With a population of 2.5 million inhabitants and demographic growth above the national average, Languedoc-Roussillon has genuine development potential.

The Languedoc-Roussillon Regional Authority plays a leading role in economic development, implementing human, technical and financial resources to provide the best possible support to companies - the vital channels of this development.

Languedoc-Roussillon possesses several local distinctive features, and is home to both multinationals and innovative SMEs involved in all business sectors.

Traditional activities such as construction, winegrowing, tourism and crafts are also being pursued and strengthened. Other components of the economy are growing fast as well :

• a boom in tertiary activities, with the rise of service companies for both businesses and individuals, as well as transport, logistics, financial and property services;
• the multiplication of high-tech industries working in ITC, healthcare and clean energies;
• diversification in favour of market gardening, fruit and organic crops and high-quality wines.

One of Languedoc-Roussillon’s key assets is its considerable potential in terms of research capabilities :

• 4,000 state-funded researchers in 400 labs and 93,000 students;
• the region ranks third in France in terms of state-funded research density (1.6 researchers for every 1,000 inhabitants) ;
• 5th-ranking region in France in terms of the number of state-funded researchers;
• 5 universities, 11 university campuses, 7 graduate schools;
• 5 competitiveness clusters (for agribusiness, healthcare, renewable energies, eco-technologies and risk prevention);
• the presence of leading national research bodies (CEA, Cirad, CNRS, Ifremer, Inra, Inserm, etc.).

Languedoc-Roussillon’s excellence clusters relate to Agronomy/Environment, Healthcare/Biology, Information Technology, Chemicals, Water and Human and Social Sciences.

The Region aim to foster its intellectual potential - researchers, students, young graduates, very high technology equipment, etc - to trickle down through the social and economic fabric of Languedoc-Roussillon in order to develop a knowledge economy - which goes hand in hand with the creation of highly value- added jobs.

Qualifications are a key to employment opportunities, so the Languedoc-Roussillon Region has opted to promote access to recognized qualifications gained through professional training.

Regional action programmes aim to provide training for all in a spirit of social equity, facilitating employment and correcting local inequalities in terms of available programmes.

«Plan Campus»

Aiming for a world-class university The «Montpellier Sud de France» university campus has been selected by the French State to be one of ten world-class campuses, opening the way to national and international recognition. Funding of 352m from the State and 162.5m from Region Languedoc-Roussillon will make it possible to increase the university’s competitiveness, influence and appeal.

In addition to «Plan Campus», the Region is also pursuing its work to promote the international influence of higher education, bringing together the universities of Montpellier, Nîmes and Perpignan in a Research and Higher Education Cluster (PRES).