2010 « MERLION » PROGRAM
CALL FOR JOINT FRANCO-SINGAPOREAN RESEARCH PROJECTS
5 July 2010
1- GENERAL FRAMEWORK
This call for projects1 is jointly launched by the French Embassy in
Singapore, the three Singaporean universities National University of Singapore
(NUS), Nanyang Technological university (NTU) and Singapore Management
University (SMU) along with A*STAR, the Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory
(TLL) and the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI)2.
This program is based on the following principles:
•
Transparency: open and clear procedures for the call for projects and
candidates
•
Scientific evaluation of the proposals by experts in their respective fields
•
Flexibility
•
Visibility of the joint cooperative activities between the French and
Singaporean parties
•
Co-funding between the French and Singaporean partners
1
Merlion is part of the PHC program (Partenariat Hubert Curien). It is a form of cooperative joint program in
science supported by the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and local institutions.
2
The Singapore Ministry of Education described, in 2007, the Merlion initiative as one “that facilitates international
collaboration for researchers in Singaporean universities and research institutes (…) and that will broaden the
training of PhD students through overseas attachments.”
Call for proposals 2010 – Program « Merlion » - Date: 05/07/2010
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2010 « MERLION » PROGRAM
CALL FOR JOINT FRANCO-SINGAPOREAN RESEARCH PROJECTS
This call and the subsequent support for the selected projects aim to create and/or
strengthen existing scientific co-operation between France and Singapore.
The aim of this fifth Call For Proposals is two-fold:
-
To provide support for joint scientific and technological projects;
To encourage the creation of research laboratories jointly run by France and
Singapore, such as IPAL3, SONDRA4 or CINTRA5… and the creation of
startups and technology transfer etc…
Projects submitted must be a collaborative research project involving both a French
and a Singaporean partner. Projects will be evaluated and selected by the relevant
Singaporean institutions and the French Ministry of Higher Education and
Research.
Please note that the two calls, namely “Merlion” and “Merlion PhD” are now
considered one and the same; Both will be described in greater details in the
following pages.
2- FINANCIAL SUPPORT PROVIDED TO THE PROJECTS
a. Merlion program
The amount provided by the French Embassy is €7,500 per annum per
project, for a period of 2 years. The actual given support may vary depending on the
type and importance of activities. As a co-funded program, the financial support
from the Singaporean side has to be at least as significant as the French
financial support.
The program is funded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEE) and not the
Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR). This means that the support
given is not intended for the research work itself but will instead be used in the
implementation of international cooperation. Therefore, the support is mainly for
logistical purposes.
Other sources of funding can be sought from foundations, institutions supports or
companies… to complement this budget. The participation of an industrial partner
bringing an additional financial support is particularly encouraged.
The financial support can take three forms:
-
Missions to Singapore for France-based scientists
Missions to France for Singapore-based scientists
3
Image & Pervasive Access Lab, a joint laboratory between CNRS, University Joseph Fourier, NUS and
A*STAR, based in Singapore
4
Joint research laboratory involving ONERA, SUPELEC, NUS and DSTA, based in France
5
A joint laboratory between CNRS, NTU and the French company Thalès around nanotechnologies for
electronics, photonics and their applications.
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Doctoral or Post-doctoral scholarships for France-based and Singaporebased students
As part of a mission of a Singapore-based scientist to France, the French Embassy
in Singapore will finance all the expenses: transportation from Singapore to France
and daily allowances (per-diems) up to 10 days, except for projects with A* Star. 6
-
As part of a mission of a France-based scientist to Singapore, the Singaporean
partner will finance all the expenses: transportation from France to Singapore and
daily allowances (per-diems), except for projects with A* Star. 6
If either a Singaporean or French company is involved in a project, the French
Embassy will only finance the transportation and daily allowance for its PhD students
and post-docs, within the budget set for the project.
A Franco-Singaporean project can also take the form of a workshop involving
researchers, PhD students, post-docs., etc. This event can take place either in
France or in Singapore. The support given to a selected project is subject to the
selection terms and conditions as stipulated for joint projects.
The workshop has to be co-financed by France and Singapore. The funding from the
French Embassy will not exceed €15,000 based on quotations.
The objective of the workshop is to strengthen bilateral research ties through the
development of new partnerships between the two countries.
To summarise, the funding scheme is as follows:
Missions for Francebased scientists
visiting Singapore6
Missions for
Singapore-based
scientists visiting
France6
Doctoral and Postdoctoral
scholarships
French Embassy
Singaporean partner
0
Transportation + per-diems
Transportation7 + per-diems
(up to 10 days)
0
Monthly allowance to
Singapore-based junior
scientists while in France8. (1
month min. /3 months max.)
Monthly allowance to
France-based junior
scientists while in Singapore
(1 month min. /6 months
max.)
6
For the joint projects with A*Star, French Embassy will fund transportation and per-diems for France-based
scientists visiting Singapore and A*Star will fund transportation and per diems for Singapore-based scientists
visiting France.
7
The air ticket needs to be purchased by the French Embassy.
8
It is applicable to all junior scientists attached to the Singaporean institution in the framework of the Merlion
project.
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2010 « MERLION » PROGRAM
CALL FOR JOINT FRANCO-SINGAPOREAN RESEARCH PROJECTS
The funding will not exceed €30,000, with a balanced funding
between the French Embassy and the Singaporean partner.9
The grant for junior scientists from Singapore while in France will include:
Workshops
•
•
•
A monthly allowance. The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs fixes
each year several scholarship rates according to the scientist’s level. 10
Social security and civil liability coverage;
Accommodation can be provided upon request. However, this will be paid
from the per-diems allotted for the duration of stay in France.
Please note that this scholarship does not cover any travel expenses related to the
scientist, his/her family or friends.
Important:
Projects are funded on an annual basis. The continuation of funding for the
second year will be subject to:
The submission of a progress report for the year just ended;
The submission of an estimation of the number of trips to be
undertaken for the coming year;
An equitable use of the funding and an equal number of travels by each
partner.
b. Merlion PhD programme
The candidates have to be involved, for their PhD studies, in a FrancoSingaporean research project of which the subject area is in accordance with the
scientific priorities of both partners.
The research project must be jointly defined and agreed upon by both French and
Singaporean partners, along with the student. The two PhD supervisors (one based
in France and the other in Singapore) must be clearly identified, and the periods of
stay in France and Singapore for the research project detailed precisely.
The co-funding of the research project from other sources, if it exists, will also be
considered and is highly recommended. Singaporean candidates who possess a
grant or a scholarship from any Singaporean institution are eligible to apply to the
Merlion program and may accumulate several funding sources.
9
This is a one-time grant from the French Embassy.
According to the French MFA, PhD scholarships in 2010 are expected to cost around €1,500 gross per month
and scholarships for a post-doc are around €2,450 gross per month. These amounts are indicative and may be
different at the launch of the mission.
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The length of stay in France supported by the Embassy is 18 months over a 3-year
period, up to 6 months per year.
If certain compulsory courses are required to be taken by the PhD student in
Singapore, the possibility of replacing some of these with an attendance at doctoral
seminars in France may be discussed and agreed to by both Singaporean and
French supervisors.
Important:
The proposal should be a joint submission by the French and
Singaporean supervisors. Applications made by individual candidates will
not be accepted.
Only students about to start their first year of doctoral studies are
eligible to apply.
Specific attention will be paid to the source(s) of funding for the project.
Flexibility: if the student stays less than 6 months during his first or
second year, it may be possible to defer the remaining period to the
following year. Each situation will be considered on a case by case basis.
3- SELECTION CRITERIA REGARDING THE PROPOSALS
The criteria for submission are as follows:
•
•
•
•
•
strict adherence to the deadline
research project must be a joint collaboration between the Singaporean and
French institutions
all universities (private or public), laboratories and organizations are eligible to
submit a project
both partners must agree to co-finance the project
a credible post-MERLION co-operation and funding plan must be drawn up
The encouraged criteria are as follows:
•
•
•
projects that have not already received funding under MERLION program
participation of an industrial partner. In this case, the partnership must be a
trilateral collaboration involving a French or Singaporean industrial partner, a
French and a Singaporean research/academic organization.
workshop projects whose aim is to create new collaborations will be
encouraged
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2010 « MERLION » PROGRAM
CALL FOR JOINT FRANCO-SINGAPOREAN RESEARCH PROJECTS
•
a financial commitment from the French and Singaporean research/academic
organizations
• a balanced number of missions to Singapore and to France
Each project will be evaluated by the French Ministry of Research and Higher
Education according to the following criteria, although not restricted to the following:
•
•
•
•
•
quality, originality and methodology of the project,
relevant expertise of both the French and Singaporean teams involved in the
project,
interest and level of co-operation in the chosen field of research. Please note
that while the partners may have differing fields of specialization, the research
work of the team has to be complementary,
extent of the involvement of junior Principal Investigators (PIs), researchers
and/or post-docs,
scientific and economic impact and applications.
The projects eventually selected will be funded for a maximum of 2 years. The
Merlion PhD projects eventually selected will be funded for a maximum of 3 years.
An annual progress report and a final report will have to be submitted.
4- SCIENTIFIC TOPICS AND HOSTING LABORATORY
Applications are open to all research areas of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Mathematics
Physics
Earth Sciences and Astronomy
Chemistry
Biology, Medicine and Health
Human and Social Sciences
7. Economics and Business
8. Engineering
9. Information and Communication
Technologies
10. Agronomy, Animal and Plant
Production, Food
The research may be conducted in and led by, either public or private research
institutes (e.g. universities, EPIC, EPST) or the private company-partner, or more
than one party.
5- APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Application forms are available on the website of the French Embassy in Singapore:
www.ambafrance-sg.org/sciencetech-platform/merlion/
Scientists from both countries are invited to submit their proposals online (and not by
any other means) to facilitate downloading the proposals for evaluation.
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CALL FOR JOINT FRANCO-SINGAPOREAN RESEARCH PROJECTS
In case of difficulty, please inform the Science Section of the French Embassy in
Singapore and/or the contact person in your organization.
6- SCHEDULE
The deadline for the call for proposals is fixed and must be strictly adhered to.
Date of the call launch: 05 July 2010
Deadline for submission: 31 August 2010, 5 pm French time
(The complete files must be sent before this date).
An email of acknowledgement will be sent to project leaders by both the French Embassy
in Singapore and the Singaporean institution involved.
Evaluation: The scientific evaluation of the proposals will be done between 1st September
2010 and 30th November 2010.
Results diffusion: Results will be known in December 2010.
A letter informing each project leader of the outcome will be sent by the French Embassy.
The call results may also be obtained online (http://www.ambafrance-sg.org/sciencetechplatform/merlion/)
Funding start: The funding for the selected projects will begin in January 2011.
NB: SUBMISSION OF INCOMPLETE PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED
For further information, please contact:
Christelle GERVASONI, Deputy Attaché for Science and Technology
Tel: +65 68 80 78 51
E-mail: christelle.gervasoni@diplomatie.gouv.fr
French Embassy in Singapore
Science & Education Section
Department of Science, Education and Culture
101-103 Cluny Park Road
259595 Singapore
- Or your Singaporean institution contact person:
A*STAR (BMRC)
Dr. FOO Ngee Chih
20, Biopolis Way, #08-01 Centros
Singapore 138668
A*STAR (SERC)
Mr. CHAN Andy
Fusionopolis Way, #18-01 Connexis
Singapore 138632
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2010 « MERLION » PROGRAM
CALL FOR JOINT FRANCO-SINGAPOREAN RESEARCH PROJECTS
Fax: (65) 6478 9581
E-mail: foo_ngee_chih@a-star.edu.sg
Fax: (65) 6779 8061
E-mail: andy_chan@a-star.edu.sg
NTU
NUS
Prof. K.A Khor
Associate Provost (Research)
President’s Office
76 Nanyang Avenue, Block N2.1, B4-03
Singapore 637331
Tel: (65) 6592 1816
E-mail: AssocProvost-R@ntu.edu.sg
Prof. Andrew YC. Nee
Office of Research
University Hall, Lee Kong Chian Wing
UHL #05-02S, 21 Lower Kent Ridge
Singapore 119077
Fax: (65) 6774 5867
E-mail: mpeneeyc@nus.edu.sg
SERI
SMU
Ms Sharmila Kannan
Asst Director, Corp Affairs & Research
Admin
11 Third Hospital Avenue
#05-00 SNEC building
Singapore 168751
Fax: (65) 6323 1903
Email: sharmila.kannan@seri.com.sg
Prof. Winston Koh
Director, Research Administration
SMU, 81 Victoria Street
Singapore 188065
Fax: (65) 6828 0810
E-mail: winstonkoh@smu.edu.sg
TLL
Dr. Peter Chia
Chief Operating Officer
NUS, 1 Research Link
Singapore 117604
Fax: (65) 6872 7013
E-mail: peter@tll.org.sg
If you are from Singaporean research institutions not listed above, please contact Ms
Christelle GERVASONI before submitting your proposals.
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