Amidex launches its call for COFUND 2026 co-financing
Amidex announces the opening of COFUND 2026 co-financing, designed to support teams from the Aix-Marseille site in submitting Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) COFUND projects under the Horizon Europe program. For this 2026 edition, a maximum budget of €3 million has been mobilized to strengthen the international attractiveness of the site and support structuring projects for training through research.
Led by the Amidex Initiative of Excellence, in close collaboration with the Mission Europe pour la Recherche (MER) and the partners' referral departments, this co-financing initiative aims to :
- Provide all or part of the co-financing required for the eligibility of MSCA COFUND projects (at least 50% of the total budget excluding European funds);
- Increase the chances of success of applications to European MSCA COFUND calls;
- Enable the deployment of ambitious programs, in line with European standards for recruitment and training through research;
- Develop the international attractiveness of the Aix-Marseille site and encourage the attraction of foreign talent;
- Support structuring and transforming projects for the site.
Projects may involve COFUND doctoral or postdoctoral programs, in coordination or partnership.
Budget and co-financing amountsFor
2026, the maximum budget allocated by Amidex is €3 million. Grant amounts are capped as follows:
- Up to €1,200,000 for projects in which the Aix-Marseille site is coordinator;
- Up to €300,000 for projects in which the site is partner.
Amidex funding complements European Horizon Europe funding, and must remain consistent with the number of PhD students and/or post-docs recruited, the planned activities and the applicant's ability to coordinate the program.
Who can apply?
Projects can be submitted by researchers and teacher-researchers from the Aix-Marseille site, with compulsory support from:
- the Mission Europe pour la Recherche (MER) for projects submitted with AMU, CNRS, Inserm or IRD;
- the relevant departments for IdEx partners outside MER (CEA, Centrale Marseille, Sciences Po Aix, AP-HM, Institut Paoli-Calmettes).
Only projects that have received a favorable opinion from the MER (via the CODIR) or the referring departments will be eligible for Amidex co-financing.
Timetable for the COFUND 2026 call
The main deadlines are as follows:
- February 6, 2026 at noon: deadline for submission of the first version of the project to the MER or referring departments (non-MER partners);
- March 6, 2026 at noon:
- March 23, 2026: validation of co-financed projects by the Amidex steering committee, taking into account the opinion of the CODIR of the MER;
- April 7, 2026: provisional date for submission of projects to the MSCA COFUND call.
Presentation meeting - January 29, 2026
A presentation meeting on the COFUND calls for proposals will be held on January 29, 2026, for the Instituts d'établissement. This meeting will also be an opportunity to present the three COFUND projects financed in 2025 (IMACS, Microbio-SEED and Brain-Muse) and to share feedback.
Submission procedures and contactsBefore
February 6, 2026, project sponsors must submit their co-funding application via the online form and contact the MER or the relevant departments for assistance in setting up the project.
For any questions relating to the Amidex co-financing scheme:
- Contact Amidex: solene.tyrlik@univ-amu.fr
- La Mission Europe pour la Recherche or referral services for partners outside MER.
This call for proposals represents a major opportunity to strengthen the Aix-Marseille site's participation in the MSCA COFUND programs and consolidate its positioning on a European and international scale.
