International
Published on December 1, 2020 | Updated on December 1, 2020

Rhône Campus Alliance (ACR) call for projects for funding French-Swiss research projects

The “Rhône Campus Alliance” (Alliance Campus Rhodanien – ACR) was created in 2017 with the aim of strengthening scientific and academic synergies between the University of Geneva, the Université Grenoble Alpes, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland, the University of Lausanne, the Université de Lyon and the Université Savoie Mont Blanc due to their geographical proximity. It aims to encourage specific collaborations related to complementary and shared institutional expertise and facilities.

OBJECTIVES OF THE CALL FOR PROJECTS

  1. To promote specific themes and/or methodological approaches that will lead to the development of long-term academic and scientific cooperation;
  2. To provide support for scientific partnerships of common interest that have a structuring effect, i.e. that encourage or promote the development of larger-scale research projects, the reinforcement of innovative interdisciplinary scientific issues, and the creation of partnership based transfer and valorization schemes;
  3. To encourage closer links with those outside the university environment: the public, semi-public, private and community sectors, particularly within or for the benefit of the Lake Geneva-Rhône region;
  4. To link projects that already exist separately in Switzerland and France.

The types of projects eligible for funding are varied.
For more information, please read the call for projects online document

SUBJECTS

Since the partner universities’ common objectives are to strengthen their shared expertise in the areas of sustainable development and digitalization, the projects should be focused on issues related to one or both of these subjects. Special consideration will be given to proposals that encourage interdisciplinarity.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

  1. For a project to be eligible, it must be led by at least two applicants from ACR institutions, with at least one on each side of the border. All types of cooperation are eligible.
  2. Applicants must be faculty members, tenured research professors from Alliance institutions, or researchers from national organizations affiliated with a laboratory at an Alliance institution.
  3. The maximum duration of a project is one year. 

FUNDING

The impulse fund (Fonds d'impulsion) will provide funding for projects on an annual basis. The amount of funding is between €7,500 and €14,000

To find out more about the types of eligible expenses, please read the call for projects document available for download on this page.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications must be submitted online via the ACR platform:
https://unige-cofunds.ch/alliance-campus-rhodanien

PROJECT SELECTION

Projects will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • A coherent and clearly formulated work plan;
  • Economic and societal benefits for the Alliance and added value for scientific cooperation in the Alpine region;
  • Project leverage extending beyond funding (external funding prospects);
  • Scientific relevance of the project;
  • Originality and interdisciplinary potential;
  • Whether the planned activities are in line with the requested budget.


The projects will be pre-evaluated and ranked by each of the six universities, according to each institution’s own procedures. The final selection will be made by the Alliance’s Strategic Committee.