May 2005
Summary
Réalités industrielles
What are the prospects for bilateral scientific cooperation
Complete issue
Introduction : Mosaïque et miroir
By Claude Trink
Ingénieur général des Mines
Les enjeux
Scientific cooperation and research faced with the challenges of globalization
By Christian Thimonier
Sous-Directeur de la Coopération scientifique et de la Recherche, Ministère des Affaires étrangères (DGCID)
It is important for France to maintain its status and keep in stride with the growth of science. New partners are constantly emerging at the global level. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is doing its part.
Bilateral and multilateral scientific cooperation: Not the one without the other
By Pierre Paul Baskevitch
Direction des Relations internationales, Ministère de la Recherche (DRIC)
Does Europe really need 25 national research policies… along with a few hundred bilateral programs? Maybe not, but it would de unwise to hold the EU responsible for everything.
The seventh Framework Program for Research and Technological Development
By Alain Quévreux
Chef du service Europe, Association nationale de la recherche technique (ANRT)
The EU’s seventh Framework Program for Research and Technological Development has three pillars: intergovernmental commitments, industrial innovations and research on the frontiers of knowledge. The euro’s success in monetary matters has set an example for this seventh program’s goal of building a European research area, namely: a new planetary equilibrium based on a collective ambition.
International cooperation in the petroleum industry: Ready to wear or tailor made?
By Claude Jablon
Directeur scientifique, Total
Given the heavy investments and relatively low level of labor in overall costs, the petroleum industry has preferred specialized partnerships with other developed countries to the big multinational networks developed by labor intensive industries such as electronics or computers.
Les dispositifs transverses
Integrated projects
By Bastiaan de Laat et Katharina Warta
Technopolis France
As an assessment of integrated projects shows, relatively light investments in organizing international mobility between research teams can have quite beneficial consequences by creating relationships both between the teams and between administrations in the concerned countries. A bilateral integrated project often makes the first step toward a European project. A dark spot in this assessment: on the French side, too many actors are involved in management.
The CNRS’s tools for European and international cooperation
By Minh-Hà Pham-Delègue
Responsable de la zone Asie-Pacifique
Anne d'Albis
Responsable des relations européennes
Claire Giraud
Responsable des Amériques
et Jean-Luc Clément
Directeur des relations européennes et internationales du CNRS
The French National Center of Scientific Research (CNRS) has geostrategic objectives concerning industrialized as well as emerging countries. It started signing bilateral agreements in the early 1950s, but now prefers implementing programs of coordination via European and international research groups (GDRE and GDRI) and undertaking structural actions, the most advanced example thereof being the international mixed units (UMI).
Ariel, an original tool for international cooperation
By Jacques Lévy
Directeur honoraire de l'Ecole des Mines de Paris, Président d'honneur de la Conférence des Grandes Ecoles, Président d'ARIEL
For more than twenty years, the Conférence des Grandes Écoles and then Ariel, an association, have spawned and supported approximately 270 projects of international cooperation in research involving partners in industry. Efficient networks have been set up. The majority of these projects concern North America, but Ariel’s interventions in other countries, such as Israel, Sweden, Mexico and Korea, have signaled a significant increase in cooperation.
Des exemples de coopération bilatérale
The general-purpose association between Sweden and France
By Erik Sandewall
Professeur à l'université de Linköping (sciences informatiques), Président du Conseil scientifique de l'INRIA
et Bertil Aronsson
Professeur (sciences des matériaux), Ancien Vice-Président de l'Académie Royale Suédoise des Sciences, Ancien Président de la Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (SSF)
Created in 1967, the FrancoSwedish Research Association (AFSR), which has taken part in organizing more than 180 events, is helping to develop a reciprocal pollination of scientific and technical research between the two countries. It clearly illustrates the role a bilateral institution can play in globalization.
An association with a sectoral priority between Finland and France
By Marie Aronson
Attachée scientifique et de coopération universitaire, Ambassade de France
et Pekka Silvennoinen
Président d'Association franco-finlandaise
For two centuries now, the Finns have played a part in science at the international level. An agreement on cultural and scientific cooperation between France and Finland was signed in 1970. With 32 years of experience, the Franco-Finnish Association for Scientific and Technical Research (AFFRST) has initiated and catalyzed FrancoFinnish projects and scientific colloquia.
The Franco-Norwegian Foundation for Scientific and Technical Research and Industrial Development
By Finn A. Hvistendahl
Président de la Fondation franco-norvégienne
Claire Tutenuit
Administrateur de la Fondation
et Daniel Decroocq
Secrétaire général de la Fondation
Relations between French and Norwegian industries mainly center on the supply of natural gas from Norway to France. The Franco-Norwegian Foundation for Scientific and Technical Research and Industrial Development (FFN) has the assignment of striking a new balance in relations. Initially revolving around programs related to petroleum, this association is now focusing on small and middle-sized firms and new technologies.
Three tools for of scientific cooperation between France and Italy
By Jean-Claude Arditi
Secrétaire général adjoint, AFIRIT, ancien Conseiller pour la science et la technologie
et Jean Favero
Conseiller pour la Science et la technologie, Ambassade de France à Rome
Bilateral scientific cooperation between France and Italy uses three tools: public initiatives (with research programs such as Galileo), the Franco-Italian university (which groups all French and Italian universities) and the Franco-Italian Association for Industrial and Technological Research. Set up in 1988 by the two governments and supported by the public and private sectors, this association seeks to encourage bilateral partnerships in the European context.
CEFIPRA, an exceptional tool for scientific cooperation between India and France
By P.S. Mony
Secrétaire général du CEFIPRA (Centre indo-français pour la promotion de la recherche avancée)
Created on 9 September 1987, the IndoFrench Center for the Promotion of Advanced Research (CEFIPRA) backs projects in basic and applied research. The role played by the members of its Scientific Council — from the assessment of a proposal till its final, detailed evaluation with a close follow-up during implementation — has contributed to the quality and efficiency of projects.
The PasteurWeizmann Association, the flagship of scientific cooperation between France and Israel
By Michel Goldberg
Professeur à l'Institut Pasteur, Président du Conseil d'administration du conseil Pasteur-Weizmann
For the past thirty years, the PasteurWeizmann Association has spawned and supported intense collaboration between the scientists in two prestigious research institutes who are fighting against illness and for the universality of science. How has this association, which is cited worldwide as an example of successful international scientific cooperation, managed to twin institutions in such a lasting and efficient way despite political tensions between France and Israel ?
Is scientific cooperation with China in phase with the changes under way there ?
By Jean Dercourt
Secrétaire perpétuel de l'Académie des Sciences, Professeur émérite de l'Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris
et Claude Trink
Ingénieur général des Mines, Président-directeur général de Sofirem (Charbonnages de France)
The Advanced Research Program (PRA) spurred scientific cooperation between France and China as of 1991. Exchanges of scientists laid the basis for setting up joint laboratories. Nowadays, several French firms (France Télécom, Thomson, Alcatel, Schlumberger, BioMérieux) have set up research centers in China. Given the rapid changes there, are these arrangements for cooperation in phase with the current situation ?
Deux cas d'application de la coopération scientifique
Aeronautics, an example of scientific cooperation with Germany
By Denis Maugars
Président Directeur général, Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales, ONERA
et Hervé Consigny
Directeur des Affaires internationales, ONERA
The scientific cooperation between French and German national research establishments in aeronautics (Onera and DLR), partners for nearly thirty years now, has constantly made advances. Active support from national administrations, even political authorities, is now indispensable for setting up an authentic European research area in this branch of industry.
French-British cooperation in research related to public environmental policies
By Eric Vindimian
Chef du service de la recherche et de la prospective, Ministère de l'Ecologie et du Développement durable
Research on the environment is essential to creating the conditions for sustainable development. French and British authorities in charge of public policy in this field want to develop this research. Their cooperation revolves around: an assessment of findings, predictions, and the European coordination of programs.