Driving Shared Development
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Driving Shared Development
Promoting access to education and training
A lack of resources and appropriate infrastructure can prevent students from pursing their studies. Total is committed to promoting access to education and nurturing talent, above and beyond our own recruitment needs.
[...] Through the initiatives being undertaken by our businesses and subsidiaries to promote education, we hope to contribute to the development of the knowledge base of our host countries and, more broadly, to the development of human capital
François Viaud
Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Total Extract from the editorial
of the Education booklet.
The education initiatives undertaken by our businesses and subsidiaries are intended to:
- Enhance Total’s acceptability, visibility and attractiveness, as an industrial player with a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility.
- Establish ties with the future executives and decision-makers in our host countries.
- Facilitate the balanced development of our host countries by enhancing knowledge and developing human capital.
- Prepare for subsidiaries' future human resources needs, by developing local skills and promoting the use of local capabilities.
Cooperation with Universities
Promoting cooperation between business and academia requires cultivating close ties with universities and schools worldwide. Total finances teaching and research chairs, supports university programs (master’s degrees and doctorates) and is involved in academic research and development partnerships, demonstrating our commitment and dedication to promoting higher education and R&D. Our Recruitment, Scientific Development and Education Departments and Total Professeurs Associés are the driving forces in this area.
Education and Teaching Programs
To enhance awareness of energy issues and related professions, we have created a variety of education and teaching programs. They include the courses and seminars developed by Université Total, such as the Total Summer School and the Total Education and Energy Seminar, as well as the Planète Énergies program. We also offer educational services to host countries to help them reach international standards, for example, through teacher training and the development of specific education programs.
Creating and Upgrading Educational Facilities
Promoting access to education in our host countries means providing aid to develop educational infrastructure. With that in mind, we co-finance school and university construction, renovation and upgrade work and assist with the purchase of equipment, manuals, materials and supplies.
We are currently supporting more than 40 infrastructure development projects in over 20 countries.
Educational Support and Funding
To facilitate access to higher education for talented students, we offer scholarships at national, regional and international level. In addition, the Fondation Total supports associations working to help disadvantaged youth establish a solid foothold in society through programs targeting various issues, including literacy, driving skills, culture and health.
In 2010, we granted more than 10,000 scholarships to students in 50 countries.
Supporting Higher Education in Africa
In 2010, Total set up partnerships with two institutes of higher education in Africa:
- The International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) in Burkina Faso, a reputable engineering school specialized in water, energy and the environment.
- The University of the Witswatersrand in South Africa, a multidisciplinary university recognized as one of the best in Africa, offering courses in a multitude of fields from business and law to chemistry and geosciences.
Both partnerships include scholarships, internships at Total subsidiaries in the region and classes taught by members of Total Professeurs Associés (TPA). Other agreements are being negotiated, with a view to building a network of partner universities in Africa.
