France to strengthen regional centres...

摘要

The French government has announced plans for a multi-billion-dollar regional development project for higher research and education, known as the 'University of the Third Millennium' (U3M). One of its goals will be the creation of a national network of centres of research excellence with regional universities as the nodes. The project, to run from 2000 to 2006, is part of a vast multi-annual programme organized by an interministerial committee known as CIADT, which is responsible for planning public infrastructure projects. CIADT's costs are met equally by the state and regional government. Such programmes have traditionally been given a high political priority in France, and are generally adhered to, irrespective of changes of government.