France: Administrative Organisation of Research and Technology
National Governance
- The Ministry for Higher Education and Research
- Primary and secondary education, higher education and research in France are governed centrally by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. Ministers are assisted by consultative bodies, inspection authorities and a whole range of boards, departments and offices in developing and implementing their policies.
- The National Research Agency
- www.agence-nationale-recherche.fr
The National Research Agency public interest group (ANR GIP) was formed on 7th February 2005. Its missions include supporting the development of basic and applied research, innovation and partnership between the public and private sectors, as well as facilitating the technological transfer of the results of publicly-funded research to the business community.
Its preferred method of support is to fund certain research projects, selected on the basis of scientific and technical excellence. The ANR GIP public interest group is a temporary structure. The constitution and mission of the National Research Agency (ANR), which will succeed it, are to be defined by the Research Guidance and Planning Bill, which comes before Parliament for debate in 2005. The GIP ANR has a budget of €350 million for 2005, giving it a total funding capacity for operations spanning several years of €700 million.
- Other Ministries concerned with Research
- www.ambafrance-au.org/france_australie/spip.php?rubrique105
Other ministers support research, the more obvious are the Health, Transport , Agriculture or Environment ministers. The Minister of Foreign Affairs also provides funding through its wide network of Embassies.
Regional Level
- Regional Research and Technology Delegations (DRRT)
- www.recherche.gouv.fr/drrt/drrtlst.htm
DRRTs are management bodies responsible for undertaking decentralized measures in the fields of research, technology and Innovation as well as the dissemination of scientific and technical culture in interaction with the world of socio-economics and the wider public. Placed under the authority of regional prefects, their role includes: informing the regional partners of the guidelines of national policy and action programmes undertaken by the Ministry of Research; referring regional initiatives to the ministry; coordinating the measures taken in the region by public organizations and bodies under the supervision of the Ministry of Research; strengthening regional technology centres and bringing research closer to the business world and society; developing and organizing technology transfer measures; fostering the dissemination of scientific and technical culture; helping work out and implement the Ministry of Research’s policy in the region.
- Regional Consultative Committees on Technological Research and Development (CCRRDT)
- They were set up by the law on steering and programming technological research and development of 15 July 1982. One of the legal texts establishing the regions granted them specific powers and budgets, particularly with regard to research. At least 50% of the members of these committees are from the region’s various technological research and development sectors. They also comprise members of national trade-union organizations and persons chosen according to their contribution to the region’s development. The role of the CCRRDTs is essentially consultative.
- Regional Innovation and Technology Transfer Centres (CRITT)
- Established in the 1980s, the CRITTs were created on the initiative of the Ministry of Research, in partnership with the regional authorities. They are funded by State-Regional level contracts.
