IMÉRA Interdisciplinary Explorations Programme┋Sustainable Development and Interdisciplinarity

Recommendations for submitting an application to the “Interdisciplinary Explorations” programme

1. The research project must be relevant to the intention of spending a research period at an institute of advanced studies based in Marseille.
2. The research project must be relevant to the themes of the ” Interdisciplinary Explorations” programme.

Conditions of application and residence

The aim of the “Sustainable Development and Interdisciplinarity” Chair is to develop research programmes at the highest international level on all the themes of sustainable development, particularly those set out in the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), based on innovative interdisciplinary approaches.

It is about investigating phenomena at different scales and helping to solve complex real-world problems that existing disciplines have not yet convincingly addressed. Areas of interest include (but are not limited to): climate change, land use change, conservation of continental and marine biodiversity, cities and urbanisation, agriculture/fisheries and food security, pollution, health, work, education, mobility, all in relation to sustainable development.

Particular attention will be paid to:

• Researchers who are developing orintend to develop interdisciplinary collaborations in practice and in the broadest sense, i.e. combining the physical sciences, the natural sciences, the humanities, the social sciences and the health sciences
• Researchers who have worked on acritical examination of the concept of sustainability and have developed a theoretical or practical analysis of its foundations and/or its implementation
• Researchers who have produced innovative and original results in their field, while developing a reflection on their own discipline and on the way in which interdisciplinary dialogue can enrich it and guide the formulation of research themes and questions, the impact in social terms and the support/guidance of policies

Timeline

• Application deadline: October 20, 2025 at 1pm (UTC + 2)
• Date of publication of results: early February 2026
• Duration of residency: 10 months (preferred)
• Period of residence: from 09/02/2026 to 06/30/2027 (10 months – full year)

Eligibility Requirements

Applications may concern any field of research developed by the IRD or its partners in the South. They should preferably be based on collaboration with one or more IRD research units at the Aix Marseille site or at national level.

Candidates meeting these 4 conditions are eligible:

• Have a contract of employment (permanent or otherwise) at a foreign university or research establishment during the residency period
• Proven scientific excellence in one of the research areas related to sustainable development
• Not have been resident in France for more than 12 months in the 3 years preceding the call for applications
• Hold a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree.

Accommodation and Compensation

The Chairholder receives a monthly allowance of €2,500.

He or she will also receive reimbursement of return travel expenses from and back to his or her country of origin and free accommodation on the Iméra site.

Selection Criteria

The criteria for assessing applications include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The scientific excellence and originality of the format for promoting the research proposed
• The researcher’s scientific excellence in line with the highest international standards in the field
• The scientific excellence of the project, and in particular its interdisciplinary dimension, which is also crucial to the researcher’s integration into the collective research dynamic at Iméra as well as the Aix Marseille Université academic ecosystem
• The ability to support scientific collaboration between the IRD and Iméra as part of the activities of the Interdisciplinarity Chair.

Application

The online application consists of the following documents:

• The completed application form (mandatory fields)
• Files to download:
  • A presentation of the research project (maximum 5 pages) followed by a selective bibliography
  • A curriculum vitae including a list of publications
  • Optional: a letter of recommendation from a person who has played a decisive role in the applicant’s scientific career.

About the Chair’s partner

The Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) is an original and unique French research organisation in the field of development research. With a focus on interdisciplinarity, the IRD organises its research around an equitable scientific partnership with developing countries, through its international network, with a view to co-producing solutions to the global challenges of development with partner scientific communities.

The IRD is thus positioning its development research as a major tool in the new international development agenda.

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