Call for proposals for mirror doctoral contracts 2026
6 mirrored doctoral projects
A mirror doctoral project allows two distinct disciplinary theses to be linked within a common multidisciplinary project.
The aim is to approach the same research project from two different disciplines in order to promote multidisciplinarity. The methods and references specific to each of the disciplines concerned must therefore be mobilized.
To do this, close collaboration between thesis supervisors (the co-sponsors) is necessary in order to jointly draft the project definition and a coordinated response to the IDIL call for projects.
The IDIL graduate program is funding six mirror doctoral projects for the 2026 academic year, representing a total of 12 doctoral contracts over a period of three years.
In summary, a mirror doctoral project is:
financing
The doctoral contract is a three-year contract that allows doctoral students to be employed by a public institution to complete their thesis.
IDIL funding covers the gross salary of doctoral researchers, including payroll taxes, as well as environmental costs of up to €5,000 per year for the host laboratory (i.e., a cost of €15,000 over three years per doctoral student).
For the 2025 campaign, the IDIL program is offering 12 doctoral contract grants for six mirrored multidisciplinary projects.
Note: The average salary for a doctoral student is approximately €1,700 net per month.
eligibility
An IDIL mirror doctoral project must be co-developed/co-written by two HDR thesis supervisors affiliated with two separate doctoral schools (UM or Institut Agro) and two different laboratories (UMR or UR).
It includes a common introduction presenting the multidisciplinary project, followed by a description of two thesis topics in two different disciplines, which clarify the two approaches that will be taken during the two funded doctoral contracts. To ensure that each thesis is clearly multidisciplinary in nature, the co-supervisor of the first doctoral contract will be the co-supervisor of the second doctoral contract, and vice versa.
IDIL multidisciplinary mirror doctoral projects must combine two thesis projects in the following disciplines around the three pillars of Caring, Protecting, and Nourishing:
- Agricultural science
- Biology Health
- Plant biology
- Chemistry
- Ecology and evolution
- Economy
- Electronics
- Epidemiology
- Microbiology
- Political Science
- Management
- Modeling
- Earth sciences
- Water sciences
- Sports and Movement Sciences
terms of submission
Those involved in an IDIL mirror doctoral project must inform their team leaders and unit directors of their project submission before submitting it.
The project must be written in French or English based on the file available for download below, following the instructions provided therein.
Directors are invited to submit their applications to the IDIL graduate program via the dedicated submission site (the submission module will be accessible from December 15, 2025) – Deadline February 9, 2026, 6 p.m. CET.
If you have any questions, please contact us by email at rf.re1768832962illep1768832962tnomu1768832962@maet1768832962-lidi1768832962
evaluation
The scientific quality of the overall project will be assessed by the Research Commission Research the University of Montpellier in the presence of IDIL project leaders and representatives of the Institut Agro.
Students will be selected by a doctoral researchers recruitment committee doctoral researchers of seven members for each of the selected projects:
• 1 IDIL representative, or their representative
• 2 thesis supervisors concerned
• 1 representative from each of the doctoral schools concerned (2 ED members)
• 1 representative from each of the departments of the laboratories concerned (2 UMR members)
Three candidates will be interviewed per subject (six in total for a mirror project).
calendar
- Campaign launch: December 8, 2025
- Opening of the submission platform: December 15, 2025
- Deadline for submitting thesis projects on the IDIL website: February 9, 2026
- Dissemination of results from mirror-funded IDIL projects: Early April 2026
- Student auditions: May 2026
- Announcement of results to students: End of May 2026
- Start of thesis: October 2026 (duration: 3 years)