France announces a new national research centre for space and aeronautics
Roger-Gérard Schwartzenberg , the French Minister for Research announced the creation of a new research centre for aeronautics and space technologies on 19 October at the SITEF 2000 fair in Toulouse. The new research facility should become a centre of excellence to develop both national and European projects and foster collaboration between private and public sectors. 'The creation of CNRT [Centre national de recherche et technologie] confirms the Midi-Pyrenees region's dynamism in the field of research and innovation,' said Mr Schwartzenberg. One in ten people in Toulouse work in the field of research and technology, making the city an obvious choice to host SITEF 2000, one of the biggest science fairs in France. This week SITEF opens its doors to visitors for the tenth time and has attracted hundreds of students hungry for career opportunities. They are drawn by the fair's 900 exhibitors - from 23 different countries who are demonstrating their wares and hoping to strike up business opportunities. But while visitors admire the gadgets of tomorrow, peering inside cars which talk and surfing new web products at the Internet café, the atmosphere on the stands is serious. Innovation has moved rapidly up the political agenda in the wake of the Lisbon summit and the French Presidency is pursuing its targets keenly. As a result, Mr Schwartzenberg was not the only influential personality patrolling SITEF's hallways. The European Commissioner for Research, Philippe Busquin is also attending the fair, spreading the word of the European Research Area, and Philippe Jurgenson, the chairman of ANVAR, the French research and innovation agency, has opened a technology `bourse`. Some 60,000 visitors are expected over the four-day event which covers 30,000 square metres of exhibition space, divided into six areas: aeronautics space, transport, water and life sciences, information and communication technologies, international cooperation, technology transfer. The exhibition opens to the public on Saturday 21 October.
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France