The National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS-L 🇱🇧) is the scientific arm of the Lebanese government. It operates at national and international levels to promote research and serve the scientific community in Lebanon. Overview:
Under the direct authority of the Presidency of the Council of ministers, the CNRS-L has been established as the central public institution, with administrative and financial autonomy, in charge of scientific research. It has been mandated with two major missions:
🎯Advisory mission: The CNRS-L is mandated to draw the general outline of the National Science Policy, formulate proposals and suggestions to the government and carry out surveys and inventories of ongoing research activities in private and public institutions in the country.
🎯Executive mission: Consists in the implementation of the National Science Policy. To achieve this objective, the CNRS-L is mandated to initiate, encourage, and coordinate research. Organizational Structure & Programs:
🏢I-CNRS-L Research Centers: In order to address issues that are not fully covered by existing academic institutions in Lebanon, the CNRS-L over the years established four specialized research centers:
-National Center for Marine Sciences- NCMS (since 1975);
-National Center for Geophysics-NCG (since 1975);
-National Center for Remote Sensing- NCRS (since 1995);
-Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission- LAEC (since 1996). Those centers are recognized experts in their fields, ensuring services to various ministries and national stakeholders while also conducting research according to their missions.
📑II-CNRS-L Main Programs: In parallel, the CNRS-L supports national, regional, and international research in Lebanon through the following programs & activities: Grant Research Program, Regional and bilateral Programs, PhD Scholarship Program, Undergraduate Scholarship Program, CNRS Awards for Research Excellence & Research Career Excellence.
🌍III- International Cooperation: CNRS-L has worked to enhance its cooperative links by joining existing networks, implementing regional projects financed by the European Commission, The World Bank, the United National Environment Program, the United National Development Program, the Food and Agricultural Organization as well as other regional and international organizations. The CNRS-L is the Coordinating National Contact Point (NCP) for the EU Framework Programs since 2011 and has participated accordingly in many projects such as MEDSPRING, ERANETMED, MERID & 4PRIMA, LOCAL-SATS, M3HABS, WATERDrop, and GREATMED. CNRS-L is also the Lebanese partner in PRIMA program.
🗞️IV- Publications and Visibility: CNRS-L Newsletter; Lebanese Science Journal – LSJ; CNRS-L Books (Atlas du Liban, Territoires et Société; Shared water resources of Lebanon; The Litani river, Lebanon: An assessment and current challenges; Illustrated Flora of Lebanon; etc.); Charter of Ethics…
🛑In light of the current crisis in Lebanon, and after the recent nomination of the new Secretary General Dr. Tamara Elzein, CNRS-L is undergoing a review of its strategic orientations and actions.
