The ResCo initiative (Collaborative Resolution – IRES Department) has been awarded the 2026 Jacqueline FERRAND Prize by the SMF

The ResCo system is the recipient of the SMF's 2026 Jacqueline Ferrand Award.

Led by the group of the same name at IRES in Montpellier, it is described by the jury as “an ambitious collaborative research project, both theoretical and applied, that brings together a broad community and offers an innovative approach to mathematics education.”

Announcement on the SMF website

Congratulations to Jérémie Brieussel, Antoine Brilland, Damien Clémentz, Sébastien Durand, Julien Lavolé, Simon Modeste, Mireille Sauter, Sonia Yvain-Prébiski, as well as to all the group’s former members who helped develop the initiative.

The award will be presented at the Culture and Mathematical Games Fair, which will take place from May 21 to 24, 2026, at Place Saint-Sulpice in Paris.

Read the full press release.

The ResCo group’s objectives are:
– To develop students’ mathematical skills (particularly modeling) through problem-solving activities based on real-life situations or other disciplines.
– To provide a framework that fosters independence, creativity, and communication in solving mathematical problems both within and across classes.
– To explore problems and working methods relevant to these objectives.

Its members—secondary and higher education teachers, retirees, and even students—are interested in teaching problem-solving, particularly through collaboration.

The program is designed for students in grades 6 through 12. In addition, over the past two years, a new initiative has been launched for students in teacher-training programs and their instructors, giving these students the opportunity to engage in collaborative problem-solving with other student groups.