The French Research Institutes Abroad (UMIFRE or IFRE), placed under the dual supervision of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE) and the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), present themselves, within the French cooperation network of 27 research centers in the world, as a real instrument of scientific diplomacy. Expressing the French scientific thought and training in the humanities, human and social sciences as well as archaeology, and of the vocation of French research abroad, IFREs provide expertise to our partners on social and economic issues in a globalized world. Focusing on research, scientific dissemination and training programmes, their innovative action is at the heart of issues related to the challenges of the contemporary world, the history of past civilizations apprehended through archaeological research.
In Asia (understood in tis broad sense), UMIFREs are found in China, Japan, Thailand, India (Delhi and Pondicherry), as well as in Iran, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan.