Alliance - 20 years of transatlantic collaboration
École Polytechnique is one of the four founding institutions of the Alliance program, which convened at Sciences Po Paris on March 13, 2023, to celebrate its 20th anniversary. On this occasion, the representatives of the governing bodies of the four partner universities praised the many projects carried out over the last 20 years and unanimously affirmed their desire to pursue their successful collaboration across the Atlantic.
Initiated in 2002 with the support of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Alliance program brings together Columbia University, École Polytechnique, Sciences Po, and the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.
Illustrating the importance of addressing climate change as a global effort, internationally renowned researchers from the four partner universities gave a conference dedicated to the challenges caused by climate change on March 13, 2023, entitled: "Climate Change: Toward A Paradigm Shift?".
Joseph Stiglitz, Professor at Columbia University, Patricia Crifo, Professor of Economics at École Polytechnique, Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation (ECF) and Professor at Sciences Po, and Mireille Chiroleu-Assouline, Professor at the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, debated the real impact of economic tools intended to orient towards less harmful proceedings for the climate, such as carbon tax or ESG commitments.
The economists also discussed the likely consequences of the "loss and damage" fund, whose creation was agreed upon at COP27 to help countries already affected by the irreversible damage caused by climate change and support them in their energy transition. Finally, they questioned the compatibility between the objective of zero net CO2 emissions and economic growth. Can carbon neutrality be achieved within the framework of sustainable growth, or does it require degrowth, they asked.
Two decades of academic and scientific collaboration
Within the Alliance program, École Polytechnique, Columbia University, Sciences Po, and the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne cooperate both in terms of academic education via double-degree programs and in terms of research by supporting joint research projects, doctoral mobility, and exchanges of professors and researchers across the partner institutions.
Strengthening their cooperation, École Polytechnique and Columbia are currently establishing a joint bachelor's and master's degree in engineering and science to be launched in 2024.
Éric Labaye, President of École Polytechnique and Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Matthieu Vicherat, president of Sciences Po, Mary C. Boyce, Provost of Columbia University, et Christine Neau-Leduc, president of the university Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne welcomed the many projects initiated and developed within the Alliance program over the past twenty years and affirmed their commitment to pursue their collaboration.