The Pommier-Lazarus report , published in November 2024, aims to transform the recognition of doctorates in France, particularly in the private sector. It proposes a cultural and structural change to better integrate PhDs into all economic sectors, focusing on four key areas: increasing their presence in companies, facilitating their professional integration, enhancing the value of their degrees and maximizing their contribution to innovation and the competitiveness of French companies.
In this context, and as the report emphasizes, Cifre theses (Conventions industrielles de formation par la recherche) play a key role in bridging the gap between academic research and the business world. This scheme, coordinated by the French National Association for Research and Technology (ANRT), brings together a doctoral student, a company and a laboratory to work on a joint research project. Created over 40 years ago, it is one of the oldest ways of bringing the academic and industrial worlds closer together in France. Today, more than one in ten doctoral students in France complete their thesis within this framework, and Cifre programs are used by companies of all sizes (SMEs, ETIs, major groups), testifying to their relevance and flexibility. The French government has therefore decided to increase the number of Cifre theses financed by 50% over the next few years.
However, this plebiscite for Cifre theses could be misinterpreted. Indeed, Cifre theses could be perceived as being oriented towards short-term industrial objectives, limiting the scientific ambitions that can be expected of a doctorate, whose primary mission is to advance knowledge for all. This perception also raises concerns about potential abuses: could doctoral research be instrumentalized for the exclusive benefit of immediate industrial interests, to the detriment of the quest for scientific knowledge? The difficulties inherent in relations between science and industry, such as diverging objectives, cultural differences and intellectual property issues, may accentuate these fears. Ultimately, the challenge is daunting: how to combine socio-economic impact and academic excellence without compromising one for the benefit of the other in the context of these theses?
Our recent research, conducted by teams from Mines Paris – PSL and TBS Education on the Cifre scheme, helps to limit these fears and to challenge many preconceived ideas about these theses. Better still, this research helps us to understand why Cifre theses are a remarkable tool that has both a significant socio-economic impact and a strong scientific impact. This is what we call double-impact research.
Cifre theses: more than just applied research
Cifre theses are distinguished by their ability to combine academic and industrial objectives. Contrary to popular belief, they are not limited to applied research driven by the immediate needs of companies. Our research shows that a majority of these theses – 61% to be precise – favour fundamental research approaches, often inspired by industrial issues, but rooted in a quest for scientific understanding. This choice runs counter to the stereotypes associating Cifre theses with the simple resolution of practical problems.
This diversity is reflected in our typology of Cifre theses. Some projects, known as disciplinary ones, go deeper into fundamental knowledge in a specific academic discipline. For example, a thesis in molecular biology, carried out in partnership with a major pharmaceutical laboratory, enabled us to develop theoretical tools on complex genetic mechanisms. This work led to two publications in internationally-renowned journals, while at the same time enriching the company’s core competencies in a key area of research.
Other projects take a more exploratory approach, mobilizing several disciplines, for example, to solve complex problems related to disruptive innovation challenges. A thesis conducted jointly by an engineering laboratory and a robotics SME explored the integration of polymer materials and artificial intelligence to design flexible, autonomous sensors. This project led not only to a patented prototype, but also to strengthened academic collaborations in two hitherto unconnected disciplines.
Lastly, some of the theses are more traditionally oriented towards product development, while relying on rigorous scientific methodologies. A notable example is a thesis on the improvement of recycling processes in the automotive industry, carried out in partnership with an SME specializing in the circular economy. This project led to the development of a patented process, now used in several factories, while generating scientific articles of value to the university and the doctoral student.
These examples show that Cifre theses are, above all, laboratories of ideas that contribute to academic research and the training of cross-disciplinary skills, essential for meeting tomorrow’s scientific and industrial challenges.
Dual-impact research: combining innovation and academic excellence
Cifre theses are a perfect illustration of the strength of science-industry research relationships when they are built on a logic of double impact. These collaborations enable academia and industry to feed off each other, strengthening both the exploration potential of academic research and the innovation capabilities of companies.
On the one hand, the scientific results of Cifre theses bear witness to their significant contribution to the academic world. Cifre doctoral students publish their work in top-level academic journals, attesting to the scientific quality of their research, even when carried out in industrial contexts. These publications not only add value to the doctoral students: they also enhance the visibility of partner companies on strategic themes, and enable them to join leading scientific networks.
Cifre theses also play a key role in technological innovation. Around 21% of projects result in patents, often co-signed by companies and laboratories. These innovations, which cover fields as varied as artificial intelligence, biotechnology and renewable energies, are not just technical advances. They embody a form of transfer that differs from that of training , thus enriching the ways in which the research funded by this scheme is organized.
These innovations are also crucial competitive assets for companies, particularly SMEs and ETIs. The latter, which account for almost half of all Cifre partners, gain access to expertise and resources that they would not otherwise have been able to mobilize. For these companies, Cifre theses are a strategic lever for exploring as yet unknown fields of technology and strengthening their resilience in the face of growing international competition.
Cifre theses: a triple success for doctoral students, companies and universities
Cifre theses are also distinguished by the opportunities they offer doctoral students, their industrial supervisors and their thesis directors.
For doctoral students, Cifre theses are a unique formative experience, enabling them to explore a wide range of career paths. This dual affiliation enables them to develop a rare ability to navigate between two worlds, often perceived as compartmentalized, and to act as ambassadors between science and industry.
For the industrial supervisor, the role of Cifre project leader is equally enriching. By directly supervising the doctoral student, he or she is exposed to the academic ecosystem, its dynamics and methodologies. This provides a valuable opportunity to broaden the student’s understanding of research issues, as well as his or her exposure to the opportunities offered by this academic environment, which can help shape the student’s career, the organization’s absorption capacity, and the possibilities for innovation and future development. Immersing oneself in the logic of science often means revisiting one’s own working methods and enriching one’s know-how, particularly when it comes to managing complex projects.
The role of the thesis supervisor is equally central to this collaboration. The literature has extensively documented the benefits to academics of interactions with industry. These collaborations encourage scientific publication, by stimulating original research problems and opening up access to rich and varied empirical fields. They also have a positive effect on the thesis supervisor’s academic career, by strengthening his or her network, diversifying funding opportunities and raising the profile of his or her work. So, for academic researchers, supervising a Cifre thesis is a strategic opportunity that combines scientific depth, reasoned serendipity and direct spin-offs.
Collaboration for better innovation: the secret of Cifre theses
However, our work shows that, to maximize scientific performance and innovation in Cifre theses, it is essential for all three parties to maintain long-lasting and frequent links. For example, we have shown that a high frequency of steering committees bringing together the three parties is essential to encourage high-level patents and publications. The doctoral student alone cannot play the role of intermediary between these two worlds! Especially as most Cifre doctoral students embark on this path with the ambition of joining the corporate world, while benefiting from the added value of a high-level doctoral experience: a real career gas pedal.
The Cifre program, with its wide range of projects, represents a key lever for boosting the visibility and recognition of doctoral studies in France. By fostering closer ties between academia and industry, it helps to break down traditional barriers and create beneficial synergies. This fast-expanding model represents a strategic opportunity to enhance the skills of doctoral students while meeting the innovation needs of companies.
Authors
- Quentin Plantec – Professor of Strategy & Innovation Management, TBS Education
- Benjamin Cabanes – Professor of Management Science, Mines Paris – PSL
- Elise Ratier – Doctoral student in innovation management, Mines Paris – PSL
- Pascal Le Masson – Professor, Mines Paris – PSL
- Weil Benoit – Professor, Mines Paris – PSL
This article is republished from The Conversation under Creative Commons license. Read theoriginal article.
