The Fondation Maison des sciences de l’homme (FMSH) and the Institut Français d’Etudes sur l’Asie Centrale (IFEAC), with the support of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, offer short-term fellowships of three months in France for postdoc researchers from Central Asia who have presented their thesis from 2014. This research stay is designed to enable researchers to conduct research studies in France: field enquiries, library and archives work. This call is part of the Atlas short-term postdoctoral mobility programme offered by the FMSH and its partners.

Financial details

Laureates will receive a total stipend of 4 500 € for the three months (3 instalments of 1 500 € paid at the beginning of each month of stay). This financial contribution is intended to cover expenditure such as transport and accommodation costs.

Besides, the FMSH and the IFEAC provide support for visa and logistical support to organise the stay (possibility to have a workspace, letter for the libraries...).

Eligibility criteria

Nationality: This program is open to researchers originating from Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan (nationality is a requirement) and affiliated with an institution of higher education and research or a public or private research institute based in one of these countries. 

Educational Degree: Applicants must have obtained their PhD doctorate (“Kandidat” thesis) and presented their thesis from 2014.

Theme: Applicants   must   be   involved   in   research   in   social   and   human   sciences.

French host institution: Before submitting their application, applicants will have to find a French research institution to host them for the time of their stay. Applicants will have to provide a letter from the hosting institution addressed to the FMSH and the IFEAC expressing the institution’s willingness to host the applicant during the time of fellowship and explaining the work conditions offered.

You don’t have French scientific contact yet or you haven’t found a research center to host you in France? Visit ScanR where all French research centers are listed: https://scanr.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/ ​

Researcher’s obligations

At the end of their stay, laureates will have to provide the FMSH and the IFEAC with a report presenting the work done during their stay and the benefits for their research project.

Application procedure

Applicants will be required to submit an online application form and a scientific dossier (research project + appendices). The online application form will be available on the FMSH website as of January 6th 2020. Completed proposals can be uploaded to the application portal at any time before the application deadline of 16 March 2020, 5:00pm (Paris time).

Online application and scientific dossier can be submitted in French or English.

Content of scientific dossier

The research proposal: the Research proposal should consist in a short presentation from 10 000 characters to 20 000 characters (spaces and references included) composed with:

1. State of art, problematic, objective and specific aim of the research project, methodology with a DETAILED WORKPLAN
2. A bibliography
3. Explanation of the choice of the host laboratory
4. The detailed programme of the research stay (places and institutions to be visited, contacts, workplan).

Appendices

• A Curriculum vitae (2 pages maximum)
• A list of publications
• A copy of the PhD diploma
• A letter from the director of the research institution in the country of origin
• A letter of invitation from the director of the host research institution in France expressing the institution’s willingness to host the applicant during the time of fellowship and explaining the work conditions they can offer

How to apply?

1. Reach the online application form and enter «Researcher Workspace».
2. You have to be registered on the online platform in order to use it. If you haven’t created an account yet, you will be asked to.
3. Create your profile by filling all your personal information and then enter “create a new application”.
4. Select “Programme Atlas incoming 2020” and then the specific call « FMSH-IFEAC: Asie centrale > France (2nd call) ».
5. Fill all the information tabs.
6. In the “Documents” final tab, you will need to upload your research proposal and the appendices into one single PDF document:

• Research proposal
• Curriculum vitae (2 pages maximum)

• List of publications
• Copy of the PhD diploma
• Letter from the director of the research institution in the country of origin
• Letter of invitation from the director of the host research institution in France

7.  You can save your application and complete it later several times if you wish, until the closure of the call for applications. Once you have submitted your application, you will no longer have the possibility to amend it. Once submitted, you will receive an automatic email confirming the submission. Applications not submitted, incomplete application forms or applications that do not match the above description will not be taken into account.

For any information on the platform or in case of you meet difficulties to use it, please contact fadili@msh-paris.fr

Evaluation process and criteria

A selection committee composed with members of FMSH, IFEAC and independent experts will analyse and proceed to final selection of applications regarding the following criteria:

• The quality of the scientific dossier and the methodology developed
• The relevance of a research stay in France regarding the scientific project and the candidate curricula
• The ability to identify scientific contacts in France

Candidates that have never benefited from the programme will be prioritized.

Candidates will be informed by email of the results at the end of April 2020.

Calendar

• Opening of the call: January 6th 2020

• Deadline for application: March 16th 2020, 05:00pm (Paris time)

• Selection process: Mid March– mid April 2020
• Announcement of the results: End of April 2020
• Duration of the fellowship: 3 months
• Fellowships periods of stay:  From May to July or from September to December 2020. The Research stay must start no later than 1 October 2020.
• Number of fellowship offered for this call: 4

Contact and information

FMSH : Ms Bénédicte RASTIER atlas@msh-paris.fr

IFEAC : Mrs Catherine POUJOL ifeacd@gmail.com