Shifting our points of reference, staying on course together: a look back at our 2026 Summer University 🌊

From October 7 to 9, 250 chartered accountants and staff members from firms within the group gathered in La Grande Motte. It was three days of exchange and collaboration—an opportunity to step back and reflect on a profession undergoing significant transformation, and to collectively define a shared direction.

📚 Training
35 workshops, 8 themes, a personalized learning path for every individual… and several sessions are already fully booked!
Beyond topics such as AI, electronic invoicing, and business-specific tools—presented by our partners—participants also explored:

🔹 Client-facing approach: fee negotiations, onboarding, proactive advisory, and managing pressure.

🔹 The human element in transformation: identifying a colleague who is struggling, delegating with confidence, collaborating, and coming to terms with fears surrounding change.

🔹 Peer-to-peer exchanges: Covering topics such as VAT, electronic invoicing, and employment-related practices, members of the steering committee (COPIL) facilitated workshops for firms to share their experiences.

🔹 Everyday tools: Excel, Outlook, and Teams to save time.

Entre deux sessions, le village partenaires est resté un lieu d’échange permanent. En fil rouge, la Toile des Repères a invité chacun à y accrocher ses inquiétudes et ses clés de réussite.

💡 Finding Inspiration
To kick things off, offshore sailor and skipper Marc Thiercelin took us into the world of the oceans—a realm where you may hold the helm alone, yet nothing is achieved without a team. Reinventing oneself, stepping out of one’s comfort zone, embracing change rather than merely enduring it, and choosing to succeed together rather than for oneself—these are key principles that resonate powerfully within our own professional practices.

To wrap things up, Michel Poulaert—nicknamed “Mr. Optimism”—spoke to us about the boldness of optimism. With a touch of humor, he demonstrated that it’s all a matter of perspective and choice: while optimism doesn’t prevent the occasional wrench in the works, it does help in finding solutions much faster. A great way to leave feeling energized and upbeat!

🎉 Celebrating
These three days were also punctuated by festive highlights centered on conviviality: team-building activities, a regional-themed aperitif, evening events, and opportunities for different firms to connect. A special shout-out to our steering committee (COPIL), who made their entrance dressed as glowing jellyfish—proof that you can step outside your usual frame of reference without losing your sense of humor.

Thank you to all the participants, speakers, partners, and the steering committee (COPIL). The course is set—see you next year!