With the inauguration, on 14 October 2016, of a cluster specialising in mechanical sheet metal work–temporarily located in the Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Automation Department of Université Paul Sabatier–it’s a €45 million facility that sees the light of day.
In 2020, the future educational facility Maison de la Formation Jacqueline Auriol (MFJA) will bring together all the programmes in mechanical engineering for aeronautics and space of the Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées on the nearly 14,000 m2 site of Toulouse Montaudran Aerospace. At the Aerospace Valley competitiveness cluster, Toulouse Aerospace combines research, technology transfer and innovation as well as training in aeronautics and space with:
– Espace Clément Ader (ECA),
– Institut de Recherche Technologique Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (IRT),
– Maison de la Formation Jacqueline Auriol (MFJA).
According to Jean-François Mazoin, project coordinator, a budget of €35 million has been set aside for construction (€15 million from Occitanie Region and €20 million from the national government) along with €10 million for equipment.
The fruit of an initial partnership with Amada, Haas Automation, and Latecoere, this excellence cluster in aeronautic sheet metal work attests to MFJA’s future operating model. Other partnerships between universities, schools and business will follow.
Latecoere’s dream took shape in Toulouse
A long-time partner of the university, Latecoere Group has equipped MFJA with a Faro measurement arm. At least 15% of Latecoere’s Aerostructure Division staff trained at the university. For Laurence Daubert, HR Director, “Beyond its attachment to the field of mechanical, industrial automation and aeronautical engineering, it’s also the occasion for Latecoere Group to affirm its geographic origin. Latecoere’s dream took shape in Toulouse. We are determined to continue to invest in the region. Toulouse’s Aerocampus will become a centre of knowledge that will be envied around the world. It’s an opportunity for local business to benefit from an exceptional level of training. For Latecoere Group, the aircraft of tomorrow comes from Toulouse.”
MFJA will have 2,000 students and trainees with a staff of 120. The project steering committee, headed by Jean-Pierre Vinel, President of Université Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier, is composed of Insa, Isae-Supaéro, UFTMIP, Université Paul Sabatier, Department of Science and Engineering of Toulouse and Atelier Interuniversitaire de Productique.
