Strategy, Governance, and Organization

The general governance structure of the Institut Mines-Télécom (IMT) and the school is described in the IMT decree of February 28, 2012, as amended, and further specified by the IMT Mines Alès order of December 5, 2016, as amended, as well as by the IMT’s internal regulations and those of the school, which are subject to deliberation by the school council.

IMT has a Board of Directors (CA), a Scientific Council, a Social Administration Committee (CSA), specialized training programs, a Joint Administrative Commission, and Joint Advisory Commissions.

Each school, for its part, has a School Council (CE) and various professional committees. IMT is currently led by a Director General, Ms. Cécile Dubarry, appointed by decree following consultation with the Board of Directors. Each school has a director, appointed by order of the Minister of Industry and Digital Affairs, following consultation with the school’s School Council (CE) and the Board of Directors (CA). The school director reports to the Director General of the IMT.

In addition to IMT’s central governing bodies, which primarily address issues common to the institute’s various schools, IMT Mines Alès has its own governance and consultative bodies, which operate in alignment with and in a spirit of subsidiarity to the central bodies, in keeping with the schools’ high degree of autonomy.

Teaching, administrative, and technical staff, students, businesses, and the professional community are represented on the governing bodies of both the IMT and the school. The IMT’s status as a “grand établissement” facilitates this process.

The IMT Board of Directors (CA) sets the general guidelines for the IMT’s activities and management. 

The Scientific Council advises the institute on its research and innovation strategy and evaluates its scientific direction.

The IMT’s Social Administration Committee (CSA) addresses cross-functional issues concerning the organization of departments, operations, and human resources. It is consulted, in particular, on draft regulatory texts relating to the operation and organization of departments, draft management guidelines, general policies, special bylaws, and all general matters.

The IMT’s specialized units exercise their authority, in particular, with regard to the staff of the department(s) within their area of responsibility. They are consulted on the content of all documents related to their mission (regarding health, safety, and working conditions, etc.).

The IMT Joint Administrative Committee (CAP) addresses individual issues concerning career progression, disciplinary actions, and certain rights under the IMT’s special regulations. It is involved, in particular, in matters of hiring, terminations, refusals to grant permanent status, leave and training, telework, and disputes related to working conditions.

The Joint Consultative Committees (CCP) of the IMT address individual issues concerning IMT contract employees. They are consulted, in particular, on dismissals, disciplinary actions, refusals to renew contracts, requests for leave or training, telework, part-time work, and disputes related to employment conditions. 

The School Council (CE) of IMT Mines Alès “deliberates on matters specific to the school.” It sets the general guidelines for the school’s activities and management. It meets at least twice a year. Its president is Mr. Thierry TROUVE, CEO of GRT Gaz, appointed by the Minister of Industry and Digital Affairs. The composition of the School Council is established by the IMT decree and specified by the IMT Mines Alès ordinance.

As part of the overall strategy, this council deliberates, in particular, on :

• The school’s strategy, including its guidelines regarding pedagogy, initial and continuing education, research, and partnerships;
• The school’s own budget, within the limits of its own resources and the institute’s resources allocated to it;
• The creation, major modifications, and elimination of courses and programs;
• Research programs;
• The school’s internal regulations;
• The academic regulations for each program, which specify, in particular, the conditions that students must meet to continue their studies and obtain certificates or degrees;
• The school’s activities related to international affairs and partnerships;
• The annual report of the school’s director;
• The setting of tuition fees and other contributions from students and school staff;
• The school-specific component of the Institute’s multi-year master plan regarding disability policy. 

The Education Committee issues an opinion on the general direction and organization of educational programs, and specifically on the academic regulations. It meets at the initiative of the director at least once per academic semester and at least twice a year.

The Research Committee issues an opinion on the general direction and organization of the school’s research activities and on the curriculum for national postgraduate degrees. It meets at least once a year.

The Economic Development Committee is responsible for reviewing the school’s strategy and assessing the results of its economic development initiatives in order to make these initiatives even more relevant, coherent, and, above all, visible.

The Development Council of the Apprentice Training Center (CFA) at IMT Mines Alès is established in accordance with Articles L.6231-3 and R.6231-5 of the Labor Code. This CFA currently serves as the framework for IMT Mines Alès’s engineering apprenticeship programs.
It reviews and discusses matters related to the organization and operation of the CFA.

The Student Disciplinary Council is a body within the Education Committee. It meets in cases where a disciplinary sanction is being considered against a student who has violated, in particular, the provisions of the school’s rules and regulations and/or the IMT’s rules and regulations.

The Qualification Committee for Promotion and Title Changes (COQUAPROCHA) reviews and issues an opinion on the assignment of titles to faculty members.

The Public Procurement Committee is responsible for approving or rejecting the selection proposed by the relevant departments following an administrative and technical review of the bids. 

The Special Social Administration Committee (CSAs) is a forum for social dialogue established within schools by decision of the DG IMT.

The Specialized Working Group on Health, Safety, and Working Conditions at IMT Mines Alès, established within the Social Administration Committee (CSA), specializes in these areas.

The Executive Committee (COMEX) is responsible for assisting the principal in managing the school and ensuring consistency in the actions of the school’s various departments. It meets weekly at the principal’s initiative.

The IMT is led by a Director General, Ms. Cécile Dubarry, who is supported by the General Management (GM) office, an executive committee, and a board of directors.

The General Management of the IMT is responsible for the strategic leadership of the institution at the national level. Under the authority of the Director General, it plays a central role in developing, coordinating, and implementing strategy. It ensures that the schools’ actions align with the guidelines set by the overseeing authority and the Board of Directors.

The Executive Committee of the General Management (Exec Committee) supports the Director General, Cécile Dubarry, in the strategic leadership of the Institut Mines-Télécom. It prepares the work of the College of Directors and plays a key role in implementing the institution’s major strategic directions, aligning the priorities set by the overseeing authority with the initiatives driven by the schools.
Composed of a small, expert team, the Executive Committee embodies the strategic and operational leadership of IMT. Alongside the Chief Executive Officer, it includes:

• Vincent Charvillat – Deputy Chief Executive Officer
• Samir Ould Ali – Secretary General
• Frédérique Vincent – Executive Director for Academic Affairs and International Relations
• Laurence Le Coq – Executive Director for Research and Innovation
• Two permanent guests also participate in the committee’s work:
• Sylvain Klein – Delegate for Strategy Monitoring and Performance Evaluation
• Isabelle Lautraite – Director of Communications

The College of Directors
In developing the overall strategy for Institut Mines-Télécom and coordinating its implementation, the Director General is assisted by a college of school directors, which she chairs. Invited to participate in these meetings are the director of EURECOM, the director of InSIC, members of the General Management Executive Committee, the IMT Director of Communications, and the Strategy Monitoring Officer, who serves as the committee’s secretary. 

The director of the school is Assia Tria, who reports to the director general of the IMT.

In keeping with the principles of subsidiarity and school autonomy within the IMT, the principal has broad responsibilities for the leadership and management of the school, as defined in Article 27 of the IMT decree: representing the school, serving as a secondary authorizing officer for revenues and expenditures, preparing documents submitted to the School Council, participating in meetings of the IMT Board of Directors, preparing the budget, authority over school staff, preparation of the school’s internal regulations, maintenance of order and discipline, preparation of academic regulations, implementation of the strategy, chairing of committees (Teaching Committee, Research Committee, Economic Development Committee) and the Special Social Administration Committee, organization of external and international relations, implementation of partnerships, and execution of certain contracts. The Director may delegate his or her signing authority to staff members within the scope of his or her own powers. may delegate his or her signing authority to staff members within the scope of his or her own powers.

The Executive Committee (COMEX) as a whole serves the school’s mission. Each member of the COMEX has his or her own specific role, which contributes to a part of the school’s mission. In addition to the School Director, the members of COMEX are as follows (their respective missions are specified):

• Deputy Director of the school (DA), Mr. Sébastien Martinez: "To produce a framework and general orientation and to coordinate transversal actions, in the service of the school's raison d'être. In particular, to ensure the implementation of a dynamic of continuous improvement in the service of the school's performance and the achievement of its ambition, and to protect the school from the risks to which it is exposed.
• Director of Studies (DF), Mrs Claire Lecocq: "To give students the best chances to achieve professionally to be responsible actors in the development of the Nation by preserving the wealth of the Planet."
• Director of Economic Development (DDE), Mr. Jean Paradis: "Develop links with economic actors in the service of student training, the creation and development of businesses, the influence of the school and the increase of its resources."
• Director of Research and Doctorate (DRED), Mr. Stéphane Lecœche: "Advancing science and its applications, maintaining a high degree of expertise to train our students to the highest level and contribute to the transfer of knowledge to companies and society. To give doctoral students the best chances of professional fulfillment to be responsible actors of the Nation by preserving the wealth of the Planet."
• Director of the C2MA research and teaching center, Ms. Anne Bergeret: "To develop the excellence and influence of the school in the field of materials and civil engineering, to coordinate the realization of research and doctoral training actions in this scientific field in coherence with the training and economic development processes."
• Director of the CREER research and teaching center, Mr Laurent Aprin: "To develop the school's excellence and influence in the field of the environment and risks, to coordinate the implementation of research and doctoral training activities in this scientific field in a manner consistent with training and economic development processes."
• Director of the CERIS research and teaching center, Mr. Jacky Montmain: "To develop the excellence and influence of the school in the field of artificial intelligence, computer science and the industry of the future, to coordinate the realization of research and doctoral training actions in this scientific field in coherence with the processes of training and economic development."
• Director of International Action (DAI), Mme Assia Tria: "At the service of all processes, acquire the expertise of the higher education and research community internationally with the aim of expanding students' chances of professional achievement to the world."
• Director of Communication (DIRCOM), Ms. Laurence Robert: "To make it known that, through all its processes, IMT Mines Alès gives its students the best chances for professional accomplishment in order to be responsible actors in the development of the Nation by preserving the wealth of the Planet."
• Secretary General (SG), Mr. Jean-Louis CHAUPIN: "To be permanently at the service of the processes to meet their expressed and latent needs and to enable the school to function in a satisfactory and sustainable manner."

In December 2016, following an audit conducted by Afnor Certification, IMT Mines Alès obtained ISO 9001:2015 certification—the first such certification awarded to an IMT school. This certification attests to the commitment of the school’s entire staff to modern and effective management.

The implementation of a quality management system involves requirements and recommendations that have provided the school with opportunities to scrutinize all of its practices and procedures in order to align them fully with its strategy, while continuously monitoring its objectives. 

In addition to the recognition gained through certification, the school’s quality initiative has enabled it to achieve multiple objectives :

• Breaking down barriers between different departments; processes are not modeled on departmental structures but on activities, which promotes the harmonization of practices, the pooling of technical resources, and the generation of cost savings;
• Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the satisfaction of our clients and partners, which confirms that we are indeed providing solutions tailored to their needs;
• A better response to the expectations of our evaluators—notably the CTI and HCERES—due to the structural aspects of the approach;
• More fruitful exchanges between departments, particularly thanks to the network of internal auditors, which assesses the system’s compliance while also fostering communication among departments. This transparency and teamwork help strengthen our shared culture;
• A culture of continuous improvement that enables us to constantly monitor and refine our actions to enhance efficiency and achieve our growth objectives within a constrained budgetary context.

Quality is therefore now, for the school, a simple, everyday tool—closely aligned with our practices, meaningful, serving the school’s strategy, and helping to streamline our internal operations. IMT Mines Alès thus reaffirms its dynamism and commitment to its clients, particularly students and businesses.

The quality approach covers all of the school’s activities. The quality management system is organized into processes, grouped into five macro-processes (or “domains”), which provide an overview of the system:

• steering the school
• training
• research
• economic development
• resources

Process leaders are responsible for ensuring the control and effectiveness of the processes. They act as facilitators, tasked with supporting the work of those involved in the process, fostering synergies, initiating improvement actions, and monitoring their effectiveness to achieve set objectives and ensure continuous process improvement. They are assisted by quality liaisons.

A management review is held at least once a year to assess the management system and ensure that it remains relevant, adequate, and effective. Prior to the review, the process leader convenes the process stakeholders to analyze the data, particularly the performance indicators.

To carry out its missions, the school can rely on several structures:

• the CFA Mines Alès;
• the CFA FormaSup;
• the Mines-Alès Foundation, hosted by the Mines-Télécom Foundation;
• the Carnot Institute M.I.N.E.S, in partnership with the other mining schools and École Polytechnique;
• the school’s technology incubator;
• the services of the IMT’s General Directorate;
• several technology platforms, operated independently or in partnership, supporting the school’s various missions.