Glossary

PhD fellowship holder (Aspirant)

The ASP appointment aims to complete the PhD in 4 years. It takes the form of a 2‑year grant, which may be renewed for up to 2 additional years.

Fellowship holder of the Fund for Research in the Humanities

The FRESH fellowship aims to complete a PhD in 4 years in the Humanities and Social Sciences. It takes the form of two successive grants: the 1st grant lasts a maximum of 27 months and the 2nd grant lasts a maximum of 21 months.

Fellowship holder of the Fund for Research Training in Industry and Agriculture

The FRIA fellowship aims to complete a PhD in 4 years in research fields related to industry or agriculture. It takes the form of two successive grants: the 1st grant lasts a maximum of 27 months and the 2nd grant lasts a maximum of 21 months.

Special PhD fellowship

BSD fellowships are intended for secondary education teachers, university graduates in the FWB who enjoy employment stability and can obtain one year of leave with certainty of returning to their position at the end of that leave, in order to enable them to complete research work leading to the award of a PhD degree at one of the university institutions of the FWB.

Specialist doctoral candidate

The half‑time CSD appointment is intended for a physician who is simultaneously undertaking a PhD and a specialist Master’s programme. The maximum duration is 2 years, possibly renewable three times (i.e. a total maximum duration of 8 years). The half‑time CSD appointment may start at any time during specialisation but must end no later than 4 years after the end of the specialisation.

Specialist doctoral fellow

The half‑time SD appointment is intended for accredited specialist physicians who are undertaking a PhD. The appointment is awarded in successive 2‑year periods, with a total maximum duration of 4 years.

Veterinary clinician doctoral researcher

The half‑time VETE‑CCD appointment is reserved for veterinarians in clinical specialisation training, enabling them to undertake a PhD thesis while ensuring continuity of a half‑time activity as part of their clinical training. The maximum duration of this half‑time appointment is 2 years, possibly renewable once (i.e. a total maximum duration of 4 years).

Research Associate

The CR appointment lasts 3 years. Any CR holder may spread the 3 years of the appointment over a 6‑year period if external funding is secured to carry out a postdoc outside the FWB.

Specialist doctoral fellow – Clinical researcher

The half‑time SPD appointment is reserved for accredited specialist physicians who are postdoctoral clinicians wishing to devote themselves to fundamental research while ensuring continuity of a half‑time hospital activity. It consists of a 6‑year probationary period, divided into three 2‑year appointments, followed by 4‑year appointments renewable without limit. From the first 4‑year renewal onwards, the title of the appointment becomes Clinical Researcher (CCL).

Qualified Researcher

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Senior Research Associate

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Research Director

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Research Credit

Funding instrument for an individual researcher (or their team) to ensure funding for basic research, ongoing research activities, exploratory research, and to foster the emergence of new research themes and researchers. Under a CDR, eligible costs fall into three categories: operating costs, support operating costs and equipment. A CDR lasts 2 years (with the possibility of extending expenditure over 3 years) and allows funding requests between €5,000 and €30,000 maximum per year.

Research Project

Funding instrument for mono‑ or multi‑university research programmes led by a principal promoter. Multi‑university PDRs include the participation of a co‑promoter per institution other than that of the principal promoter. Under a PDR, eligible costs fall into four categories: staff, operating costs, support operating costs and equipment. A PDR lasts 2 or 4 years and allows funding requests between: €30,000 and €80,000 (annual average) for mono‑university PDRs; €30,000 and €115,000 (annual average) for multi‑university PDRs.
WEAVE: Since 2021, certain European research funding agencies have mutually opened their project funding instruments to research teams from partner agencies within the WEAVE initiative. Researchers from the French Community of Belgium can therefore include partners from another partner agency via the FNRS PDR instrument. In 2022, the FNRS offered the possibility of submitting collaborative project proposals (bi‑ or trilateral) under the PDR instrument during the Credits and Projects call with German research institutions eligible with the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG); Flemish research institutions eligible with the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO); Luxembourg research institutions eligible with the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR); and Swiss research institutions eligible with the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).

Télévie Research Project

Funding instrument for ambitious multi‑university research programmes led by a principal promoter. Under a PDR‑TLV, eligible costs fall into three categories: operating costs, equipment and staff. A PDR‑TLV lasts 2 years and allows funding requests up to a maximum of €250,000 (annual average).

Equipment

Funding instrument for mono‑ or multi‑university research programmes led by a principal promoter for the acquisition of equipment or an experimental device. The EQP lasts two years and allows funding requests, at full cost and VAT included, greater than €30,000 and less than or equal to €200,000.

Major Equipment

Funding instrument for mono‑ or multi‑university research programmes led by a principal promoter for the acquisition of equipment or an experimental device. The GEQ lasts two years and allows funding requests greater than €200,000 and less than or equal to €500,000.

Infrastructures & Major Equipment

New version of the Major Equipment (GEQ) call launched in 2024. Funding instrument for mono‑ or multi‑university research programmes led by a principal promoter for the acquisition of specialised major equipment, the establishment of research infrastructures or the upgrading of existing facilities. INFRA‑GEQ lasts 3 or 6 years. Eligible costs fall into three categories: staff, operating costs and equipment.

Interuniversity Institute for Nuclear Sciences Projects

Long‑term ongoing funding for successive recurring projects for a maximum period of 4 years, in particle physics, astroparticle physics and fundamental theoretical research. Under IISN funding, eligible costs fall into three categories: operating costs, equipment and staff.

Scientific Impulse Appointment

Funding instrument to support young permanent researchers wishing to develop a scientific unit within their university institution in a forward‑looking field. The research programme will stand out for its originality and novelty, as well as for the scientific autonomy it entails compared with the work of the laboratory in which the candidate operates. Ultimately, it should enable the researcher to gain independence within a “flagship” laboratory. Under MIS, eligible costs fall into three categories: operating costs, equipment and staff. MIS is granted for a maximum duration of three years (2 years + an optional 1‑year extension) and allows funding requests up to €150,000 (annual average).

WELBIO Research Projects

Funding instrument to support fundamental research through rigorously selected projects from universities in the FWB, with a view to translating discoveries into industrial applications across all fields of medical, pharmaceutical and veterinary biotechnology.
Eligible costs fall into three categories: staff, operating costs and equipment.
Funding instruments (4 years divided into 2 periods of 2 years):
- A Starting grant (SGR) application allows funding requests up to €200,000 per year.
- An Advanced grant (AGR) application allows funding requests up to €350,000 per year.

WEL‑T Research Projects

Funding instrument to support strategic fundamental research through rigorously selected projects in engineering, chemistry and physics from universities in the FWB, with a view to developing breakthrough innovations that may lead to industrial applications supporting a sustainable transition.
Eligible costs fall into three categories: staff, operating costs and equipment.
Funding instruments (4 years divided into 2 periods of 2 years):
- A Starting grant (SGR) application allows funding requests up to €200,000 per year.
- An Advanced grant (AGR) application allows funding requests up to €350,000 per year.

Art Research Fund Projects

Funding instrument for art research projects carried out by artist‑researchers individually or collectively, outside any PhD, validated by one or more Schools of Arts (ESA).
Under a PDR‑FRArt, eligible costs fall into three categories: staff, operating costs and equipment.
A PDR‑FRArt lasts one year and allows funding requests up to €50,000.

Scientific Impulse Appointment – Ulysse Mobility

The aim of funding awarded under MISU is to encourage highly qualified Belgian or foreign researchers who are currently pursuing a scientific career abroad to come and develop it at a university in the FWB. When submitting the application, the MISU candidate must have the capacity to lead a team, enjoy internationally recognised scientific standing, and have been living abroad for at least five years continuously. Under MISU, eligible costs fall into three categories: operating costs, equipment and staff. MISU is granted for a maximum duration of three years (2 years + an optional 1‑year extension) and allows funding requests up to €200,000 (annual average).

Scientific Impulse Appointment – Ulysse Mobility – Extension

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Bilateral Mobility Projects

Bilateral scientific cooperation agreements with sister institutions around the world encourage, through mobility, the emergence of joint projects between universities or research institutes of the Fédération Wallonie‑Bruxelles and those of the countries concerned. The FNRS organises annual bilateral calls with certain sister institutions under the PINT‑BILAT‑M regulations in order to fund 2‑ or 3‑year research mobility projects.

Bilateral Research Projects

PINT‑Bilat‑P enables funding for full projects (staff, equipment, operating costs, mobility) based on a bilateral project between a researcher from the FWB and one from a partner agency of the FNRS.
In 2021, the FNRS launched its third call for bilateral research projects with the Fonds de Recherche du Québec. These calls are part of a desire to develop strategic partnerships.

Multilateral Research Projects

PINT‑Multi enables funding for full projects (staff, equipment, operating costs, mobility) based on a multilateral project between a researcher from the FWB and those from other partner agencies in the networks.
Since 2011, the FNRS has been actively involved in international calls in all fields. The vast majority of these calls originate from European networks, in close collaboration with the European Commission, and focus on strategic themes or major societal challenges.

Research Projects – Weave

PDR‑WEAVE allows researchers from the Fédération Wallonie‑Bruxelles to participate in calls for projects from other European agencies. If the submitted proposal is selected, the FNRS will cover the budget for the French‑speaking Belgian part.

Wallonie‑Bruxelles International

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National Contact Point – FNRS

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European Research Council

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European Research Area Network

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Joint Programming Initiatives

Joint Programming is an instrument enabling EU Member States and associated countries to pool their research programmes on major societal challenges, with themes defined through national consultation and adopted by the Council of EU ministers. This tool should help limit the costs linked to fragmentation and duplication in research, thereby improving the cost‑effectiveness of research programmes and the efficiency of public resources. Joint Programming represents an opportunity for the FNRS to pool its resources through a multilateral partnership, for example via joint calls for projects or other joint actions.

Fonds de la Recherche du Québec

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Luxembourg National Research Fund

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Swiss National Science Foundation

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Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

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Horizon 2020

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Horizon Europe

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European Commission

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