First Challenge: Effectiveness

A country where research plays a major role must always be more innovative and push the limits of knowledge in all disciplines and sectors with the help of all its players.

With the Pact, the government has equipped itself with tools that guarantee the coherence and effectiveness of research policies. Two institutions have been created:

The High Council on Science and Technology to provide broad guidelines and inform the government’s choices (see chapter 5.2.3)

The National Research Agency to support project rationale (see chapter “National program”)

Second Challenge: dynamics through multiple forms of cooperation

The French research system is characterised by its abundance. Effectively, public organisations, universities, Grandes Ecoles [high-level specialized universities], private laboratories and industrial research centres all coexist. To encourage better cooperation among players in the public sector, the Pact establishes methods that creates closer ties between universities and research (Research and Higher Education Clusters [PRES in French] see chapter “Actors of innovation”), creates flexible structures based on projects of excellence (Thematic Networks for Research [RTRA in French] see chapter “Actors of innovation”),) and strengthens public/private partnerships in a geographical (centres of competitiveness, see chapter “Actors of innovation”),), technical and professional (Label Carnot, see chapter « Actors of innovation”) rationale as well as through innovative partnership structures (the Public Organisation of Scientific Cooperation and the Foundation for Scientific Cooperation).

Third Challenge: attractiveness

In order to make progress, a nation must make its knowledge progress. The government’s role is to give science a new image, the desire to comprehend and outlooks to all young people who wish to invest themselves in it for the long term. Initiatives (Festival of Science), institutions (Institute of Advanced Studies for Science and Technology) contribute to reaching these objectives. Developing cooperation internationally is proving to be equally as valuable.