The Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space
The Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space is responsible for public policy in these areas.
The Minister
As head of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space, the Minister oversees public policies designed to support students, higher education institutions, research organisations and all stakeholders within the French scientific and space ecosystem.
He champions France’s ambitions in the fields of education, research, innovation and space exploration, in collaboration with national, European and international stakeholders.
Philippe Baptiste's biography
Philippe Baptiste holds a PhD from the University of Technology of Compiègne and a degree in civil engineering from the École des Mines de Nancy; he also holds an MSc from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, a DEA from Sorbonne University, and is authorised to supervise research.
In 1999, Philippe Baptiste joined the CNRS as a researcher, before moving to IBM’s Watson Research Centre from 2000 to 2001. Philippe Baptiste also taught at the École Polytechnique from 2002 to 2012, where he headed the computer science laboratory. He also founded the Institute for Information Sciences and Technologies.
In May 2013, he joined the Ministry of National Education as Head of the Strategy and Innovation Department within the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. In 2014, he became Deputy Director-General of the CNRS.
Having served as Scientific Director and then CTO of the Total Group from 2016 to 2017, and as a ‘Partner and Director’ at the Boston Consulting Group in 2020, he joined the Ministry of Higher Education and Research in May 2017 as Chief of Staff to Minister Frédérique Vidal. In November 2019, he joined Prime Minister Édouard Philippe’s team as an adviser.
In 2021, Philippe Baptiste started serving as President of the CNES, the French National Centre for Space Studies.
On 23 December 2024, Philippe Baptiste was appointed Minister for Higher Education and Research, reporting to Élisabeth Borne, Minister for National Education, Higher Education and Research, in François Bayrou’s government.
On 12 October 2025, on the proposal of Sébastien Lecornu, Prime Minister and Minister for Ecological and Energy Planning, the President of the Republic appointed Philippe Baptiste as Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space.
Members of the Minister’s office
- Pauline Pannier, Chief of Staff
- Guillaume Clédière, Deputy Chief of Staff
- Lou Le Nabasque, Chief of Staff, responsible for relations with elected representatives
Anne-Audrey Clauss, Deputy Chief of Staff, responsible for relations with Parliament
- Philippe Jamet, Adviser on Higher Education Institutions
- Franck Loureiro, Adviser on Social Affairs, Student Life and Overseas Territories
- Justine Rousse, Parliamentary Adviser
- Thomas Deloeil, Budget Adviser
- Emmanuel Touzé, Special Adviser on Health
- Jean-Xavier Arnaud, Communications and Press Adviser
- Delphine Pagès El-Karoui, Adviser on Humanities and Social Sciences
- Laure Ménétrier, Research Adviser
- Alexia Lacaze, Acting Adviser on Foreign Affairs and Space
- Nathanaël Mion, Adviser on Public Speaking and Strategic Planning
Press
Speeches
