The Carnot Label was designed to develop and professionalise « cooperative research ». It encourages the realization of research projects in public research centres that work together with socio-economic actors, especially companies.

The 6 Ecoles des Mines (Industry) and ARMINES have joined forces to create the Institute for cooperative research M.I.N.E.S. (“Méthodes INnovantes pour l’Entreprise et la Société »), which received the Carnot label in 2006 (33 institutes have received the label so far www.instituts-carnot.eu).

This means 33 research centres in the domains of engineering sciences (earth sciences, energy, materials, applied mathematics) and humanities, 950 permanent posts, 750 doctoral candidates, 120 post-docs, and € 35.9 million in subcontracted cooperative research. ARMINES is the schools´ partner for the realization of research contracts, upgrades the associated industrial property and manages the personnel with private status for the reinforcement of the schools´ personnel.

In addition to a national and international presence the M.I.N.E.S. institute is present in 8 regions where it helps to create and maintain relations in research and offers technological support for local companies : Aquitaine (Pau), Ile-de-France (Paris, Evry, Fontainebleau), Languedoc-Roussillon (Alès), Midi-Pyrénées (Albi), Nord/Pas-de-Calais (Douai), PACA (Sophia-Antipolis), Pays-de-Loire (Nantes), and Rhône-Alpes (Saint-Etienne).
The institute is active in numerous competitivity poles.

• Director : Michel SCHMITT
  Tel. 33 (0)1 40 51 92 45
  michel.schmitt@mines-paristech.fr
• Deputy director : Françoise PRETEUX
  Tel. 33 (0)1 40 51 94 52
  francoise.preteux@mines-paristech.fr
• Deputy director : Philippe LE BOZEC
  Tel. 33 (0)1 40 51 93 63
  philippe.le_bozec@mines-paristech.fr
• Communication : Jean-Marc GOACHET
  Tel. 33 (0)1 40 51 93 39
  jean-marc.goachet@mines-paristech.fr