Universite de Franche-Comte

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University of Franche-Comté (www.univ-fcomte.fr) is a multidisciplinary university established in different parts of the region Franche-Comté, the head of the establishment being in Besançon, with 27 different laboratories; some of them are so called “UMR” (common research team) with CNRS, CEA, INSERM or INRA. The main research areas are divided between Human sciences, Medical and Environmental sciences and Engineering sciences. UFC is deeply committed in the European Research Area, especially through participation to FP7 funded projects or transnational collaborations with Interreg IVA France-Suisse, which is one of the priorities of the UFC’s research politic. UFC has taken part to about fifteen FP7 projects.

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The VIPER Fellows will get their technical supervision and training in the Applied Mechanics Department of FEMTO-ST which currently counts 120 researchers and is part of the FEMTO-ST institute, with 700 researchers (www.femto-st.fr). Both the Applied Mechanics Department and FEMTO-ST have been ranked A+ (best possible rank) during the last AERES evaluation. Doctoral training is provided in the framework of the SPIM Doctoral School (ed-spim.univ-fcomte.fr/). About 140 PhDs per year are awarded among which 40% of foreigners. To facilitate the insertion of the researchers, help will be provided for social and administrative issues (insurance, bank, communication, medical etc.), supporting them on these approaches. During the period of the fellowship, the researcher (and family if necessary) will be located in one of the several residences offering good conditions. These residences are close to urban facilities (supermarket, post office etc.). Franche-Comté University has a mobility center which strongly helps newcomers to find a suitable accommodation and posts bail for them. From the language point of view, the CLA (cla.univ-fcomte.fr), founded in 1958, constitutes an efficient tool to support the researchers in learning French language if needed (daily work in English is obviously possible). These courses are free of charge for EU students. The CLA is one of the first centers to have developed a practical approach to the teaching of foreign languages based on research in linguistics applied to teaching and to have used modern tools and methods: laboratories, communicative methods, independent study. This methodology then led us to language teaching for specific professional purposes. Today, the CLA, an integral part of the University of Franche-Comté, welcomes nearly 4 000 students every year from all around the world. The University of Franche-Comté has recently adopted the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the recruitment of Researchers. It has therefore committed to apply the principles set for those texts. It has, in particular, and within the framework of the EURAXESS network supported by the 7th framework program, set up a mobility center aimed at helping foreign researchers with all administrative issues, including papers, social security, housing… Besides, it already upholds principles of transparency for the recruitment of researchers. Finally the University has already signed at a national level a welcome charter for foreign researchers with the Kastler foundation, the Bernard Gregory Association, and the Conference of University Presidents (CPU), which aims at enhancing the integration of foreign researchers.