The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has announced the opening of applications for the 10th Phase of the PERIDOT Mobility grant program. This initiative provides Pakistani researchers with the opportunity to collaborate with their French counterparts in joint research activities. The program is part of the Franco-Pakistani Hubert Curien Partnership (PHC) Program, aiming to foster scientific and technological cooperation between higher education institutions and research laboratories in both countries.
Eligibility and Application Process:
To be eligible for the PERIDOT Mobility grant, applicants must be regular faculty members of public or private higher education institutions in Pakistan and hold a PhD or equivalent degree. The application process involves the submission of joint research proposals through the HEC’s online portal. The proposals will undergo a merit-based, transparent, and competitive evaluation by independent experts from both France and Pakistan.
Research Areas and Funding:
The mobility grant focuses on research in three key areas:
- Sustainable Energy, Environment, Climate Change
- Agriculture, Food Security, Health
- Humanities and Social Sciences
Projects addressing social challenges related to environmental issues will be particularly encouraged. The funding for the main research project will be equally shared by the HEC and its French counterpart.
This grant will cover travel and living expenses for researchers involved in the projects visiting Pakistan and France.
Support for Young Researchers:
The PERIDOT program also aims to support the mobility of young researchers, especially doctoral students working under the principal investigator’s supervision.
To participate, the host institution must have the necessary capacities to accommodate visiting fellows.
Application Requirements:
Applicants are required to upload their joint application, which should have already been submitted on the Campus France portal, in the document section during the application process.
Additional Information:
For further information and inquiries, interested individuals can contact the respective representatives from France and Pakistan:
- In French universities: Director of International Relations in the concerned university.
- In Pakistani universities: Director of HEC’s Offices of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization (ORICs). For non-ORIC Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), contact the Director Board of Advance Studies & Research of the university.
