Funding of Bilateral (France/Ukraine) Scientific
Exchanges

1) Embassy Funding Instruments

a) Common principles and Key Facts

For mobility exclusively

• no equipments
• no events (seminar, Conferences,...)

Main target

• students and young scientists
  

Overall annual budget dedicated to scientific and student mobility

• 500.000 € (more than a third of the overall cooperation budget)
  

Main (political) goals / principles of action

• “soft power”
  integration (science / education / work labour) / cooperation(mutual interest / cofunding)

b) PHC “Dnipro” Program
Since 2003 (first call in 2002)

Co-funded with the Ukrainian MES (MON)

• simultaneous proposals by French & Ukrainian (transmitted to their
  respective authorities)
  independent evaluations / common selection
  
• open to all types of institutions from the French part as from the
  Ukrainian part
• A 2-year funding with a call every two years (in rotation with
  CNRS/NASU Exchange Program): last call = 2008 / next call = 2010
  (spring)
  
  
• Overall annual budget / budget per project
  = 60.000€ a year (2009-2010) - 5.000€/project = 4 air-tickets / 20-day stay)
  

Last calls

• 2005-2006: 20 selected (14=Kiev, 2= Lviv & Kharkov, 1=
  Odessa, Dnepropetrovsk / 6= Paris & its Region) / 67 proposals
• 2007-2008: 22 (12=Kiev, 3= Kharkov & Lviv, 1= Feodosia,
  Lougansk, Simferopol, Ternopil) / 72 proposals Co-funded with the
  Ukrainian MES
• 2009-2010: 24 (12=Kiev, 3= Kharkov, Lviv, 1= Chernivtsy,
  Cherkassy, Dnepropetrovsk, Lutsk, Odessa, Uzhgorod) / 59
  proposals
  
  Main criteria of evaluation
  quality & complementarity of the research teams, quality &
  originality of the chosen topic, involvement of young researchers,
  thematic priorities

c) Study Scholarships (high priority)

Overall budget

• 420.000€/year
• +/- 25 new Scholarships / year
  
  Types of Scholarships
• Master (2nd year) – 10-month grants
  
• PhD under co-supervision – 18-month grants
  
• one month = 767€ (incl. additional services like social coverage,
  University fees, laptop...)
  
  

Application procedure
deadline for application: March, 15th

Application procedure (following)
pre-selection based on applications (+/-60 /100: end of March)
competitive interviews before a Commission composed of
representatives from Labs/Universities, French Companies, Alumni
and Representatives of the French Embassy (+/- 25/60: end of
April)

Main Criteria
Academic Excellence
Motivation, relevance of the project (as regards to the
educational background as well as to the professional plans)
Contribution to the development &/or strengthening of French-
Ukrainian cooperations (between labs, between Universities...)
especially for PhD grants
language proficiency (in accordance with the chosen program)

d) Short-Term Scientific and Cooperation Grants (New)

Overall budget

• 31.000€/year
• 20 one-month stays (grant= 1 / 2 month stay)
• one month:
• cost for the Embassy = 1.550€
• cash for the grantee = 1100€

Target

• PhD Students
• Post-Doc Students
• young researchers (under 35)

A quick application procedure

• Two calls a year : spring call (deadline = February, 15th)
  / fall call (deadline = September, 15th)
• Application = CV + Research and Cooperation project + Letter
  of recommendation from the Ukrainian institution + Letter of
  interest from the French partner
  selection by an ad hoc Committee
  results within two weeks after application deadline
  
  
  Main criteria of evaluation
  = academic/scientific quality of the applicant
  = implementability of the project
  = mutual interest and usefulness as regards to the development of
  a new or existing cooperation project

Contact
Guillaume COLIN
Officer for Higher Education and Science Cooperation
guillaume.colin@cfucus.org
www.ambafrance-ua.org
+380.44.504.01.39 (office)
+380.95.57.65.549 (cellular)

2) Other MFA Instruments
a) Eco-Net Program

• Key facts
  a Regional program aiming at reinforcing scientific between
  France and Central Europe, Central Asia and Caucasus
  
• open to all types of institutions from the French part as from
  the Ukrainian part
  
• 2-year funding with a call every year
  
• at least 3 countries partners (including the French one)
  = 7.000-30.000€/project
  
  Main criteria of evaluation
  Scientific excellence, structuring expected effects, cofunding,
  level of involvement of PhD and young scientists, European
  prospects...

b) ARCUS Program

• Co-funded by the MFA and the French Regions
• 3-year program
• Substantial budget
• 3 working projects (incl. Suprachem) with NIS Countries

c) Eiffel Scholarships

Main goal:

• support to internationalization for the French Universities and
  other Higher Education institutions
  
• applications are proposed by the hosting University to the MFA
  and not by the Students
  

Target

• graduate student applying for a Master's or PhD Degree in
  France or PhD Student willing to spend one year in France

Main characteristics

• Duration: from 10 months to 36 months according to the studyproject
• Amount: from 1.100€/month to 1.400€/month (PhD)
• may include intensive summer courses in French

Main characteristics (following):

• fields concerned: law/political science, economics/business
  administration, engineering sciences)
  

Main criteria of selection:

• the excellence of the candidate and the innovative nature of
  the research topic
  
• the international policy of the establishment presenting the
  application and the actions undertaken in the geographic
  zones under consideration, the excellence of the host unit and
  the PhD supervision
  
• compatibility with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ cooperation
  policy
  

3) MHER (MESR) Instruments
dedicated to ECE & NIS Countries
a) Education & Research Network Program

Main characteristics

• at least 2 French Labs & 2 Foreign Partners
• 2 to 3-year projects
  
• common research topic
  
• co-funding from the Foreign partners wishable
  

What can be funded?

• French partners travel expenses (but no accommodation)
• Foreign partners hosting (only accommodations) in France
• PhD Grants (18 months max./student - 940€/month)

More details:

http://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/cid21215/appel-d-offres-du-programme-peco-nei.html

b) ACCES Program

Target

• Foreign scientists willing to participate in seminars, workshops,
  conferences organized in France
  Applications should be proposed by the organizers at least 4
  months before the event
• application form
• detailed program of the event
• a CV of each participant for whom a funding is asked

What could be covered by this program?

• travel expenses & accomodations
• fees (exceptionnaly)

More details:

http://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/cid21214/appel-d-offres-du-programmeacces.
html

c) PARCECO Program

Target

• French scientists willing to participate in workshops or summer
  schooels organized in an ECE or NIS country
  Applications should be proposed by the French coordinator at
  least 4 months before the event
• application form
• detailed program of the event
• a CV of each participant for whom a funding is asked

What could be covered by this program?

• travel expenses & accomodations
• fees (exceptionnaly)

Main criteria of selection

• innovative event
• multi-disciplinary approach
• scientific excellence
• French as a working language preferable but not compulsory
• local audience and participants mainly

What could be covered by this program?

• travel expenses & accomodations
• fees (exceptionnaly)

More details:

http://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/cid21213/appel-d-offres-du-programmeparceco.
html

Contact
Elisabeth Legrand
Ministry for Higher Education and Research
Department of European and Multilateral Affairs
Eastern and Western Europe Desk
elisabeth.legrand@recherche.gouv.fr

Usefull links:
www.ambafrance-ua.org (Embassy Programs)
www.diplomatie.gouv.fr (MFA Programs)
www.egide.asso.fr (MFA Programs)
www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr (MHER Programs)
http://www.campusfrance.org/fr/a-etudier/bourse01.htm
(search engine for grants)