Universities UK International’s (UUKi) UK-France Science, Innovation, and Technology Researcher Mobility Scheme is available to UUK member institutions to use in the context of research and innovation partnerships between UK higher education institutions and France. The projects supported through this scheme should be closely aligned with Horizon Europe and/or other international collaborative funding programmes. The funding for this mobility scheme has been provided by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) via the International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF). The deadline for applications is Sunday 12 January 2025.
About the scheme
Following the UK-France bilateral research dialogue which took place on 29 February 2024 in London, the UK government and the French government each committed funding to support the establishment and development of research collaborations on a bilateral basis between the UK and France.
In line with this objective, Universities UK International (UUKi, an operating unit of Universities UK) is launching the UK-France Science, Innovation, and Technology Researcher Mobility Scheme. This programme of competitive grants is available exclusively to UUK member institutions to use in the context of research and innovation partnerships with France.
We welcome creative applications from institutions for activities that support the development of new or existing partnerships between UK Higher Education institutions and France. The partnership will need to support delivery of the institutions’ strategic objectives as they relate to research, innovation, skills development and international partnership. The projects supported through this scheme should be closely aligned with Horizon Europe and/or other international collaborative funding programmes. Priority will be given to those with a particular focus on energy transition and hydrogen, Space and Earth observation, artificial intelligence including ethics and research security, as defined by the two countries during the UK-France bilateral research dialogue.
The funding for this mobility scheme has been provided by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) via the International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF).
Objectives and aims of the scheme
The scheme will support the development of UK innovation capabilities and expertise via international mobility of UK based researchers and research related staff by funding them to travel and collaborate with French partners, for mobilities of 1-8 months. This scheme will provide funding for researchers and research-related staff from UK higher education institutions to spend a period of mobility at an existing or new partner organisation in France. Successful institutions will be expected to demonstrate how the targeted activities will support or enable researchers to develop collaborative activity between the UK and France that support both institutional and UK-wide research and innovation priorities, with a goal of working towards a submission of a Horizon Europe application, or other international collaborative funding programmes, building on their grant idea when a relevant call opens. Mobilities will need to be completed by the end of January 2026.
In line with UUK’s charitable objectives, the primary beneficiaries of the funding programme must be UK higher education institutions (HEI).
The outcomes that the programme will deliver are:
- UK universities will have resources to build long-term strategic partnerships that support both institutional and UK-wide research and innovation priorities.
- UK innovation capabilities and expertise will be developed by supporting UK based researchers and research related staff to travel and learn from expertise from France.
- Shared resources and capabilities that will better position UK universities to participate in Horizon Europe and other international collaborative funding programmes, and particularly within the areas of:
- energy transition and hydrogen;
- space and Earth observation;
- artificial intelligence, including ethics;
- research security.
- Partnerships between the UK and French research ecosystems that advance existing, or develop new, research and innovation collaborations, with a particular focus on Horizon Europe or other international collaborative funding programmes.
- Applicants who have never received EU Framework Programme funding will be supported to develop Horizon Europe applications, including Early Career Researchers.
Eligibility
The UK-France Science, Innovation and Technology researcher mobility scheme is open to all UK HEIs that are eligible to receive grant funding from one of the UK higher education funding bodies (such as UK Research and Innovation) and are a member of Universities UK (Our members). It is expected that the Lead applicant from the UK HEI will lead the relationship with the existing or new partner in France.
Completed application forms must be submitted online by a designated Lead applicant from a UK HEI and signed off by an appropriate senior representative of the institution. A senior representative might constitute a head of department, school or faculty. Please note that the lead applicant must obtain the appropriate level of institutional sign off (this will depend on the UK HEI’s internal approval processes) before submitting the application.
To be eligible to apply the Lead applicant must:
- hold a PhD or equivalent qualification;
- be a permanent employee or treated as one throughout the proposed research project;
- devote a set amount of their working hours to delivering this project.
If your French counterpart has received funding via the Sophie Germain Funding Scheme by the French Embassy in London, you will need to indicate this as part of your application.
Please note that the Lead applicant need not necessarily be planning on undertaking a mobility themselves but will have overall responsibility for the application and any subsequent awards.
The individual mobilities are open to:
- researchers at all career stages (PhD, post-doc, lecturer, etc);
- research-related staff (including technicians, research funding/development mangers, business/innovation managers and related roles) provided that it can be sufficiently demonstrated that their participation will upskill them for beneficial use towards Horizon Europe funding submissions or other international collaborative funding programmes.
To be eligible to undertake periods of mobility, researchers and research-related staff must:
- be employed or be undertaking a research degree (PhD, MRes or equivalent) at the Lead UK HEI for the duration of the mobility
- be able to undertake mobility within the timeframe 1 April 2025 – 31 January 2026.
Those funded under this mobility are required to be physically located in France for the duration of the mobility in order to carry out this project. See FAQs for further information.
How to apply
The deadline for applications is Sunday 12 January 2025.
All applications must be submitted via the dedicated call webpage using the designated online application form.
Frequently Asked Questions have been compiled below. Answers to any subsequent questions will be added to the FAQs.
Application form and accompanying documentation
- Application form - now closed for applications
- Call guidelines
- Selection criteria
- Budget template
- Report template
- Budget report template
Frequently asked questions
The Frequently Asked Questions will be regularly updated to ensure transparency. Please check back regularly or get in touch with us at [email protected] if you can’t find the answer to your question.
Application
I’m having trouble viewing the online application form.
The application form has been created using Microsoft Forms. If you are having trouble viewing this, please try to open the form in a different web browser (e.g. Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer). If the form does not load immediately, please click the refresh button, this sometimes resolves the issue. If you have tried multiple browsers, and have refreshed the page but still cannot see the online application form, please email our Strategic Partnerships Team: [email protected].
Who should submit the application and who is the responsible signatory?
The Lead applicant, namely the person who is leading the project at the UK higher education institution (HEI), should complete and submit the application form. The Lead applicant must be a researcher. Please note that the Lead applicant must obtain the appropriate level of institutional sign off (this will depend on the UK HEI’s internal approval processes) before submitting the application otherwise the application may be deemed ineligible. Please note that the Lead applicant need not necessarily be planning on undertaking a mobility themselves but will have the overall responsibility for the application and any subsequent awards.
Do I need to confirm the details of the individual researchers and research related staff planning to undertake a mobility as part of my application?
It is not necessary for applications to provide names of individual researchers or research related staff to whom the mobilities(s) will be awarded at the application stage but this should be known and numbers abided by when it comes to carrying out the mobilities. At the application stage you will be required to include the role type of all those planning to undertake a mobility as part of your project and the number of individuals being included. In post-award reporting, institutions will be asked for details including the number of individuals undertaking mobility, Gender, their role type and the duration of each mobility.
Under eligible funding programmes, what is meant by international collaborative funding programmes?
These would be programmes where UK-France collaboration is possible. The programmes must also feature UK and/or French government contributions, to the funding. If your French counterpart has received funding via the Sophie Germain Funding Scheme by the French Embassy in London, you will need to indicate this as part of your application.
Eligible partner organisations
Is there a list of eligible / recognised partner organisations? Are there any that are out of scope?
The partner organisation must be based in France. Applications are open to UK HEIs to apply with existing or new partners that are academic institutions, organisations or companies in France.
Are there set criteria for what would constitute a ‘partner organisation’, i.e. does there need to be a formal agreement in place (e.g. MoU)?
Having a formal agreement in place is not necessary. It is for institutions to determine what constitutes a ‘partner’ for their institution and purposes. This scheme is open to existing as well as new partners where there may be no prior relationship but for whom this funding would enable them to begin joint activity and lead onto a sustained partnership in the future. Regardless of whether this is an existing or new partnership, justification will need to be provided as to why this is the right fit for the intended project (see selection criteria ‘Strategic Partnership fit’).
Travel arrangements
Who is responsible for arranging travel and accommodation?
The Lead UK HEI will be the award holder and will be responsible for administering the funding in accordance with the Offer of award letter (which includes Terms and Conditions); this includes arranging travel and accommodation. UUKi would strongly advise flexible tickets being purchased as if arrangements need to be amended for any reason (including those due to unforeseen circumstances) then no further funding will be granted to replace the lost costs. The Lead applicant at the UK HEI will be required to confirm the number and gender of researchers and research related staff and durations of mobilities actually carried out as part of the reporting requirements, however proof of this expenditure i.e. accommodation/flight confirmations, will not be required but will need to be kept by the UK HEI for audit purposes.
Will the researchers and research related staff undertaking mobility need a visa? Which process should I follow?
The Lead applicant at the UK HEI will take responsibility for ensuring that all appropriate visa and immigration requirements are fully complied with. If researchers and research related staff require a visa to travel to and spend the period of mobility in France, the UK HEI will ensure that they meet all relevant immigration requirements. Researchers and research related staff undertaking mobility are required to reside in France throughout the mobility.
If you have any particular concerns about visas or entry into France, you should contact the French embassy. The international office at your partner organisation may also be able to advise.
Who is responsible for arranging insurance for my trip in the case that the application is successful?
Lead applicants need to ensure that their UK HEI and partner have adequate insurance as appropriate as UUKi cannot take responsibility for any issues which may occur during the mobility. Lead applicants will accept full responsibility for all aspects of the mobility and ensure appropriate insurance for any risks associated with taking part in travelling abroad, including all unexpected and uncontrollable events. UUKi will not be liable for the consequences of any such risks, or any costs incurred.
Researchers and research-related staff undertaking mobility
Are the eligible costs indicated on a per-researcher/research related staff and per mobility basis?
Yes. The values indicated are flat rates established on a per-researcher/research related staff mobility basis, per month (unless otherwise stated). The funding will be awarded to the UK HEI leading the application. The minimum mobility period length is one month (28 days). These flat rates will be paid at the agreed intervals following submission of the interim and final reports, upon confirmation that mobilities have taken place and activities have progressed.
Is there a maximum number of researchers and research related staff that can be funded as part of the scheme?
There is a cap of 3 researchers or research-related staff across 8 months that can be included in a bid. In total we envisage funding around 10-15 projects, however, this is highly dependent on the number and durations of mobilities. It is therefore up to institutions to determine the programme of work - including number of mobilities and partner institutions (if more than one) - that can feasibly be delivered within the time available, and that will most likely achieve the desired outcome/impact. UUKi will be looking to award a diverse range of institution types/models as part of this scheme so institutions are expected to prioritise applications that are most closely aligned to the call’s objectives.
Affiliation: must researchers and research related staff be employed permanently by the sending UK HEI?
Researchers and research related staff have to be employed at the Lead applicant’s UK HEI throughout the duration of the mobility. This may be on a permanent or other contractual basis but must cover the full period of intended mobility.
Which activity is in scope as part of the mobility; are there any activities that are out of scope?
Any activity that is undertaken should aim to respond to the objectives set out for the scheme. The targeted activities will support or enable researchers to develop collaborative activity between the UK and France, with a goal of developing research and innovation capabilities and working towards a submission of a Horizon Europe or other international collaborative funding programme submissions. Teaching is outside of the scope of these mobilities and cannot be funded.
Can I take annual leave during the period of mobility and still claim for this?
For mobilities less than 3 months in duration annual leave is not applicable, whether a single mobility or across multiple trips. Projects must achieve a mobility between 1-8 months in length. For mobilities of 3 months or longer the following annual leave caps during mobility apply:
- 3-month period: 1 week of allowable leave
- 3–6-month period: 2 weeks of allowable leave
- 6–8-month period: 3 weeks of allowable leave
Is the mobility two directional mobility or only for the UK-based researchers? i.e. does this fund to cover the mobility of the French academics/researchers to come into the UK?
This scheme is for outbound mobility of UK researchers to France only and does not include inbound mobility of French researchers to the UK.
Mobility period
When should mobilities start and end by?
Mobilities must take place between 1 April 2025 and 31 January 2026 and must be between one and 8 months in total. A mobility may start at any time during this period but must be completed by 31 January 2026.
Is there a minimum/maximum time period for mobilities?
Yes, the minimum period for a mobility is one month and the maximum is 8 months, with all mobilities to be completed by 31 January 2026. At least one participant as part of the application is required to spend a minimum of three months at the partner. To enable flexibility, visits may be split over several weeks in different periods to equate to one month, periods of less than one full month in total will not be eligible for funding. However, funding will be available on a per-month basis and will not be increased in these circumstances. For funding to be eligible a month must be completed, a month is viewed as a minimum of 28 days.
In order for mobilities to be as cost-effective and sustainable as possible, one return airfare per researcher as well as continuous stay in France for the duration of the mobility period is highly recommended. When organising mobilities ensure you are familiar with the Paris Agreement.
Payments
Will the payment be made to the Lead HEI or to the researcher or research related staff directly?
Award funding will be transferred to the Lead UK HEI, who will make local arrangements with their researchers and research related staff for administering and managing the funding.
Will the UK HEI be expected to continue to pay the researchers and research related staff their regular salary?
Yes. Researchers and research related staff will be given living expenses on a monthly basis for their mobility which is not a salary. If instance of mobility by a researcher is for longer than three months then additional backfill funding for teaching can be made available, if applicable.
How do I know if I qualify for the dependant's allowance?
To claim the dependants allowance you will need to specify this in the budget template that is submitted alongside your application. Your authorised signatory acknowledges that this is the case when signing off your application. You do not need to provide specific details as part of your application when applying. You may be asked for further details when submitting your reports.
How do I know if I qualify for the disability allowance?
To claim the disability allowance you will need to specify this in the budget template that is submitted alongside your application. Your disability must be disclosed to your employer and the authorised signatory of the application acknowledges that this is the case when signing of the application. You do not need to provide specific details as part of your application.
Is the £300,000 per project, or across all projects?
£300,000 is our total funding pot to be awarded across all projects.
Reporting
How often will I need to submit reports and invoices to UUKi and what accompanying documentation is needed?
The Lead UK HEI will be responsible for submitting reports to confirm that mobilities have taken place and detail the relevant activities and KPI’s completed in that period. Reports will be required at the project mid-point and at the end of project and will be accompanied by invoices calculated on a per-researcher / research related staff, per-month basis. The first report will be required six months after the official project start date with the initial report/invoice submitted by 30 September 2025 and the second and final report by 28 February 2026. We will pay out claims on full months of mobility that have taken place in the corresponding reporting period. Invoices from the grantees for the required amount will be requested and will need to be provided following the report being signed of by UUKi.
What is the responsibility of the partner organisation?
There is no set requirement for the partner organisation to submit separate reports, but they will be expected to input into the reporting carried out by the Lead UK HEI as and when necessary to contribute to the project outcomes.
Is there anything to consider/ be aware of in order to satisfy the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion requirements as part of my application?
Please follow the guidance set out in the application form. To help with addressing EDI (including gender) please refer to this Gender Equality Framework.
What are the Trusted Research principles that I need to be aware of?
Trusted Research is advice and guidance published jointly by NPSA and the NCSC which supports the integrity of the system of international research collaboration. Designed in partnership with the sector, it provides guidance to researchers, university staff and funding organisations to help keep sensitive research and intellectual property secure from theft, misuse or exploitation. You should be familiar with the principles and frameworks, which can be found using this website.
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