Four missions in the service of Education.
Cnesco pursues and develops its activities around four missions in the service of Education:
Mission 1: producing scientific resources
Drawing on a scientific network of over 500 researchers, Cnesco develops high-level scientific content from an international comparative perspective. Because decision-makers and practitioners need both new research and easy access to existing scientific reviews, Cnesco offers content based on original work and syntheses of existing scientific literature.
Cnesco’s activities are primarily focused on the school sector, but on certain themes they may also encompass higher education (continuing professional development for education staff, guidance from three years before to three years after the baccalaureate, citizenship, student assessment, etc.).
The hallmarks of Cnesco’s scientific output
A research agenda built around the needs of the educational community.
Multidisciplinary research supported by a network of French and international researchers.
A review of scientific literature, international comparisons of education policies and practices, and a national overview for each thematic dossier.
Original studies conducted by Cnesco that complement research syntheses on each theme.
Mission 2: disseminating scientific output to foster dialogue between research and educational practice
Drawing on an editorial policy of making scientific output accessible, Cnesco develops activity formats that allow researchers, public decision-makers and practitioners from the educational community (teachers, management staff, pupils, parents, businesses, local authorities, the voluntary sector, university students, teacher-researchers, etc.) to participate and interact.
Cnesco today positions itself as a third-party space serving collective intelligence. It addresses all members of the educational community, opening up collective reflection based on their questions and research findings.
Cnesco’s activity formats create collaborative moments in which every member of the educational community can voice their questions and needs, and share their experiences and expertise.
Disseminate a culture of science
A website serving as a resource centre for the educational community: Cnesco’s website offers a wide range of editorial formats — scientific reports, synthesis papers, recommendations, conference replays, and more — to a broad audience.”
Enriching public debate: to inform debate beyond the educational community, Cnesco also disseminates its work through the press.
Mission 3: supporting national and regional training strategies for education staff
Cnesco’s resources provide an opportunity to engage practitioners and local decision-makers in reflection on educational practices and policies, backed by research findings.
Responding to local needs and professional challenges, Cnesco offers support for training activities anchored in its resources, with the aim of building or strengthening a shared culture around research findings and international comparisons on key issues in education.
Strong partnerships with institutional stakeholders
With Écoles académiques de la formation continue (EAFC — Regional Continuing Education Schools) for the continuing professional development of trainers, management staff, teachers and other national education staff.
With Instituts nationaux supérieurs du professorat et de l’éducation (Inspé — National Higher Institutes for Teacher Education) for the initial training of future teachers/CPE (career guidance counsellors) or the training of trainers.
With Réseau Canopé, for the professional development of teachers through action-learning schemes and the sharing of resources produced following these conferences.
With the Réseau des Inspé (Inspé Network), targeting actors from the world of teaching and research, in connection with the 2023, 2024 and 2025 editions of the Printemps de la recherche en éducation (Spring of Educational Research).
Mission 4: contributing to scientific collaborations in the service of education, at national and international level
Cnesco cooperates, in France and internationally, with institutional, scientific and professional partners in order to bring together educational research, the expertise of practitioners and public decision-making.
These cooperations aim to produce, share and disseminate research-based knowledge, to inform collective action and to support the transformation of education systems, taking into account local contexts and the specific challenges of each territory.
