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 the application?
- Research proposal form
- Budget spreadsheet
- Project leader CV
- Director’s appreciation letter
- DD&RS form
=> 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
=> What happens after I submit my application?
You will receive an email confirming that your application has been submitted. You will be informed of the final results once the entire process is complete.
=> How many stages does the EXEBIO Excellence Call follow?
The EXEBIO Excellence Call follows a one-stage procedure.
=> How does the Assessment Process look like?
- For the Emergence and Interdisciplinariy grants:
The process begins with the administrive criteria review. This 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:
The assessment process will be conducted by the Scientific Evaluation Committee.
=> Who will assess my application?
- For the Emergence and Interdisciplinary grants:
Your application will be assessed by external experts from around the world.
- For the International Congress grant:
The Scientific Evaluation Committee will assess your application.
=> Who reviews the application?
Applications are reviewed by a panel of external experts proposed (stage 1).
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.
=> In the Director’s appreciation, what does “Laboratory/platform TOP priority” refers to?
It refers to the priority assigned to two applications submitted within the same grant.
=> 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 Interdisciplinary 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 (Emergence, Interdisciplinary, International Congress)? 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.
=> What is the funding amount for a postdocs, PhD students, Master’s students?
Postdoc: 50k€/year (all charges and fees included)
PhD Student: 42k€/year (all charges and fees included)
Master student: 4,35€/hour (minimal hour rate in 2024 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&RS (Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility)
=> What is DD&RS?
The Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility (SD&SR) Label guarantees the commitment of schools, universities and research institutes in terms of ecological transition.
=> Why do I have to fill out the DD&RS form?
The University of Reims Champagne Ardenne has decided to adopt Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility (SD&SR) as a strong element of its policy for the 2024-2028 term.
The SD&SR 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 Responsibility (SD DD-RSE) master plan is broken down into the five areas of the DD&RS 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&RS 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&RS", this will not be a penalty during the assessment.
=> Will the application file submitted to the experts include the DDRS 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 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.
VIII. 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.