Chairman of the Board of Directors, Eutelsat Group (Eutelsat Communications SA)
Webinaire X-Sursaut avec Eric Labaye (X80)
À l'heure du confinement, le groupe X-Sursaut se mobilise pour contribuer aux réflexions sur la crise sanitaire et la reprise ...
Transcript (9 segments)
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Eric Labaye0:00
As you know, the school moved to digital mode on March 16 following public health decisions. In one week, we saw an incredible mobilization of everyone. We switched to digital operations internally and for courses, with about 81 courses moved online in a week, covering common core, preparatory classes, master's, and bachelor's. The IT department and all faculty made a monumental effort, and it went well. Feedback from students and teachers has been positive: teachers find online interaction better in many courses because the platform allows chat and interaction, often more than in a large lecture hall. Students appreciated the high-quality preparation and content, but noted the higher attention required and workload. We also held a welcome webinar for the X19 promotion, who after seven months of military and social service returned — not to campus — but we gave them a digital welcome with two conferences per day. This continues until July, and we are now considering the right balance between in-person and digital for the fall. On the research side, experimental work stopped, but other work continues. For solidarity, we quickly found replacements for internships, many via telework or alumni calls. We set up a solidarity commission for students in financial difficulty, supported by the school, the fund, and FX. We donated all our masks to local hospitals at the beginning, and now we are sourcing new masks. Students mobilized remarkably: over 30 returned to their military units, especially the Paris Fire Brigade, taking shifts. More than 400 students are active in tutoring, particularly in the Essonne department for children of medical staff and students at home. Students are also involved in data analysis and modeling for AP-HP hospitals. Research contributions include Olivier Gasnier's work on group testing models: testing groups of 32 to quickly free non-infected people, then focusing individual tests on positive groups. Pierre-Jean Benghozi is working on tracing apps compatible with GDPR and encryption. The math department is modeling epidemic spread and optimizing ICU bed allocation. The Délio lab is working on virus detection via nanoparticles. The LadHyX is studying droplet dynamics from sneezes. All these are in collaboration with Paris-Saclay and other research organizations. That's an overview of the school's current experience.
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Host14:37
Thank you, Eric, that was very clear and rich in information. I take you up on the idea of having researchers present their work in future webinars. I see a question in the chat: what about the other schools of the Institut Polytechnique de Paris? And do you have any ideas yet for the fall 2020 term?
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Eric Labaye15:51
Regarding IP Paris, it's interesting because the institute includes the Institut des Politiques Publiques, and there is collaboration with PSE, Crest, and others. All the schools switched to digital operations smoothly and we are in strong coordination. For the fall, we are working on coordination across the consortium. The sanitary situation will dictate decisions. For the competitive exam, we will hold oral exams in June-July, with a reduced number of tests, and admissions should conclude around August 8-15. For international students, borders may be closed until August, so we are monitoring. I anticipate a potential drop in overall student numbers, but possibly a shift in the mix of French and international students across programs. If international students cannot arrive by September 1, we may start the semester digitally for them.
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Host19:37
Thank you, Eric. There was a question from Hubert: will the X20 promotion be special like after the war? And another: do you see a role for X in the economic rebound and rethinking globalization?
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Eric Labaye22:15
On the special promotion: we are planning for the 2020 intake to take the written exams in June and oral exams in July. Unless there is a new health crisis, we expect a normal promotion. On the economic rebound: yes, I think regionalization is already underway, reinforced by Fukushima and Industry 4.0, which allows production closer to customers. This makes economic sense beyond sovereignty. We need to boost both consumption and supply. I would be happy to work on a white paper with the X community on this.
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Host24:27
Dominique de Robillard asks if this is an opportunity for distance continuing education. Hubert asks if there will be a July 14 parade. Also, is there a societal role for X in the rebound, with students returning to their military units? And a question about Total, but that will be addressed in another webinar.
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Eric Labaye26:30
On Total: it's about decarbonization, a topic we've been discussing for two years. On the military: currently 35 students have returned to their units, doing shifts evenings and weekends. The July 14 parade is up to the government; we are waiting to hear. Executive education: this is a great opportunity; our team is very competent. In the short term, we must help companies avoid bankruptcies, but also stimulate consumption and investment. X can contribute to both economic and societal goals, through investment projects and our strong values. We've already started actions and we hope to shape perspectives going forward.
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Host30:36
Thank you, Eric, that was very interesting. We've kept perfectly to time. For those who missed it, the video will be available. Next Monday we will have Professor Pierre Vermeren on the role of elites in this crisis. And we invite researchers to participate in future webinars. Thank you all.
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Eric Labaye31:05
Thank you all, very good evening. Thank you, goodbye.