Specific initiatives and funding instruments
Fostering high-level international scientific cooperation
As part of its Work Programme, the Agency offers several funding instruments to encourage cooperation between French teams and the best European and international teams on specific strategic research topics.
Specific European and international calls for proposals: ERA-NET, ERA-NET Cofund, EJP, Article 185, JPI, bi- or multilateral calls.
- The ANR takes part in specific multilateral calls with its counterparts in the context of European partnerships such as ERA-NET, ERA-NET Cofund, EJP, Article 185 and Joint Programming Initiatives (JPI) to support participation by French teams in these calls. Complementing the calls of the European Framework Programme, these initiatives coordinate national and EU actions. Some of these initiatives, such as the JPIs, define a strategic agenda in their field, including the priorities of the Framework Programme and specifying the coordination actions to be taken.
The Agency also forges strategic partnerships with foreign funding agencies such as the Japanese Science and Technology Agency – JST, the German Research Foundation – DFG, the National Science Foundation – NSF and Belmont Forum partner countries. Through these partnerships, it offers calls for proposals dedicated to research themes identified as priorities for France and the partner countries.
- The International Collaborative Research Project (PRCI) instrument in the Generic Call for Proposals (AAPG) can be used to fund bilateral collaborations between at least one French scientific partner and one foreign partner within the framework of bilateral agreements between the ANR and its international counterparts. It aims to reinforce bilateral collaboration on themes of mutual interest for the partner countries based on projects with strong synergies between the teams and a balanced partnership.
Encouraging the participation of French teams in European and international programmes
The ANR also offers specific funding instruments to facilitate access by French researchers to large-scale European or international funding programmes and strengthen their leadership. These instruments are subject to dedicated calls for proposals.
- The Setting up European or International Scientific Networks (MRSEI) instrument helps researchers from all disciplines to establish a scientific network with a view to submitting a project to a European (such as Horizon 2020) or international call for proposals.
- The Springboard-ERC (T-ERC) instrument offers a further chance of success to young researchers from French public research organisations who, despite very strong applications, have not been awarded funding under the European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant or Consolidator Grant schemes.
Increase French research’s international exposure
Alongside institutional research stakeholders, the ANR plays a major role in the European and international planning of research funding, representing France and its interests on several bodies.
- Within European Joint Programming Initiatives (JPI) relating to major social challenges (climate, water resources, sustainable cities etc.), it presents the vision of national stakeholders and contributes to the construction of European strategic agendas. The ANR is a member of the 10 existing JPIs, chairing JPI Water and co-chairing Facce.
- Within the Belmont Forum, an association of research funding agencies in the field of global environmental change, the Agency plays an active part in defining funding instruments and strategic priorities at global level.
Meanwhile, the Agency is involved in international bodies dedicated to science policy to discuss and define shared principles of action:
- The Global Research Council (GRC), consisting of over 60 heads of funding agencies on five continents, leading global thinking about science policy, research funding and transnational cooperation.
- Science Europe, the association of European research funding agencies and research organisations aiming to promote its members’ collective interests and contribute to the establishment of the European Research Area (ERA). The ANR takes part in working groups defining policies on collaboration, gender, open science and impact analysis.
These actions help to reinforce the national influence strategy and increase the visibility of French research worldwide.
Find out more:
Transnational cooperation strategy
