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CNRS in Brief

The Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (National Center for Scientific Research) is a government-funded research organization under the administrative authority of France's Ministry of Research.

Facts…

 

Founded in 1939 by governmental decree, CNRS has the following missions:

 

> To evalulate and carry out all research capable of advancing knowledge and bringing social, cultural, and economic benefits to society

> To contribute to the application and promotion of research results

> To develop scientific information

> To support research training

> To participate in the analysis of the national and international scientific climate and its potential for evolution in order to develop a national policy

 

 

CNRS research units are spread throughout France, and employ a large body of permanent researchers, engineers, technicians, and administrative staff. Laboratories are all on four-year contracts, renewable, with bi-annual evaluations. There are two types of labs:

 

> CNRS labs: fully funded and managed by CNRS

> Joint labs: partnered with universities, other research organizations, or industry

 

 

As the largest fundamental research organization in Europe, CNRS is involved in all scientific fields, organized in the following areas of research: 

 

> Life sciences

> Physics

> Chemistry

> Mathematics

> Computer science

> Earth Sciences and Astronomy

> Humanity and social sciences

> Environmental Sciences and

   Sustainable Development

> Engineering

 

 

CNRS conducts some twenty interdisciplinary programs. One major objective is to promote inter-disciplinarity in order to improve knowledge, ensure economic and technological development or solve complex societal problems. They concern the following fields:

 

> Life and its social challenges

> Information, communication and knowledge

> Environment, energy and sustainable development

> Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials

> Astroparticles

 

 

The CNRS annual budget represents one-quarter of French public spending on civilian research. This funding comes from various sources:

 

> Government and public funding

> CNRS funds, primarily from industrial and EU research contracts and royalties on patents, licenses, and services provided.

 

 

 

 

… And Figures

 

Budget for 2006

€2.738 billion of which €494 million come from revenues generated by CNRS

 

Personnel

26,000 permanent employees–11,500 researchers and 14,500 engineers and technical staff

 

Organization

> 1145 research and service units–almost 90% are joint laboratories

> €20 million devoted yearly to interdisciplinary research programs

 

Industrial Relations in 2005/2006

> 3901 contracts signed with industry 

> 35 framework agreements and 34 Joint research units with industrial partners

> €132 million of revenues generated from contracts(EU contracts not included)

> 7450 Patents in CNRS portfolio (238 deposited and 239 PCT)

> 578 Active licenses

> €50 million of royalties

> 220 start-ups created since 1999

 

 

 

DREI, an office devoted to international relations

CNRS carries out research activities throughout the world, in collaboration with local partners, thus pursuing an active international policy.

The mission of the Office of European and International Relations (DREI) is to coordinate and implement the international policy of CNRS and to maintain direct relations with its institutional partners abroad. The DREI promotes international cooperation between CNRS laboratories and foreign research teams through a set of structured collaborative instruments developed for this purpose. At the same time, the DREI coordinates CNRS actions with those of other French and international research organizations as well as the activities of the Ministries of Research and Foreign Affairs.

To carry out its mission, the DREI has its head office in Paris and relies on a network of nine representative offices abroad, as well as on the offices of science and technology in French embassies around the world.

 

 

In numbers:

> Exchange agreements:  80 (with 60 countries)

> Foreign visiting scientists: 5000 (PhD students, post-docs and visiting researchers)

 

Permanent foreign staff members:

> 1377 researchers of whom 57% come from the European Union

> 283 engineers and technicians

 

> International Programs for Scientific Cooperation (PICS): 311

> International Associated Laboratories (LEA + LIA): 50

> International Research Groups (GDRE + GDRI): 56

> International Joint Units (UMI): 9

 

Budget for 2006: €10M

 

Contact: Isabelle Chauvel,

isabelle.chauvel@cnrs-dir.fr

www.drei.cnrs.fr

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