Call for applications «Excellence Academy PhD Collegium» 2014 Objectives of the call for applications «Excellence Academy PhD Collegium» The Excellence Academy aims to develop the most innovative and attractive education programs of the Aix-Marseille site, at a Euro-Mediterranean level where Aix-Marseille University already belongs to the top 5 Euro-Mediterranean universities (with the universities of Milan, Padua, Pisa and Roma - La Sapienza), or to a greater international extent through the implementation of a cross-fertilization strategy aiming at fostering long-lasting alliances with some of the best universities in the world. This call for applications aims to attract the best international or external PhD students at Aix- Marseille University, awarding PhD grants as well as offering specific services, through joint supervision of theses that will foster the mobility of PhD students and develop the cooperation between Aix-Marseille University and the world's best universities. Grant: Maximum number of PhD grants awarded: 20 PhD grants will be funded for a period of three years from the beginning of the academic year 2014-2015. Besides, the operating expenses to implement the jointly supervised theses are eligible for 2 years (2014/15 and 2015/16), and could be extended in case of positive evaluation of the A*MIDEX Excellence Initiative at the end of the probation period. 1 Eligibility criteria of the applicants: The PhD applicants will have to enroll in a PhD program, through a jointly supervised thesis with a university in the discipline of the thesis. A number of key universities have been identified in the A*MIDEX project (cf. enclosed list), therefore a jointly supervised thesis with these partners would be an asset in the context of the international development strategy of the Aix-Marseille site. To be eligible, the applicant must be an excellent PhD candidate graduated from another university than Aix-Marseille University, preferably a foreign university.
Admissibility criteria: Each application must: 1. Involve one or more Doctoral Schools of the University of Aix-Marseille and be supported by Aix-Marseille University PhD Collegium; 2. Include: o The CV of the PhD applicant and the description of the proposed research topic of the thesis (which should fit into A*MIDEX priority themes); o The examination results already obtained in the university course by the PhD applicant, especially the master s exam results; o Short CVs of both co-advisors of the thesis, and their agreement to supervise the thesis. o Two recommendation letters of other referees ; o A justification of the choice of the partner university (leadership in the discipline of the thesis); o A letter of agreement from the Director of the research unit where the PhD student will be enrolled, a letter of support from the Doctoral School involved, and a letter of support from the PhD Collegium. 2 o The assent of the authority responsible for the theses enrollments in the partner university. This document can be sent to the A*MIDEX Executive Direction after the deadline of this call for applications. 3. Meet the criteria of the PhD Thesis of Aix-Marseille University PhD collegium; 4. Be submitted online, on http://amidex.univ-amu.fr/website, IN ENGLISH, before the deadline. No addition will be accepted after the closing of the submission website at the specified time, expect for the letters of support of the partner universities. Selection process: The A*MIDEX steering committee will select the Excellence Academy projects and the results will be announced to the applicants in June, 2014. Deadline to submit an application: April 30th, 2014 at 12:00, Paris time. For more information: please contact the A*MIDEX Executive Direction amidex-direction@univ-amu.fr
A*MIDEX targeted universities At Euro-Mediterranean level Geographic zone Spain Spain Universities The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Tel Aviv University Technion Institute of technology Weizmann Institute of Science University of Roma - La Sapienza University of Pisa University of Milan University of Bologna Autonomous University of Barcelona Autonomous University of Madrid Geographic zone Canada Germany Swiss United-Kingdom United-Kingdom At international level Universities McGill University University of Munich Swiss Federal Institute of technology Zurich (ETHZ) University of Oxford University of Manchester University of Harvard MIT University of Columbia University of Michigan University of Wisconsin - Madison University of California - Davis Vanderbilt University - Nashville Texas A&M University 3
Application form template A*MIDEX Call for applications PhD Collegium 2014 Important: This document must be written in English. Application cover page The first page of the file should display the following information: Project manager (PhD Supervisor at Aix-Marseille) Email Telephone Title of the thesis Name of the PhD applicant Partner university 4 Doctoral Schools involved in the project A*MIDEX priority themes Energie/ Energy Environnement, Planète & Univers/ Environment, Planet & Universe Santé & Sciences de la Vie/ Health & Life Sciences Sciences & Technologies Avancées/ Sciences & Advanced Technologies Sociétés cultures et échanges/ Societies, cultures and exchanges
Structure of the application form: I/ Detailed CV of the PhD applicant, including the exam results already obtained in the university course especially the master s exam results. II/ Presentation of the proposed research topic of the thesis and the expected outcomes especially in A*MIDEX 5 priority themes. III/ Jointly supervised thesis: - A justification of the choice of the partner university (leadership of the research area of the thesis) - Short CVs of the co-advisors of the thesis, and their agreement to supervise the thesis. - 2 recommendation letters of other referees - An estimated budget of the operating expenses to implement the jointly supervised thesis - The assent of the authority responsible for the theses enrollments in the partner university. This document can be sent to the A*MIDEX Executive Direction after the deadline of this call for applications. 5 IV/ Letters of support provided by: - the Director of the research unit where the PhD student will be enrolled, - the Doctoral School involved, - the PhD Collegium.