Guidelines for Applicants
2015
Tournesol Joint Exchange Projects
between the
Embassy of France in Belgium
and the
Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)
This document describes the procedures for the call 2015-2016 of the Tournesol Joint Exchange
Projects.
1. Introduction
This programme aims to establish collaboration and exchanges of expertise between Flemish and
French researchers in all scientific disciplines. The programme offers support by way of travel funds
for young researchers.
2. Aim
Starting from the 1st of April 2015 until the 30th of June 2015, proposals for joint exchange projects
with a duration of maximum two years between researchers from Flanders and France are invited in
all scientific disciplines. The purpose of this project should be to increase and develop relations
between the scientific communities of both Parties, fostering the conditions for cooperation, inter alia,
through the exchange of young scientists within the framework of joint exchange projects in order to:
a)
encourage bilateral fundamental research;
b)
exchange knowledge;
c)
promote the implementation of joint research activities.
3. Guidelines for applicants
3.1. How to apply
In order to be eligible, a proposal must meet the following criteria:
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projects must be endorsed by the principal investigator (PI) (one French and one Flemish)
duly authorized to conduct research and providing the guarantees on the operational
resources;
predoctoral researchers or postdoctoral researchers (less than 10 years postdoctoral
experience) will receive funding to cover travel and accommodation expenses abroad;
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the proposal must be submitted simultaneously at FWO by the researcher in Flanders and
at the Campus France by the researcher in France:
o In Flanders, the involved researcher(s) must be affiliated to a university in the
Flemish Community or belonging to the scientific staff of the Dutch-speaking
community of a scientific institute.
o In France, the involved researcher(s) must be affiliated to a research laboratory
itself affiliated to a higher education institution or a research institution.
in Flanders the proposal can only be submitted according to the regulations of the
Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO). In France the proposal can only be submitted
according to the regulations of Campus France;
the proposal must be submitted, both in Flanders and France before the deadline of the
30th of June 2015, using the appropriate application forms;
visits must be indicated in the application form, duly justified, including their duration, the
estimated dates and names of the involved researchers and the estimated budget.
After the deadline, the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) and Campus France will check
whether the proposals have been submitted both in Flanders and France and inform each other of the
eligibility. Lack of submission of the application of one of the parties will cause the application to be
considered ineligible.
3.2. Financial aspects
It will be a 2-yearly call. The maximum available budget per project per year is 2.000 euro per
research groups. The project has a maximum duration of two years with financing on a yearly basis.
All missions must be executed within the period for which they had been approved and are not
transferable to the next year of implementation. Allocated resources expire if not used within the year
for which they were approved.
In December of the first project year, a mid-term activity report needs to be submitted to both FWO
and the French Embassy in Belgium in which the costs made in the first project year are duly justified
in the frame of the initial approved project. Based on the mid-term activity report, the second year will
or will not be allocated.
Eligible costs are: travel expenses to and from the host country, as far as the place of work and
accommodation costs in the host country. Each party bears the costs of its own researchers up to max.
2.000 euros per project per year. For Flemish researchers travelling to France, tickets are to be booked
with the Omnia Travel agency.
The Parties provide the necessary insurance as follows:
- Social and health security remains a responsibility of the home country (or sending country).
- During its travel and stay abroad, all researchers involved on an allocated project and
independent of nationality, can rely on a travel and assistance insurance and repatriation
covered by the sending Party. This insurance is not a health insurance. Social security remains
a responsibility of the home country.
In order to have the needed insurances for each mission, researcher from Flanders need to make a
notification of a stay abroad to FWO via e-loket.
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3.3. Application timeline
The call for 2014-2015 will be published in April 2015; the timeline is as follows:
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1st of April, 2015
30th of June, 2015
July-August, 2015
September-October, 2015
November 2015
January 1, 2016
opening of the call
deadline for proposals
eligibility check
internal evaluation separately in Flanders and France
joint scientific committee
start of the projects
4. Evaluation
The decision on jointly funded projects will be taken in consultation with the French Ministry of
Education, Higher Education and Research, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and FWO, during
the joint scientific committee to be held in the Autumn of 2015.
The applicants shall respect the respective peer evaluation procedure of MEIRIES (French Ministry of
Education, Higher Education and Research) and FWO. The evaluation criteria are:
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Scientific quality of the proposal
o Expected impact
o Originality
o Feasibility
o Focus
Scientific track record of the applicants
Necessity of planned stays and exchanges
Added value of the collaboration and complementarity of the research teams involved
5. Contact
FWO
Research Foundation – Flanders/
Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek – Vlaanderen
Dr. ir. Isabelle Verbaeys
Head International Affairs
Tel: +32 2 550 15 31
Isabelle.verbaeys@fwo.be
Tournesol: Guidelines 2015-2016
French Embassy in Belgium
Ambassade de France en Belgique – Service de
Coopération et d’Action Culturelle
Dr. Joachim Huet
Scientific and higher education Attaché
Tel: +32 2 548 88 71
joachim.huet@diplomatie.gouv.fr
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