2025-2026 - Résidences de recherche à l'Institut d'études avancées de Paris

What the Paris IAS is looking for

The Paris IAS is looking for outstanding research projects in any topic and any discipline of the social sciences and humanities. Projects will be assessed and prioritised following four selection criteria:

1. Scientific excellence and innovation of the research project and the candidate.
2. Scientific ambition: capacity to offer insights into the functioning of human beings and societies beyond the researcher’s own discipline or field, and beond academia.
3. A strong interdisciplinary aspect.
4. Solid plans for collaboration with local scientific institutions, other fellows, and the Greater Paris research community. 

The selection process is highly competitive. Projects that do not respond explicitly to all four criteria need not apply. 

The programmes 

Fellows will be selected for 5 different programmes, all open to any discipline in the social sciences and humanities (as well as connected disciplines). All programmes (except for our research Chairs, please see below) follow the same application process, the similar selection criteria, and the same conditions:

1. Blue-sky programme - Open to highly original and groundbreaking projects in any topic and area.
2. Major societal challenges programme – Open to projects in any discipline and any topic that address issues around major societal challenges. Applicants to this programme must clearly demonstrate how their proposed topic seeks to improve the understanding and/or inform potential solutions for major contemporary societal challenges.
3. Major scientific questions programme – Open to projects that aim to address major scientific questions around the functioning of humans and societies.This programme is aimed at applicants who want to go beyond a particular research topic or case study they have previously completed to explore fundamental and broad questions about the functioning of humans and societies.
4. City of Paris programme – Open to projects in any discipline and any topic around the city of Paris or about challenges that are relevant to the city of Paris. Applicants to this programme must clearly show the relevance of their project to the understanding of the contemporary challenges that the city of Paris faces (in any domain or area). For this call, projects on education (especially regarding diversity access) and (urban) mobilities are especially encouraged.
5. Brain, Culture, and Society programme – Open to projects that research the dialogue between neuroscience and the social and human sciences. In addition to the four Paris IAS selection criteria, applicants to this programme must clearly show how their project addresses the impact of society-body-mind-brain interactions on societal challenges.

Candidates are also encouraged to apply for our research Chair programmes, which offer similar conditions but each follow a separate selection procedure and timeline (see below links for details):

1. Riksbankens Jubileumsfond Advanced Studies Programme (for Swedish Researchers)
2. The Sorbonne University - Paris IAS research Chair on “Major Societal Changes” (this year, for projects on water and patrimony)

Candidates can apply to more than a single programme or Chair if they believe their application is a good fit for more than one.

The Paris IAS reserves the right to declare a specific program vacant if no candidates are deemed to align with the selection criteria and with the Institute’s priorities.

The Paris IAS

The Paris IAS is an independent research entity that regroups 13 major universities and research institutions in the Ile-de-France Region (CNRS, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, École normale supérieure (Paris), École pratique des hautes études (Paris), Fondation Maison des sciences de l'homme, National Institute of Oriental Languages and Cultures, Sorbonne University, Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne University, Paris Cité University, Gustave Eiffel University, Paris Nanterre University, Paris-Saclay University, Sorbonne Nouvelle University). 

It benefits from the strong support of two founding members, the City of Paris and the Ile-de- France Region, which have provided the IAS with first-class facilities for work in the heart of Paris and for residents’ accommodation, as well as of the French Ministry for Education, Research and Innovation through the Labex RFIEA+.

As a place of work, meeting place and interface between the local research community and international science, the Institute stimulates high-level research whose innovative character contributes to the understanding of the social world and its transformations. As a tool of collective intelligence, it encourages interdisciplinary dialogue and the development of new research methods and perspectives within the Institute and beyond. To meet the challenges of our time and those to come, it encourages collaboration between research, administration, the economic world, and citizens. The Paris IAS is a place where openness to collaboration and appetite to walk out of one’s comfort zone is expected.

The fellowship aims to provide researchers with uninterrupted time to develop their research agenda, in ideal conditions, away from teaching and administrative responsibilities, and in a welcoming and stimulating environment. It is also the ideal place to create strong links with the exceptionally rich research ecosystem of Paris and its area: over 100,000 scientists are located within a range of  one hour or less of travel,Many major institutions are within walking distance from the Institute in the heart of Paris.  With its strong international and interdisciplinary environment, the Institute is an ideal place to take the fellow’s research to the “next level” in terms of quality, reach beyond their own discipline, and potential impact. Support includes:

• Insertion in an interdisciplinary and international community of top-level researchers
• An office, meeting and event spaces in the prestigious Hôtel de Lauzun, a 17th century mansion in the very heart of Paris, on the Île Saint-Louis.
• Daily access to the excellent restaurant of the Institute, on the ground floor of their office, with the possibility of inviting academic guests for lunch.
• A fully furnished apartment for the fellow and their family, in a comfortable building on in the midst of the campus of the Cité Internationale with its great park and services, including a station with four metro lines to all key locations in Paris’s centre and the wider region direct by metro and RER (four stations).
• Travel expenses for the fellow from their country of origin.
• Depending on individual circumstances, a living allowance for expenses in Paris and health coverage. Once fellows are admitted, a separate application will be required for this.
• Access to a large network of university libraries in Paris and contacts with local scientific partners.
• Logistical and financial support for events or for other initiatives related to their work (intersectoral collaborations, doctoral training, publications) in collaboration with local universities.
• Communication support including a scientific publication outlet (the Proceedings of the Paris Institute for Advanced Study)

Eligibility criteria 

We award fellowships to outstanding researchers of all career levels, from early career researchers to senior scientists. The minimum requirement is a PhD + 2 years of research or professional experience at the time of the application. Exceptions can be made for scholars with a Master + 6 years of full-time research or professional experience after the degree (PhD training will not be considered in the calculation of experience).

We welcome applications from any discipline in the social sciences and humanities (and connected disciplines), on any topic, and on any geographical area. Researchers from all countries are eligible, but they must have spent no more than 12 months in France during the three years prior to the application deadline.

Application and selection process

1. May 3rd, 2024 | Applicants submit online a short proposal consisting of:
   • A title and a short abstract of the proposed project (300 words max)
   • The candidate’s CV 
   • What the candidate considers to be their best paper/article/book chapter
   • Answers to a few short questions related to the selection criteria defined above (550 words max)
2. Beginning of June 2024 | Based on an evaluation of the short proposals, a list of 2025-2026 pre-selected candidates are contacted by the Institute and invited to submit a full proposal.
3. June to October 2024 | Candidates develop a full proposal of a collaborative project with local scientific partners at our member universities and other research institutions in France.
4. October 15th, 2024 | Candidates submit a final proposal consisting of:
   • A 5-page project proposal. The project must clearly present the main research questions, the topic, the data and methods, the interdisciplinary dimensions, and the potential impact for and beyond academia.
   • Collaboration letters from universities in the Paris region (priority given to the Paris IAS member universities). Joint projects are welcome.
5. December 2024 | A final list of 2025-2026 Paris IAS Invited Fellows is issued by the Paris IAS. 

Key dates

1. Call launch: April 2nd, 2024
2. Short application deadline: May 3rd, 2024
3. List of Fellow Candidates issued: Mid June, 2024
4. Candidates expected to develop project with local universities: Mid June to Mid October, 2024
5. Full proposal deadline: October 15th, 2024
6. Fellowship invitations issued: Mid December 2024
7. Start of fellowship: September 1st, 2025
8. End of fellowship: June 30th, 2026