REACH-UPPA MSCA Cofund

About REACH-UPPA programmeMSCA Cofund

Coordinated by the University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour (UPPA), REACH-UPPA (Research Excellence And Career Hub at UPPA) is a Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie co-funded programme.

The programme will host 10 outstanding postdoctoral researchers, offering them the opportunity to develop ambitious research projects across a broad range of disciplines, including:

  • Physical sciences and engineering

  • Life sciences

  • Social sciences and humanities

A world-class research environment

REACH-UPPA is designed to provide a high-quality, interdisciplinary research environment while opening strong international and cross-sectoral opportunities.

Selected postdoctoral researchers (PDRs) will:

  • Join a dynamic and supportive academic community

  • Benefit from strong cross-disciplinary collaborations

  • Engage with leading international and socio-economic partners

  • Build an independent and high-level research profile

About UPPA

UPPA is a leading research and teaching university in France, recognised with the national I-SITE excellence label.

Located in the culturally rich and diverse Atlantic Pyrenees region, UPPA offers an inspiring environment for research and innovation.

Key figures include:

  • 514+ permanent researchers

  • 18 research units and joint research units

  • 3 Associated International Laboratories (with UC Berkeley, Northwestern University, and IISc Bangalore)

  • 9 joint laboratories with non-academic partners (large companies and SMEs)

UPPA researchers have received numerous distinctions, including:

  • Membership in the French Academy of Sciences

  • CNRS Crystal and Bronze Medals

  • ERC Starting and Consolidator Grants

  • Positions at the Institut Universitaire de France

UPPA is strongly committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and high-quality research environment, in line with the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.

Interdisciplinary missions for global challenges

REACH-UPPA is built around UPPA’s five interdisciplinary missions, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

These missions:

  • Go beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries

  • Encourage collaboration between academic, socio-economic, and cultural stakeholders

  • Address complex global challenges through integrated approaches

They are structured into thematic programmes led by research units and supported by “mission labs”, which:

  • Foster emerging research topics

  • Encourage innovation and forward-thinking science

  • Strengthen the link between research and training

  • Bring together partners at regional, national, and international levels

A programme designed for ambitious researchers

A key feature of REACH-UPPA is the opportunity for early-career researchers to propose their own research projects.

Projects must:

  • Align with UPPA’s 15 priority research areas

  • Be connected to the five interdisciplinary missions

For the first call, 8 priority areas are open, and proposals must fall within one of them.

Each selected researcher will benefit from:

  • Dedicated support from a scientific mentor

  • A structured programme to support career development

  • Access to a rich ecosystem of academic and non-academic partners

Join REACH-UPPA

If you are a talented early-career researcher aiming to advance fundamental or applied research, REACH-UPPA offers an exceptional opportunity.

Join a programme designed to foster:

  • Scientific excellence

  • International collaboration

  • Strong societal impact

Apply and collaborate with UPPA’s renowned research teams.