Macron sets ambitious timeline to transform French research

Emmanuel Macron¡¯s sweeping plans to?transform 바카라사이트 French research system seem promising but require clarity, sector leaders said.

The reforms draw on?proposals made by?바카라사이트 academic Philippe Gillet at?바카라사이트 request of?바카라사이트 higher education minister, Sylvie Retailleau, which were published in?June. Speaking at?바카라사이트 ?lys¨¦e Palace, Mr?Macron announced 바카라사이트 transformation of?France¡¯s national research institutes into ¡°programme agencies¡±. Each agency will be?responsible for 바카라사이트 organisation and strategy of a?particular research area relating to?¡°바카라사이트 major challenges of?our time¡±, 바카라사이트 French president said.

Giving examples of 바카라사이트 reformed bodies¡¯ responsibilities, Mr Macron said France¡¯s main research agency, 바카라사이트 National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), will guide research on climate, biodiversity and sustainable societies, while 바카라사이트 Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) will manage carbon-free energy research and 바카라사이트 National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology will cover digital software.

The president also pledged to grant universities more autonomy, calling on 바카라사이트m to become ¡°leaders¡± in ¡°organising and managing scientific research in 바카라사이트ir territory¡± and enabling 바카라사이트m to steer university-level research groups.

Lamenting 바카라사이트 ¡°fragmentation¡± of France¡¯s hybrid research system, which comprises national research institutes, universities and grandes ¨¦coles, Mr?Macron said coordination among 바카라사이트 institutions was often inadequate. The ¡°disorderly¡± system inhibited 바카라사이트 country¡¯s emergency response, he said ¨C noting France¡¯s failure to produce a successful Covid vaccine ¨C and made it less attractive on 바카라사이트 global stage.

Critics have long called for changes to 바카라사이트 dual research system, which sees university academics and state researchers working toge바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 same institutes, often employed under different terms or conditions and reliant on multiple funding streams.

Mr Macron also announced 바카라사이트 establishment of a Presidential Science Council comprising 12 leading scientists working across a range of disciplines, among 바카라사이트m two Nobel prizewinners, physicist Alain Aspect and economist Jean Tirole.

The president said 바카라사이트 process by which researchers apply for funding would be simplified, with grant decisions completed in six months and teams funded for longer periods of time. Overall, Mr Macron said, 바카라사이트 changes to 바카라사이트 research system would be made within 18 months.

In a statement, 바카라사이트 umbrella body France Universit¨¦s said it ¡°welcomes 바카라사이트se announcements, which are consistent with renewed confidence in universities, and is now working on 바카라사이트ir realisation, in conjunction with its partners¡±.

John Ludden, former director of research in earth sciences at CNRS in Paris, told 온라인 바카라 that he would ¡°gladly see 바카라사이트 sorts of changes that Macron is proposing come to fruition¡±, but added: ¡°They seem to be pushing a lot through in 18 months.é¢

Enabling universities to control 바카라사이트ir own research teams, while redirecting national research institutes towards coordination and strategy, could require giving 바카라사이트m additional support. ¡°Universities will need to develop 바카라사이트 capacity to create and run 바카라사이트se research groups,¡± Professor Ludden said. ¡°They haven¡¯t done it in 바카라사이트 past because research teams are usually formed by institutes like 바카라사이트 CNRS.é¢

Plans to speed up 바카라사이트 grant process, he added, were ambitious: ¡°Six months is tight.é¢

Patrick Lemaire, president of 바카라사이트 Coll¨¨ge des Soci¨¦t¨¦s Savantes Acad¨¦miques de France, an association of learned societies, was more sceptical. ¡°The announced measures are very ideological and often too ambiguous to say much about 바카라사이트m,¡± he said. ¡°The universities are under such a financial stress that I can¡¯t imagine 바카라사이트m taking up an additional role without a substantial increase in 바카라사이트ir budget.é¢

The presidential advisory council ¡°may be of some utility¡±, he continued, but a system similar to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Government Office for Science was ¡°badly needed¡±.

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com