MSCA COFUND – EU-DOCS
for SmUCS cotutelle thesis programme led by LR UNIV
The MSCA COFUND (Horizon Europe) project “EU-DOCS for SmUCS”, led by La Rochelle Université, will recruit 17 PhD students over a 5-year period, with the aim of training the next generation of researchers specializing in Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability (SmUCS). The project is co-financed by ExcelLR and EU-CONEXUS Plus.
Key elements of the EU-DOCS for SmUCS program
The program is designed to provide interdisciplinary training for doctoral students, based on the combined strengths of its European and international partners, and involves the joint supervision of theses by La Rochelle Université and its academic partners. Each doctoral student will benefit from double supervision and a diploma awarded by two universities, reinforcing scientific cooperation and the international skills of students.
This program is based on three fundamental principles:
Cotutelles thesis:
it emphasizes the importance of cotutelle theses in developing the international skills of doctoral students and strengthening scientific cooperation. Each doctoral student will be enrolled at two universities (La Rochelle Université and a partner university), with joint supervision, leading to a double doctoral degree. Candidates will be recruited by La Rochelle Université for the duration of their thesis.
Excellence and interdisciplinarity:
the aim is to select 17 doctoral students via two calls for applicants (in 2025 and 2026), with a focus on excellence and interdisciplinarity. PhD students will be trained to tackle societal challenges through interdisciplinary events and a 3-month secondment to a non-academic partner to ensure an intersectoral approach.
Transversal skills:
the program offers a complete training program in transversal skills, based on the European principles of innovative doctoral training and covering the essential skills required of researchers throughout their career. In collaboration with the EU-CONEXUS European Alliance’s doctoral training offer, doctoral students will benefit from a unique European perspective on these essential skills.
Timeline of the first call
This program is being launched in two stages:
- In the first phase, thesis topics are to be submitted by the research teams.
- In a second phase, the eligible thesis offers will be circulated so that candidates can apply.
Call for subjects | Launch of the call | Closing of the call | |
October 8, 2024 | November 30, 2024 | ||
Eligibility check of the thesis subjects | December 2024 | ||
Call for candidates | Launch of the call | Closing of the call | |
January 2025 | March 2025 | ||
Evaluation and selection of applicants | March to June 2025 | ||
Beginning of the theses | From September 2025 |
Call for thesis subjects: Open
The aim of this first call for proposals is to identify thesis topics that could be co-supervised by a researcher from La Rochelle University and a researcher from an EU-CONEXUS or international partner institution. Each thesis is funded for a period of 36 months. It has to be a “cotutelle” between La Rochelle Université and one of its 20 partners (cf. list below). You can use the RIIS platform to help you identify EU-CONEXUS researchers with whom you can propose a thesis subject or contact the Project Development Support Office of EU-CONEXUS (projects@eu-conexus.eu)..
An information and matchmaking session, will be held on November 4 from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm (Paris time) to help you find a co-supervisor. If you want to pitch your thesis project during this session, please send an e-mail to projects@eu-conexus.eu or the research units of La Rochelle Université .
List of partners
EU-CONEXUS partners | |
---|---|
University of Zadar | Croatia |
Frederick University | Cyprus |
University of Rostock | Germany |
Agricultural University of Athens | Greece |
South East Technlogical University | Ireland |
Klaipeda University | Lithuania |
Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest | Romania |
Catholic University of Valencia | Spain |
International partners | |
---|---|
Deakin University | Australia |
University of Calgary | Canada |
University of Sherbrooke | Canada |
University of Helsinki | Finland |
University of Cape Coast | Ghana |
Universita Degli Studi Dell’Aquila | Italy |
Sapienza University of Rome | Italy |
University of Barcelona | Spain |
Universidad Compultense de Madrid | Spain |
Universidad de Sevilla | Spain |
Case Western Reserve University | USA |
University of Science & Technology of Hanoi | Vietnam |
Eligibility criteria of the subject
EU-DOCS for SmUCS aims at recruiting the best PhD candidates in all disciplinary fields contributing to addressing the challenge of sustainability in coastal environments and societies. All the subjects deemed eligible will be published. The eligibility check is based on:
- Alignment of the subject with the objectives of the programme: quality of the subject, addressing SmUCS challenges
- Quality of the supervision provided by the co-supervisors (approval from the Doctoral schools and research laboratories).
- Compliance with the EU rules regarding ethics for research and address SmUCS challenges
- Identification of a non-academic partner or specific business/ professional area for the secondment.
- Co-supervisors should be part of the EU-DOCS for SmUCS academic partners.
Secondment
Each thesis needs to include a three months secondment with a non-academic parter, during which the PhD student will be able 1/ to experience SmUCS challenges with a hands on perspective in a work environment related to his or her sector of activity, 2/ present his/her research activity to the host structure thus sharing potential solutions and getting the opportunity to debate with stakeholders on how this can meet their future needs (impact and dissemination activities) and 3/ contribute to any reflection going on within the structure in relation to his or her research domain.
Non-academic partners may be chosen among the list of partners in EU-DOCs for SmUCS (cf. 12 partners below). This list can be extended depending on the relevance of the secondment for the PhD student in relation with the subject of the thesis. If you need help identifying a non-academic partner, please contact: eudocs_cofund@univ-lr.fr or campusinnov@univ-lr.fr
Non-Academic partner (non-exhaustive list)
Port Atlantique La Rochelle | France |
Alstom | France |
Plateforme TIPEE | France |
District 2, Municipality of Bucharest (PS2) | Romania |
Platforma 22 | Croatia |
ISOTECH | Cyprus |
Southern Regional Assembly | Ireland |
Port of Waterford | Ireland |
ProtoQSAR | Spain |
MATCH Biosystems | Spain |
MOLDRUG | Spain |
PHARMAQUA | Greece |
For any question about the programme you can contact the project team: eudocs_cofund@univ-lr.fr
“This work has benefited from State aid managed by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche under the Plan France 2030, bearing the reference ANR-21-EXES-0010 and ANR-19-GURE-0007 EU-CONEXUS Plus and is co-funded by the European Union as part of the Horizon Europe programme, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions call COFUND 2023 and under the Grant Agreement N°101179124.