2,000 French scientists resign over lack of funding

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, March 10, 2004

2,000 French scientists resign over lack of funding

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Directors of more than 2,000 French laboratories and research centers, dissatisfied with decreased funding, submitted resignations of their administrative functions to the science ministry on Tuesday, according to local reports.

Reports said that among some 3,500 laboratory directors in France, over 900 have announced quitting, and more than 1,000 senior scientists in charge of research centers also declared to resign.

The mass resignation was largely symbolic as scientists will continue to carry out their scientific duties and receive full pay.But the crisis has drawn attention from all over the country.

French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and his science minister, Claudie Haignere, have taken measures in order to solve the crisis. Last Friday, Raffarin declared a new budget of three billion euros (3.7 billion US dollars) by 2007 in scientific research. Haignere announced that the government will respond to the resignation crisis, and urged that scientific research should not be stopped.

However, the government efforts seemed not to ease the scientists' anger.

The resignation crisis started from a protest letter signed by more than 60,000 of France's 105,000 public sector researchers, including some 5,000 laboratory directors, in January.

The letter claimed that although the French government promised to give priority to scientific research, it has largely cut scientific funding in recent two years for other uses.

The letter was echoed among many scientists and by now has been signed by over 60,000 scientists.

Source: Xinhua

Questions?Comments? Click here

French robot to hunt for "black box" in Red Sea

Chirac reaffirms French solidarity with US

Chirac rejects outside interference in Arab world

It is unexpectedly easy to defeat "China Threat" theory: Japanese economist ( 168 Messages)

Rising sex disproportion sparks concerns ( 2 Messages)

Kerry launches first election website in Chinese ( 11 Messages)

China's economy must not get into the rut of Latin American countries: NPC deputy ( 7 Messages)

What's the meaning of Bush & Blair nominated as candidates for Nobel Peace Prize? ( 20 Messages)