Laboratory mapping

Since September 2020 and the award of the Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility (SD&SR) label, the Institut T.URN, in partnership with the Direction de la Recherche et de la Valorisation (DRV), the Service Commun de Documentation (SCD) and the research units, has been mapping the transition-focused research projects carried out at the Université Rouen Normandie (URN), with the main aim of identifying cross-disciplinary poles of scientific expertise capable of federating some of its laboratories around multidisciplinary projects.

The objectives of this mapping

This mapping of the contribution of URN’s research to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has four complementary objectives:

  • Formalize new indicators to meet the establishment’s growing reporting obligations in these areas (DD&RS label, Court of Auditors, Contract of Objectives, Means and Performance – COMP);
  • Highlight the diversity of research projects carried out at URN, as well as themes shared by several laboratories;
  • Integrate scientific responsibility issues into the analysis and development of research practices;
  • Encourage and prepare the setting up of research projects, particularly trans-disciplinary ones, focused on transition issues.

Mapping methodology

The protocol is based first and foremost on the transcription of the 169 targets of the 17 SDGs in the form of keywords. These terms, chosen for their precision and unambiguous nature, make it possible to assess the thematic commitment of the 38 laboratories in the establishment.

This approach, which aims to encourage the emergence of cross-disciplinary projects, presupposes the construction of a common vocabulary shared by research units around transition issues. Working at the level of targets – and not just objectives – provides more detailed information, making it easier to cross-reference research themes.

In addition to the UN targets, key words have been added to summarize the indicators monitored by INSEE on behalf of the French State. This enriches the analysis by linking it to national and European frameworks. By cross-referencing these different sources, we have been able to compile a list of generic indicators reflecting the most structuring issues in public policy.

These keywords have then been associated, where applicable, with research projects contracted by URN on behalf of its laboratories, i.e. projects for which URN is a signatory. At this stage, the analysis does not cover projects managed by other supervisory bodies (CNRS, Inserm, CNES, etc.) or those in which URN teams are involved as non-signatory partners. Correspondence drawn up by the Institut T.URN is subject to validation by the units concerned.

Finally, this mapping work, at this exploratory stage, reflects the establishment’s thematic contribution to the 2017-2021 site contract. An update covering the period 2022-2026 will be launched shortly.

Find out more about the methodology

Mapping the thematic contribution of laboratories to the challenges of the socio-ecological transition

This work is in progress. Laboratories that are not yet integrated into the tool will be gradually added. As it stands, this tool enables the visualization of 680 projects carried out by 30 URN sub-tutorial laboratories during the 2017-2021 period.