The research ecosystem in Brittany

Brittany is one of the 5 top French regions in research and development spendings in 2020, representing an investment of 1.8% of the regional GDP.

The regional ecosystem is recognized as “strong” by the European Commission in its regional innovation scoreboard, a comparative tool of regional innovation ecosystems. The region is acknowledged for its innovation spendings by inhabitant, higher than the European mean, the high collaboration between innovative SMEs, and a population with a very high tertiary education rate.

Support from local authorities, among them Région Bretagne, is remarkable and ranks first in France with 18.2€ yearly spend by inhabitant in research and technologies.

In the industry sector, many sectors are heavily involved in R&D, especially in SMEs:

• electric and electronics industry
• architecture and engineering
• agricultural and food industry
• informatics
• pharmaceutical industry
• Perfumery and cosmetics
• agriculture, forestry, fishing

Breton research capacities

Brittany is home to 4 universities, 8 technological institutes, 31 grandes ecoles and national research organisms (CNRS, Inrae, Inserm, Ifremer…) Research units are located in the two metropolitan areas (Rennes and Brest) as well as in the dense network of Breton cities. The presentation belows aims to expose the main excellence fields on the territory.

Rennes : digital, Earth sciences, ecology

First by its size, Rennes is recognized for its teams working is ICT, Earth sciences, ecology and agroecology. The city congregates 2 universities (Université de Rennes, Université Rennes 2), 9 grandes écoles (Institut Agro Rennes-Angers, EHESP, Ensai, ENSCR, ENS, Sciences Po Rennes, Insa Rennes, Centrale-Supélec, IMT Atlantique), 5 national research organisms (CNRS, Inrae, Inria, Inserm), the teaching hospital of Rennes and the Eugène Marquis Centre.

Historically active in Information and Communication Technologies, teams located in Rennes are working on both software and hardware issues. Each university is hosting a Graduate School (école universitaire de recherche – EUR), one specialized in cybersecurity (CyberSchool), the other at the interface between sport and digital (Digisport).

Multidisciplinary teams are collaborating around animal and vegetal agricultural productions, genomics and biotechnologies (Université de Rennes, Institut Agro…) Finally, the University of Rennes is recognized in Earth sciences, ecology, hydrogeology, agri-food science (151-200, classement de Shanghai 2024).

Lannion: photonics, digital science and technology photonics

Lannion is specialized in photonics, digital sciences and technology with an European stature. Birthplace of the cluster “Images&Réseaux“, seat of Photonics Bretagne, Lannion hosts Enssat (the engineering graduate school dedicated to telecommunication and innovative technologies), a technological institute with trainings in informatics, network systems and telecommunications. CNRS and Inria teams are also active in Lannion.

Brest: marine sciences and technologies

Brest is internationnally well-known as a hub for marine sciences and technologies. A longtime national defence base, Brest continues to be at the edge in the naval and defence domain with seats of numerous specialized structures (ensta, enib, IMT Atlantique, Ecole Navale).

Brest is hosting numerous federative and national structures dedicated to oceanography and marine environment. Ifremer, which is operating the French Oceanographic Fleet, comes to mind, as well as the French Polar Institute Paul-Emile Victor. The University of Western Brittany is ranked by the Shanghai Ranking at the 12th place for oceanography and 151th in Earth Sciences (source). The Roscoff Marine Station, located on the north coast of Finistère, supervised by Sorbonne University, is ranked 8th by the Shanghai Ranking (source).

Morbihan: ICT, cybersecurity, agri-food sciences

Research teams of the University of South Brittany are noticeable for their excellence in Information and Communication Technologies, cybersecurity, naval industry and agri-food sciences. In strong collaboration with local industrial and technological actors, the research teams are specialized in exploitation and security of information systems (with the Ecole nationale supérieur d’ingénieurs de Bretagne-Sud and the technological institute of Vannes), hydrogen, composite materials, sailing competition, and finally innovative agri-food technologies.