Every year, the European Institute for Marine Studies (IUEM) supports 280 students in the field of marine and coastal sciences. While the Institute trains the researchers of tomorrow, it also supports students wishing to go down other paths that will drive the future transformations of our societies.
Do you want to become an oceanographer but are looking for a course? Océans connectés talks to the directors of institutions offering courses in marine sciences. In the fourth episode of the series, we talk to Frédéric Jean, Director of the European Institute for marine sciences. Based at the Technopôle Brest-Iroise in Plouzané, near Brest in France, the IUEM is an internal school of the Université de Bretagne-Occidentale (UBO) .
Interview by Marion Durand.
The European Institute of the Sea has three missions: research, observation and training. What are the different courses offered by the IUEM?
We offer a comprehensive Master’s degree in eight fields: biotechnology; biology; environmental management; applied economics; maritime law; earth, planetary and environmental sciences; marine and physical chemistry.
The European Institute for marine studies in Plouzané near Brest-France . © Jérome AMMANN | CNRS
These courses are led or co-lead by the IUEM in partnership with the Institut Agro Rennes or with engineering schools. Our aim is to train future researchers in their speciality and to offer them a multidisciplinary approach, as we believe it is essential to be acculturated to other sciences in order to talk about the ocean. We therefore have teaching units that are common to all the masters courses, with the possibility of bridges between them. Each year, we train 280 students in Masters 1 and 2, i.e. 140 students per year divided between the eight majors.
Why is multidisciplinarity important?
Multidisciplinarity is the strength of the Institute. Coupled approaches between disciplines are essential for tackling questions around the sustainability of human activity in the marine environment, but also for responding to questions about the future of research. We believe that this acculturation is necessary if we are to tackle the major issues involved in transforming our societies.
The IUEM welcomes foreign students. Why this international outlook?
The Institute is a partner in the International Master’s in Marine Biological Resources (IMBRsea), with students moving between the different partner universities depending on the course they have chosen. We therefore welcome some of the students from this master’s programme in Brest. A large proportion of the courses are taught in English.
IUEM is home to the Marine and Coastal Sciences doctoral school (SML). What makes it special?
This thematic school on oceans and coasts has 200 PhD students, around 160 of whom work in IUEM research units associated with CNRS,IRD,Ifremer, etc… Collaboration with our neighbours on the Brest site is very strong. We find the same multi-organisational structures in the Masters courses and the doctoral school that we find in the research units.
Frédéric Jean, director of ’IUEM. © Sébastien HERVÉ | UBO
At the Isblue university research school, engineers and researchers work together. What does this collaboration bring?
The aim of this school is to get IUEM students working together with other students, from engineering schools for example, who have a link with marine sciences. They meet for a week to discuss common themes and work together on projects related to marine issues or scientific prospects. At the IUEM we train future researchers, but we know that not all of them will work in research.
Why ?
Not all students go into research, places are hard to come by and the path is increasingly difficult. Today, to be recruited for a permanent post as a researcher, you have to do a master’s degree, go on to a doctorate and then work abroad for six years. This often means making sacrifices. The world of research used to be difficult, but it’s getting tougher all the time, and not everyone wants to lead this kind of life. We help students coming out of masters programmes to become aware of these difficulties and guide them towards other paths.
How ?
By providing them with a range of skills so that they can open up the fields of possibility. We help them to move in other directions and train them to think about the transformations of our societies from a scientific perspective. Our former students work in research consultancies, in teaching, in local authorities, in private companies… There are a wide range of career opportunities when you train in marine sciences.
We are also increasingly approached by major groups that are interested in the marine environment but are not, for the moment, in a position to make a real forecast of the precise needs they will have in the future. That’s why it’s important for students who choose not to do research to have a wide range of skills.
A teaching unit is dedicated to marine lipids in the IUEM Master 2 in Marine and Coastal Sciences © Sébastien HERVÉ | UBO
TO READ IN THE SAME SERIES :