Australia-France Network of Doctoral Excellence (AUFRANDE)

What Australia-France Network of Doctoral Excellence (AUFRANDE) does

AUFRANDE (Australia-France Network of Doctoral Excellence) is a doctoral training programme co-funded by the European Union under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) COFUND scheme, structured as a consortium of eleven French and Australian universities and research institutes led administratively by RMIT University through its Barcelona-based RMIT Europe office. The programme recruits up to 64 doctoral researchers across three application calls (the final closing 4 September 2024), with each fellow simultaneously enrolled at one French and one Australian host institution for 36–42 months and required to spend 6–12 months resident in Australia, potentially earning dual doctorates. Fellows are employed under French contracts with full social security coverage at salaries between €1,900 and €2,400 gross per month, plus up to €10,000 in relocation allowances for the Australian secondment, and benefit from mentoring by more than 40 non-academic industry partners in addition to academic supervisors.

Research projects under AUFRANDE span physics (dark matter detection with Liquid Xenon Detectors at IMT Atlantique/University of Melbourne), photonics and nonlinear optics (EC Lyon, UCBL, RMIT), neuromorphic computing and ferroelectric synapses (EC Lyon, RMIT), quantum optics on Lithium Niobate on Insulator platforms (CNRS-C2N), paleoclimate modelling (UGA), antimicrobial polymers (ICMPE-UPEC), architected materials under dynamic loading, photovoltaic heat island mitigation (USMB), mid-IR integrated optics, and distributed autonomous systems (IMT Atlantique, Flinders). Annual training schools alternate between France and Australia, and an internal intranet plus a public blog reinforce community among the cohort.

Economically, AUFRANDE does not operate as a commercial enterprise: it receives EU MSCA COFUND grant co-funding and in-kind contributions from partner universities, with no equity funding, no traditional revenue model, and no disclosed financial scale beyond programme-level funding estimates implied by the 64-fellow × €1,900–€2,400/month × 36–42 month economics. Its customer segments are (i) early-career doctoral researchers holding a Master's degree who are the primary beneficiaries, (ii) French and Australian partner universities and research institutes that co-supervise and host fellows, and (iii) the 40+ non-academic industry partners providing mentoring and applied-project exposure. Two named managers — Pauline Rasera (Project Manager) and Hannah Tribe (Research Communications Manager) — coordinate programme operations.

Name

Australia-France Network of Doctoral Excellence (AUFRANDE)

Legal name

Australia-France Network of Doctoral Excellence

Website

https://aufrande.eu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AUFRANDE is an EU MSCA COFUND doctoral training programme coordinating eleven French and Australian universities (via RMIT Europe) to recruit and jointly-enrol up to 64 PhD researchers across physics, photonics, climate, energy, materials, quantum optics, and AI-related disciplines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Doctoral Training

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Dual/Joint Degree Programs (International) (EDAIABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ), Research & Lab-Based Short-Term Programs (Undergraduate/Graduate) (EDAIAIAF)

Keywords

• Doctoral training program
• PhD research fellowship
• International academic collaboration
• France-Australia research
• Higher education partnership

Headquarters

HQ city

Barcelona

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. EU MSCA COFUND Grant: The program is co-funded by the European Union through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND scheme. This funding supports doctoral researcher salaries, training activities, and program administration.
2. Partner University Contributions: French and Australian universities contribute to the program through supervision, facilities, and hosting of doctoral researchers. Research projects include support from industry partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Australia-France Network of Doctoral Excellence (AUFRANDE) is a doctoral training program co-funded by the European Union through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) COFUND scheme that recruits and trains PhD researchers simultaneously enrolled at universities in France and Australia. The program funds up to 64 doctoral positions across three recruitment calls, awarding competitive salaries (1,900–2,400 EUR gross/month), full social security coverage under French employment contracts, dual PhD enrollment, tuition exemptions, and mentorship from over 40 non-academic industry partners. Selected researchers conduct unique industry-supported research projects over 36–42 months with a mandatory 6–12 month residential stay in Australia and the potential to receive dual doctoral degrees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AUFRANDE Doctoral Fellowship Program A 36-42 month doctoral training program under the EU MSCA COFUND scheme that funds PhD researchers simultaneously enrolled at partner universities in France and Australia. Selected fellows receive a competitive monthly salary (1,900-2,400 EUR gross), full French social security coverage under an employment contract, tuition fee exemptions at both host universities, dual PhD enrollment, personalised supervision, mentoring from over 40 non-academic industry partners, and a mandatory 6-12 month residential stay in Australia with relocation support up to EUR 10,000. Successful candidates may be awarded dual doctoral degrees upon thesis defence.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 64 doctoral researchers trained under one program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RMIT UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRMIT University serves as the Australian administrative coordinator for AUFRANDE. It is a global university of technology, design and enterprise ranked in the top 20 universities under 50 years old. RMIT manages the program through RMIT Europe and provides supervision across multiple research projects in photonics, materials science, and engineering.
• Flinders UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlinders University is an Australian partner headquartered in South Australia, ranked in top 2% of universities worldwide. It contributes supervisors to AUFRANDE research projects in AI, robotics, and maritime engineering.
• University of New South Wales (UNSW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNSW is an Australian partner ranked 43rd in QS World University Rankings 2021. It provides supervisors across multiple AUFRANDE projects in energy, materials, and advanced manufacturing research.
• University of Tasmania (UTAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUTAS houses the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), an internationally-recognised centre of excellence for marine and Antarctic research. Contributes supervisors to AUFRANDE projects in climate science and glaciology.
• IMT AtlantiquecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMT Atlantique is a French partner institution providing supervision for AUFRANDE projects in computer sciences, AI, and embedded systems. Hosts the Algorithm-Architecture Interaction (2AI) research team.
• École Centrale de Lyon (EC Lyon)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEC Lyon is a French partner contributing supervisors to AUFRANDE research projects in photonics, neuromorphic computing, and materials science.
• Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCBL is a leading French university with 47,860 students and 62 research laboratories. Contributes supervisors for photonics and nonlinear optics projects within AUFRANDE.
• University of Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSMB is a French partner with 15,000 students and 19 internationally recognized research laboratories. Hosts the LOCIE laboratory and contributes to solar energy and building physics research.
• Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUGA is a leading French university ranked 5th in France and in top 50 globally in 15 disciplines. Provides supervision for AUFRANDE projects in glaciology, climate science, and earth system modelling.
• Institut de Chimie et des Matériaux Paris-Est (ICMPE-UPEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICMPE is a joint research unit between UPEC and CNRS, developing innovative research in chemistry and materials science. Contributes supervisors to AUFRANDE polymer and antimicrobial research projects.
• Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - C2N (CNRS-C2N)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCNRS-C2N is a joint research unit between CNRS and Université Paris-Saclay focused on nanoscience and nanotechnology. Provides supervision for quantum optics and photonics projects.
• Aix Marseille Université (AMU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMU is the largest multidisciplinary French-speaking university with 80,000 students and 122 research facilities. Contributes supervisors to nanomaterials and laser-ablation research projects.
• Over 40 Non-Academic Industry PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partners provide mentoring, project support, and real-world applications for AUFRANDE doctoral research. They offer career development opportunities and contribute to industry-relevant research outcomes.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service): Germany's national agency for international academic cooperation, funding scholarships, doctoral mobility, and research partnerships globally. Comparable as a government-backed provider of international doctoral and research training opportunities, though with a broader geographic scope than AUFRANDE's France-Australia focus.
• Cambridge Trust: University of Cambridge's principal vehicle for awarding scholarships to international postgraduate students, including doctoral researchers. Comparable as a prestigious university-administered international doctoral scholarship provider with industry and donor partnerships.
• Fulbright Program: The U.S. flagship international academic exchange program, sponsoring doctoral, postdoctoral, and faculty research across 160+ countries. Comparable as a binational/multilateral fellowship provider with industry and government partner engagement, though broader in scope than AUFRANDE's doctoral-only focus.
• Institut français: French public institution promoting French culture and higher education abroad, including scholarship programs and international academic partnerships. Comparable as a French-side institutional counterpart promoting French doctoral training and binational research collaboration.
• Gates Cambridge Trust: Funds postgraduate scholarships for outstanding international students at the University of Cambridge, with a focus on doctoral research. Comparable as a philanthropic, merit-based international doctoral scholarship provider with strong industry and donor networks.
• Rhodes Trust: Administers the Rhodes Scholarship, one of the world's oldest and most prestigious international postgraduate fellowship programs, sending scholars from many countries to Oxford. Comparable as a high-prestige international scholarship provider fostering binational academic ties, though UK-centric and at master's/doctoral level broadly.

Regional players

• Australian Academy of Science: Australia's national science academy, administering research fellowships, early-career awards, and international exchange schemes (e.g., Australia-France bilateral programs). Comparable as the Australian counterpart supporting the host-country side of binational doctoral training and research collaboration.

Direct peers

• Marie Curie Alumni Association: Global network of researchers who have held Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions fellowships, including MSCA COFUND recipients. Directly comparable as the alumni community for AUFRANDE's funding scheme, serving the same researcher segment and providing ongoing networking and career support.
• Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees (European Commission): EU-funded international joint degree programs in which students study in multiple European (and partner) countries and receive a recognised joint/double degree. Directly comparable to AUFRANDE in structure (EU co-funded, multi-institution joint enrolment, dual credential) and target market (early-career graduate researchers).

Others

• Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships:

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aufrande
• Instagraminstagram.com/aufrande_eu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Australia-France Network of Doctoral Excellence (AUFRANDE)