https://www.cnrs.fr/en/le-cnrs

The CNRS

March 21, 2025

A major player in basic research worldwide, the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) is the only French organisation active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist enables it to bring together all of the scientific disciplines in order to shed light on and understand the challenges of today's world, in connection with public and socio-economic stakeholders. Together, the different sciences contribute to sustainable progress that benefits society as a whole.

The three pillars of the CNRS’s activity

Research that covers the whole spectrum of scientific disciplines

The CNRS has more than 80 years’ experience in basic research, exploring living world, space, matter and human societies. It can leverage all fields of science to understand today’s global challenges in all their complexity, in conjunction with organisations in the field.

Disruptive innovation

The CNRS encourages and supports the application of research results to transform them into concrete and long-lasting social and technological innovations that benefit both companies and society.

Knowledge-sharing

The CNRS is a strong advocate of a knowledge-based society, and an open science that is deeply rooted in its era. It promotes the wide circulation of knowledge and scientific culture, and supports decision-makers in developing public policies.

4 billion Euro budget

33,000 employees, including 28,000 scientists

1100 research laboratories in France and abroad

The CNRS, a major player in global research

12.02.2023

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The CNRS, a major player in research and innovation on the global stage

Leading basic research to benefit society across all its spheres of competence

Our vision

Missions

To leverage all fields of sciences to tackle current global challenges.

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Responsibilities

Fulfilling our responsibilities both as a stakeholder in research and innovation and as an employer.

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Organisation

Scientific governance means we can assign all our resources to research.

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Europe and International

The CNRS is a major player in science on the global stage.

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Distinctions

The CNRS awards annual scientific mediation medals to women and men who put science at the heart of society.

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The CNRS tops the leader board in international rankings

4th in the 2020 Nature Index ranking

2nd in the 2019 SCImago Institutions Rankings

6th most patents filed in France in 2022

Our assets for the international stage

The assets that make the CNRS a partner of choice in major international projects:

Research and engineering teams of recognised excellence;
Solid scientific networks and structured collaborations, which also involve industry;
Proven expertise in steering and coordinating international teams;
The ability to commit over the long term;
Successful international partnerships that have resulted in a number of major discoveries.

A committed employer

Since 2005, the CNRS has been committed to a Continuous Improvement Process, which involves actions in the areas of professional ethics, recruitment, quality of life and occupational safety, non-discrimination, gender equality and professional development. Since 2015, it has been signed up to the European Human Resources Strategy for Research (HRS4R) and was awarded the label HR Excellence in Research by the European Commission in 2017, renewed in 2023.

Learn more

At the CNRS, the values of deontology, scientific integrity, and ethics are fundamental and constitute the foundation of our responsibility in terms of research and innovation.

Contact the Ethics Officer

Mission for Women’s Integration

In 2001, as the issues of professional equality were permeating the social and political space, the CNRS created the Mission for Women’s Integration (MPDF). For the past 20 years, the MPDF has continued to broaden its sphere of action and developed the following four major objectives: promoting equality at work, encouraging girls to consider careers in science and technology, supporting and encouraging research that includes a gender dimension, and pushing forward all these actions on an international scale, through a number of partnerships.

Learn more (in French)