Launch of the Chaire "Patrimoines communs et facilitations stratégiques"

The accelerated degradation of living organisms now has concrete repercussions on organizations, territories, and value chains. Long taken for granted, living organisms are now emerging as a key strategic issue for both businesses and communities. Faced with resource scarcity, scientific uncertainty, conflicts of use, and changing regulatory frameworks, environmental vulnerabilities are creating systemic challenges of such complexity that no single actor can respond to them alone.

To support the necessary transitions, the “Patrimoines communs et facilitations stratégiques” chair offers an innovative approach based on two complementary levers:

• The heritage approach, developed over more than 30 years at AgroParisTech, invites us to consider living organisms as a common good. Its preservation relies on co-construction, mutual recognition, and the voluntary commitment of stakeholders.
• Strategic facilitation, meanwhile, mobilizes collective intelligence and change management tools specifically adapted to the complex dynamics of transition. These approaches are supported by a network of experienced practitioners.

With the ambition of raising €1 million in sponsorship over five years, this new chair is part of a dynamic program of concrete action. It is based on shared governance, according to the democratic principle of “one partner = one vote.” All results will be made available to the general public: published in open access, they may also be used for specific research conducted in direct collaboration with the sponsors.

The chair’s work will focus on three main objectives:

• To deepen the foundations of strategic facilitation as a central tool in the heritage approach
• To strengthen continuing education for professionals facing the challenges of ecological transition
• Widely disseminate strategic facilitation as a lever for transformation in organizations and territories

Expected deliverables include: an action research program, a framework for evaluating approaches, a guide to best practices, an RNCP-certified training program, multi-stakeholder meetings, a club for stakeholders promoting the approach, a series of webinars, and an annual conference.

The chair is positioned as a space for dialogue and innovation, bringing together public and private actors in a scientific, neutral, and rigorous framework. It invites companies, foundations, and institutions to join forces to imagine solutions that are equal to the ecological challenges we face.

The chair’s patrons will enjoy numerous benefits:

• Privileged access to research on the governance of complex projects related to living organisms
• Personalized strategic support for their regional or sectoral projects
• Dedicated training for their teams (project managers, CSR managers, facilitators, etc.)
• Integration into a dynamic network of researchers, experts, facilitators, and pioneering regions
• A tax deduction of up to 60% of their commitment via the AgroParisTech Foundation, a recognized public interest organization.