The Scientific and Technological Orientation
Council (COST)
described in the 2003-2007
Strategic Plan is meant to supervise and coordinate the global scientific
structure of the Institute, and contribute its development
and dynamism.
- It is an advisory Council reporting to the General Management, and not
a new operational structure.
- The COST works on questions of scientific as well as technological policy.
- It provides the Institute with a global, coordinated vision.
- The Council deals with all scientific and technological questions that
are transversal the normal structure in projects, research units and themes.
Composition of the Council
The COST is chaired by the Scientific Director and coordinated by the Deputy
Scientific Director.
The COST includes the General Delegate
for Technology Transfer, the Director of Development and Industrial Relations,
the Chairs of the Project Committees of the six Research Units, and the four
persons in
charge of the work groups.
The themes of the work groups are:
- Animation and prospective
- International relations
- Incentive initiatives
- Large scale initiatives.
The heads of the work groups are
appointed by INRIA's Chairman for a period of two years. They are chosen among
active research scientists. The composition of the work groups is established
in agreement with the Work Group Head, the Scientific Management and involved
researchers.
See the
list of COST members and
work groups.
One consequence of this organization
is to involve many scientists in decisions that concern research fields of which
they are not specialists. This offers young researchers a concrete opportunity
to
broaden
their views on today's science and technology.
COST organization
- The COST meets every other month under the chairmanship of the Scientific
Director who sets the agenda in agreement with his Deputy.
- The agenda always include a prospective topic chosen in advance and for
which a reviewer has been previously appointed. It also includes all the
topics studied by the work groups.
- The topics to be dealt by the COST and the work groups are defined by the
Council itself and by the management of the Institute.
- The work group works always result in written documents presented before
the COST by the Work Goup Head, or better by the authors of the document.
- The COST writes down advices on each point on its agenda. Such advice is
then passed on the General Management and made available of the INRIA intranet.
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