At the request of the Director of the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne, Professor Blanc (1910–2006) initiated an ambitious programme in applied mathematics: new courses, the creation of an institute for research, and an orientation towards economics. With the acquisition of a computer in 1958, he promoted numerical analysis, computer science and operational research. When the school received a federal status in 1969, he took this opportunity to endow it with a department of mathematics dedicated to applications.