JUNON is an ambitious research programme to develop a digital research cluster on the continental environment (agricultural, urban, forestry and river) in the Centre-Val de Loire region.

This cluster aims to design digital services to improve the monitoring and understanding of the environment, for better management of natural resources.

JUNON is led by BRGM, the French geological survey, (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières), and involves five research organisations and numerous laboratories (Centre INRAE Val de Loire, CNRS, University of Orléans, University of Tours). It also involves non-academic partners, such as the DREAM water and environment competitiveness cluster, the Agreen Tech Valley cluster, Orléans-Val de Loire Technopôle and LE STUDIUM IAS.

JUNON is a continuation of the ARD 2020 PIVOTS programme, which has promoted the emergence of seven experimental platforms dedicated to monitoring, environmental metrology and remediation of the various anthropised environments (subsoil/soil/water/air).

The long-term socio-economic development of the Centre-Val de Loire region, in a period of economic fragility or transition, depends on the strength and growth of quality research, development and innovation. Starting in 2013, the regional council has initiated a series of smart specialisation programmes, to implement the European Smart Specialisation Strategy. They aim to create excellence centres of international scale, stimulate innovation, job creation and socioeconomic development in the territory and target strategic domains to foster the enlargement of first-class poles to enhance research and innovation activity in the region.

Advanced Technology Higher Education Network Alliance – the ATHENA European University is a federation of mid-size higher education institutions in nine European countries (Portugal, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia and Spain). It draws on their combined strengths to reach a common objective: deliver high-quality education with a positive impact on research, youth employability and social advancement at the national and European levels.

The launch of joint research and educational projects enhance synergies between the member universities and stakeholders, foster research quality and impact, boost the competitiveness of the submitted proposals, attract funds to support its programmes and fully leverage the network’s infrastructure and scientific potential.

The introduction of joint multidisciplinary modules and curricula, supported by blended and actual mobility schemes, aim to break down any possible scientific and cultural barriers to mobility. The key objective is to deliver inclusive, innovative, high-quality international education permanently aligned with global market needs.

The Smart Loire Valley Programme* aims to support high-quality research and international collaborative research projects, to build human capacity and scientific knowledge for research, development and innovation by attracting talented, highly qualified researchers worldwide and from all academic disciplines. Researchers have to embody, in their profile, the key words that capture the research values of LE STUDIUM: Curiosity, Imagination and Intuition.