"Under contract, under constraint? - Feedback and issues surrounding theses funded by non-academic organisations

Wednesday 5 November | 2 - 5 pm | Espace Philippe Séguin, room 105 + videoconference

A thesis is an enriching professional and personal experience, but one that cannot be envisaged without taking seriously the question of the conditions under which it is carried out.

With the liberalisation of higher education, new private funding sources have joined the ranks of traditional funders, namely the research institutions themselves. The CIFRE scheme (Industrial Agreements for Training through Research) launched in the 1980s by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, which aims to strengthen the links between academic research and the socio-economic sector and to make it easier for companies to recruit PhDs, There are also other hybrid forms of research funded by private organisations. These contracts, which straddle the academic and professional worlds, are an opportunity to learn, develop and integrate different professional environments and skills.

Nevertheless, doctoral students funded by private or public bodies are subject to sometimes paradoxical standards (different timetables between companies and universities, conflicting expectations, multiple demands, incompatible operating systems, etc.). The 'double bind' of contract research, both during the thesis and later in a career, is worth examining. We realised that there were very few forums for discussion about the conditions under which a doctorate is achieved, so we decided to organise a meeting on 5 November 2025 to hear stories and share experiences.

This time, which is intended to be informal and friendly, will be an opportunity to present the different sources of funding available for doctoral studies.

Our aim is threefold: first, gather testimonials and feedback with a view to making this day informative for people who are wondering about thesis funding. We would also like to create a space for discussion between usThis will enable us to address the problems and solutions specific to these situations. Finally, we would like to continue these discussions as part of a study day focusing on the effects of funding formats on research. 

We will be delighted to welcome three young researchers who will talk about their experiences on funded thesis contracts: 

• Emily LOPEZ PUYOLPost-doctoral researcher in sociology at the MESOPOLHIS laboratory (UMR 7064), Aix-Marseile University. 
• Quentin LOLLIA HILAIREDoctoral student in sociology at the Universities of Toulouse Jean-Jaures and Aix-Marseille, associated with the LISST-CERS (UMR 5193) and MESOPOLHIS (UMR 7064) laboratories.
• Coline PÉLISSIERD. student in sociology at CRESSPA (Centre de Recherches Sociologiques et Politiques de Paris), Université Paris 8.

The day's organising committee, itself made up of doctoral students working on a thesis funded by a non-academic organisation, will lead the discussion. The public is strongly encouraged to attend. We have designed this event to be a time for sharing. 

This session will also be an opportunity for us to present a board game created for the day. It aims to put its players in the shoes of doctoral students faced with a variety of field situations. It will enable us to tackle a variety of research conditions and apply the contributions of our meeting while continuing our discussions.

We look forward to seeing many of you on 5 November from 2pm at the Espace Philippe Séguin, Room 105, or by videoconference!

The organising committee, in alphabetical order :

• Joaquim AXELRADCIFRE contract PhD student, MESOPOLHIS (UMR 7064)
• Paul CERDANCIFRE contract PhD student, MESOPOLHIS (UMR 7064)
• Zohar CHERBITCIFRE contract PhD student, MESOPOLHIS (UMR 7064)
• Raphaël GODEFROIDAMU/AMPIRIC contract PhD student, MESOPOLHIS (UMR 7064)
• Constance MORÉAL DE BREVANSCIFRE contract PhD student, IDEAS (UMR 7307)
• Coline PÉLISSIERCIFRE contract doctoral student, CRESPPA (UMR 7217)

💻 Hybrid format : link accessible from the "Online event details" section below.