+6,5% for Higher Education and Research budget in 2009

Fabrice Martin

The French Higher Education and Research budget should raise by €1.8 billion per year in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

The higher education and research sector will see a 900 positions cut down:
- 225 civil servants in higher education
- 225 government funded PhD students
- 225 researchers in research organizations
- 225 government funded postdoctoral positions.

On the other hand, careers attractiveness will be strengthened: €173 million will go to salary raises in 2009 (€759 million over 3 years).

The budget of Research should raise by €868 millions in 2009 and by approximately €800 millions per year in 2010 and 2011. 57% of the these new financial means will go to private research, mainly through the Research Tax credit which is becoming the main tool to uphold private research to the detriment of other schemes which will be cut down.

Public research means will raise by €365 millions in 2009. €70 millions will help research organization achieve their evolution, €178 millions will be dedicated to salaries, careers and pensions.

The budget of the National Research agency (ANR) remains globally stable though "blank" programmes will raise by 25% and schemes concerning companies will loose €45 millions.

Last but not least, €1 billion will be dedicated, from 2009 to 2012 to research in the field of environment as a result of the "Grenelle de l'Environnement".