Roger-Gérard Schwartzenberg, Minister of Research, Christian
Pierret, Minister of Industry, and Bernard Larrouturou, Chairman of
INRIA, sign INRIA's 2000-2003 four-year contract
Tuesday July 18th, Roger-Gérard Schwartzenberg, Minister
of Research, and Christian Pierret, Minister of Industry, signed INRIA's
(National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control) 2000-2003
four-year contract with Bernard Larrouturou, Chairman of INRIA.
The Interdepartmental Council for the Information Society that met
last July 10th confirmed that a significant effort for research in the
area of information and communication technology will be made in the
coming years in terms of both means and staff. Growth in research development
in information technology is essential to further and consolidate the
role of France and in the larger context, Europe, in terms of innovation
and economic competitiveness.
Along with other institutions (CNRS, CEA, GET (Telecommunication Schools),
...) and university departments, the National Institute for Research
in Computer Science and Automation (INRIA) is at the heart of the French
state research system upon which this policy is based. INRIA's scientific
excellence, its national and international influence and its dynamism
are unanimously recognized and appreciated.
Through this contract, the State, aiming for ambitious goals, has conferred
on INRIA the labor and material resources for a well-planned growth
with precise strategic objectives.
The four-year contract provides for a significant increase in INRIA
personnel, which will go from 755 to 1180 as of 2003, as well as in
funding to keep pace with the augmentation of personnel. As early as
2001, the Institute's funding will be raised by 60 million francs and
the staff will be increased by 180 employees.
The follow-up to the contract will include an annual presentation of
the yearly figures to the Board of Directors of INRIA. A global qualitative
assessment will be undertaken by a visiting evaluation committee at
the end of the four year period.
THE FOUR-YEAR STATE-INRIA CONTRACT
INRIA's development strategy is based on three fundamental principles:
- the "virtuous circle" connecting basic research and applications
taking into account the necessity of shortening the transfer delays,
- the very profound synergies between computer science, applied mathematics
and other sciences (physical sciences, life sciences, economics, social
sciences),
- the importance of partnerships and exchanges on a national and international
scale.
INRIA's four-year 2000-2003 contract is the rendition of these three
principles into five precise directions.
1. To contribute at the highest worldwide level in finding solutions
to major scientific challenges:
Five scientific challenges were identified in INRIA's
strategy plan. The Institute will focus its endeavors in these areas:
- mastering the digital infrastructure,
- designing new applications using the Web and multimedia databases,
- being able to produce reliable and secure software,
- designing and mastering automatic control for complex systems,
- combining simulation and virtual reality.
2. To Obtain internationally recognized success in technology transfer
INRIA will pursue and amplify its policy of technological development
and transfer with emphasis on the priority fields identified in the
four-year contract: telecommunications and multimedia, health and biology.
To achieve this goal, the Institute will develop:
- its industrial partnership policy with the best companies worldwide,
be they in France, in Europe or even outside of the European Union,
- its participation in such standardization bodies as the W3C, the
IETF and the ICANN,
- the distribution of software whether free or commercial,
- its extremely active aid in the founding of technology startups
(approximately fifty of them are currently directly stemming from
INRIA), in particular through the INRIA-Transfert incubator and through
I-Source, the first French startup fund in the field of ICST,
- the organization of regional "technology clubs", which is to say
cooperative structures for exchanges and technological watch in which
small and medium sized companies can meet the principal actors of
the state research system,
- its policy of mobility and skill transfer through visits of industry
researchers and engineers at INRIA and conversely, through the mobility
of INRIA researchers and engineers toward industry.
3. To Amplify INRIA's leadership and reinforcing partnerships with
the community of the state higher education and research system in the
field of ICST:
The number of joint research teams in collaboration with other research
institutions will be increased during the period of the four-year contract.
The objective is to double the number of engineering schools and universities
working in partnership with INRIA and to triple the number of joint
teams installed outside of the INRIA Research Units sites. The coordination
and partnership with CNRS, the GET and the universities will be reinforced.
INRIA's policy of welcoming French and foreign researchers as well as
specialists from the body of State engineers, will be greatly amplified.
The policy of encouraging mobility amongst INRIA personnel will be continued.
4. To Increase the international influence of the Institute and
contributing to the reinforcement of the European scientific community.
A strengthened policy of cooperation with the European centers of excellence
and increased student and junior scientist exchanges will be carried
out, notably based on the ERCIM consortium. ERCIM gathers together 15
European research institutions in computer science and applied mathematics.
INRIA will consolidate the activity of the joint laboratory Liama in
China. Based on the experience gained with the Franco-Russian Lyapunov
Institute, INRIA will consider the possibility of developing other joint
laboratories in the field of ICST, in particular in India. Whenever
possible, INRIA will set up a more global collaboration mode country
by country by setting up a network with its French partners to better
cover bilateral collaboration in the field of ICST.
5. To Set up a dynamic human resources policy and enhancing INRIA's
attractiveness.
In the context of fierce international competition, INRIA's success
will depend in the last analysis on its ability to attract and retain
worldwide specialists in computer science and applied mathematics within
its teams. It is therefore of strategic importance to try and enhance
INRIA's attractiveness. There are numerous factors involved: - reinforcing
the Institute's image and its international influence, - being attentive
to the quality of the work environment for the research teams, - a flexible
organization for research, - prospects for scientific autonomy, supervisory
responsibilities, team and project leadership, - continuing the implementation
of a more dynamic human resources policy, - improving the existing arrangements
concerning hiring and promotions.
The four-year
state-INRIA contract (in french only)
For more information:
Media contact
Christine Genest,
INRIA
(+33) 1 39 63 55 18
Christine.Genest@inria.fr
