1. IGEN & IGAENR: two parallel and complementary general inspectorates with national competence
They report directly to the Minister of National Education (IGEN & IGAENR) and to the Minister
of Higher Education and Research (IGAENR).
IGEN & regional inspectors (the latter are under the authority of the recteurs d’académie – regional chief education officers)
 supervision and evaluation of teaching (and teachers) in primary and secondary schools
IGAENR
 supervision and evaluation of the administration of all publicly funded schools and higher education and
research institutions
IGEN & IGAENR’s joint mission  control and assessment of the functioning of the French school system

2. news, changes, innovations within the last 2 – 3 years
Maybe not an innovation but a major change in IGEN & IGAENR’s working methods…
In a dual context of
greater autonomy and responsibility granted to local authorities and schools and
curricular and structural reforms
IGEN & IGAENR have been asked to ‘accompany the changes’ (i.e. observe, counsel, assist).
This ‘accompaniment’ of changes in the making has led IGEN & IGAENR to produce and deliver to the Minister(s) a greater number of progress reports or interim reports (before the delivery of the final survey report).

3. upcoming innovations, changes and challenges
‘Education, the top priority of the presidential five-year term… the renewal of education and research policies… the legislative decisions to come…’
IGEN & IGAENR’s work programme for – letter of 4 September 2012
‘The general inspectorates will pursue their statutary mission (control, evaluation, survey, counsel and expertise)… Their position (direct reporting line to the ministers) gives them a particular responsibility in the preparation, the accompaniment and the follow-up of education and research policies, as well as in the evaluation of the implementation of these policies.’
‘They will take part in the preparation, the writing and the application of the new regulations that will derive from the [three] future laws on school education, higher education and research.’
‘Their reports will be made public.’
They will establish and implement the new internal auditing processes of the two ministries (National Education and Higher Education).
They will ‘jointly reflect on’ the necessary evolution of their missions and
organization (update of their statutes).