Government of France - Ecos-Sud Programme

What the Ecos-Sud programme funds

Ecos-Sud covers the travel and subsistence costs that enable French and Latin American research teams to work together on a project. The programme covers short research stays of at least 14 days for established researchers, i.e. airfare and a daily allowance. It also funds stays abroad of around 30 days for PhD students, so that young researchers can spend time in a laboratory in the partner country. Each party covers the travel costs of its own researchers and provides accommodation for the visiting team. The projects run for 3 years, or 2 years in the case of Argentina, and cannot be extended. The programme is jointly run by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Research, together with the national research agencies of Argentina (SICYT), Chile (ANID) and Uruguay (UDELAR). Please note that there is no monthly cash allowance for individuals.

Who can apply

• What you apply as: A research team, not an individual. You are submitting a joint Franco-Latin American project, not an individual scholarship application.
• Partner countries: The project must establish a link between France and Argentina, Chile or Uruguay.
• Field of study: All academic disciplines are open for consideration, ranging from the life sciences through physics, chemistry and mathematics to the earth sciences and the humanities. Interdisciplinary projects are particularly welcome.
• Lead researcher: The French project leader must be employed at a recognised, officially accredited research laboratory.
• Team makeup: Each team must have at least two permanent researchers or academic staff with a research remit. At least one member must hold the HDR qualification, which is the French accreditation required to supervise doctoral students.
• Young researchers: Each team must include at least one early-career researcher at PhD or Master’s level. The integration and training of PhD students is a key objective.
• One project rule: You may only lead one project. If you are already involved in an ongoing Ecos-Sud project, you cannot submit a new project.

How to apply

The French project leader submits the application online. At the same time, the partner submits an identical application to their own national agency. The deadlines vary by country: 15 April for Argentina, 15 May for Uruguay and 8 September for Chile. Experts from both sides assess the projects, and the two national committees make a joint decision. The results are available at the end of the year, and the projects begin the following January.

How realistic are your chances?

As this is a competitive research grant assessed on the basis of scientific quality, your chances of success depend on having a truly balanced team of French and Latin American researchers, as well as a well-thought-out joint project. Funding is limited to three partner countries and requires an established laboratory and a supervisor with an HDR qualification, meaning the field is more restricted than in open calls for proposals. If your team clearly meets these conditions and gives PhD students a genuine role, your project stands a good chance of success.