31 INSPIRE PhD Fellowships Available @ USPC | Apply Now

INSPIRE 2nd Call: Université Sorbonne Paris Cité (USPC) will offer 31 PhD contracts to candidates with significant international experience via the INSPIRE (INterdiSciPlinarity and excellence for doctoral training of International Researchers in Paris) action, in 2017.

INSPIRE PhD fellowships at USPC, France

Eligiblity Criteria :

CRITERIA APPLICABLE TO INPSIRE 2017 (Please consult the head of the website for updates)

1.    Academic criterion

• As per definition by the European Commission, as an Early Stage Researcher, you need to have obtained the degree which would formally entitle you to embark on a doctorate in France, no more than four years before the start date of the INSPIRE PhD contract.

The PhD contract will commence on the 1st of September 2017. Therefore your Masters degree, or other equivalent diploma, should have been granted on, or after, the 2nd of September 2013, or should be granted by the 31st of August 2017.

• You must not be enrolled in a PhD programme nor have *ever* been enrolled in one.
• You must not already be in possession of a PhD degree.

You will be asked to sign a declaration of honour attesting to the above.

2.    International criterion

• ESRs will need to comply with the conditions of the EU-mobility rule (incoming mobility): applicants must not have had their main residence, or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.), in France for more than 12 months during the three years immediately prior to the deadline for the call (12H on Monday the 9^th of January 2017); compulsory national service in the home country, and/or short stays of less than a month, such as holidays in France, are not taken into account.

Namely, you shouldn’t have spent more than 365 days in France between the 10^th of January 2014 and the 9^th of January 2017.

• Stays in the country of past and present residence are also limited by the EU-mobility rule: candidates whose project require significant time spent abroad are advised to contact the INSPIRE helpdesk [email protected] as soon as possible.

You will be asked to sign a declaration of honour attesting to the above.

3.    Submission criterion

• All required data and documents need to be submitted via the web-based portal by 17h on the 9^th of January 2017.
• Applications in SDVS and SET will need to be submitted in English. Applications in HALL and SS may be submitted in French or English.
• Missing documents will render the application null and void.
• Applicants can apply to more than one research group at USPC – they have to inform the concerned thesis supervisors in this case.
• Thesis supervisors may present more than one candidate provided they include co-supervisors (“co-encadrant.e” or “co-tutelle”) in the application.

4.    Research-topic criterion

• The proposed research project should be supported by the host research group at USPC and should not be excluded from EU funding due to ethical issues.

Eligible Doctoral Schools are those that are affiliated with USPC.

Candidates may apply for an INSPIRE PhD contract in any discipline with the support of a research groups affiliated with one of the eight following higher-education institutions of USPC: Université Sorbonne Nouvelle –Paris 3, Université Paris Descartes, Université Paris Diderot, Université Paris 13, EHESP, INALCO, IPGP and Sciences Po. Research groups in CNRS, INED, INRIA, INSERM and IRD laboratories affiliated with one of the eight institutions listed above are also eligible to support a candidate for an INSPIRE fellowship.

Selection Process and Calendar

The online application platform is now open and candidates may submit their application material here: http://self.parisdescartes.fr/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Inspire.woa

All required information, and documents, will need to be filled in or uploaded via the application portal in English (HALL, SDVS, SET and SS) or in French (HALL and SS).

• HALL: Humanités, Arts, Lettres et Langues / Humanities, Arts, Literature and Languages
• SDVS: Sciences du Vivant et de la Santé /Life and Health Sciences
• SET: Sciences Exactes et Technologie/ Exact Sciences and Technology
• SS: Sciences Sociales / Social Sciences

Deadline: Applications have to be submitted online by 12H CET on 9 January 2017.

Candidates will be selected based on a three-stage selection process:

Step 1 – Application deadline: 12h CET on Monday the 9^th of January 2017
Selection by the research group: as early as possible to ensure all required documents are submitted by 12h CET on the 9^th of January 2016.

To complete the application, candidates need to obtain the support of the responsible person in the research group of interest. This person will be declared as the research supervisor (“directeur/directrice de thèse”) on the application platform and will herself/himself  need to confirm her/his support, and submit information/documents via the application platform. We therefore advise candidates to establish contact with a research group as early as possible to complete the application package (see below) in a timely manner.

Step 2 – Candidates will be informed by the 10^th of February 2017
Selection by the doctoral school: 3^rd of February 2017

Step 3 – Candidates will be informed by the 28^th of March 2017
Selection by the University following the decision by an independent jury comprising international and national members: 21 March 2017 – 24 March 2017.

Candidates will have to present their research project in front of one of the four juries: HALL, SDVS, SET, or SS. This will take place preferably in person or, if you cannot be present in Paris, via video-conference. Travel expenses of candidates who will be present in Paris will be covered up to a set limit determined by geographical region. Reimbursement is incumbent on the presentation of receipts. Accommodation will be provided by INSPIRE on the basis of 3 nights. International candidates, who would require a visa to be present in Paris for step 3, the final selection stage in March, are strongly advised to inform the INSPIRE helpdesk [email protected] as soon as possible.

Redress / Appeals

Appeals, concerning the application of the eligibility criteria, and other concerns, can be made directly to the INSPIRE management by sending an email to [email protected] *after the January 10^th, 2017*, including in copy the thesis supervisor (« directeur/directrice de thèse »).

Application Package :

The section reserved for the submission of documents and information by the proposed thesis supervisors, and to submit confidential reference letters, will open later.

The following information, and documents, will be requested from you at the application platform. The information listed below is non-exhaustive and additional information may be requested on the application platform. Please check this page for updates.

On the application platform you will first be required to do a quick eligibility test concerning the date of your relevant (Masters) degree obtained, or to be obtained (Academic criterion), and the number of days you’ve spent in France during the preceding three years (Mobility criterion). This is an informal check. If you are eventually selected for step 3 by the Doctoral School, you will be required to sign a statement of honour concerning all the information you provide on the application platform.

The application platform will have three ports of entry.

A.    For the candidate who will need to fill in / upload

1. Biodata (Name, date of birth, address, email, telephone, level of language, etc.)

2. Education / Academic training

• Masters (University, discipline, etc.).

==> Masters certificate or attestation to be uploaded
==> Upload Grades in Masters classes to be uploaded

• Bachelors (University, discipline, etc.).

==> Masters certificate or attestation to be uploaded
==> Grades in Masters classes

• Other diplomas
• Awards

You need to upload certified copy of academic transcripts with grades for all Masters courses in French or in English. All translations need to be apostilled, except if the original certified copy is in Italian, Spanish or Portuguese.

3. Research Experience (description, publications, presentations)

4. Work Experience

5. Cover / Motivation letter (limit of 5000 characters)
Describe why you wish to apply for an INSPIRE PhD fellowship. Give the reasons for the choice of the proposed thesis project with regards to your main subjects of scientific interest. Explain how your background fits the project and this programme. Describe what your career plans are and what your professional project is after the Ph.D. Describe what your ideal training plan includes, and what skills you would like to acquire during your thesis with respect to your professional project (this main include training on specific tools, languages, equipment, etc.)

6. Pôle

• HALL: Humanités, Arts, Lettres et Langues / Humanities, Arts, Literature and Languages
• SDVS: Sciences du Vivant et de la Santé /Life and Health Sciences
• SET: Sciences Exactes et Technologie/ Exact Sciences and Technology
• SS: Sciences Sociales / Social Sciences

7. Abstract

8. Research Project (20000 characters including spaces)

• Section 1. Introduction / Objectives of the project
• Section 2. State of the art / Contexte scientific
• Section 3. Concepts and objectives
• Section 4. Methodology / Materials and Methods
• Section 5. Feasiblity / Timetable (approximate timetable in a calendar format over 3 years: 2017 – 2020)
• Section 6. Financial sources for carrying out research, and if required visits to laboratory of collaborator(s)
• Section 7. Impact : scientific, potential applications, societal
• Section 8. International collaborations
• Section 9. Bibliography

==> Tables and Figures to be uploaded

9. Doctoral School: choose one corresponding to that of the potential thesis supervisor, or if you haven’t identified a thesis supervisor as yet, in the potential field of interest

10. Recommendation letter(s) – maximum 4, minimum 2

• Name of Referee, complete institutional address, email and telephone (for a pre-evaluation, letters will not be requested from the referee(s) – their contact information will suffice

Note that you may opt for a pre-evaluation of your application by the Doctoral School (approximately by the middle of November). You do not need to have identified a potential thesis supervisor but you need to upload all information requested in this section. For a pre-evaluation, candidates in the SDVS and SET sections do not need to submit a Research Project, but it is compulsory to provide a Research Project for candidates in HALL and SS. If you have a complete dossier for a pre-evaluation, the concerned Doctoral Schools will be informed. This pre-evaluation by the Doctoral School will only include a suggestion whether you should continue with the application or not. It will not imply an endorsement of acceptance to their programme.

B.    For the declared thesis supervisor who will need to fill in / upload

1. Confirmation that s/he supports the candidate’s application

2. Indicate the Doctoral School to which s/he is affiliated

3. Indicate one of the eight institutions of USPC to which s/he is affiliated

4. Name of the group

5. Official number of the group

6. Information pertaining to the person who will submit the “avis motivé du directeur. de la direcrtrice de l’unité” (it cannot be the same as the “directeur.rice de these”) (Name, name of the “unite/equipe”, email, etc.)

==> CV in PDF format to be uploaded (2-page limit)
CV of the thesis supervisor (2 pages maximum): must include list of most significant publications relevant to research project, as well as the doctoral candidates currently being supervised and their expected dates of graduation.

==> “L’avis motivé de la.du directeur.rice de l’unité” to be uploaded
Letter of Motivation from the director of the host laboratory. The letter should validate the application in terms of the proper relevance of the thesis subject to the research focus of the lab and the host laboratory’s capacity to support the candidate’s proposed thesis research project.

C.    For confidential recommendation letters (each referee will receive an email with information on how to submit their recommendation letter via the Application platform)

==> Letter to be uploaded by referee (login information will be automatically sent to referee based on information provided by candidate)

• Each letter should be a maximum of 1 page
• The letter should include the name of referee, complete institutional address, email and telephone
• The letter should include the name of the candidate
• The letter should include the context in which the referee knows the candidate and how they would evaluate the candidate, e.g., with reference to: scientific knowledge, creativity, technical ability, communciation skills, motivation, maturity, team work, relation with mentor, flexibility, English knowledge, standard/level with respect to her/his peers
• The letter should include the date and signature of the referee

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