CSE, the Institut Pasteur Assembly, representative groups for different staff categories, etc.) and external stakeholders. This will enable me to develop a better understanding of your expectations and plans and also to form an idea of the position of our main national and international partners.  
 
Between now and the summer, meetings will be held on a regular basis with managers and general staff meetings will be held for all staff so that we can continue our discussions.  
 
These efforts will enable us to develop the Institut Pasteur's strengths, especially its attractiveness for early career scientists, who represent the future of the Institut Pasteur and the future of science. Protecting them – protecting their future – is one of my main priorities.
 
In a changing world, we need to ask new questions, show creativity and take risks, so that we can adapt in a positive way. It goes without saying that we will need humility, but also perseverance and determination – Pasteurian values that are more important now than ever! This ambition involves us all, and everything we do will contribute to meeting this challenge of attractiveness: the quality, impact and creativity of our science and the modernity of our approach; education, public health, partnerships with our colleagues at universities and hospitals, innovation, and of course synergy with the support services that underpin our founding missions.  
 
I am excited at the idea of launching this period of reflection with you all, and I know that I can count on your commitment, your involvement and your passion for the Institut Pasteur and its mission as we come together to build "Pasteur 2030."  
 
Many thanks to you all, and I look forward to continuing the conversation with you soon!  
 
Kind regards", 
 
Yasmine Belkaid
President of the Institut Pasteur

Photo : Institut Pasteur - François Gardy