“Center of Excellence” Label of the Ministry of Armed Forces

The candidature of the University of Lyon, represented by the Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University, has been selected for the final phase of the “Center of Excellence for Defense and Strategy” label, awarded by the French Ministry of Armed Forces.

With the project “Interconnection of high strategic functions (future airpower, military space, nuclear)”, led by Olivier Zajec, Senior Lecturer of Political Science at University Jean Moulin, the University of Lyon is one of the 8 institutions selected for the final phase of selection of the label “Center of Excellence in Defense and Strategy”. It has been awarded an annual grant of €60,000 for two years, a sum intended to help the project team grow.

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Objective: to create three internationally renowned strategy and defense centers

The “Center of Excellence for Defense and Strategy” label, awarded by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces as part of the Higher Education Pact (PES), rewards an original and concrete research project, focused on Strategic Studies (War Studies), and led by a multidisciplinary research team. Its objective is the development in France of three major university research centers of international scope, specialized in strategy and defense issues. Awarded in September 2019 (final selection), it will allow the three selected French higher education institutions or groups of institutions to benefit from a financial endowment of 300,000 euros per year for a renewable period of five years (starting in 2020).

The selection process was based on two committees:

A scientific advisory committee, assembled by the Ministry of the Armed Forces’ Directorate General of International Relations and Strategy (DGRIS) A decision-making committee of the Ministry, composed of representatives from the Armed Forces Staff (EMA), the General Delegation for Armaments (DGA), the General Secretariat for Administration (SGA), the Directorate of Higher Military Education (DEMS) and the DGRIS (Directorate General of International and Strategic Relations).