Call for projects: Pacific Student Exchange

afranorg
6 minutes ago
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The Embassy of France to Australia is looking to support higher education and academic exchanges in the Pacific, as part of the Australia-France Roadmap – A New Agenda for Bilateral Cooperation, and its Pacific Shared Knowledge Initiative. The purpose of the present call is to contribute to the funding of exchange projects jointly undertaken by academics and universities based in Australia and in the French Pacific territories (New Caledonia, Wallis-and-Futuna, French Polynesia) to strengthen links between Australia the French territories.

About the call

Overview

New Caledonia, Wallis-and-Futuna and French Polynesia are essential parts of French society. Each offers a diverse landscape of sciences, environments, histories, languages, and arts, as well as a connection within the Pacific region. With strong research and higher learning organisations, they provide unique opportunities to students and researchers to work on specific projects related to the Pacific context, to further their understanding of France and the Pacific, and to initiate strong links and joint academic exchange projects.

To support research and learning, and to foster shared and mutual knowledge between France and Australia, the Embassy of France to Australia is offering grants to researchers and higher education teachers to support student exchange projects (PhD and post-doctorate level) between Australia and New Caledonia, Wallis-and-Futuna and French Polynesia.

Projects can be for research, higher learning or both. All fields of science, including humanities and social sciences are eligible to apply. Projects can take the form of summer schools, language and cultural immersion sessions, workshops, fieldwork, curriculum development, or other activities best suited to the learning or research objectives of the applicant. Projects should involve PhD students and post-docs travel to the French territories (New Caledonia, Wallis-and-Futuna and French Polynesia), or reciprocal student exchanges (PhD students and post-docs) between Australia and these territories (ex: student exchanges from New Caledonia, Wallis-and-Futuna and French Polynesia to Australia, and within the same project, student exchanges from Australia to these territories).

Applicants with projects involving more than one partner from the French territories in the Pacific, whether based on an existing collaboration or looking to initiate one, are strongly encouraged to apply.

Projects must be part of a strategic plan, within the framework of the Franco-Australian roadmap. This call is not intended to fund a single project that is not part of a medium or longer-term perspective. Successful projects will have to explain and highlight the impact of their actions in the framework of the Australia-France Roadmap.

A total budget of $50,000 AUD is available through this call. A maximum of 3 projects should be funded under this amount.

Eligibility

Applications are open to researchers and higher education staff working for an Australian or French Pacific based university or research organisation. Funding can cover travel costs for PhD and post-doctorate level students, provided they are 18 years of age or over, and enrolled in an Australian or a French university in the French Pacific territories.

Term of funding

A total of AUD50,000 (fifty thousand Australian dollars) is available for this call. The deadline for projects to be completed is 1^st October 2026.

A selection committee appointed by the Embassy of France to Australia will review the applications and select successful applications.
The Embassy of France to Australia will notify each project coordinator of the outcome of their applications and the amount allowed to successful projects.
Upon acceptance of the funding (if selected), the project coordinator agrees to:
- Include a mention of the support provided by the Embassy of France to Australia on all communication materials used for the realisation of the project;
- Comply to the Embassy of France to Australia communication terms below, and provide communication materials at least 3 (three) weeks before its use. These materials will be disseminated through the Embassy’s official communication channels;
- Provide the Embassy of France to Australia with said communication materials at least 3 (three) weeks before their use. These materials will be shared through the Embassy’s official communication channels;
- Provide the Embassy of France to Australia with a report on the outcome of the project no later than the 1^st November 2026.

Communication terms

The Embassy of France to Australia reserves the right to communicate about any public events or projects they provide funding for.

A condition of receiving a grant from the French government is the promotion of the funding provided. Grant recipients will assist the Embassy’s communication team in providing a promotional video or images about the funded project. This media will be shared with the Embassy to promote at their discretion on the official website and social media channels, following the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs’ media guidelines.

Grant recipients are encouraged to promote their project through the use of images, short videos or written text on social media. In the event that the recipient shares any information about the project funded either fully or in part by the Embassy, such funding must be mentioned either in text form or through the use of the logo. The logo can be utilised on all print materials and images. The logo will be provided to the beneficiary upon request.

Embassy official communication channels :