Atlas: Horn of Africa > France

The Fondation Maison des Sciences de l'Homme (FMSH) and the French Center for Ethiopian Studies (CFEE) offer a short-term fellowship of two months in France for postdoc researchers from the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somaliland).

This research stay is designed to enable researchers to conduct research studies in France: field enquiries, library and archives work. 

This call is part of the Atlas Programme for short-term postdoctoral mobility launched by the FMSH and its partners.

Financial terms and conditions

Laureates will receive a monthly stipend of 1 700€ (paid at the beginning of each month of stay). This financial contribution is intended to cover expenditure such as transport and accommodation costs.

Eligibility criteria

• Nationality:
  This program is open to researchers originating from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somaliland and affiliated with an institution of higher education and research or a public or private research institute based in one of these countries. 
• Educational Degree:
  Applicants must have obtained their PhD doctorate and presented their thesis from 2018.
• Theme:
  Applicants   must   be   involved   in   research   in   social   and   human   sciences.
• French host institution:
  Before submitting their application, applicants will have to find a French research institution to host them for the time of their stay. Applicants will have to provide a letter from the hosting institution addressed to the FMSH and the CFEE expressing the institution’s willingness to host the applicant during the time of fellowship and explaining the work conditions offered.

Researchers obligations

Within 30 days after their stay, laureates will have to provide the FMSH and the CFEE with a report presenting the work done during their stay and the benefits for their research project.

Application form

Applicants must submit a form and a scientific file (research project + annexes) on an online platform. The online platform will be accessible from 15^th January, 2024. The complete applications must be uploaded on the online platform no later than March 18^th, 2024, 17:00 (Paris time).

The application form and the scientific file must be submitted in French or english.

Content of the scientific file

The research project: The research proposal (a short presentation from 10 000 characters to 20 000 characters, spaces and references included) is composed with:

1. State of art, problematic, objective and specific aim of the research project, methodology.
2. A bibliography
3. The detailed programme of the research stay (places and institutions to be visited, contacts, workplan).

• A Curriculum vitae (2 pages maximum)
• A list of publications
• A copy of the PhD diploma
• A letter from the director of the research institution in the country of origin.
• A letter of invitation from the director of the host research institution in France expressing the institution’s willingness to host the applicant during the time of fellowship and explaining the work conditions they can offer

How to apply?

1. Go to http://calls.msh-paris.fr and enter the "Researcher Workspace"
2. Log in if you have already created an account, if not, create an account
3. Fill in your profile and click on "create a new application"
4. Select "Atlas incoming 2024 Program" then the specific call "FMSH-CFEE: Horn of Africa > France "
5. Fill in all the tabs of the form
6. In the “Documents” final tab, you will need to upload your research application into one single PDF document: 
   • Research proposal
   • Signed cover letter
   • CV of maximum 2 pages and list of publications
     Copy of the PhD diploma
   • Letter from the director of the research institution in in the country of origin
   • Letter of invitation from the director of the host research institution in France
7. You can save your application without submitting it and come back to it later, or you can submit it permanently. Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automatic confirmation email. Please note that if your application is not submitted it will not be considered. Applications that are incomplete or do not match the description above will not be considered.

For any information on the platform, or in case of difficulty in using it, contact fadili@msh-paris.fr

Selection criteria and process

A selection committee composed of members of the FMSH, the CFEE and external experts will analyze and select the applications based on the following elements:

• The quality of the scientific file and the methodology developed
• The relevance of a mobility in the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somaliland) with regard to the project developed and the researcher's background
• The ability to identify scientific contacts on site

Researchers who have never benefited from the program will be given preference.