🤝 HEC PERIDOT Mobility Grant Programme Phase-XIII (2026) — Franco-Pakistani Joint Research Funding. 🇵🇰🇫🇷 Faculty Members of Pakistani Universities | Health, Sustainable Energy, Agriculture, Climate Change Economics | Collaborate with French Researchers | Mobility Costs Covered | Deadline: 30 September 2026 (4 PM PST).
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Joint Application Deadline: 30 September 2026 (1600 PST) | Portal Opens: 6 July 2026 | Submit to HEC & Campus France
🤝 HEC PERIDOT Mobility Grant Programme Phase-XIII — Complete Guide for Pakistani Faculty
The Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan is now inviting joint research proposals from faculty members of public and private Pakistani universities for the PERIDOT Mobility Grant Programme Phase-XIII. PERIDOT is the prestigious Franco-Pakistani Hubert Curien Partnership (PHC), jointly implemented by HEC in Pakistan and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Development (MAEDI) and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR) in France.
This grant is specifically designed to foster new scientific and technological cooperation between Pakistani and French higher education institutions and research laboratories. It achieves this by funding the mobility of researchers — covering travel and living costs for exchange visits — enabling collaborative work on cutting-edge topics. This Phase-XIII focuses on three strategic areas: Health Sciences; Sustainable Energy, Agriculture & Food Security; and Economics of Climate Change. The online portal opens on 6 July 2026, and the strict deadline for joint applications is 30 September 2026 at 4:00 PM Pakistan Standard Time. A joint application with a French collaborator, submitted to Campus France, is a mandatory pre-requisite.
📊 Programme Overview
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Programme Name | PERIDOT Mobility Grant Programme Phase-XIII |
| Partnership | Franco-Pakistani Hubert Curien Partnership (PHC) |
| Implementing Bodies | HEC (Pakistan) & MAEDI/MESR (France) |
| Objective | Develop new S&T cooperation; support researcher mobility |
| Target Applicants | Pakistani faculty members of public and private universities (with a French co-applicant) |
| Funding Type | Mobility grant (travel, living allowance for exchange visits) |
| Priority Research Areas | 1. Health Sciences 2. Sustainable Energy, Agriculture & Food Security 3. Economics of Climate Change |
| Online Portal Opens | 6 July 2026 |
| Application Deadline | 30 September 2026, 1600 hours (PST) |
| Mandatory Pre-requisite | Joint application submitted to Campus France by the French partner |
| Official Website | hec.gov.pk/site/PERIDOT |
🏛️ About the PERIDOT Mobility Grant
The PERIDOT Programme is named after the gemstone, symbolizing the precious and multifaceted nature of the Franco-Pakistani academic relationship. It is part of the global network of Hubert Curien Partnerships, which are bilateral programmes designed to promote scientific exchange between France and partner countries. In Pakistan, HEC manages the programme and funds the mobility of Pakistani researchers to France, while the French side funds the mobility of French researchers to Pakistan. The grant typically covers international airfare, a daily living allowance (per diem), and accommodation expenses for short-term research stays, enabling scientists to carry out joint experiments, fieldwork, and publication drafting.
This specific Phase-XIII call is strategically aligned with global challenges: improving public health, ensuring food and energy sustainability, and understanding the economic dimensions of climate change. Successful projects are expected to lead to joint publications, patent applications, and the foundation for larger collaborative research grants in the future.
🔬 Priority Research Areas
Proposals must fall within one of these three broad themes. Interdisciplinary proposals bridging these areas are also welcome.
- 1. Health Sciences: Includes biomedical research, public health, epidemiology, drug discovery, non-communicable diseases, infectious diseases, and health systems research.
- 2. Sustainable Energy, Agriculture & Food Security: Covers renewable energy technologies, smart grids, energy storage, climate-smart agriculture, precision farming, water management, food supply chains, and post-harvest technologies.
- 3. Economics of Climate Change: Encompasses climate finance, carbon markets, environmental economics, climate risk assessment, green growth, policy analysis, and the socio-economic impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities.
💰 What the Grant Covers
This is a mobility grant, not a full research project grant. It provides the financial means for researchers to travel and stay in the partner country. The exact grant amount is determined by the duration and number of exchanges. Typically, PERIDOT funds:
- International Round-Trip Airfare: Economy class tickets between Pakistan and France for the principal investigators and early-career researchers.
- Daily Living Allowance (Per Diem): A fixed daily stipend to cover accommodation, meals, and local transport during the stay in the host country.
- Visa and Travel Insurance Costs: Reimbursement or direct coverage of visa fees and mandatory health/travel insurance for the duration of the mobility.
- Multiple Visits: The grant typically supports multiple exchange visits over a two-year period, allowing for sustained collaboration.
✅ Eligibility & Requirements
- Principal Applicant (Pakistan Side): Must be a full-time faculty member (Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, or Lecturer) at a public or private university recognized by HEC. PhD researchers and post-doctoral fellows may be included as team members.
- Principal Applicant (France Side): Must be a researcher or faculty member affiliated with a French higher education institution or public research laboratory (e.g., CNRS, INSERM, INRAE).
- Joint Application is Mandatory: The Pakistani and French partners must jointly develop the research proposal. The French partner must submit the identical joint application to Campus France under the PERIDOT call. The Pakistani partner submits it to HEC. If the joint application is not submitted to Campus France, the HEC application will be deemed ineligible.
- Early-Career Researchers: Inclusion of PhD students and post-docs in the mobility plan is highly encouraged to build capacity.
- Duration: Projects are typically funded for two years. The mobility plan should clearly outline the objectives of each visit and the expected outcomes.
📄 Required Documents & Application Process
Applications are submitted online through the HEC research portal (opening 6 July 2026). However, preparation must begin now.
What You Will Need
- Joint Research Proposal: A detailed document co-written with the French partner, including project title, abstract, objectives, methodology, work plan, timeline of mobility exchanges, expected outcomes, and CVs of both PIs.
- Consent Letter from French Partner: A signed letter or email confirmation from the French collaborator confirming their agreement to participate and to submit the application to Campus France.
- CVs of Both Principal Investigators: Highlighting relevant publications and previous collaborations.
- Mobility Plan: A table specifying who will travel, when, for how long, and the purpose of each visit.
- Letter of Endorsement from the Pakistani University: Typically a letter from the Head of Department or Dean confirming that the applicant is a faculty member and will be granted leave for the research visits.
How to Apply — Step-by-Step
- Identify a French Partner: Use your professional network, ResearchGate, or directories of French research institutions to find a collaborator whose expertise aligns with your research idea.
- Co-Write the Proposal: Jointly develop a complete research and mobility plan.
- French Partner Submits to Campus France: Your French colleague must submit the joint proposal to the PERIDOT call on the Campus France extranet platform. Obtain a submission proof/ID.
- Pakistani PI Submits to HEC: From 6 July 2026 onwards, log into the HEC research portal, fill the online form, upload the joint proposal and all supporting documents, and reference the Campus France submission ID.
- Submit Before the Hard Deadline: The HEC portal will close precisely at 4:00 PM PST on 30 September 2026. No late submissions are accepted.
📅 Key Dates & Timeline
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online Portal Opens (HEC) | 6 July 2026 |
| Application Deadline (HEC & Campus France) | 30 September 2026, 4:00 PM PST |
| Evaluation Period | October - December 2026 |
| Results Announcement | Early 2027 |
| Project Start Date | Mid 2027 |
💡 Why Pakistani Faculty Should Apply
- Build International Research Links: Forge a lasting collaboration with a French laboratory, opening doors to future EU funding (like Horizon Europe) and co-supervision of PhDs.
- Funded Mobility: The grant covers all travel and living costs, removing the financial barrier to spending focused research time at a French institution.
- Enhance Publication Record: Joint research with international partners typically leads to higher-impact publications in prestigious journals.
- Strategic Sectors: The priority areas (health, sustainable energy, climate change economics) are of high national and global relevance, increasing the impact of your work.
- Capacity Building: Take your PhD students or early-career colleagues on exchange visits, giving them invaluable international exposure.
💡 Expert Tips for a Successful PERIDOT Application
- Start Early with the French Partner: The deadline of 30 September might seem far, but finding a partner, aligning research interests, and jointly writing a proposal takes months. Start contacting potential collaborators today.
- Focus on the Mobility Logic: The grant is for mobility. Clearly justify why physical visits are essential to the research. Don't just describe a research project; describe what the researchers will do together during the visits that they cannot do remotely.
- Ensure Alignment with Priority Areas: Your proposal must explicitly link to one of the three themes. A proposal on general theoretical physics, for example, would not be eligible.
- Check the Campus France Side: Confirm that your French partner is aware of the French submission procedures and deadlines. The programme requires near-simultaneous submission to both countries. A mismatch in documents or missed deadline on the French side will nullify your HEC application.
- Prepare a Realistic Mobility Plan: Propose 2-3 short visits (1-2 weeks) or one long visit (1-2 months) per year. Balance the visits between France and Pakistan.
- Include Early-Career Researchers: Proposals that involve PhD students or post-docs in the mobility are often viewed favorably as they contribute to capacity building.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- No French Partner Submission: Applying to HEC without ensuring your French colleague has submitted the joint proposal to Campus France is the most common and fatal error.
- Missing the 4 PM PST Cutoff: The HEC portal closes at 4:00 PM Pakistan time. Do not wait until 3:59 PM; server issues could occur. Submit a day or two early.
- Confusing Mobility Grant with Research Grant: The budget should be entirely for travel, accommodation, and per diem. Do not include requests for equipment or lab supplies.
- Weak Mobility Justification: A vague statement like "to collaborate" is insufficient. Specify which experiments, fieldwork, or data analysis sessions will be conducted jointly during the visit.
- Ignoring French Public Holidays: August is a traditional vacation month in France. Many academics are unavailable. Plan your partner communication accordingly so the proposal is ready before the summer break.
📞 Contact Information
| Contact Method | Details |
|---|---|
| Programme Details & Portal | hec.gov.pk/site/PERIDOT |
| HEC Research & Development Division | Higher Education Commission, Sector H-9, Islamabad |
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Q: Is this a grant for full research costs?
A: No. It is a mobility grant that covers only the travel and living expenses for exchange visits between Pakistan and France. - Q: Do I need a French collaborator to apply?
A: Yes, absolutely. A joint application with a French researcher is mandatory. The French partner must also submit the proposal to Campus France. - Q: Can PhD students apply?
A: The Principal Investigator must be a university faculty member. However, PhD students can and should be included in the mobility plan as team members. - Q: What are the priority areas?
A: 1. Health Sciences, 2. Sustainable Energy, Agriculture & Food Security, and 3. Economics of Climate Change. - Q: When is the last date to apply?
A: 30 September 2026, at 4:00 PM Pakistan Standard Time. - Q: What happens if my French partner doesn't submit on time?
A: Your HEC application will be considered ineligible. Both sides must submit the same joint proposal to their respective agencies.
🏁 Final Words
The HEC PERIDOT Mobility Grant Programme Phase-XIII is a strategic tool for Pakistani academics to activate and deepen collaborations with France. It provides the crucial financial support to bridge the geographical distance and enable hands-on joint research. If you are a faculty member working in health, sustainable energy, agriculture, or climate economics, this is your chance to build a lasting Franco-Pakistani partnership. Begin the dialogue with a French peer now, jointly craft a compelling mobility plan, and be ready to submit to both HEC and Campus France well before the 30 September 2026 deadline. Your international research journey begins with a single exchange! 🤝
🤝 Apply Now — HEC PERIDOT Mobility Grant Phase-XIII (2026)! Franco-Pakistani Joint Research | For Pakistani University Faculty | Health, Sustainable Energy/Agriculture, Climate Economics | Covers Travel & Living Allowance | Joint Application Mandatory | Portal Opens: 6 July 2026 | Deadline: 30 September 2026 (4 PM PST)
🤝 View PERIDOT Details & Apply🇫🇷 Campus France Website (for French Partners)