Further upstream, we have also strengthened our cooperation with industry by setting up a Network of Partner Companies. This “think tank”, bringing together a number of large corporate groups with which we already have close scientific ties, will enable us to exchange ideas and good practice at the highest level. The partnership strategy adopted by the CNRS involves the establishment of large research and higher education centers. How is this effort progressing? I think I can safely say that we are on the right track. We started creating synergies with our partners through our site agreements even before the law promoting the creation of Communities of Universities and Educational Institutions, or ComUEs, was passed. The CNRS took action to give these agreements the scientific scope that they deserve. Our ten Institute directors took up the role of senior scientific directors (DSR). This initiative proved decisive, allowing scientists to work alongside regional representatives to set the main objectives and priorities of these site agreements. This momentum continues with the ComUEs, in which the CNRS will take part each time the objective is worthy of a reputable research university. These collaborations pursue the same goal, which is to set up research-based multidisciplinary consortia in France, but within the framework of higher education. The size of the consortia is of little importance—what really matters is that these universities are on a par with their foreign counterparts, where education and research enjoy close ties. New legislation has also bolstered the CNRS’s position alongside the Research Alliances in defining a national research strategy… Encouraging research in key areas is a perfectly legitimate governmental concern, hence the launch of a National Research Strategy (SNR) to define “major societal challenges” and set relevant priorities. To build this strategy, the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research calls on the Alliances, which foster dialogue among research players on key issues. The CNRS has contributed to the debate and, in my opinion, these exchanges have been very fruitful for the SNR. 5 The developmental biologist Margaret Buckingham was presented with the CNRS Gold Medal by Alain Fuchs and Geneviève Fioraso, Minister of Higher Education and Research, in December 2013. © CNRS / Xavier Pierre
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