As an extension of collective experiences conducted for more than 15 years through federative projects (Interreg III IV and V, PIREN-Alsace, REALISE, OHGE, ZAEU, URCforSR, OHM-Fessenheim, etc.), RISE catalyzes national and international research projects in environmental sciences and sustainability on the Alsatian university site, by developing particularly interdisciplinary approaches.

Fered's research activities focus on the following three axes:

• Cities in transition, resilience and adaptation to climate change:
  Greenhouse gas reduction through the development of new urban models and modes of governance;

• What transition for a sustainability of socio-hydrosystems in a context of global change?
  Development of interdisciplinary research in sustainability sciences related to water around two spatial scales (scales of the transboundary socio-hydrosystem of the Upper Rhine and the alluvial plain and adjacent watersheds).

• Reflexive approaches to study socio-ecosystems: bridging human and social sciences and biogeophysical sciences
  Elaboration of an interdisciplinary framework for SES study and sustainability transition concepts, such as ecological solidarity, resilience and viability, status and values of natural entities, sustainability indicators, sustainable innovations, etc.

The RISE coordinates a cycle of bi-monthly conferences, an international symposium* and organizes an annual research-innovation forum with socio-economic actors involved in environmental and sustainability issues as well as workshops for setting up interdisciplinary projects around these two axes.