TIRIS, in line with the program’s scientific priorities, aims to provide a safe haven for threatened researchers, particularly in the humanities, climate, health and space sciences.
Faced with the threats and drastic, targeted budget cuts affecting research across the globe, Toulouse’s university community is offering to host researchers whose work is under threat. With the support of the Occitanie Region and the French government, and in line with the scientific priorities of the Toulouse Initiative for Research’s Impact on Society (TIRIS) project, this initiative is opening up the first ten hosting opportunities.
The Toulouse Safe Place for Science program which is open to researchers whatever their nationality, including French, features four schemes, detailed below.
Over the next 3 years, these funding opportunities will be open to post-docs and advanced researchers. A major effort will also be made to help those who wish to protect data whose archiving could be threatened. The program is composed of three waves of hosting of around 5 researchers each, with the first hosting decisions made in July 2025. The second wave will be starting in T4 2025.
Scientific Scope
In order to provide researchers with a suitable environment within the framework of the regional scientific strategy, the program is deployed in particular in 4 threatened areas (humanities, health, climate, space) and in coherence with the three priority areas of the TIRIS project.
Research projects must align with one of the following themes of TIRIS :
- Understanding and promoting good health and well-being
- Understanding global changes and their impact on societies
- Accelerating sustainable transitions
Reception facilities
The Toulouse Safe Place for Science program is open to researchers (of all nationalities, including French), and comprises four schemes. These are part of the TIRIS program for hosting researchers and equipping research laboratories.
- Welcoming Researchers : Hosting of tenured researchers (e.g. Associate/Full Professor) for 6 to 24 months. Funding is based on the host institution’s salary scales and may be supplemented by other sources. Permanent positions may be considered upon request. Support upon arrival via Toul’Box.
- Welcoming Post-docs : Hosting post-doctoral researchers whose careers have been interrupted, for 6 to 24 months. Funding according to current salary scales. Hosted individuals are encouraged to apply for positions at partner institutions. Support via Toul’Box.
- Welcoming Teams : Hosting teams comprising at least one tenured researcher and one doctoral or post-doctoral student. Each member submits an individual application (Researcher or Post-doc) specifying that it falls under the Welcoming Team scheme. Applications are assessed jointly.
- Welcoming Data : Support for securing critical data for current or future research, outside of consortium constraints. Applications are processed on a case-by-case basis with an appropriate financial analysis.
Evaluation and selection criteria
The selection process will take place in two phases. Candidates must first send a CV, a cover letter and a letter of support from the host laboratory* targeted in Toulouse to welcome-tiris@univ-toulouse.fr.
Candidates selected for the second phase are encouraged to send a complete application within 10 days of being notified of their selection for phase 2. Each recipient will be under contract with one of TIRIS’ partner establishments for the duration of their stay. As such, they will be subject to the associated rights and obligations.
*The Guide to Research in Western Occitania
Tool for identifying the site’s public research potential: units and their components, federative structures, doctoral schools, based on thematic or institutional criteria: https://www.univ-toulouse.fr/guide-de-recherche