Project funding

Community level

• Fund for Scientific Research - FNRS and related Funds: research credit (CDR), research project (PDR), equipment credit (EQT), incentive grant for scientific research ("Mandat d'impulsion scientifique" - MIS), IISN projects, FRESH projects, Télévie projects
• Special Research Fund (FSR)
• Coordinated research projects (ARC)

Federal government level

• IAP and thematic programmes

Regional level

• Wallonia: Walloon regional programmes providing funds to private companies to encourage research
• Brussels-Capital Region: incentive programmes and funding for private companies

European level

• The framework programme (FP7)

Ministerial initiatives

These grants finance fundamental or applied scientific research programmes on the initiative of a particular minister. They are defined by federal, community or regional ministers, who decide on the topics they would like to see addressed by the research. The funds available vary considerably from one ministry to another. In the Walloon Region, several ministers fund research in fields related to their particular area of responsibility, such as the environment, agriculture, etc.

In some cases, the research findings remain the property of UCL, while in others they belong to the public authority that funded the project.

Other sources

There are other sources that can provide short-term or more focused research funding.

For example:

• The European Space Agency (ESA) supports research in various fields relevant to space.
• The Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) supports research into complex biological systems.
• The Directorate-General for Development Cooperation (DGCD), the International Relations Directorate (CGRI), the Agence universitaire de le Francophonie (AUF, association of French-language universities) and the University Commission for Development (CUD) of the CIUF (Interuniversity Council of the French-speaking Community of Belgium) help researchers take part in a number of international research projects.

European researchers can also take part in research programmes carried out in South Africa, the USA, Canada, etc., subject to certain conditions, which are often dictated by bilateral agreements with the European Union.

See the Overview for a summary of possible sources of funding.