I. USE AND ACCESS THE APPLICATION PLATFORM
=> How do I access the application platform?
You can access the platform via the following URL: https://exebio-calls.univ-reims.fr/
=> How do I create an account?
To create an account, click the “Register” button on the top right of the homepage.
=> How do I apply for a grant?
Click on the grant you want to apply for. There, you will find all the relevant information, documents and application button.
=> Where can I access the Application guidelines and required documents?
The Application guidelines document is available on the homepage of the application platform.
All required documents, including the Application guidelines, are available within each grant application tab.
=> What mandatory documents are required for each grant?
| Emergent | Interdisciplinarity | Research & Innonation | Doctoral Fellowship | International congress | |
| Scientific document | X | X | X | X | X |
| Budget spreadsheet | X | X | X | X | |
| Director's appreciation | X | X | X | X | X |
| Project leader's CV | X | X | X | ||
| Thesis supervisor's CV | X | ||||
| Proof of co-financing |
X (if 2 years project duration) |
X (if 2 years project duration) |
X
|
X
|
|
| Financial viability | X | ||||
| DD&RS | X | X | X | X | X |
=> Where can I find the call timetable?
The call timetable is available on the homepage of the application platform and within the Application guidelines.
=> How can I contact the EXEBIO team?
For any technical, administrative issue or question, you can contact us within the best delays respective to the application deadline
at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
II. CALL PROCEDURE
=> Who can apply to the EXEBIO Excellence Call?
Applicants must belong to a research unit affiliated with the EXEBIO consortium and meet the criteria outlined in the call, including a focus on bioeconomy and the environment.
=> Where should I submit my application?
Applications must be submitted via the EXEBIO calls platform under the appropriate tabs for stage 1 and stage 2.
=> What happens after I submit my application?
You will receive an email confirming that your application has been submitted in stage 1 and inviting you to process stage 2.
After processing stage 2 you will be informed that your application is fully completed and that final results will be announced once the entire process is completed.
=> How many stages does the EXEBIO Excellence Call follow?
The EXEBIO Excellence Call follows a two-stages procedure.
=> How does the Assessment Process look like?
For the Emergence, Interdisciplinarity, Research & Innovation, Doctoral Fellowship grants, the process consists of:
- stage 1: submission of the project leader information, title, summary, key words, research themes, suggested & excluded experts
- stage 2: begins with the administrive criteria review and is followed by a 2 months period of external expertise. The final assessment will be conducted by the Scientific Evaluation Committee and approved by the EXEBIO Advisory Board before the announcement of the final awardees.
- For the International Congress grant:
- stage 1: submission of the project leader information, title of the congress
- stage 2: begins with the administrive criteria review, assessment will be conducted by the Scientific Evaluation Committee before the announcement of the final awardees.
=> Who will assess my application?
-
For the Emergence, Interdisciplinarity, Research & Innovation, Doctoral Fellowship grants:
Your application will be assessed by international external experts.
- For the International Congress grant:
Your application will be assessed by the Scientific Evaluation Committee.
=> Who reviews the application?
Applications are reviewed by a panel of international external experts.
III. GENERAL INFORMATION RELATED TO ALL GRANTS
=> Can we build research projects with international and French universities, or must we collaborate only with EXEBIO partners?
External partnerships are possible, but they are not eligible for funding. Only EXEBIO partners can receive funding. We strongly encourage external partners to provide their own funding to complement what is requested from EXEBIO.
=> Should the cost of permanent staff in the budget spreadsheet be weighted by the percentage of their involvement in the project?
Yes.
=> Does the co-financing need to be secured when applying, or is it sufficient to indicate that it will be requested from another financing entity?
Co-financing does not need to be secured at the time of application but should be anticipated.
If the project is accepted, the 2-year period will only be granted once co-financing has been obtained.
=> Who will be responsible for managing budget lines and administrative procedures if a project is awarded: unit administrative staff or EXEBIO staff?
The unit managers are responsible for managing the budget lines.
=> Can we propose a project that is exclusively internal to URCA?
Yes. For the Emergence grant, collaboration is not mandatory. For the Interdisciplinarity grant, partners must involve at least two distinctive disciplines.
Collaboration between teams within the same laboratory is possible, only if it involves at least two distinctive disciplines.
=> Is there a maximum number of projects per grant that will be funded?
No, there is no predefined maximum number of projects per grant.
=> Are two applications per unit/platform allowed for each grant? Can more than two applications per unit be submitted if they target different grants?
Each unit/platform can submit a total of two applications per grant.
=> When looking for partners, can they come from outside or inside the EXEBIO consortium, or both?
Partners can be part of the consortium or external, or both. However, external partners must provide and secure their own funding of the project, as EXEBIO funds will not cover them (external funding is encouraged, but not required).
=> Is it allowed to submitt funding request to multiple funding bodies?
In the event that a project is submitted to multiple funding bodies (region, ANR, etc.) and that a grant from one of these funding bodies is awarded for an amount greater than the one requested from EXEBIO, the EXEBIO funding will not be granted.
=> Is any grant more open to international collaborations?
All grants are open to international collaborations.
=> Who is eligible to lead a project?
Teacher-researchers, Researchers & Research Engineers are eligible as project leaders.
=> What is the funding amount for a postdocs, PhD students, Master’s students?
Postdoc: 50k€/year (all charges and fees included)
PhD Student: 40k€/year (all charges and fees included)
Master student: 4,35€/hour (minimal hour rate in 2025 exempt of taxes as per the French law[1])
[1] Source : Gratification minimale d'un stagiaire étudiant ou élève dans une entreprise | Service-Public.fr
Specific to master students:
The amount of the master student salary is net (exempt from contributions => CSG and CRDS are not due). The hourly rate cannot be increased.
=> Is there a maximum project budget for each grant?
There is no predefined maximum project budget.
=> Does the “permanent or fixed-term contracts without funding” category include employees hired through other funding sources or voluntary employees?
Yes, this category includes employees hired under other funding sources than the ones required from EXEBIO.
=> In the budget spreadsheet, who should be listed as the person in charge of administrative and financial follow-up: the unit’s administrative manager, the unit director, or someone else?
The unit’s administrative manager should be listed as the person in charge of administrative and financial follow-up.
=> The budget required for the project shall be inclusive or exclusive of taxes?
The Institut International en Bioeconomie et Environnement EXEBIO grants, through the EXEBIO Excellence Call, financial aid to winning projects in the form of project expenses and staff expenses (equipment is excluded from funding).
The Institut EXEBIO being supported by the Agence Nationale pour la Recherche (ANR), the EXEBIO Excellence Call is therefore subject to the ANR terms and conditions, including the financial standards of the Plan d'Investissement d'Avenir (PIA) "ExcellencES sous toutes ses formes"[1].
Therefore it is important to note that, within the framework of the EXEBIO Excellence Call, and this budget spreadsheet :
- project expenses must be declared excluding VAT in the event that the university or the EXEBIO consortium beneficial member retrieves the VAT. On the contrary, expenses must be declared including VAT (all taxes included) in cases where the VAT is not retrieved by the the university nor by the EXEBIO consortium beneficial member
- all staff costs must be declared considering total payroll costs to the employer (i.e. gross salary plus employer's contributions)
[1] Excellences sous toutes ses formes (ExcellencES) - Appel à projets - 2021 | ANR
IV. DD&RSE (Sustainable Development and Social & Environmental Responsibility)
=> What is DD&RSE?
The Sustainable Development and Social & Environmental Responsibility (SD&SER) Label guarantees the commitment of schools, universities and research institutes in terms of ecological transition.
=> Why do I have to fill out the DD&RSE form?
The University of Reims Champagne Ardenne has decided to adopt Sustainable Development and Social & Environmental Responsibility (SD&SER) as a strong element of its policy for the 2024-2028 term.
The SD&SER strategy of the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA) embodies an ambitious political vision, supported by a dedicated vice-presidency. This governance structure illustrates URCA's desire to integrate ecological transition and social responsibility into the heart of its missions and daily life.
The URCA Sustainable Development – Corporate Social & Environmental Responsibility (SD DD-RSE) master plan is broken down into the five areas of the DD&RSE label framework: teaching and training, research and innovation, environmental management, social policy, strategy and governance – into which it integrates the three mandatory components defined by the MESR (Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche), which are the reduction of the establishment's carbon footprint, control of its energy consumption and the preservation of biodiversity.
=> Is it mandatory to fill out the DD&RSE form?
Yes, the DD&RS form has to be completed and uploaded with all mandatory documents, if your project is not concerned by any axis, objective or actions proposed you are invited to check the last box "Today, the project that I am submitting does not fit precisely into the objectives listed in the DD&RSE", this will not be a penalty during the assessment.
=> Will the application file submitted to the experts include the DD&RSE form?
No, the DD&RS form will not be part of the application file submitted to the experts for assessment.
V. SPECIFIC TO THE EMERGENCE GRANT
=> Can a sole unit compose the consortium of the project within the Emergence grant?
Yes, one single laboratory/platform can compose the consortium.
=> Can multiple unit compose the consortium of the project within the Emergence grant?
Yes, multiple laboratory/platform can compose the consortium.
=> Can we submit a project within the Emergence grant as a continuation of an emerging project already funded by the EXEBIO Excellence Call?
No.
VI. SPECIFIC TO THE INTERDISCIPLINARITY GRANT
=> When discussing interdisciplinary projects, does this refer to interdisciplinarity within the social sciences and humanities (e.g., Economics + Sociology + History) or between social sciences/ humanities and natural sciences/technology/health
Interdisciplinarity means that there must be at least two distinctive disciplines involved. Collaboration can occur within URCA, within the same laboratory gathering several disciplines, within the EXEBIO consortium, and with external partners.
VII. SPECIFIC TO THE RESEARCH & INNOVATION GRANT
=> Who can apply?
The project leader must be affiliated with a laboratory or platform that is a member of the EXEBIO consortium.
=> Is it mandatory to collaborate with a partner?
Yes. Each project must include at least one EXEBIO lab/platform and at least one socio-economic partner.
=> What qualifies as a socio-economic partner?
A non-academic organization such as a company, local authority, association, etc., that actively contributes to the project.
=> Can the socio-economic partner be based outside France?
Yes, and ideally, they should have a connection to the region or the project’s thematic focus.
=> Can the partner be a startup?
Yes, as long as they meet the co-funding and collaboration criteria.
=> Can a non-EXEBIO lab be involved in the project?
Yes, but at least one EXEBIO member lab/platform must be included in the consortium.
=> Is the socio-economic partner eligible to receive funds by EXEBIO grant?
The EXEBIO Research & Innovation grant is dedicated to the members of the Exebio’s consortium. In a research & innovation project, the structures inside EXEBIO’s consortium are the only structures eligible to receive funds from the grant, the partners outside of Exebio’s consortium will have to co-fund part of the project.
=> Is co-funding required?
Yes. The socio-economic partner must at least provide a co-funding for a Research & Innovation project, in order to finance the 2nd year of the post-doctoral position included in the project.
=> Does the co-financing need to be secured when applying, or is it sufficient to indicate that it will be requested from another financing entity?
Co-financing does not need to be secured at the time of application but should be anticipated.
If the project is accepted, the 2-year period will only be granted once co-financing has been obtained.
=> Can the project be submitted simultaneously to the PostDoc URCA grant?
No, the EXEBIO grants cannot be combined with the URCA grants.
VIII. SPECIFIC TO THE DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP GRANT
8.1 Application requirements
=> Is secured co-financing required for application?
No, but proof of a co-funding application must be provided in stage 2. If selected, EXEBIO funding is contingent on securing co-financing for the other half of the doctoral position.
=> Are funds for laboratory experiments or workshops included?
No, the grant only covers half of the doctoral student's salary.
=> Can I submit a project previously submitted to AllocDoc URCA?
No, duplicate submissions to AllocDoc URCA and EXEBIO are not allowed. However, applications rejected by EXEBIO may be resubmitted to AllocDoc URCA without restrictions.
8.2 Excellence criteria
= > What are the Excellence Criteria, and how many must be addressed?
Applicants must address at least one of the following:
- International mobility: at least one month abroad, detailing destination, purpose, and relevance to research.
- Interdisciplinarity/Transdisciplinarity: involving at least two disciplines, with a description of how this enriches the research.
- Collaboration with national or international external partners (external referring to partners outside the EXEBIO consortium): identifying partners, their roles, and the added value to the project.
=> Can interdisciplinarity occur within the same laboratory?
Yes, if it involves collaboration between teams representing distinct disciplines.
8.3 Supervision
=> What are the requirements for the thesis supervisor(s)?
Supervisors must:
- Hold an HDR* qualification (or equivalent for non-French supervisors)
- Provide a CV detailing past doctoral supervisions and relevant training.
- Ensure their total supervision rate does not exceed 300%.
* Academic qualification that allows a person to supervise doctoral students and lead academic research, after obtaining a PhD.
=> Can I apply if I do not hold an HDR?
Only researchers with an HDR qualification are eligible as thesis supervisor and co-supervisor, as per Doctoral School regulations. The application on the platform can be done either by the thesis supervisor and thesis co-supervisor as well as the co-advisor (without HDR qualification).
IX. SPECIFIC TO THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS GRANT
=> Which conferences are eligible?
This grant is open to applications for any congress as long as the scope is related to bioeconomy and/or the environment.
=> How many attendees minimum should the congress gather?
Minimum of 100 attendees is required.
=> What does “international” mean for the International Congress grant?
The EXEBIO International Congress grant aims to support exchanges and relationships between its scientific community and regional, national, European, and international counterparts. An international congress (with a minimum of 100 attendees) is expected to be organized in Reims on EXEBIO topics. This congress aims to bring together international scientists and/or industries and technical institutes to discuss all related bioeconomy and/or environmental themes.
The international dimension will be assessed, notably through the commitment of international scientists in the organizing committee and/or in the program, the dissemination channels, the international mobility of students etc.
X. CONTACT
Should you have any question that is not answered within this F.A.Q. please contact us directly, within the best delays respective to the application deadline at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.