Activity Report 2010 - CNRS

OVERVIEW
20
THE FUTURE OF THE
FONDATION
What beyond 2012?
Beyond 2012, the FCS created to operate RTRA
networks (like the Nanosciences Foundation) were
supposed to have raised enough donations in order
to create sufficient cash flow for their annual
budget from incomes provided by the raised funds.
Such a future drawn by the 2007 business plan
was expected, thanks to a “brave new world”
where French companies and French individuals
would adopt new routes to demonstrate their
generosity, as it is currently carried out in the US
and in Switzerland, for the funding of large
Universities.
This ideal scheme was over sizing the FCS
notoriety with national and international
recognition. However such reputation, based on
research only, cannot be seriously compared to
that of the best Universities throughout the world
whose fame comes from the quality of the
provided education.
Nevertheless two foundations, the first one in
economy (Fondation Jean Jacques Laffont) and the
second one in mathematics (Fondation Sciences
Mathématiques de Paris) have distinguished
themselves as entities able to successfully raise
funds these recent years.
Such an innovative initiative requires deep
changes in mind, as well as a clean and politicallystable
scientific and economic landscape to
succeed.
Unfortunately the 2007-2010 years have suffered
from two unexpected events:
the world-wide crisis of the banking
system
the dramatic change of the operative
pattern in the Universities which impacts and
destabilizes CEA and CNRS along new, less
secured roads.
What opportunity is given by the
“Investissements d’Avenir”?
As described earlier in a dedicated section entitled
‘Investissements d’Avenir’, this government
initiative has strongly impacted the research
entities at all scales (teams, laboratories,
Universities, foundations, clusters of Universities,
Engineering Schools) which had to merge, and
build together a common response to calls taking
into account the strong presence in Grenoble of
CEA and CNRS without leaving aside the European
large scale facilities ILL and ESRF.
The successfully selected projects (namely
Equipex, Labex, and Idex) in the field of basic
research shall be managed within a frame able to
take into account i) the multi-partnership inherent
to the proposals, ii) the split of the delivered grant
between expendable and non expendable funds,
iii) the implementation of Chairs of Excellence and
PhD programs open worldwide
Based on these requirements, it appeared to the
Board that the Nanosciences Foundation could be
mandated to fulfill this role – as long as it adopts
relevant adjustments.
Although it is too early to foresee a decision for
now, the Foundation currently investigates such an
option - supported by three significant arguments:
1. The creation of a new FCS is a long
process. Alternatively, evolving by amendment to
broaden the set of founders and the spectrum of
missions has already proven to be a more efficient
and much faster process.
This has been demonstrated by the FCS “Paris-
Saclay” previously named the FCS “DIGITEO-
Triangle de la Physique” which achieved its
transformation in 3 months. From 9 founders, the
evolved Foundation now counts 22 of them. Five
other significant changes were introduced very
smoothly: the name of the FCS, its objectives, its
operating bodies, its splitting into departments
with a respective steering committee, and the
reception of additional resources brought by each
founders, new or old.
2. The know-how built and accumulated
these last four years to address the FCS
peculiarities in term of scientists’ recruitment (on
permanent basis or temporary basis), of selection
process, and of fast implementation of projects is a
valuable asset.
3. The staff of four persons is a treasure to
be preserved and exploited as a strong core for a
larger Foundation
Moreover the Government encourages Universities
and consortia to take full advantage of the existing
Foundations, being particularly concerned by the
endless multiplication of FCS, which increases by
much the numbers of councils and bodies requiring
the presence of high level managers and by
extension adds inherent costs to certify their
financial actions and reports by accountancy firms.
Citation de la Ministre: réponse
Comptes:
à la Cour des
"Le ministère soutiendra également toutes les
initiatives permettant une simplification du
paysage institutionnel, les fondations de
coopération scientifique porteuses des RTRA et
CTRS pouvant héberger des structures abritées
dans le cadre des investissements d’avenir.
L’objectif, à terme, pourrait être d’avoir une
fondation unique au niveau du site, se substituant
aux fondations des membres, comme l’autorise
désormais la loi du 13 décembre 2010."
(Source : chapitre PRES du rapport de la Cour des
Comptes)