Higher education and research in France
France is home to some of the best organisations dedicated to scientific and technological research in France as well as in the world.
From medical research to biotechnology or climate change, French researchers are undertaking cutting edge work in science and technology. France has an extensive network of universities that teach and conduct research in a wide range of subjects as well. For more information on studying at a university in France, please go to the CampusFrance website at www.india-campusfrance.org.
In 2007, over 2.25 million students were registered for higher studies in France, of which 74 500 were enrolled in doctoral programs.
The higher education and research system is structured differently in France than it is in India. Apart from over 80 universities and associated institutes, France has a vast network of specialised schools, or grande écoles, and large research institutions.
While France continues to produce and innovate in all fields of research, three broad areas that will be prioritised are
- health, wellbeing, food and biotechnology
- Environmental sciences, sustainable development, energy and ecotechnologies
- Information, communication and nanotechnologies
These broad axes mirror the scientific vision of France’s largest fundamental science agency, the CNRS, which identifies three broad poles of research:
- sustainable development
- origin and study of materials, nanosciences and nanotechnologies
- study of society and networks – communication, information, mathematics, society, risk etc.
Financing Research
The National Agency for Research (l’Agence Nationale de la Recherche) is at the core of research and finances projects based on their scientific merit and other criteria.
All other research institutions have their own systems of financial support as well.
Large research institutions
The CNRS or the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique is France’s premier public fundamental science agency. The largest agency of its kind, the CNRS is subdivided into ten specialised “institutes” that conduct research. The CNRS works closely with universities and other research institutes.
Other public research establishments are the INRA (agricultural research) IRD (development) INSERM (health and life sciences), INRIA (informatics and communication), Cemagref etc.
Doctoral Schools
Doctoral schools were created to promote cutting edge inter disciplinary research and regroup researchers from different universities, laboratories grandes écoles and different streams of research who work on common fields of interest. France has 295 doctoral schools (as of 2007). Doctoral schools work closely with academia as well as industry.
These doctoral schools offer the best possible support – financial and otherwise – to their students and encourage a dynamic, innovative environment that produces cutting edge research.
French doctoral schools are gender sensitive and encourage women researchers, – in 2005, 46% of doctorants were women.
Campus France offers an excellent search engine where you can search through the list of doctoral schools in France (available in English and in French).
Universities
France has over 80 public universities that support higher education and research in all fields of study. French universities are subsidised by the state, and offer quality education and the opportunity to participate in research. Much of the scientific research in France takes place in university laboratories and departments.
Grande Ecoles
The Grande Ecoles are a network of elite higher education and research establishments. Private or public, these specialised schools accept students on the basis of highly competitive examinations. The Ecole Normale Supérieures, the engineering schools (Ecole des mines, Ecole Polytéchnique, AgroParisTech, ENPC, ENSAM, Ecole Centrale de Paris, Supélec, the INSA network, ISAE…) are some of the prestigious schools that make up the grande écoles in France.
Scientists from both the grande écoles and universities in France have collaborated widely with Indian scientists.
Carnot Institutes
Carnot Institutes foster public – private partnerships and enhance links between academic research and industry. The Carnot institutes address global economic and societal challenges faced by us today – information and communication technologies, health care, renewable energies, space, transport and mobility etc.
The label of a “Carnot institute” is awarded to a few research bodies in France for a period of four years at a time. Named after the famous scientist associated with the second law of thermodynamics, some of the better known Carnot Institutes are the BRGM (which runs a joint cell with IICT, Hyderabad), Cemagref, Pasteur MI etc.
Carnot institutes benefit from funding from the ANR.
More information on Carnot Institutes is available on their website.
