How do the French view scientific research?

Proud of France's scientists, the French retain an unshakeable faith in research as a vector of progress and competitiveness for the country, according to the exclusive Quattrocento - Opinionway study: "Regards et attentes des Français sur la recherche scientifique" (French views and expectations of scientific research) . Innovation, financing, business creation: is French research still in the running?

Sn the model of the triumphant Silicon Valley, the digital explosion has democratized the concepts of innovation, start-ups, investors and fund-raising for the general public. As a result, France is home to many digital nuggets in search of financing, and our talents shine around the world for their skills in fields as varied as algorithms, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things.

The research sector, itself inextricably linked with innovation, seems to have remained on the sidelines of this phenomenon. Are we witnessing a decline in scientific culture in France, given the lack of interest in certain scientific disciplines and the verdict of international rankings? How do the French perceive the role of researchers in society and business? Do they trust research to create jobs and economic spin-offs for the country? Could scientific research become a new Eldorado for investors?

To answer these questions, Quattrocento, a life sciences company, and the Opinionway Institute conducted a survey on a sample of 1059 people representative of the French population aged 18 and over*.

Symbolizing the excellence of French training, French researchers enjoy a good or excellent reputation among 90% of the population.

Even if there has been a certain loss of interest in scientific subjects, research remains a prestigious career option for almost 9 out of 10 French people, offering meaningful careers (88%).

So much so that two-thirds of French people would recommend a career in this field to their children.

Far from the image of Professor Nimbus, perched in his ivory tower, and despite deep-seated concerns about food and nuclear power, the French see research as a source of hope (84%) and progress to improve their daily lives in transport and mobility (82%), health (81%) and the environment (77%).

These consensual observations are somewhat less shared by young people aged 18 to 24: 19% of them consider research to be a source of worry rather than a source of hope.

In anticipation of a Macron plan to support the sector, three out of four French people deplore the lack of government funding for research in France.

A real source of national pride, research is a vector for France's influence in the world (84%), enables companies to innovate (86%), and contributes, according to the French, to economic growth (79%), job creation (73%) and business start-ups (70%).

Careers, remuneration, motivations: scientific research enjoys an unbroken aura in the eyes of the French

Almost 9 out of 10 French people (88%) have a good opinion (22% a very good opinion) of scientific research. In their eyes, it is a prestigious professional field, offering meaningful careers (88%) and prospects for development and growth for the French economy (85%).

Similarly, the people surveyed consider that scientists' career paths are rich in job opportunities (67%) and offer significant career and development prospects (71%). They are much more measured when it comes to remuneration (only 65% of positive opinions), and all the more so when people are well-trained or well-informed. Concern about the attractiveness of research careers in the public sector emerges from the study, behind all the confidence shown in researchers.

Ultimate proof of its very positive image in the eyes of the general public: two-thirds of French people (66%) would recommend a career in scientific research to their children.

Training, ethical, social and environmental impact: the French have blind faith in the role of researchers in society

Researchers also enjoy an excellent reputation: 90% of French people say they have a good or even very good opinion of them (31%). In their view, they carry out their work ethically: 85% believe that they do their utmost to obtain results and manage the funds allocated to them well (68%). For respondents, researchers are also aware of the potential consequences of their research: the French overwhelmingly trust them to take care of the environmental and health consequences (71%), ethical issues (67%) and social consequences of their research (63%).

This confidence in the professional ethics of researchers and their good reputation is explained by the quality of researcher training in France: 87% consider it to be of good quality, or even excellent for 23%.

Surprisingly, despite a general climate of mistrust, the recent debate on vaccines and other events, the vast majority of French people see scientific research as a source of hope (84%), a synonym for progress helping to improve our living conditions: transport and mobility (82%), health (81%), the environment (77%), but also space research (74%), housing (72%), medicines (68%) and defense (62%).

...but deep-seated concerns remain about food, nuclear power and genetics.

Two controversial areas of research arouse more fear than hope among the French: food research, and GMOs in particular (68%), and nuclear research (65%). They are also cautious about research into genetics (47% say they fear research in this field), and divided on robotics and artificial intelligence research (47% fear).

It's worth noting that almost one in five young people consider research to be a source of worry (19% of those aged 18 to 24) rather than a source of hope. What's more, only 58% of them (versus 73% of people aged 65 and over) are confident about researchers' ability to deal with the environmental consequences and ethical issues (57% versus 67%) associated with their research.

Business creation, jobs and economic spin-offs: the French have faith in scientific research!

The French are unanimous in their praise of the beneficial role played by scientific research: they believe that research enables companies to innovate (86%), that it contributes to economic growth (79%), job creation (73%) and business start-ups (70%).

Scientific research is also seen as an essential driver of progress for mankind. For the French, research helps us to better understand the world we live in (84%) and to improve living conditions for humanity (84%). The excellence of scientific research in France, which ranks among the nations with the highest number of Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals, contributes to France's influence in the world for 84% of those surveyed.

Scientific research, a new Eldorado for investors?

For those surveyed, institutional players should play a predominant role in funding research. Thus, 87% of French people say that funding should come first and foremost from public authorities, 75% from public companies and 69% from universities and grandes écoles. The private sector is not to be outdone, with 74% of French people believing that private companies should also contribute to research funding.

While civil society is not seen as a key funder of research, the French do feel that citizens are making a fairly satisfactory contribution to research funding. More than half of those questioned (53%) consider that research benefits from sufficient donations, from events such as the Telethon or from non-profit associations.

On the other hand, the French point to the inadequacy of other sources of research funding. Nearly three quarters (74%) criticize the lack of public funding, and 69% say that private companies are not contributing enough.

"French research and researchers enjoy an excellent reputation in France: in the collective unconscious, it remains a highly prestigious field. The accelerating pace of innovation means that the French are much more aware than before of the beneficial contribution of research to human progress, wealth creation and the country's competitiveness. comments Bertrand FOURQUET, President and Founder of Quattrocento, a life sciences company. "Yet the potential for research-led business creation is still largely underestimated in France! From the recent consideration of deep-tech projects by financial investors, to the renewed interest in scientific fields, to a still timid ambition for the role that research could play, many challenges are beginning to be met. In this respect, highlighting the potential of research in terms of innovation, business creation and employment can offer a real outlet and exciting new prospects for this sector of French excellence".

Read the complete study "OpinionWay poll for QuattroCento

*Sample constituted according to the quota method, based on gender, age, socio-professional category, urban area and region of residence. Interviews were conducted using a CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interview) self-administered online questionnaire. Interviews were conducted from September 20 to 22, 2017..