Spring 2026 marked a highly active season for the IEEE Communications Society community in France, with two landmark events achieved through the joint efforts of the IEEE ComSoc France Chapter and the IEEE ComSoc Student Chapter at Université Paris-Saclay. The chapter demonstrated exceptional commitment to delivering events that are technically rigorous, professionally enriching, and community-building, bringing together volunteers, researchers, students, and industry professionals from across France and beyond.
IEEE France Days 2026: Strengthening the French IEEE Community
On April 15–16, 2026, the IEEE Université Paris-Saclay Student Branch hosted the IEEE France Days 2026. This two-day community gathering brought together approximately 43 IEEE volunteers, chapter officers, and student members from across France. The event was co-organized with the active support of the IEEE ComSoc France Chapter and benefited from the contributions of distinguished IEEE leaders, whose opening remarks set the tone for the entire program.
The event was inaugurated by Prof. René Garello with a keynote reflecting on the history and future of the IEEE France Section, drawing on his tenure as Past-Chair. He called on the next generation of engineers to step forward as active IEEE contributors. He underscored the communications community’s responsibility in addressing climate change, a message that resonated strongly with the student audience. As General Chair of IEEE ENERGYCON 2026 and Chair of the Region 8 Climate Change Committee, he presented concrete opportunities for young researchers to engage with these pressing global challenges through IEEE. whose breadth of IEEE leadership made his address a natural anchor for the occasion.
IEEE ComSoc France Chapter: Fostering Innovation and Bridging Academia and Industry
A dedicated session presented the IEEE ComSoc France Chapter, introduced by its Chair, Prof. Pascal Lorenz. With a comprehensive overview of the chapter’s recent activities, including its collaboration with academic institutions across France, joint events with sister chapters, and its growing role in fostering industry-academia partnerships. He emphasized the chapter’s commitment to serving both seasoned professionals and early-career members. He outlined plans to expand into new technical domains, notably AI-driven communications and green networking in the second half of 2026. The showcase outlined the chapter’s four strategic pillars:
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Foster Innovation: Highlighting cutting-edge research in AI, Energy, and Environment to drive technical progress and excellence.
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Bridge the Gap: Connecting the academic research ecosystem of Université Paris-Saclay and CentraleSupélec with industrial leaders and international experts.
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Inspire Future Generations: Raising awareness among students about engineering careers through hands-on workshops and mentoring.
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Promote Sustainability: Encouraging the next generation of scientists to prioritize sustainable development and green technology.
Student-to-Young Professional Transition: Bridging Academia and the Workforce
The second flagship event was the student-to-Young Professional (YP) Transition Day, an immersive program co-organized by the IEEE Young Professionals France and the Université Paris-Saclay Student Branch. Designed to close the gap between academic studies and a professional engineering career, the program was structured around five core activities:
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Opening Keynote — “The Path to Professional Excellence”: IEEE Young Professionals France Chair Emna Amri shared her personal transition story, illustrating how IEEE resources act as accelerators for early-career growth.
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Industry Insight Panel: A moderated dialogue exploring the soft skills and technical expectations of today’s engineering industry, with concrete strategies for the academia-to-workforce transition.
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Career Compass Workshop: Small-group sessions (8–10 per group) with professional mentors to map personal strengths and build realistic career roadmaps.
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Industry Speed Mentoring: Fast-paced 10-minute coaching rotations with 5–6 industry professionals covering CV job-seeking strategies and skill development.
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IEEE YP Opportunities & Networking: A showcase of IEEE Young Professionals membership benefits with on-site discounted sign-up for students and recent graduates.
LOOKING AHEAD: Collaboration and Continued Growth
Both the IEEE ComSoc France Chapter and the Université Paris-Saclay Student Branch are actively planning technical events for the second half of 2026, with topics expected to span next-generation wireless communications, AI-driven networks, and sustainable connectivity. The success of this spring season has reinforced the chapter’s conviction that sustained collaboration between professional chapters and student branches is one of the most effective models for high-impact IEEE programming.
The IEEE ComSoc France Chapter warmly welcomes collaboration with IEEE ComSoc chapters worldwide and invites interested colleagues to reach out directly. Together, we continue to advance the mission of IEEE — fostering technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity — across borders and communities.
