Works, solidarity grocery store, new training courses… the University of Nîmes has started its new school year

Hoche II devrait être livré d'ici fin 2025. Midi Libre – MiKAEL ANISSET

An update on the projects that will liven up the start of the academic year in Nîmes. With the arrival of Didier Migaud, president of the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life, this Monday, September 16.

While all students have now returned to school, morale at the University of Nîmes is good, with staff numbers at the maximum capacity of the institution.

A unique virtual reality room in France

President Benoît Roig does not hide it, he struggles to push the walls to even offer offices to staff or even imagine expanding. Thus launching an appeal to communities that could support the university with new premises. In the meantime, the work is finishing on building G, which will soon be able to present a virtual reality room that is unique in France: “The idea is to offer an immersive and educational experience by having students work in a realistic environment”, details Benoît Roig.

Thus, seven of them, while the rest of the group observes the practical exercise, will be able, for example, to enter a scientific laboratory to identify the twenty mandatory security measures or to virtually visit closed places such as nuclear power plants, or finally to put law students in a position to plead before a court of law. Opening planned for late September-early October, in this building which will also house a recording studio for video production and a studio for web TV.

Towards the opening of a solidarity grocery store

“Work on Hoche II is also continuing on schedule”, confides Benoît Roig. The dome of the old hospital will be rehabilitated on site before being craned onto the roof by the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025. This is a major project (*), specifies the president of the University who advocates a "welcoming students in good conditions". Along the same lines, a solidarity grocery store will soon open, in partnership with the Gard Food Bank, in addition to the bi-monthly distribution of the Secours populaire.

Didier Migaud on a trip to Nîmes from this Monday September 16

The president of the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life, Didier Migaud, will be in Nîmes on September 16 and 17, in order to"to’go à the meeting of its various publics and stakeholders, elected officials, public officials and agents, prefectural authorities, decentralized services, re ;érents déontologues". The objective of this trip is twofold, according to his office: “To provide education by explaining the role and missions of the High Authority, as well as the interest of the obligations declarative and ethical with of it and better understand its declarants and the possible difficulties they encounter in complying with their obligations, and respond to ;to their questions”.Thus, this Monday, September 16, Didier Migaud will speak at the University of Nîmes, at 2:15 p.m., on the theme of “Trust and transparency: ten years of action by the High Authority”, then at the Daudet high school at 5:00 p.m., to present the missions of the High Authority to high school students. On Tuesday, he will meet with the heads of the decentralized departmental services of the state and the ethics referents, then the elected officials and public officials of the department.

“On health issues, we are developing a range of workshops on stress management, relaxation, yoga, first aid, etc. We are also working on sports on prescription since we are labeled Maison sport et santé universitaire." The Olympic effect is also palpable:“There has been a real craze for sport since the start of the school year. So we are opening new slots and we are continuing a student consultation in order to check the relevance of what we are offering. We are also working on “competition” slots for those who practice at a high level. It is important to ensure a balance between disciplinary and extra-disciplinary. This is also why we are moving forward with the cultural programming in order to open the university sites to the people of Nîmes,” concludes Benoît Roig, turning his attention to the Tous simplement hip-hop festival, which will take place on September 27 and 28.

While the dome of the former Gaston-Doumergue hospital will be rebuilt, the 183 m2 chapel will be converted into a reception, exhibition and defense room. Science and practical work rooms will accommodate students over 2,200 m2. Delivery scheduled for the end of 2025 for this operation supported by the State and the Region to the tune of €6.5 million each, as well as by Nîmes Métropole and the City of Nîmes (€5 million). Note that an additional €6.5 million has been requested as part of the future 2021-2027 State-Region plan contract in order to take into account additional costs, the interior treatment of the old chapel, the construction of the dome and the securing of the site.