Funding for International Research and Mobility - 2025
[OPEN- 06/10/2025]
Applications accepted on a rolling basis until 6 October 2025 (final date for submission)
As part of its Initiative of Excellence, the University of Lille is launching a new call to support international cooperation projects developed in connection with two of its strategic networks: the 3i University Network (KU Leuven, Ghent University, University of Kent, University of Lille) and the European Alliance NeurotechEU (European University of Brain and Technology).
This scheme aims to foster impactful and sustainable collaborations with high-level international partners. It supports both outgoing mobility and collaborative initiatives, in order to strengthen research and training partnerships, prepare joint applications for international funding, or organise international events involving 3i or NeurotechEU partners.
Funding may cover travel costs, consumables, or services (excluding salaries), up to a maximum of €3,000 per project.
The call is open to:
academic staff
research staff
support and administrative staff
⇒ from the University of Lille and its affiliated institutions: Centrale Lille, CNRS, Inserm, Inria, INRAE, IMT Nord Europe, CHU Lille, and Institut Pasteur de Lille.
Please note that this scheme is not open to PhD students.
Projects already funded under the 3i Network in the past two years are not eligible. All funded activities must take place in 2025 and be completed by 31 December 2025.
Applications will be evaluated as they are received. Once approved, funding will be allocated without waiting for the final deadline. We therefore encourage early submissions.
To apply, please send your application form to: internationalnetworks@univ-lille.fr File name: FundingNetwork_2025_[ProjectAcronym]
You can download the full call and the application form here:
DuneFront
Coastal safety and protection by Dune-Dike Nature-based Solutions
In the field of coastal protection and biodiversity conservation, the DuneFront project is progressing steadily. Supported by the 3i Universiy Network, the project got funded by tge European Commission's Horizon Europe Programme and is led by Ghent University. DuneFront aims to optimize solutions that combine natural elements like dunes with man-made structures (hybrid Dune-by-Dike Nature-based solutions (DD-hybrid NbS)).
The Cross-Channel Health Humanities Network (C2H2N) aims to leverage arts and humanities for health and well-being in the Kent, Hauts-de-France, and Flanders regions. Recognizing the growing interest from partners from the 3i-University Network and wider non-academic sectors, a networking event was organized to bring together stakeholders from various backgrounds. Initially planned as a series, it was consolidated into one event held in Ghent on September 28, 2023. With over 90 attendees from diverse fields including academia, healthcare, arts, and heritage, the event aimed to foster collaborative relationships and identify opportunities for future projects and grant applications. Key activities included presentations, roundtable discussions, short talks, and panel sessions addressing topics such as medical humanities, autistic narratives, art therapy, and health narratives. The outcomes included a program of interdisciplinary talks, networking opportunities, recordings for future research and grant applications, and discussions on further collaboration and funding avenues. Overall, the event facilitated meaningful dialogue and laid the groundwork for future initiatives at the intersection of arts and health.
Supported by the 3i University Network in 2023–2024, the EARN project (Ethical Age Research Network) brought together experts in biometric systems engineering and law & technology to explore the challenges and future directions of facial age verification technologies.
Led by Prof. Richard Guest (University of Kent), in collaboration with Prof. Eva Lievens (Ghent University) and Martin Sas (KU Leuven), the project aimed to define a roadmap for the responsible deployment of these technologies, with a focus on fairness, explainability, and compliance with legal standards.
From Concept to Collaboration Three interdisciplinary workshops were organised throughout 2024 at the partner universities (Ghent, Kent, Leuven). These meetings enabled in-depth discussion between researchers in computer science, law, and ethics, with the active participation of Ingenium Biometrics, a UK-based test lab specialising in age estimation.
Key outcomes of the project include:
A white paper on the current state of face-based age verification systems
A publicly available research roadmap:📄 “Facial Age Estimation: A Research Roadmap for Technological and Legal Development and Deployment” - Read the publication
An interview with the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology in January 2025
What’s Next? The partners are now building on the project’s momentum by extending their academic and industrial collaborations. They are exploring further opportunities for joint publications, new research initiatives, and participation in international conferences — such as the panel session at the CPDP Conference (May 2025) and the preparation of a Marie Curie Doctoral Network application later this year.
