Merlion is the Franco-Singaporean Hubert Curien Partnership (PHC), co-funded in France by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE) and in Singapore by National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU), Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).

The Call for Proposals is given on an annual basis.

Application deadline for 2023 : 04/09/2023

Version française disponible ici.

 

The Merlion programme aims to create or strengthen bilateral scientific cooperation between France and Singapore. This programme was created in 2006 and is implemented by the Embassy of France in Singapore and the following Singaporean partners:

  • National University of Singapore (NUS),
  • Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU),
  • Singapore Management University (SMU),
  • Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
  • The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

The purpose of the Merlion programme is to:

  • provide support for joint scientific and technological projects,
  • enable scientists to meet and implement collaborative projects,
  • encourage the creation and development of scientific networks between France and Singapore and joint research laboratories,
  • facilitate technology transfer and the creation of start-ups.

This programme is based on the following principles:

  • Open and clear procedure for the call for proposals,
  • Scientific evaluation of the proposals by experts in their respective fields,
  • Flexibility and simplicity,
  • Visibility of the cooperative activities between the French and Singaporean parties,
  • Joint selection and co-funding between the French and Singaporean partners.

The Merlion programme is co-funded in Singapore by the Singaporean partner institutions and in France by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. The grant given to the French side is not intended to support the research work itself but will enable the implementation of international cooperation such as exchanges or visits, thus mainly for logistical purposes.

The Merlion programme consists of three types:  

  • Merlion Project
  • Merlion Workshop
  • Merlion Ph.D
     

Call for Proposals

Logo RF 2020

Important: this page presents information that is specific to the Merlion program. For general information about all PHC-programs managed by Campus France (presentation, selection criteria, contacts…), please refer to the general PHC presentation (in French)

Types of eligible proposals

The objective of this programme is to develop scientific and technological exchanges between the laboratories of the two countries, by encouraging new cooperation and the participation of young researchers and PhD students.

  • Merlion Project funds the travel to Singapore of researchers, PhD students or post-docs from France, as well as the travel of Singapore-based researchers, PhD students or post-docs to France.
  • Merlion Workshop supports the organisation of bilateral scientific workshops that can be held either in Singapore or France.
  • Merlion PhD funds the mobility from Singapore to France of PhD students involved in a collaboration between France and Singapore.

This programme covers all scientific research areas.

 

Eligibility conditions

Merlion Project

The call is open to researchers and professors working in research organisations or higher education institutions in France or in Singapore. Each proposal must have a French coordinator and a Singaporean coordinator, whose affiliations should be clearly identified.

Merlion Workshop

The call is open to researchers and professors working in research organisations or higher education institutions in France or in Singapore. Each proposal must have a coordinator in France and a coordinator in Singapore, whose affiliations should be clearly identified.

Merlion PhD

The PhD student involved in a French-Singaporean research project must be enrolled in a Singaporean university at the time of the application. Each proposal must have a coordinator in France and a coordinator in Singapore, whose affiliations should be clearly identified. In the case of a joint PhD, the Singaporean and French coordinators will be the co-supervisors of the PhD thesis, barring exceptions.

The researchers involved in the project must have the support of their respective host institutions. A letter of support from the research institutions or universities involved in the project may be submitted with the application.

Private companies may participate in the project as long as they are associated with an academic partner.

 

Evaluation criteria

  • Scientific quality of the project and the teams,
  • Involvement of young researchers, especially PhDs or post-docs,
  • Value of the collaboration and the complementarity of the French and foreign teams,
  • Possibilities of structuring and the valorisation of the project,
  • Relevant expertise of the French and Singaporean teams involved,
  • Bilateral cooperation opportunities post-Merlion.

 

Proposal Selection Committee

Eligible proposals will be subject to two separate scientific evaluations by each of the two sides.

For the French side, the Delegation for European and International Affairs (DAEI) Ministry of Higher Education and Research will undertake the scientific evaluation of the proposals. 

For the Singaporean side, the proposals will be evaluated by the respective partner universities: National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU), Singapore Management University (SMU), the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), and A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research).

A joint committee of experts and institutions from both countries will select the projects based on the :

  • scientific evaluations conducted by both parties,
  • strategic advice of the French and Singaporean experts of the committee.

 

Operating procedures

The funding duration of the projects is one year for the Merlion Workshop, two years for the Merlion Project and three years for the Merlion PhD programme.

The Merlion programme is based on co-funding. The Embassy of France in Singapore will provide the French coordinator with a budget for which spending will be implemented by the Campus France Agency, and the Singaporean partner (research institution or university) will provide to the Singaporean coordinator a budget whose expenditure will be managed by the institution.

On the French side, the funding is given on an annual basis, and must be used between 1 January and 31 December of the year in question and cannot be carried over to the next financial year.

The availability of the funding for a second year is subject to the:

  • Optimal use of the funding given in the first year,
  • Submission of a progress report stating the scientific results obtained (one page in any format) and the bilateral visits carried out or planned before the end of the current year,
  • Drafting of a financial statement before the end of the calendar year outlining the actions carried out or planned.

The progress report and the financial statement must be sent to the Embassy of France in Singapore before 31 October of the first year (see the contact details below).

Merlion Project

The maximum amount allocated is 30,000 euros for the two years for the two sides.

Merlion programme is based on the principle of co-funding; thus the French Embassy and the partner Singaporean institution might each finance up to 7,500 euros per year per project.

The Embassy of France in Singapore and the Singaporean institution participating in the project agree to allocate funds for at least one stay in France or Singapore each year. However, please note that the Embassy of France in Singapore and Singaporean partners reserve the right to decide the amount allocated to each project each year, even if the maximum amount has not been fully utilised.

The financial participation of an industrial partner is strongly encouraged.

Merlion Workshop

The estimated budget has to clearly state all the expenses and revenue (Merlion budget requested from the French and Singaporean sides, sponsorship from private companies, foundations, other institutions etc.). The total funding is not restricted to the Embassy of France in Singapore and the Singaporean partner. The total amount provided by both partners to fund the workshop is up to €20,000This is a one-time grant given for logistical expenses directly linked to the organisation of the workshop.

The amount allocated to the selected proposals will be made known at the point of selection. A final report will have to be submitted (see Proposal Follow-up).

Merlion PhD

The Embassy of France in Singapore will fund the travel of Singapore-based PhD students to France whose research projects must be a collaboration between a Singaporean and French institution. This grant allows the PhD student to spend up to 18 months over a period of 3 years in France, subject to a maximum of 6 months in any given year.

Singapore-based applicants who receive a scholarship from a Singaporean institution are eligible for the Merlion PhD scholarship and may combine several sources of funding.

 

Eligible Expenditure

Merlion Project

The financial support of a Merlion project is done in two ways:

1. Travel to Singapore for France-based researchers

The travel costs are borne by the French side and cover exclusively the allowances and travel expenses of the researchers in the French teams:

  • Allowances: EUR 180/day, for a maximum of 10 days,
  • Travel: reimbursement of the effective expenditure subject to a maximum of EUR 1400 per return trip.
2. Travel to France for Singapore-based researchers

The travel costs are borne by the Singaporean partners, according to the rules of each institution, the daily allowances will be given for a maximum of 10 days.

Séjour Merlion

There is no limit to the number of missions to be undertaken during the calendar year, provided that the total funding does not exceed that allocated per year to the project. Any other funding necessary for the implementation of the joint projects must be provided by the partner laboratories with their own resources or by other sources.

Merlion Workshop

The financial support of a Merlion workshop (total amount of which cannot exceed 20,000€) is done in two ways:

1. Workshop held in Singapore

The budget allocated by the French side covers exclusively the allowances and travel expenses of the researchers in the French team and the budget allocated by the Singaporean side covers the expenses related to the organisation of the workshop.

2. Workshop held in France

The budget allocated by the Singaporean side covers the mobility expenses of the researchers in the Singaporean team and the budget allocated by the French side covers the expenses related to the organisation of the workshop: rental of a conference room and of media equipment, expenses for food, interpretation, printing of documents, etc., excluding the purchase of any item.

Merlion PhD

This grant allows the PhD student to spend up to 18 months over a period of 3 years in France, subject to a maximum of 6 months in any given year.

The student will receive:

  • One return air ticket subject to a maximum of EUR 1,150
  • A monthly allowance of about EUR 700 per month
  • A free visa
  • Medical and civil liability insurance coverage.
     

Intellectual Property

It is the responsibility of the project coordinators to take all necessary precautions for the protection of intellectual property.

Please read carefully the attached document on best practices including intellectual property rules. The submission of the project includes the adhesion to these rules by all the parties involved.

The submitted proposals may be subject, on the French side, to review under PPST (Protection of Scientific and Technical Potential and Economic Intelligence). More information here: https://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/cid27031/protection-du-potentiel-scientifique-et-technique-et-intelligence-economique-p.p.s.t.html

 

Proposal Follow-up

The renewal of the funding support given to a Merlion project for a second year is subject to an interim report (one page in any format mentioning the scientific results obtained) accompanied by a scientific and financial report of the actions carried out or planned before the end of the calendar year, to be drafted by the P.I.

A final report is to be sent to the Embassy of France in Singapore (see the contact details below) no later than three months after the end of the programme for the projects. French PIs are specifically requested to use the downloadable report template and attach it to their online submissions after completing the report.

This same document must be also sent to the Singaporean partner. In this final report, particular attention is to be paid to the scientific publications, papers and events carried out under the project.

An annual visit to the Embassy of France in Singapore is advisable, as long as it does not incur additional costs, to briefly present the work of the team and increase the visibility of the project.

Publications: to be validated as a scientific output, publications (articles in reviews or specialised journals and papers presented in congresses or conferences), and reports, must explicitly mention the Merlion programme and the support given by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE), and the Singaporean Partner.

 

Practical steps for the submission of a proposal

Before making an enquiry, we invite you to check the Q&A section (available here in French).

  • Launch of the call for applications: 5 June 2023
  • Deadline for the submission of applications : 4 September 2023
  • Release date of the results on the CampusFrance website  http://chercheurs.campusfrance.org February 2024
  • Start date of the selected proposals :  March 2024
  • Release of the budget : March 2024

 

How to Apply

Programme coordinators are encouraged to submit their proposals early to avoid technical issues which may compromise a submission within the deadline. All submissions must be in English.

To submit a Merlion Project or a Merlion PhD, please submit your proposal by following the link: “Candidater à un PHC

To submit a Merlion Workshop, please submit your proposal by following the link: “Candidater à un Atelier conjoint PHC

One programme coordinator should submit the proposal via the dedicated page on the Campus France website, as indicated below:

Managing your trips

For each trip from France to Singapore, the French PI is required to fill in a commitment form and send it to Campus France at least 3 weeks before the intended departure of the researcher, to the email address indicated on the back of the form. He / She must also send a copy of this completed form to the French Embassy in Singapore.

  • Commitment form* to be used for the mobility setup of the  Researchers and PhD Students involved in a Merlion Project.
  • Commitment form* to be used for the mobility setup of the Merlion Workshop.

*Note that these forms are only available in French.

He / She must also send a copy of this completed form to the French Embassy in Singapore.

For trips from Singapore to France, the researcher is required to follow the instructions given by his/her host institution.

All requests for trips to France in the framework of the Merlion PhD programme are managed by the Science Section of the French Embassy in Singapore. For further information, please contact : sciences.singapour-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr

 

Contacts

For the French side: 

Mrs Apolline Lauriano
Science Officer
Embassy of France in Singapore

Address: 101-103 Cluny Park Road, Singapore 259595

Phone: +65 6880 7851

Email: apolline.lauriano@diplomatie.gouv.fr

 

Campus France
Gestion PHC

01 40 40 58 48
28 rue de la Grange-aux-Belles
75010 Paris
Email: 
extranet@campusfrance.org

 

For the Singaporean partners: 

  • National University of Singapore (NUS)

 

Ms Radhiga K Mohan
Office of the Deputy President (Research and Technology)
National University of Singapore
University Hall, Lee Kong Chian Wing, UHL #05-02, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119077
DID: +65 6516 4823
Mail : 
rkm@nus.edu.sg 
Website : 
http://nus.edu.sg  

 

  • Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU)

 

Dr Gan Pei Pei
Senior Assistant Manager, Research Support Office
Nanyang Technological University

50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798
DID: +65 6514 8357
Mail : 
Ganpeipei@ntu.edu.sg
Website : https://www.ntu.edu.sg/Pages/home.aspx

 

Ms Priscilla Sim Kar Bee
Senior Executive
Nanyang Technological University

50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798
DID: +65 6592 7532
Mail : 
pkbsim@ntu.edu.sg
Website : https://www.ntu.edu.sg/Pages/home.aspx

 

  • Singapore Management University (SMU)

Mr Low Wai Chong
Senior Associate Director, Office of Research & Tech Transfer
Singapore Management University

81 Victoria Street, Singapore 188065
Mail : 
waichonglow@smu.edu.sg
Tel: +65 68280803
Website : 
https://www.smu.edu.sg/

 

Ms Fitrina Yuvitasari
Manager, Office of Research & Tech Transfer
Singapore Management University
81 Victoria Street, Singapore 188065
Mail: fitrinay@smu.edu.sg
Tel: +65 68280383
Website : https://www.smu.edu.sg/ 

  • Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)

Ms Goy Hsu Ann
Director, Office of Research
Singapore University of Technology and Design

8 Somapah Rd, Singapore 487372
Mail : 
hsuann_goy@sutd.edu.sg
Website : https://www.sutd.edu.sg/ 

Ms Nur Faadiyah D/O K P B Noorul Amee
Senior Officer, Office of Research
SUTD
Singapore University of Technology and Design
Mail : nur_faadiyah@sutd.edu.sg
Website : https://www.sutd.edu.sg/

 

  • Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

Mr Ong Hong Ren
Manager, Research Administration and Management, Research Office
Agency for Science, Technology and Research
1 Fusionopolis Way, Connexis North L18, Singapore 138632
Mail : ong_hong_ren@hq.a-star.edu.sg
Website : https://www.a-star.edu.sg/

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