Procedure for the nomination and hosting of guests from abroad as visiting professors or visiting fellows of Université Sorbonne Paris Nord. (Approved by the Research Committee meeting of April 10, 2015 and the Board of Directors meeting of April 17, 2015).

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Introduction

Université Sorbonne Paris Nord wants to promote and encourage the hosting of guests from abroad in order to build and reinforce its international relations with individuals and organizations with regard to the research and spread of cultures, knowledge and technologies.

It mainly does this by creating positions and nomination procedures for visiting professors and visiting fellows of Université Sorbonne Paris Nord as described in the present document.

General principles

These positions and their procedures are open to all persons, both French and foreign, who work (or have worked) and reside abroad and whose skills and research proposal are considered to be interesting for Université Sorbonne Paris Nord or to have added value for Université Sorbonne Paris Nord in terms of PhD training, value creation or consulting. They are particularly suitable for people exercising a research function in a foreign institution of higher education or research. There is no age limit but candidates must prove that they receive a wage from a recognized organization in the field concerned or that they are retired.

All nomination requests must be submitted by one of the departments or institutes of Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and approved by its research committee. A letter from the president of the university is required to finalize the nomination, which should specify its purpose, duration, and terms and conditions.

The title of visiting professor or visiting fellow is valid for a period of one year for one or more stays at Université Sorbonne Paris Nord amounting to between two and 12 weeks in total. Beyond these limits, a new request must be made and a new nomination declared.

People who have been nominated can, for the entire duration of the nomination, use the title of visiting professor or visiting fellow of Université Sorbonne Paris Nord.

A teaching researcher applying for an invitation can only make one request for a visiting professor/fellow at a time.

Eligibility criteria

In all cases, the added value generated for Université Sorbonne Paris Nord by the presence of the guest must be demonstrated and justified in the nomination request.

Nomination as a visiting professor

The title of visiting professor is given to people whose work is considered to be of the highest level both domestically and internationally in their subject. These people must fulfill the usual criteria for nomination as a full professor in France.

Nomination as a visiting fellow

The title of visiting fellow is given to people whose work is recognized both domestically and internationally in their subject. These people must fulfill the usual criteria for nomination as a senior lecturer in France.

Cancellation of nomination

In exceptional circumstances that cause prejudice to Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, the vice-president of the research committee can cancel a nomination.

Terms of compensation

Visiting professors and fellows are compensated at a daily flat rate of €130 net per day as well as for the cost of their travel (economy class) between their home abroad and Paris limited to one journey per academic year.

This compensation, calculated according to a daily rate, is a fixed amount that covers the services provided by the guest and his or her costs, including, in particular, the cost of accommodation and food. The guest can, however, receive a card for the staff cafeteria of the Villetaneuse campus.

Administrative process

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The nomination of visiting professors or fellows is made in response to the annual call for proposals of the research committee of Université Sorbonne Paris Nord.

Laboratories must submit the following information using this application form :

• The name and contact details of the member of Université Sorbonne Paris Nord acting as the referrer for the application
• A brief CV of the guest including a list of publications and professional experience
• The guest’s plan for their research/teaching/value creation/consulting
• The duration of the proposed visit and whether it might extend beyond one year. The reasons for both must be well justified and submitted together with a precise provisional budget and the planned dates of the guest’s stay.

Access to the platform is only possible using the Digital Work Space codes of Université Sorbonne Paris Nord.

The department or institute concerned need only e-mail a table summarizing its applications to  before the deadline for the call for proposals. All applications must be assessed and ranked in order of priority by the laboratory issuing the invitation. If the order of priority is not specified, the laboratories application will not be considered. The laboratory director must specify the ranking and provide a brief supporting letter together with the application (see “Valider les dossiers de candidatures” (“Confirmation of applications”).

The applications will be assessed in accordance with the criteria referred to above and the criteria specified in the call for proposals bu a special committee consisting of the following persons:

• The vice-presidents of the Research Committee (CR), the Studies and University Life Committee (CFVU), and the European and International Relations Services (SREI)
• Four representatives appointed by the Research Committee
• Two representatives appointed by the committee of the European and International Relations Services (SREI)

Applications selected in this way will be submitted for approval to the Research Committee of Université Sorbonne Paris Nord. A formal letter must be written by the president of the university regarding each visiting professor and fellow specifying the dates and conditions of their stay, which must then be sent to the sponsor and department or institute concerned.

Value creation from stays and reports

Departments and institutes must ensure that visiting professors and fellows are able to access all the facilities available to the teaching researchers of Université Sorbonne Paris Nord (bibliographic resources, information systems, offices and conference rooms, etc.).

Visiting professors and fellows must give at least one general seminar about their activity in collaboration with Université Sorbonne Paris Nord. They must also be encouraged by their hosts to participate in PhD seminars and the teaching of the PhD students of the university as well as of the Sorbonne Paris Cité Higher Education Community more generally.

The benefit for Université Sorbonne Paris Nord of visiting professors and fellows must be extracted by the university. For this purpose, visiting professors and fellows will be asked to mention, in accordance with the standard practices of their discipline, the involvement of Université Sorbonne Paris Nord in their publications, including work done during their stay at Université Sorbonne Paris Nord. In addition, all visiting professors and fellows must submit a summary report at the end of their stay (typically two pages) that will be passed on to the Visiting Professors Committee. This committee will conduct a general qualitative and quantitative assessment of the report.

Every two or three years, the Visiting Professors Committee will present the Research Committee of Université Sorbonne Paris Nord with a summary report of visiting professorships and fellowships and their added value for the university.

Administrative requirements

The Office for Research and Doctoral Studies (BRED) is responsible for administering this procedure.

Once nominated, the parties concerned will be informed of the decision by the guest’s referrer, who will send him or her the president’s formal letter.

As soon as the guest has confirmed the dates of his or her stay at the university (at least 15 days before his/her arrival), the department or institution concerned (or the laboratory) must carry out the relevant procedures and purchase the ticket for its guest for the dates chosen. It must give the Office for Research and Doctoral Studies (BRED) a copy of the receipt for the ticket so it can be reimbursed as well as the following documents: a copy of the guest’s passport, the guest’s bank sort code or IBAN or SWIFT code, precise banking address, etc.

Guests will be informed about the specific procedure for opening a bank account with Crédit Mutuel des Enseignants.

As soon as the guest arrives at the university, the department or institute concerned (or the laboratory) must submit a registration form to the Office for Research and Doctoral Studies so that the guest can take up his or her position. The Office for Research and Doctoral Studies will then notify the accounting agency regarding the reimbursement at a daily rate of the number of days involved.

The guest is responsible for their own medical insurance during their stay at the university. The university will also take out a civil liability insurance policy for the guest for his or her stay.

Schedule 2015-2016

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The schedule for the 2015-2016 academic session is as follows:

• Launch of call for proposals in mid-April
• Submission of applications for June 19, 2015 to the Office for Research and Doctoral Studies (BRED)
• Meeting of the Visiting Professors Committee between June 22 and July 3
• Notification of laboratories/departments or institution at the beginning of July subject to the vote of the Research Committee at the end of September
• Stays of visiting professors/fellows between September 1, 2015 and August 31, 2016

Specific procedure for hosting visiting professors and fellows from October 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015.

The referrer must inform the Office for Research and Doctoral Studies (BRED) of the dates of the visiting professor’s or fellow’s stay at least one month before their arrival. If this requirement is not fulfilled, the Office for Research and Doctoral Studies (BRED) will not cover the costs associated with the stay of the visiting professor or fellow. The reimbursement of these costs will be paid by the end of 2015 subject to the budget of the university.

Selection/distribution criteria

In order to simplify the selection procedure, a limitation policy may be applied: a minimum quota per laboratory depending on its size and the nature of its work (combined research unit or équipe d’accueil). Any remaining places will be allotted in accordance with the degree of the demand and the international policy of the research units.

The European and International Relations Services can give an opinion regarding certain applications, particularly in conjunction with its own call for proposals.