Should research be sacrosanct?

Higher education and research is the most profitable public investment. However, French research has been allocated much lower levels of investment than in the United States or China. Allocations per student continue to fall in real terms, while the inefficient dualism between selective, Malthusian streams and mass streams continues, favouring the rapid growth of private higher education. While aid for applied research within the sectors is necessary for reindustrialisation, it must not displace the need for a massive investment plan in fundamental research, which is the only way to bring about breakthrough innovations. Universities can play a major role in this turnaround, provided that the salaries of researchers and teacher-researchers, marked by a dramatic brain drain in certain sectors, are made much more attractive. Isn’t it time to think about safeguarding high-level investment in research and higher education?

Produced in partnership with CEPR (Centre for Economic and Policy Research)