Our role

IFSTTAR’s role is to carry out and commission, direct, lead and appraise research, development and innovation in the areas of urban engineering, civil engineering, and construction materials, natural hazards, the transportation of persons and goods, systems and means of transport and their safety, infrastructure, and investigate their uses and impacts from the technical, economic, social, health, energy, environmental and human points of view.

The Institute’s principal aims are:

• To carry out fundamental and applied research, perform methodological studies and develop tests and prototypes;

• To conduct all types of expert appraisals and advisory work in the fields mentioned in the above paragraph;

• To implement a scientific and technical information policy and disseminate the knowledge gained, in particular through publications, technical regulations and standards;

• To pursue a policy to exploit the results of its scientific and technological research, in particular by means of technical support, technology transfer and certification tests;

• To play a role in training by and for research and both vocational and in-service training;

• To help to export its expertise and the techniques it develops and gain better international exposure for them.

This role is, in particular, focused on assisting its supervising ministries, other administrations and the organizations associated with them, local and regional authorities, European and international institutions, professional bodies, firms and users’ associations.