Smart Loire Valley Programme

The Smart Loire Valley Programme* aims to support high-quality research and international collaborative research projects, to build human capacity and scientific knowledge for research, development and innovation by attracting talented, highly qualified researchers worldwide and from all academic disciplines. Researchers have to embody, in their profile, the key words that capture the research values of LE STUDIUM: Curiosity, Imagination and Intuition. The annual call for applications is open from November each year to February the next year. It is thus open to all scientific disciplines. It offers different awards and formats of residencies and interactions (fellowships and professorships residencies of 12 months, 3-12 months researchers’ visits, networking actions). It consists in a precious opportunity to access funding to develop fundamental research projects and to create or extend sustainable international collaborations.

Scientific events and networking actions organised by LE STUDIUM in the course of these research awards focus on advancing interdisciplinary research and translational research to stimulate together fundamental research and socioeconomic development. Synergies between academic disciplines and potential links with the industrial world are highly considered.

Independent external peer reviewers and an international independent Scientific Council assess and select the best candidates and innovative research projects in the framework of a fair and transparent process.

To be eligible, applicant researchers must be nationals or long-term residents of a country other than France and comply with the European mobility rules. The preliminary acceptance into a host laboratory and/or host enterprise based in the Centre-Val de Loire region is necessary.

Applications must be completed online on the LE STUDIUM website. Applications submitted by email will not be considered nor evaluated.

*For the period 2015 to 2021, the programme operated with a co-financing from the European Union in the framework of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions - COFUND [Co- Funding of regional, national and international programmes for the mobility of experienced researchers] for the Fellowships award.