Calling for applications: 14 thesis on cultural heritage with double degreeDeadline on the 17th of January 2026
From 17 Nov 2025 to 17 Jan 2026
Launch of the 3rd call for applications for the CHORAL programme
14 Marie Sklodowska-Curie grants for research in cultural heritage.
Within the scope of the UNITA university alliance, 14 young researchers of excellence will have the opportunity to join the CHORAL programme in 2026, to conduct research on the cultural heritage, through co-supervised thesis.
Coordinated by the Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour (UPPA), CHORAL (Cultural Heritage Outreach in RomAnce Languages) is a Horizon Europe Marie Sklodowska-Curie programme co-financed by the European Union. This programme fits in the Cultural Heritage Hub which gather the twelve partner universities of the UNITA alliance. These institutions cooperate to rise to the contemporary challenges of the cultural heritage in an interdisciplinary perspective. In the specific context of the CHORAL programme, seven of them are collaborating in this project.
A unique programme for international researchers
The CHORAL programme aims to train high-quality researchers and to support interdisciplinary, international and cross-industry research that include all the aspects of cultural heritage. Although CHORAL is based on this field, it also embraces a huge diversity of scientific fields, such as architecture, anthropology, arts and culture, computer sciences, history, literature, linguistics, management, musicology, and many more.
The selected candidates will submit a co-joint thesis, which will enables to get a double degree issued by two partner universities of the programme. An international mobility is a key element, and the PhD students will have the opportunity to conduct their research in varied academic contexts across Europe.
14 completely funded thesis positions
The call for applications is open until the 17th of January 2026, with 14 available positions for three-years thesis, entirely financed, and starting on autumn 2026. The candidates will be asked to choose among 20 research topics proposed within the 6 universities of the UNITA alliance:
- Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour
- Université Savoie Mont Blanc
- Università di Torino
- Universidad de Zaragoza
- Università degli Studi di Brescia
- Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov
The projects include topics related to cultural heritage, and the doctoral candidates will have the opportunity to work with internationally renowned experts in these fields.
Why pursue a thesis within the CHORAL programme ?
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A high-quality training and research : Benefit from the expertise of the UNITA alliance’s research laboratories in the field of cultural heritage and beyond.
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Holistic guidance : receive a personalized support throughout your PhD, from the academic integration to your occupational integration
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A transformative impact : participate in the socio-economic and cultural transformation of rural and cross-boarder territories, especially in mountainous regions
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Financial support : PhD students enjoy funding for research fees, travels and international mobility
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Double European degree : get a double degree from two partner universities of the CHORAL programme to strengthen the international impact of your path
Mobility criteria
Candidates must meet strict geographical mobility requirements: they must not have resided or practised their main activity (word, studies, etc…) in the country of the recruiting university for more than 12 months in the 36 months preceding the call deadline.
Example: if you have resided on France during the past three years, you won’t be able to apply for the Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour (UPPA) or the Université Savoie Mont-Blanc (USMB).
Click here to submit your application
Further information and application
Applications must be submitted online before the 17th of January 2026. The 14 doctoral positions are funded for 3 years, with the PhD projects scheduled to start in autumn 2026.
For more information, please visit the programme website or submit your application directly via the provided link.
Contact: For any questions, please contact the CHORAL team at: choral@univ-pau.fr
*CHORAL is founded by the European Union
