Presentation

The Gutenberg Chairs are a mechanism that facilitates the hosting in Alsace and then in the Grand Est Region, for a period of approximately one year, of researchers or teacher-researchers of international stature, posted outside of France and invited by higher education and research institutions. These Chairs of Excellence are financed by the local authorities (Grand Est Region, Strasbourg Eurometropolis), on the proposal of the Gutenberg Circle, which includes all the active members in Alsace of the Institut de France, the Collège de France, the Institut Universitaire de France (senior members) and the major French and foreign national academies. All disciplinary fields are eligible.

The Gutenberg Chair does not provide for the salary of its holder, for which other resources must be mobilized.

The financial endowment of a Gutenberg Chair by the local authorities amounts to €60,000, which is broken down into €10,000 for the laureate personally as a "Gutenberg Prize" to facilitate his or her installation and that of his or her family, and €50,000 for his or her host unit.

This €50,000 endowment is not subject to any deductions from the host institution and is used entirely to support the Gutenberg Chair researcher's research program. It can be used to cover laboratory investments, expenses related to the hosting of the candidate, vacation time for support staff, all or part of a doctoral or post-doctoral grant, missions, the organization of conferences, etc.

The awarding of a Gutenberg Chair is accompanied by the maintenance of the credits allocated by the institution to the visiting researcher and can be combined with other governmental support mechanisms. In addition, the local authorities, with the support of the Alfred Kastler National Foundation, will facilitate, as much as possible, the installation and stay of the Gutenberg Chairholder (accommodation, administrative formalities, schooling, etc.)

Application forms are available on this site.

For each candidate, the institution must provide a complete presentation of the candidate, his or her scientific project, his or her integration into the institution's projects and themes, and the expected benefits for the institution and the region. The application file will specify the estimated support needed to carry out the research project.

The application will also specify the teaching and research activities that the Gutenberg Chair candidate will undertake during his or her stay in Alsace.

The applications will be presented to the jury by the heads of the institutions or teaching and research units concerned.

The jury that awards the Gutenberg Chairs is an international, multidisciplinary jury made up exclusively of recognized personalities from the research world.