Hosting high-level researchers: the first grant recipients have been selected

In an international context of researcher mobility, "Hosting high-level researchers" is a new funding instrument that aims to enhance France’s attractiveness by offering top foreign researchers excellent hosting conditions at French research institutions. The first round resulted in the selection of 28 world class researchers who will be carrying out projects entailing a high level of excellence. Nearly two-thirds of these researchers are from European countries.

In 2014, the French National Research Agency proposed a new funding instrument, specifically for individuals, known as “Hosting high-level researchers”. This instrument enables researchers from any foreign country to live in France and carry out research at a prominent French research institution. The funding provided by the agency is designed to help French laboratories to fulfil their role as host and to enable researchers to carry out their projects.

The scheme involves a specific call for proposals that is open to all scientific fields and that is aimed at two researcher profiles: top drawer researchers who have a recognised track record at the international level; and younger researchers with high potential who can prove a record of excellence on the international scene. The response to this call for proposals involves collaborative work between the researcher and the host institution.

Successful implementation in terms of European and North American researchers

The 2014 edition was a genuine success. 190 proposals were submitted to the ANR by candidates the majority of whom are from a European research institution (68%). Of these, 10% are from Italian laboratories. North America is also well represented, in that 23% of the proposals came from that region. A few proposals were also received from Africa, Asia and Latin America. 30% of the candidates are French researchers, and 45% come from other European countries. A similar percentage distribution occurred among the grant winners, as follows: 75% of the researchers come from a European institution (of which 15% come from Germany and 15% from the UK) and 21% come from a North American institution; 32% of the researchers selected are French and 57% come from another European country.

28 projects were selected ranging across numerous disciplines

The proposals that were submitted pertained to the following disciplines: the life sciences, health sciences, and ecosystem sciences (48% of the proposals received); information science, materials science, and engineering (38%); and the humanities and social sciences (14%). Although the majority of these disciplines is represented among the 28 projects selected, more than 40% of them pertain to topics in the field of health biology.

The projects were selected by means of a peer-review evaluation process that was based on international standards and that involved both French and foreign experts.

The ANR will be funding the projects that were selected, for a total amount of more than €14 million. This funding will enable the grant recipients to live in France for three to four years, to form a research team, and to carry out ambitious and high-impact research in a field that is rarely, if ever, investigated in France itself. The funding may cover all or part of the researcher’s salary, as well as operating and equipment expenses. The projects will be getting underway by January of 2015.

A new call for proposals will be launched in the spring of 2015. A preliminary announcement in this regard will be posted on the ANR website around two months prior to the opening of the call for proposals.

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