A professor at the Collège de France since 2007, Thomas Römer spent four years as vice-president of the assembly and five years as director of the Institute of Civilizations before being appointed administrator, effective September1, 2019, by decree of the President of the Republic, following his election by the Assembly of the Collège de France.
" My previous term of office was strongly marked by all the measures imposed by the fight against the pandemic. While these affected the life of the Collège de France for two years, they also strengthened our determination to disseminate the lectures given by our professors, who were able to maintain their lectures throughout the periods of confinement thanks to digital tools. This second term of office will therefore begin with the launch of a new website and the availability of the entire Collège de France video library (14,000 videos) on YouTube. This effort to make scientific knowledge available, initiated over 10 years ago by the Collège de France, is unique in the world for its volume, diversity and quality.
Building on the achievements and successes of the past academic year, such as the invitations extended to leading intellectuals and scientists for the Cycle Europe, the creation of the annual chair The Invention of Europe through languages and cultures in partnership with the French Ministry of Culture, and the active contribution made by the Collège de France to the work of the French Presidency of the European Union, i hope that in the years to come, our institution will strengthen its European commitment, notably through its privileged relationships with partners such as the Collège Belgique, EMBL, the École française de Rome, the Maison française d'Oxford and the University of Bonn, so that the Collège de France can play an important role in deepening academic and scientific relations in Europe.
Diversifying and developing the Collège de France's audience will be a third priority of my term of office. Open to all without distinction, with free and unrestricted access, offering more than 700 lectures and conferences each year on all subjects by the greatest specialists, and welcoming a large audience, the Collège de France still needs to get closer to high-school students, undergraduates and Masters students, and all those - researchers, young professionals or the simply curious - interested in the latest developments in science and research.
Last but not least, I'm delighted to welcome 13 new colleagues this year, 5 of them to a statutory chair at the Collège de France: Nalini Anantharaman, Denis Duboule, Esther Duflo, Didier Fassin and Antoine Lilti, and 8 to an annual chair: Mieke Bal, Lydéric Bocquet, Laurence Boisson de Chazournes, Phung Bui Tran, Virginie Courtier-Orgogozo, Antoine Joux, Benoît Peeters and Mathilde Touvier. The excellence and diversity of their fields and backgrounds alone demonstrate the dynamic renewal of our institution.
Our establishment will reopen its doors for the European Heritage Days on September 17 and 18. During these days, the public will be able to discover a free exhibition paying tribute to one of our most famous teachers: Champollion 1822. Et l'Égypte ancienne retrouva la parole. On October 20 and 21, the Collège de France's traditional opening symposium will extend this exhibition, providing an opportunity for researchers from all disciplines to compare their thoughts on the subject: Déchiffrement(s). From hieroglyphs to DNA.
We look forward to welcoming our audiences, both online and in person, to mark the start of a year rich in intellectual discovery and scientific exchange .
Thomas Römer,
Director of the Collège de France
