Atlas: Mexico and Central America > France

The Fondation Maison des sciences de l’homme (FMSH) and The Centre des Etudes Mexicaines et Centraméricaines (CEMCA) offer short-term fellowships of two months in France for postdoc researchers or university lecturers and researchers from Mexico or Central America who have presented their thesis since 2017.

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 short-term postdoctoral mobility program offered by the FMSH and its partners.

Financial details

Laureates will receive a total stipend of €3 000 for the two months (paid in 2 instalments). This financial contribution is intended to cover expenditure such as transport and accommodation costs.

In cooperation with the CEMCA, the University of Paris will pay for the plane tickets (way and back).

Moreover, the FMSH and the CEMCA will help to obtain a French visa and will bring a logistical support to organize the stay (letters for libraries…).

Eligibility criteria

Nationality/Residence: this program is open to candidates from Nicaragua, Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Belize and Mexico who are affiliated with an institution of higher education and research / institute of research based in those countries.

Educational Degree: applicants must have obtained their PhD doctorate and presented their thesis from 2017.

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 CEMCA expressing the institution’s willingness to host the applicant during the time of fellowship and explaining the work conditions offered.

Researcher’s obligations

At the end of their stay, laureates will have to provide the FMSH and the CEMCA with a report from 10 000 and 20 000 characters (spaces and notes included) presenting the work done during their stay and the benefits for their research project.

Application procedure 

Applicants will be required to submit an online application form and a scientific dossier (research project + appendices). The online application form will be available on the FMSH website on 09th January 2023. Completed proposals can be uploaded to the application portal at any time before the application deadline of March 17, 2023 5:00pm (Paris time).

Online application and scientific dossier can be submitted in French or English.

Content of scientific dossier

The research proposal: the research proposal should consist in a short presentation from 10 000 characters to 20 000 characters (spaces and references included) composed with:

1. A problematic and objective and specific aim of the research project.
2. A bibliography
3. The detailed program of the research stay (places and institutions to be visited, contacts, work plan).

Appendices :

• A Curriculum vitae (2 pages maximum)
• A list of 5 most relevant 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. Reach the online application form and enter «Researcher Workspace».
2. You have to be registered on the online platform in order to use it. If you haven’t created an account yet, you will be asked to.
3. Create your profile by filling all your personal information and then enter “create a new application”.
4. Select “Programme Atlas incoming 2022” and then the specific call "FMSH-CEMCA : Mexique et Amérique Centrale > France".
5. Fill all the information tabs.
6. In the “Documents” final tab, you will need to upload your research proposal and the appendices into one single PDF document :
   • Research proposal
   • Curriculum vitae (2 pages maximum)
   • List of 5 most relevant publications
   • Copy of the PhD diploma
   • 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.
7. You can save your application and complete it later several times if you wish, until the closure of the call for applications. Once you have submitted your application, you will no longer have the possibility to amend it. Once submitted, you will receive an automatic email confirming the submission. Applications not submitted, incomplete application forms or applications that do not match the above description will not be taken into account.

For any information on the platform or in case of you meet difficulties to use it, please contact fadili@msh-paris.fr

Evaluation process and criteria

A selection committee composed with members of FMSH, CEMCA and independent experts will analyze and proceed to final selection of applications regarding the following criteria:

• The quality of the scientific dossier and the methodology developed
• The relevance of a research stay in France regarding the scientific project and the candidate curricula
• The ability to identify scientific contacts in France

Candidates that have never benefited from the program will be prioritized.

Candidates will be informed by email of the results at the end of March / early April 2022.