2025 China-France Outstanding Young Researchers Exchange Program under the Key Project of “Intergovernmental International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation”

2025 China-France Outstanding Young Researchers Exchange Program under the Key Project of “Intergovernmental International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation”
2025 年度 “政府间国际科技创新合作”重点专项 中法杰出青年科研人员交流计划项目

The Official Announcement in Chinese

Sponsor:
Ministry of Science and Technology

Overall Goal:
To implement the consensus reached by the heads of state of China and France and the Joint Statement of the People's Republic of China and the French Republic, continue to strengthen exchanges between young scientific researchers of the two countries, promote cooperation in priority areas and carry out joint research activities, provide scientific and technological support for the economic and social development of the two countries and for addressing global challenges such as climate change, enrich the connotation of the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership, and promote China-France scientific and technological innovation cooperation to a new level.

Funding Areas:
Healthcare, Agriculture, Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Materials, Environment (including climate change), Space and Particle Physics

Funding Details:

1. This program plans to support a total of 18 projects. Each program will fund one Chinese researcher to go to France for scientific and technological exchange activities, with a funding amount of 80,000 RMB per person, which will be used to pay for the international travel expenses, inter-city transportation expenses, accommodation expenses, food expenses, miscellaneous expenses, visa fees, and insurance fees required for the selected personnel to go to France for exchanges for 6 to 8 weeks.
2. The project implements a lump-sum funding system and does not require a budget. After the project is completed, the project leader shall prepare a final expense report for the project funds. The project has no indirect costs, and the dispatching unit shall not withhold funds. The funding should be used entirely for short-term exchanges of selected personnel, and the expenditure items only include the "international cooperation and exchange fees" in the "business expenses" of the direct costs of key special projects.
3. The funding period is 1 year, and the funded personnel should complete the 6-to-8-week exchange activities before December 31, 2025. The funding period in the application should be filled in as January 1 - December 31, 2025.

For more details, please refer to the official announcement.
 

Eligibility:
An eligible applicant should:

1. Have the nationality of the People's Republic of China;
2. Have a doctorate degree in natural science or engineering;
3. Have a professional title equivalent to associate senior or above;
4. Be not older than 45 years old (born on or after January 1, 1980)
5. The home institution of the applicant is limited to scientific research institutions (including hospitals) and universities;
6. Be physically and mentally healthy and engage in scientific research work at their home institution;
7. Have good English or French language communication skills;
8. Can guarantee to complete 6-8 weeks of scientific research exchange activities in France within 2025;
9. Commit to abide by local laws and respect local customs during the exchange in France;
10. Priority will be given to applicants who have not received funding from this program.

Application Process:
Applicants fill in and submit the project application form and attached materials online. The attached materials should include:

1. Work consent letter (see Attachment Work Consent Letter Template), which must be filled in English, and a resume in English must be attached. Applicants must contact French scientific research institutions or universities as their host institution in France and obtain a work consent letter. When submitting the materials, please send a scanned copy of the work consent letter to the designated email address of the French Embassy in China: science.pekin-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr.
2. Language level certificate and other supporting materials.

Important Dates: