For those who love administrative acts, the afternoon of June 28 was a high-flying performance in a room in the presidency of the University of Caen.
The latter, as well as the representatives of the State, signed the devolution of the real estate heritage to the faculty.
Clearly, the university becomes the owner of all its buildings and plots, transferred free of charge by the State.
“I am happy that the State is impoverished by 217 million euros”, mischievously slipped the prefect of Calvados Thierry Mosimann in his speech.
This is the estimated value of an empire of 283,000 m2 with 91 buildings and 21 land free of any construction, spread across Calvados, Manche and Orne.
The University of Caen-Normandy is thus the sixth in the country to take the plunge, within the framework of the 2011 Law on the autonomy of universities.
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“For the students, this will not change anything, assures François Caumont, the heritage and logistics director of the faculty.
But asset management opens up a lot of possibilities.
Now that the institution owns the place, it will initially be "easier to make changes to a place without asking for 50,000 permissions," he continues.
However, all the constraints do not disappear, such as those imposed by the classification of Campus 1 as a Historic Monument, which strongly frames any work.
The possibility of having additional revenue by renting
Beyond that, the devolution will allow the university to manage its property as it sees fit, “with, for example, partnerships or rental, which will generate revenue capable of financing this heritage”, explains François Caumont.
Since 2014 and a first letter sent to the Ministry of Higher Education and Research to indicate its interest in devolution, the faculty has had to show pedagogy to dispel fears.
Because an owner can quite sell his property "and receive all the proceeds", as the rector of Normandy Christine Gavini-Chevet recalled during the ceremony.
"We are not in a sales strategy, we do not intend to dispose of buildings, especially since we sometimes have to pay partners to host research units", assures the president of the University. of Caen, Lamri Adoui.
“We must not believe that we want to make money to make money, insists François Caumont.
We have an even greater responsibility and it is not a question of selling the assets of the community.
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283,000 m2, 91 buildings and 21 virgin land
Irony of history: one of the first post-devolution acts will be the sale of a bare plot adjoining the IUT de Vire.
At the same time, an agreement was signed with the inter-age university, which will return to the campus for a rent that will make it possible to operate a building.
The management is not closing the door to contracts with companies either, even if, according to Lamri Adoui, “it is a bit premature at the moment”.
All the players welcome this transfer of ownership which could still have some effects on student life.
The president evokes the “participative approach” initiated recently.
"We now have a certain agility to implement projects", he adds, alluding, among other things, to the installation of benches, tables or electrical outlets, intended to make life easier for the 33,000 students. sites in Caen, Lisieux, Vire, Cherbourg, Saint-Lô and Alençon.
But of course, these little novelties are just the small tip of a huge iceberg.
The real estate heritage of Lower Normandy university sites is colossal and requires large sums for maintenance and renovation.
Three million euros per year are invested each year.
“Probably insufficient,” says Lamri Adoui, who notably intends to rely on new revenues to complete the budget.
Making the premises less energy-intensive will also allow for future savings.
Provided you do a lot of work.
The university relies on its public partners, from the agglomeration to the State via the Department and the Region.
15 million euros were won under the France Relance system.
The tour de table will be completed in the years to come.
It will have to be, since the overall needs are estimated at several hundred million euros to bring the whole park up to date and make it more attractive, in order, precisely, to welcome ever more numerous students and to forge partnerships. .
The challenge seems colossal.
To meet it, the faculty has “increased skills”, with the development of its real estate and heritage department, which now has nearly a hundred employees.
She also hopes to weigh more heavily in local politics because of her new status as landlord.
“It reinforces territorial anchoring.
Local actors will have to speak with the university, ”notes François Caumont.
A university that has become, in a few signatures, one of the largest landowners in the region.