Research Partnerships

TSE has a unique and recognized expertise in developing research partnerships with corporations and other organizations for the benefit of all stakeholders and the wider society.

Our research partnerships connect researchers and public- or private-sector partners to explore new areas of research, improve the relevance of research in economics and  provide new means for carrying out and disseminating academic work.

TSE actively encourages academics to take part in research partnerships. Our researchers aim at:

  • producing highlevel academic research on key topics of common interest to academics and partners;
  • bringing academic insights to practitioners to help corporations, NGOs, governmental bodies, and regulatory institutions make wellinformed decisions.

Building on a strong international reputation and its in-house expertise, TSE has been developing long-lasting partnerships in a wide range of fields: digital, energy and climate, health, infrastructure & networks, sustainable finance, often with a special focus on issues related to regulation.

 

Our close collaborations with industry and policy over the past thirty years have helped us become one of the world's top research centers in economics. 
Jean Tirole, TSE-P Scientific Director

Core principles

Our approach to research partnerships is underpinned by three core principles:

1. Pursuing ambitious research

We collaborate with others with the ambition to produce leading ground-breaking research, and thus contribute to the academic excellence of TSE and to the advancement of knowledge and discovery.

2. Developing economic knowledge for the common good

Our ultimate goal is to develop economic knowledge for the common good. In the context of research partnerships, researchers address key economic and social issues, with the ambition of designing and sharing solutions that can have a positive impact on society. By partnering with others, we want to increase the relevance, the reach and the impact of research.

3. Maintaining the highest standards of independence and integrity

In our research partnerships, we take very seriously our commitment to academic independence and integrity, and to academic freedom. Researchers are solely responsible for the choice of research issues and methods, data acquisition, interpretation of findings, communication, and publication. Compliance with these principles does not conflict with the desire of researchers to be open to discussion on research matters with partners. Researchers involved in research partnerships indeed appreciate and welcome comments and suggestions that can help improve the relevance of their research.

TSE-Partnerships Foundation

Research partnerships at TSE are undertaken within the TSE-Partnerships Foundation (TSE-P), which operates under the aegis of the TSE - Jean-Jacques Laffont Foundation and in collaboration with the School of economics and quantitative social sciences.

TSE-P provides support at all stages of the necessary interactions with the partners. It is also entrusted with managing TSE thematic centers which substantially build on key research advances and outreach activities stemming from research partnerships.

TSE-P is governed by an Executive Committee and managed by a Director, supported by his team.

  • Yassine LEFOUILI, TSE-P Director and Professor, University Toulouse Capitole
  • Jean TIROLE, TSE-P Scientific Director

Members of the Executive Committee:

  • Bernard BELLOC, TSE-P Executive Committee President 
  • Sophie BÉJEAN, Rector of the Occitanie academic region
  • Pierre CARLI, Former Chairman of the Board of Caisse d'Epargne Midi-Pyrénées
  • Hugues KENFACK, Head of the University Toulouse Capitole
  • Georges MOLINS-YSAL, Professor Emeritus, University Toulouse Capitole
  • Pierre MONSAN, Professor Emeritus, INSA Toulouse
  • Christian PONCET, Chairman of the Board of Régie Municipale d'Electricité de Toulouse
  • Patrick REY, Professor, University Toulouse Capitole

Our six thematic centers were formed around wide, overreaching research areas with the scope to cover a range of industrial and policy issues affecting society at all levels.

Their main objectives are to:

  • Bring together and foster TSE’s scientific expertise within a given area
  • Organize TSE’s contribution to public debate
  • Facilitate relations with partners and policymakers

The centers' activities are supported and encouraged by our partners.

To receive the latest news from our centers, sign up for our monthly e-newsletter “TSE Reflect”.

We are extremely grateful to our partners for their support. Whether directed towards TSE thematic centers or other projects or initiatives, their support contributes to the development of innovative research on emerging economic issues.

Partners

Associated partners

Join our community of partners and help us develop economic knowledge for the common good!

 

At TSE we are passionate about working with partners to define and reach objectives that will positively impact society and the world we live in.

Main benefits

It has been our experience that research partnerships can act as a catalyst for significant research advances (platform economics being one example). By directly confronting academics with the real-world issues that private or public decision-makers need to address, research partnerships add a new dimension to academic research. Academics and partners draw inspiration and creative energy from one another, and by bringing a diversity of perspectives and experiences our partners contribute to the relevance of academic research.

When joining us, our partners are given the opportunity to:

  • build a privileged and lasting relationship with a team of researchers;
  • encourage independently conducted and validated research on emerging issues of common interest to them and our researchers;
  • create long-term value for society.

Partnership design process

We’ve got a collaborative approach to design our partnerships.

Here are the usual prerequisites for setting up a partnership with us:

  • Brainstorm to understand and identify the key issues and challenges;
  • Establish roles and expectations, as well as a timeline for research, interactions and communication;
  • Formalize the research partnership.

Partnership formats

Collaborations can take different forms, such as support to a thematic research center, the creation of a research chair and other types of research initiatives.

TSE-P as well as TSE can sign various types of agreements with its partners whether corporations, institutions or foundations.

The majority of our partnerships are governed by gift agreements.

On a more exceptional basis, when the terms of a partnership do not meet the conditions for a gift scheme, we conclude a specific research contract (eligible, in France and with certain limitations, for the Research Tax Credit scheme).

We conceive all our partnerships with the ambition that they will last over the long term. As a result, most of our partners make multi-year commitments to support research at TSE.

Interested in working with us?

We'd love to learn about your priorities and explore partnership options with you.

Contact us to get started and find out more about our partnerships by having a look at our last “Impact report”.

 

Find out about the different ways to support TSE

Our 2022 Activity Report "Research Partnerships and Center" celebrates a busy year of productive interactions with decision-makers. 

Report Research Partnerships and Centers

It is divided into four main sections:

 

See also the activity reports of the TSE - Jean-Jacques Laffont Foundation