General presentation of PHC

In France, Hubert Curien Partnerships (PHC) are implemented and funded by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE), with support from the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR). Campus France is in charge of managing most of these partnerships.

A partnership is a research project established jointly by two research teams, one French, the other foreign. After being evaluated, they receive financial support from two partner organizations.

The goal of these partnerships is to promote quality scientific and technological exchanges between research laboratories in both scientific communities, while supporting new collaborations. Hubert Curien Partnerships are designed for public and private research laboratories affiliated with institutions of higher education, research organizations, or corporations.

The allocated funds are intended to cover the “international surcharge” inherent to such projects, that is to say the mobility expenses of PHC researchers.  All other funding required for implementation of the joint projects must be obtained by the partner laboratories themselves, or from other sources.

Funding is allocated on an annual basis. This means that it must be used between January 1 and December 31 of the year in question, and cannot be carried over to the next fiscal year.

Only applications submitted jointly by the participating research partners, each to their respective partnership management organization, are eligible. French researchers are encouraged to verify that this procedure has been followed.

Partner organizations meet according to a partnership-specific calendar to discuss their evaluations and come to a joint decision on the assistance they will offer to the chosen projects, based on their shared priorities.

To promote the establishment of European research networks and help build the European Research Area, candidates may submit applications for multiple partnerships on the same subject of research. The evaluation and selection procedures for such applications will be governed by the same standard PHC rules under which they were submitted.

There are other sources of support for collaborative projects, such as grants, joint supervision of thesis, and other sources implemented by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE), the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR), and French research organizations. For more information on assistance for collaborative projects available through MEAE, contact the relevant French embassy or any other managing organization for the program abroad (see the contact information provided in the call for applications).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Once the eligibility of the proposals has been verified, each partner organization conducts an expert evaluation of the submitted applications. In France, this evaluation is performed by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation's expert international task force.

In addition to scientific merit, the primary assessment criteria are:

• The ability of the French team to complete the project.

• The quality of the French infrastructure.

• The innovative nature of the collaboration.

• The need for the French team to work with the proposed foreign partner.

• The complementarity of the two teams.

• The mutual transfer of competencies.

• The anticipated scientific or industrial benefits.

• The mobility of doctoral candidates and/or young scientists.

Priority is given to proposals from early-career teams and to projects on
truly innovative subjects, as well as those submitted for multiple partnerships. Young scientists are also strongly encouraged to apply as project leaders.

Some partnerships have additional criteria (see the specific information on each partnership).

It is up to French researchers, particularly project supervisors, to make all the necessary arrangements to ensure the adequate protection and fair distribution of all intellectual property resulting from the completion of joint projects.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS

As soon as the results are finalized, they will be published on this website. Results can be viewed individually via candidates' personal accounts (application status “selected” or “not selected”), or through the Research Program Database, which will show the names of the winning projects only.

Project supervisors who submitted applications will receive their results separately, and uniquely by email (to the address on the user account). Candidates will not be notified by post.