EcoSys' involvement in Higher Education and Research

The ECOSYS unit, affiliated with INRAE ​​and AgroParisTech, plays a central and significant role in training and academic operations within the Paris-Saclay ecosystem. Its commitment is demonstrated by a substantial teaching load, active involvement in various academic bodies, and the development of innovative projects and research chairs.

Our Contribution to Training:

•    Substantial Teaching Volume: ECOSYS has 15 faculty members delivering nearly 3,000 equivalent teaching hours annually. In addition, several researchers, including doctoral and postdoctoral students, actively participate in delivering courses and tutorials, as well as designing and leading modules and research schools or summer schools. Twenty-six summer schools have been organized in the last four years.
•   Strategic Training Programs: We manage a Master's specialization, "Agrosciences, Environment, Territories, Landscape, Forest" (AETPF), as well as three of its six Master's tracks, and two Advanced Specialization tracks (IDEA, Metatox) in the third year of the AgroParisTech engineering program. The AETPF specialization was co-designed by our faculty researchers and aims to train specialists in the management of natural and agricultural areas and natural resources, with an integrative, interdisciplinary, and multi-scale approach.
•    Master's Programs: ECOSYS is particularly involved in Master 2 programs such as the M2 CLUES (Climate Land Use and Ecosystemic Services), the M2 AAE (From Agronomy to Agroecology), and the M2 GSSE (Soil Management and Ecosystem Services). These programs address major societal challenges (Adaptation and Mitigation of Climate Change, Soil Protection, and Levers Associated with Agroecology) through multidisciplinary and specialized training, integrating modeling, theoretical foundations, and experimental and participatory research methods.
•    Involvement in Doctoral Schools and Graduate Schools: Our unit has a strong presence within two Graduate Schools of the University of Paris-Saclay (Biosphera and Geosciences, Climate, Environment, Planets) and two Doctoral Schools (ABIES and Environmental Sciences of Île-de-France). These structures constitute an essential pool for recruiting doctoral students.
•    International Outreach: ECOSYS contributes to the international outreach of AgroParisTech and the University of Paris-Saclay by setting up specialized training courses and programs delivered in English, such as the Erasmus+ PHOEBE+ project on entrepreneurship in the bioeconomy.

Table of current academic implications and responsibilities:

Our Educational Guidelines and Future Objectives:

In line with the strategies of AgroParisTech and INRAE, our research is fully integrated into understanding global changes and supporting the transitions of agricultural production systems and natural resource management. Our teaching priorities are structured around several key areas:
1.   Grounded in Fieldwork and Innovative Pedagogy: We aim to increase field-based learning, leveraging projects like the one in Corbeville and the AgroParisTech farm, so that our students develop their observation, monitoring, and analysis skills in real-world environments. A majority of first-year students feel that the program lacks practical courses, particularly field trips.
2.    Complex Data Modeling and Analysis: We are strengthening the transfer of our modeling activities to teaching, by offering open models and developing training courses around the analysis of complex and multi-scale data.
3.   Strengthening of Teaching on Urban/Peri-urban/Rural Gradients: We are deepening teaching on urban and peri-urban ecosystems, contamination management, urban greening and ecosystem services in an agroecological transition context.
4.    "One Health" approach: EcoSys is committed to the "One Health" dynamic, integrating the environmental health dimension of crops, soils and air quality, as well as ecotoxicology.

The EcoSys unit is proud of its involvement in training future leaders in the agricultural and environmental sectors, providing them with essential scientific, technical and behavioral skills to meet the complex challenges of our time.

Collective books (2019-2025)

•    Coquet Y., Michelin J. (eds.), 2025. Agropédologie. Gestion durable des sols agricoles. ISTE Editions, Paris.
•     Coquet Y., Michelin J. (eds.), 2025. Agricultural Soil Science: Sustainable Management of Agricultural Soils. ISTE Editions,  Wiley.
•    Mora O., Berne J.-A., Drouet J.L., Mouël C.L., Meunier C. (coords.), 2025. Vers une agriculture européenne sans pesticides. Editions Quae   https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05006122 
•    Charvet R., Mougin C., Rémy E., 2024. Sols urbains, environnement et santé - Repenser les usages. Editions Quae. https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04491379  OA
•   Leenhardt S., Mamy L., Pesce S., Sanchez W., 2023. Impacts des produits phytopharmaceutiques sur la biodiversité et les services écosystémiques. Editions Quæ.  https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04027210v1  OA
•    Leenhardt S., Mamy L., Pesce S., Sanchez W., 2023. Impacts of plant protection products on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Editions Quae Versailles.  https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04214855   
 •   Lamy I., Faburé J., Mougin C., Morin S., Coutellec M.A., Denaix L., Martin-Laurent F., 2022. L’écotoxicologie en questions. Éditions Quae.    https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03783137 OA
•    Faburé J., Mougin C., Rivet D., Siaussat D., 2022. Ecotoxicologie : Cours - Applications. Dunod.   https://hal.science/hal-03675528v1 
•    Pellerin S., et al, 2021. Stocker du carbone dans les sols français. Quel potentiel au regard de l’objectif 4 pour 1 000 et à quel coût ? Editions Quæ.     https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03429981  OA
•    Mougin C., Douay F., Canavese M., Besnard C., Rémy E. (eds.), 2020. Les sols urbains sont-ils cultivables ? Editions Quae.    https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03249591v1 
•    Bedos C., Génermont S., Castell J.F., Cellier P. (coords.), 2020. Agriculture and air quality. Investigating, Assessing and Managing. Springer. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-2058-6   https://hal.science/hal-03923457v1 
•    Bedos C., Génermont S., Castell J.F., Cellier P. (coords.), 2019. Agriculture et qualité de l’air. Comprendre, évaluer, agir. Editions Quae.  https://hal.inrae.fr/ECOSYS/hal-02611653v1