Privatizing research to mutualize innovation ?

French academic research is often judged by the yardstick of foreign models, both in terms of what it produces and how it operates. The reforms launched in France in the 2010s – both in terms of management and dedicated resources – have fostered closer ties with private research. They have often been criticized for the competition and dependence on the private sector that they de facto introduce. Pooling innovation is seen as an essential condition for a dynamic economy. However, innovation is not always synonymous with progress. The unbridled race to innovate is leading to a worsening ecological and climate crisis. The challenge today is clearly to innovate differently, in order to generate more sober and responsible innovations. So, with this in mind, how should research activities be structured? Should we amplify the “privatization” of academic research initiated 20 years ago, or limit it? In France, as in the European Union, companies account for 2/3 of R&D expenditure. But to meet today’s societal challenges, public funding is essential, as it enables us to bear the risk inherent in research. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t encourage collaboration between academic and private research – on the contrary. The question is more one of organizing these collaborations with a view to mutual enrichment. What, then, should be the role of the state?