Six Months at the Helm of LARSH: An Initial Assessment and New Prospects

An interview with Amos Fergombé, director of the Societies and Humanities Research Laboratory (LARSH)

A year full of encounters and opportunities

The past six months have been marked by intense activity within LARSH. Among the highlights, the director points to the meeting with partners from local communities and the socio-economic and cultural sectors. “What stood out during this period was the diversity of the participants and the quality of the discussions,” he explains. “These meetings made it possible to outline concrete avenues for collaboration and identify common areas of research. It was both a time for work and for camaraderie, where discussion was open and inspiring. ”

Ongoing partnerships—such as the Center for Design Innovation in Belgium, CDG59, and collaborations with local attorneys and cultural organizations like Art Zoyd (in the music sector)—illustrate this commitment to openness and synergy.

The Challenges: Strategies, Interdisciplinarity, and European Ambition

Today, the laboratory’s management is guided by ambitious strategic planning. “Our goal is to build strong bridges to support far-reaching, forward-looking projects, both for our institution (UPHF/INSA HDF) and for the local regions,” emphasizes the director. “The goal is to mobilize our skills and knowledge to address local challenges, while also questioning them.”

In the short term, LARSH aims to respond to calls for European projects, a key step in strengthening its visibility and momentum. “ If we succeed, it will be a major step forward,” he explains. At the same time, the laboratory is working to strengthen interdisciplinarity internally by forging links among its 25 disciplines (law, history and geography, arts, humanities, languages, management, economics, etc.). This interdisciplinary approach is also being pursued at the institutional level: “We’ve already started with LAMIH (Laboratory of Transportation and Human Mobility), and we hope to extend these collaborations to CERAMATHS and IEMN.” ”

In the longer term, the dream would be to transform the LARSH into a Joint Research Unit (UMR) and contribute to discussions on societal challenges. “We aspire to be pioneers in these areas,” he adds.

Amos Fergombé, director of LARSH
A professor of performing arts, he directs the Laboratory for Research on Societies and the Humanities (LARSH). After 14 years at the University of Artois, he moved to Valenciennes in 2018 to lead DeScripto, an interdisciplinary department. In 2019, he created the Digital Humanities Master’s program, combining the humanities and computer science.

Bringing Researchers and Partners Together: A Delicate Balance

For the director, the key lies in a detailed understanding of the researchers’ work and the partners’ needs. “It’s about creating links between individual research areas and themes and the expectations of the socioeconomic and cultural spheres. ” By identifying groups of researchers capable of collaborating with specific sectors, LARSH hopes to strengthen its impact while remaining true to its academic mission.

A source of pride: the joy of building together

When asked about his most memorable experience, the director spoke of the collective dynamic that has taken root within the lab. “What I’m most proud of is that LARSH got off to a start with a genuine enthusiasm for collaborative work.” Whether with the management team, the administrative staff, the doctoral students through CEDOC, or the faculty members, “ there’s a positive energy that allows us to move forward with confidence. We’re only at the beginning, but the foundations are taking shape.”

What about tomorrow?

LARSH appears well on its way to becoming a key player at both the local and European levels. With an open, collaborative, and ambitious approach, the laboratory embodies engaged research that serves local communities and society.