The CNRS

The French National Center for Scientific Research (Fr: Centre national de la recherche scientifique) is one of the most recognized and renowned public research institutions in the world. Since its establishment in 1939, it has continued to attract talent at the highest levels and nurture multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary research projects at the national, European and international levels. Geared towards the public interest, it contributes to the scientific, economic, social, and cultural progress of France.

As the largest fundamental science agency in Europe, the CNRS employs over 33,000 staff members (including approximately 28,000 researchers) and oversees 1,100 laboratories across France.

The CNRS is strongly committed to global scientific exchange and collaborates extensively with international partners. It is one of the world’s few research institutions to establish enduring joint research structures abroad, including international research laboratories (IRLs), joint units with French institutes abroad (UMIFREs; overseen by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the CNRS), and international research centers (IRCs). Its global footprint includes 80 laboratories; nearly 5,000 international researchers, doctoral students, and postdoctoral fellows; and offices in Brussels, Melbourne, New Delhi, Ottawa, Beijing, Pretoria, Rio de Janeiro, Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C.

Partnerships involving institutions in the United States and Mexico are overseen by the CNRS office in Washington, D.C. Stay up to date on CNRS activities and partnerships in the United States, including calls and collaboration opportunities, by visiting or subscribing to this newsletter.