IMT Atlantique has more than 15 years of experience in setting up French research consortia referred to as chaires. The institution uses this tool in response to the strategic challenges of its various partners to develop innovative research and/or teaching themes at a national or international level, and also to support local societal transformation.
An industrial chaire (the first type of chaire developed at IMT Atlantique) brings together the university and at least one industrial partner, of varying sizes, in order to build together in an innovative and competitive way. The industrial partner provides appropriate funding over the long term. These chaires can be teaching- or research-focused.
Academic chaires are created at the international level around research projects carried out by IMT Atlantique and a national research institute (CNRS, Inserm, Inria). The university holds academic chaires to support the development of research.