A discipline which is strongly involved in major societal challenges

In an international scientific context that is inseparable from the socio-economic world and the challenges facing society, the INSIS is developing its international strategy around four objectives:

• Developing, consolidating and bringing international collaborations to fruition
• Investing for the future and contributing to collective and world-wide progress
• Encouraging, structuring and supporting unit directors and researchers in their international collaborations
• For Europe, supporting national partnerships and networks (GDR, GIS, federations, etc.) so that they can serve as platforms for European projects.

A strong international presence

With its 6 IRL International research laboratories (e.g. UMI), its 20 IRP International research programmes (e.g. LIA), its 8 IRN International research networks and the funding of 45 IEA International exploratory actions (e.g. PICS and PRC), the INSIS is present on all continents and has research collaborations with more than 30 countries, both emerging and reference countries in the field of engineering. More than 45% of the INSIS publications are co-authored with international partners.

An international influence

These joint research units outside of France make a major contribution to the CNRS's reputation abroad. As genuine research units established abroad (or more rarely in France), they structure strategic scientific cooperation with both academic and industrial partners with high international visibility.

The IRLs are the flagship tool of the CNRS's international strategy. The INSIS is piloting six of them, some of which have existed for more than 20 years:

• The LIMMS (micro- and nanotechnologies) with the Institute of Industrial Sciences of the University of Tokyo;
• The JRL (robotics) with the AIST of the University of Tokyo;
• ElyT-MaX (materials) with Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan;
• CINTRA with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, (micro- and nanotechnology, photonics);
• GeorgiaTech (secure networks and intelligent materials), Atlanta and Metz;
• The LN2 (micro- and nanotechnologies) with the Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.

Several of them have strong links with industrialists: CINTRA is co-managed with Thales, the LN2 has a joint laboratory with St Microelectronics and a joint laboratory is currently being set up between Georgiatech and PSA.

A strategy focused on target countries with high scientific potential

For its future international actions, the INSIS wants to develop structuring collaborations with four countries that are at the top world level in engineering sciences but which currently have few structured collaborations: Australia, South Korea, India and Taiwan.