Tools for research cooperation

New Zealand/France research cooperation is primarily driven by bottom-up initiatives from researchers. The instruments on both sides for promoting scientific exchanges and networking therefore play an important role in providing opportunities for collaboration.

FAST! Travel grants

FAST! has opened a call for applications to support the travel of early-to-mid career researchers (EMCR) and postgraduate students to attend conferences or visit collaborative research institutions. 

The Vincent Salomon FAST! Travel Award

FAST! has opened a call for applications to support the travel of early-to-mid career researchers (EMCR) to attend conferences or visit collaborative research institutions. One award will be granted, covering expenses up to $2500. Costs may include all or part of conference registration, transportation, and/or accommodation.

Eligibility

  • The proposal must be submitted by an EMCR (up to 10 years post PhD) currently working in a French or Aotearoa New Zealand institution.
  • Applicants need to be subscribed members of FAST! (link: here)
  • The conference or exchange must focus on a science, technology, engineering, or innovation theme, which includes social sciences.
  • The EMCR’s project must demonstrate a France-Aotearoa New Zealand collaborative effort. Examples include (but are not limited to) co-authors from French or Aotearoa New Zealand, host institutions in both countries, research focus on one country by a national of the other, etc.
  • The applicant can apply without having submitted their abstract e.g., if the conference is not yet open. However, the funds would only be transferred upon acceptance for an oral or poster presentation at the conference.
  • The conference or exchange must take place within one year from the award announcement.

 

Submit an application

Applications must include:

  • A copy of the submitted abstract OR a letter of invitation from the host research institution.
  • A cover letter explaining the relevance of the application to FAST!, addressing the above criteria, and outlining the applicant’s motivations. If attending a conference, please include details such as the name, date, location, and webpage. Please limit to one page and use standard font and margins. Scientific excellence will be a key selection criterion.
  • A recent CV, also limited to one page.

The application must be submitted in one single pdf file.
Please, email your application to francenzst@gmail.com with subject line using the template “initial of first name_last name_ VS Travel Award”.

 

Conditions

  1. The conference presentation must include the FAST! logo and a verbal acknowledgement to FAST! in the form of a short depiction of our mission and organisation. In the case of a collaboration, FAST! must be acknowledge in any resulting publications and/or future conference presentations.
  2. A short report must be provided to FAST! by the successful applicant following the conference or exchange.

FAST! will select diverse scientific areas and the selection committee will make the final decision.

FAST! Student travel Award

FAST! has opened a call for applications to support postgraduate student travel to attend conferences or visit collaborative research institutions. Three scholarships will be awarded, each covering expenses up to $800. Costs may include all or part of conference registration, transportation, and/or accommodation.

Eligibility

  • The proposal must be submitted by a student currently enrolled in a postgraduate program at a tertiary institution in France or Aotearoa New Zealand.
  • Applicants need to be subscribed members of FAST! (link: here)
  • The conference or exchange must focus on a science, technology, engineering, or innovation theme, which includes social sciences.
  • The student’s project must demonstrate a France-Aotearoa New Zealand collaborative effort. Examples include (but are not limited to) co-authors from French or Aotearoa New Zealand, host institutions in both countries, research focus on one country by a national of the other, etc.
  • The applicant can apply without having submitted their abstract e.g., if the conference is not yet open. However, the funds would only be transferred upon acceptance for an oral or poster presentation at the conference.
  • The conference or exchange must take place within one year from the award announcement.

 

Submit an application

Applications must include:

  • A copy of the submitted abstract OR a letter of invitation from the host research institution.
  • A cover letter explaining the relevance of the application to FAST!, addressing the above criteria, and outlining the applicant’s motivations. If attending a conference, please include details such as the name, date, location, and webpage. Please limit to one page and use standard font and margins. How this award can contribute to the development of students’ careers will be a key selection criterion.
  • A recent CV, also limited to one page.

The application must be submitted in one single pdf file.
Please, email your application to francenzst@gmail.com with subject line using the template “initial of first name_last name_ Student Conference Award”.

Conditions

  1. The conference presentation must include the FAST! logo and a verbal acknowledgement to FAST! in the form of a short depiction of our mission and organisation. In the case of a collaboration, FAST! must be acknowledge in any resulting publications and/or future conference presentations.
  2. A short report must be provided to FAST! by the successful applicant following the conference or exchange.

FAST! will select diverse scientific areas and the selection committee will make the final decision.

Opening : 28/11/2025

Closing : 30/01/2026

Result : mid – February

CNRS International Cooperation Tool Kit

The French National Centre on Scientific Research (Centre National de Recherche Scientifique – CNRS) has developed four programs to give institutional visibility to strategic cooperations:

  • International Emerging Action – IEA
  • International Research Project IRP
  • International Research Network IRN
  • International Research Laboratory – IRN

These programs can support mobility of researchers and small equipment, create a research network, or structure a collaborative work through an LIA or UMI. Each program presents specificities in terms of eligibility, funding, and duration.

Dumont Durville Programme and Catalyst: Seeding

The Dumont d’Urville programme is a travel grant scheme between France and New Zealand. The fund was established in 2005 and funded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs supported by the Ministry of Research and Higher Education, and New Zealand’s Ministry for Business, Innovation & Employment. The programme is administrate by the French Embassy, Campus France, and the Royal Society of New Zealand. Nearly 70 projects have been funded since its inception. All research fields are eligible, but over the past years it has particularly supported collaboration in agronomy and agriculture, and nanosciences.

In 2015, the New Zealand Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment re-shaped its international research support to provide a more simplified and streamlined fund that better supports high quality international science collaborations for New Zealand. The fund is called ‘Catalyst’ and consists of four funding streams that target investment in leadership, influence, seeding and strategic cooperation. The Dumont d’Urville programme is maintained under Catalyst : seeding.

The French partner is now eligible for up to 10 000 EUR per year per project for travel and per diem (accommodation and food). In addition, the New Zealand partner is now eligible for up to 80 000 NZD per project for up to two years to support travel, research expenses and expenses related to hosting workshops.

A project must be submitted twice: on the Campus France website by the French research group, and on the Royal Society Te Apārangi portal for the New Zealand partner.

IRP AgriForAdapt

Littoral, Environnement, Télédétection, Géomatique – Hervé Quenol

Manaaki Whenua Landcare Researchy

High resolution scenarios of adaptation strategies to climate change of perennial agroecosystems

2024 – 2028

IRN PRATIO

CNRS Evolution, Ecologie, Paléontologie – GNS Science

Evolution, Ecologie, Paléontologie / Lille – Taniel Danelian 

Department Environment & Climate Theme – Guiseppe Cortese

WPolycystine Radiolaria As a proxy To explore Issues On global environmental change and plankton ecology, biodiversity and biogeochemistry

Other members : Japan, Allemagne, USA

2021 – 2025

IRP WALL-IN

CNRS Ingénierie – University of Auckland

Laboratoire interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne – Julien Fatome

Faculty of Science, Physics – Stéphane Coen

Confining walls-of-Light in nonlinear Kerr resonators

2021 – 2025

IEA BIOMECATRIA

CNRS Ingénierie – University of Auckland 

CREATIS  – Olivia Monica Sigovan

Auckland Bioengineering Institute – Martyn Nash

Atrial biomechanics in stroke risk stratification

2024 – 2025

Pacific Funds

Created in 1985 by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, the Pacific Fund has been funding projects contributing to the regional cooperation of New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Wallis and Futuna. On average, every year two new projects involve a New Zealand research institute and benefit from an average grant of 30.000€ per project. Current funded research areas cover climate change, risk mitigation for natural disasters, economic and industrial projects, health safety and food safety.

Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases

Launched in 2009, the Global Research Alliance brings 49 countries together to find ways to grow more food while limiting greenhouse gas emissions. The alliance is divided into four research groups addressing challenges related to paddy rice, livestock, croplands, and developing an integrative research approach. New Zealand hosts the Alliance Secretariat which supports the work of the Research Groups and Council.

The New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries sponsored the creation of an international capability in livestock emission research with the LEARN awards scheme supporting technical training, co-funded PhD scholarships, Postdoctoral Fellowships and Senior scientist awards. New Zealand partner institutions include AgResearch, Landcare Research- Manaaki Whenua, Massey University, the Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre, the University of Waikato. France is part of the integrative research group and French partners are CIRAD, INRA, and the Ministère de l’Agriculture et de l’Alimentaire.