At the same time, it is unfortunate that strategic thinking on research (SNR) and on higher education (STRANES)3 took place separately, just as we are striving to bring the two worlds closer together. Several indexes show that the CNRS remains one of the world's top-ranking organizations… Beyond the number of joint publications, the CNRS enjoys an excellent international reputation, due not only to the talent of our researchers but also, to some extent, to our cooperation resources. Our organization runs 105 International Research Networks (GDRIs), 158 International Associated Laboratories (LIAs) and 30 International Joint Units (UMIs), which are invaluable structuring tools for medium to long-term collaborations. Some of them are joint undertakings with large corporations, like Solvay4 in China and the US or Thales5 in Singapore. These structures are praised both by French researchers and by our foreign partners. In addition, we have ten CNRS offices abroad, in strategic countries around the globe. It is a fact that French science gets much better recognition through the CNRS than through France’s universities. This is why we have decided to share this advantage with all higher education institutions, and especially with our ComUE partners. The CNRS must help increase the presence and visibility of French research and education by sharing its know-how and resources. Concerning gender equality in the workplace, you have set ambitious targets for the Mission for the Role of Women at the CNRS. What are the specific areas that need improving? The role of women at the CNRS is a cause for concern—I am thinking in particular about their under-representation in managerial positions—not only for us but also for the entire higher education 6 2013, A year at the CNRS and research community. Even though our current female recruitment rates are not quite as low as in a number of countries, we cannot and should not be satisfied with this poor performance. There is plenty of room for improvement—hence the idea of a scheme for professional gender equality to cover every issue, from the balance between working time and family time to salaries, career prospects and working conditions, which are all obstacles to equality. The CNRS also intends to take action with regard to awards, where parity is easy to achieve, given our pool of brilliant women researchers. The distinguished biologist Margaret Buckingham received the CNRS Gold Medal in 2013. This award, considered to be the highest scientific distinction in our country and often a steppingstone toward the Nobel Prize, had not been given to a woman for 27 years. For us, this is not a fad but a matter of fairness. The issue of gender equality is an important new frontier for developed countries like ours. 1 From 1936 to 1939, Jean Zay was France’s Minister of National Education and Fine Arts. His ashes will be transferred to the Panthéon, along with those of Pierre Brossolette, Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz and Germaine Tillion, all recognized as “great figures who embody the spirit of the Resistance”. 2 For the 2007-2011 period, according to the 2013 Global Scimago Institutions Rankings. 3 Stratégie Nationale de l’Enseignement Supérieur (National Strategy for Higher Education). 4 The CNRS collaborates with Solvay through two International Joint Units: COMPASS (Complex Assemblies of Soft Matter Laboratory) in Bristol, Pennsylvania (US) and E2P2L (Eco-Efficient Products and Processes Laboratory), based in Shanghai (China). 5 Through the UMI CINTRA. Through the Singapore-based UMI CINTRA (CNRS International – NTU – Thales Research Alliance), the CNRS works hand in hand with the industrial group Thales towards the development of nanotechnologies for use in electronics, the photonics of the future and related applications. © Prof. Perry Shum
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