Funding for Seed Meetings - International cooperation in research between France and the UK [fr]
The call for application is now closed
This Year’s context, what’s new?
As part of its mission to promote research collaborations between France and the United Kingdom, the Higher Education, Research and Innovation Department of the French Embassy in London aims to facilitate exchanges and meetings between researchers of both countries.
The Seed Meetings scheme is positioned as the first step for structuring bilateral or multilateral research collaborations in line with PHC Alliance.
What do the Seed Meetings entail?
The ESRI provides the logistical and financial support for a 2-day meeting for a maximum of 14 researchers (per meeting) to meet, exchange and discuss priorities for the birth of a collaborative project with priority given to multidisciplinary applications.
This call is especially intended for teams willing to work on a practical strategy and/or prepare applications for international scientific collaborations (ANR, UKRI, RSE Saltire awards, Horizon Europe, etc…).
What do we offer?
The programme will provide support for:
- Travelling costs,
- Accommodation (up to 2 nights, depending on origin of travel),
- Catering (two lunches and one dinner),
- Meeting facilities: selected projects teams will be hosted within our premises in London (6 Cromwell Place, London SW7 2JN). Meetings led by Scottish universities and French partners can be held at the Institut Français d’Ecosse in Edinburgh. Visio-conferencing facilities are also available.
Experience shows that the best format for this type of meeting is as follows:
- Day 1: arrival and buffet lunch; afternoon dedicated to the presentation of the various institutions/laboratories involved and the specific skills each researcher can bring into the project;
- Day 2: participants work on the elaboration of the collaborative network and project within a European perspective.
Who can apply?
Each application (between 7 and 14 attendees) must be led by a researcher from a French institution (universities, public research laboratories) and a researcher from a British research institution.
Projects partners located in other EU countries or ERA associated countries can also join.
Research coordinators must come from a research institution, however, additional participants can represent any type of organisation such as start-ups, companies, charities, etc.
All disciplines are welcome (medicine, biology, social sciences, arts and humanities, physics, chemistry, environmental sciences …) and priority will be given to multidisciplinary proposals.
How can you apply?
Please submit your application at info[a]ambascience.co.uk, any question can also be posted to the same contact.
As matter of conveniency we encourage to submit your application in English, however an application will not be rejected if submitted in French.
The submitted projects will include:
- names and affiliations of the researchers involved in the project (researchers from the same institution/laboratory must have different expertise),
- description of the research project and expertise of institutions/laboratories involved (with an emphasis on the possible synergies),
- brief description of existing links between the researchers involved (Joint PhD between labs, previous visits of researchers…),
- in case those have already been identified, the type/sources of funding (e.g. UKRI, ANR international funding, RSE Saltire awards, Horizon Europe…) you intend to apply for as a follow up of this meeting,
- Preferred dates of the meeting between march and october included.
Results will be provided within 4 weeks of the deadline.
Follow-Up
By applying, applicants agree to provide us with:
| Document / information | When | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A short summary, presenting the purpose of the seed meeting and the attendees (a few lines) | Within a couple of weeks after the meeting | To be posted on our website |
| A more detailed report about the meeting and its initial outcome (2 pages) | Within a couple of weeks after the meeting | Short term internal and confidential follow-up |
| Briefing on the state of the collaboration either directly by email to the contact point at the French Embassy or on an on-line survey | One and two years after the meeting | Long term internal and confidential follow-up (update on any further development of the project) |
What is the timeline for application in 2023?
- The call for applications starts on 05th December 2022,
- Deadline for submission is 8th January 2023,
- Results will be announced and published on our website,
- Meetings will take place between 6th March and 1st November 2023,
- This is an annual call.
Selected projects from previous calls
- 2022
- Second half of 2021: cancelled due to covid-19
- First half of 2021: cancelled due to covid-19
- Second half of 2020: cancelled due to covid-19
- First half of 2020
- Second half of 2019
- First half of 2019
- Second half of 2018
- First half of 2018
- Second half of 2017
- First half of 2017
- Second half of 2016