Contact person:
florence.lelait@recherche.gouv.fr
Description of the institution
The ministry has two components, the Ministry of Education (Ministère de l'éducation nationale) and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (Ministère de l'enseignement supérieur et de la recherche). In France the ministry is the main actor in Science & Technology policy making and Research & Development policy founding. Its task contains several things: planning and co-ordination S&T programs, execution and evaluation of R&D projects.
General Science and Technology policy issues
The main actor is the Ministry of Higher Education and Research in the development of S&T policy in France.
There are numerous actors who have a role in carrying out R&D activity. There are 49 research organisations, such as CNRS, INSERM, INRA, etc. Universities have to be also mentioned, regarding the fact that 82 universities and 32 other institutions are devoted to handle basic and applied researches on public funds.
The most important contributors in financing R&D activity are the state and several private companies. In this way the most important financial resources for R&D activity are the state budget and the input from private companies.
Intergovernmental co-operation agreements can be signed by ministers or directors who are chosen by the Secretary of State.
In France the cooperation programs which are based on bilateral S&T agreements are generally open to research institutes, universities, SMEs, enterprises and foundations as well.