AXA Foundation for Human Progress Academic institution registration and funding application management platform

AXA Chairs

Duration: 5 years
Amount: up to 1.5M€ total
Profile: PhD +10 years minimum

The AXA Chairs of the AXA Foundation for Human Progress are 5-year, high-profile grants supporting senior researchers to build and lead ambitious transdisciplinary research networks.

Each AXA Chair:

• Funds a Chairholder (PI) and a network of academic and non‑academic partners.
• Supports research at the intersection of human health and well‑being, Societies, and the Planet.
• Aims to deliver both excellent science and concrete societal impact (e.g. policy change, tools, pilots, capacity-building).
• Seeks to establish durable collaborations that continue beyond the end of AXA funding.

The Chairholder is expected to act as a network leader and catalyst, coordinating a multi-partner consortium that co‑designs, co‑produces, and co‑implements the research and its applications.

Eligibility

Host institutions

• Only academic institutions and public research organizations (e.g. universities, public research institutes) can act as host institutions.
• Host institutions must be registered in the AXA Foundation’s online database: https://institution.axa-research.org/
• Each host institution may submit only one AXA Chair application per campaign as lead institution.
• Institutions may participate as partners in multiple Chair networks.

The AXA Foundation for Human Progress does not accept as hosts: associations, foundations, NGOs, private companies, governmental bodies, hospitals, independent research centers, museums, or other cultural institutions.

Prospective Chairholder (PI)

The Chairholder is expected to:

• Hold a PhD obtained at least 10 years prior to the application deadline.
• Be of the highest academic caliber, with an outstanding track record of publications and international recognition.
• Have demonstrated experience in transdisciplinary work across multiple disciplines.
• Have a strong record of engagement with non‑academic stakeholders (e.g. public authorities, NGOs, communities, practitioners).
• Be able to hold a full‑time academic position at the host institution for the full 5‑year duration of the Chair.

At equal levels of excellence and transformative potential, preference may be given to candidates who move from another institution, where this mobility is clearly justified and aligned with the host’s strategy.

Two categories of AXA Chairs

The AXA Chair supports a single, coherent research program led by the Chairholder and implemented by a transdisciplinary network. It comprises two distinct categories:

1. Global Category

Supports international, transdisciplinary research networks addressing major risks and challenges at the intersection of:

• Risks to People Health and Human Well-Being,
• Risks to Societies, and
• Risks to the Planet.

2. Health in France Category

Exclusively supports health related AXA Chairs network conducted with the leading institution in France, focusing on risks to human health and well-being (e.g. chronic and infectious diseases, mental health, environmental determinants of health, health inequalities, health systems resilience).

Private for-profit companies are not eligible as project partners under this scheme.

Full details are provided in the AXA Chair Guidelines.

Guidelines

Click here to see the guidelines

Key Dates

The AXA Chairs are awarded once per year. All stages of the application process open and close at 4:00 PM CET.

Key application dates for the 2026 campaign:

• Step 1: Expression of Interest: March 12 – April 9, 2026
• Step 2: Full application (for shortlisted candidates only): April 20 – May 14, 2026
• Step 3: Rebuttal: September 7 – September 14, 2026
• Step 4: Online Q&A session with the Scientific Committee: Between October 1 and October 31, 2026
• Step 5: Results announcement: December 2026

Start application

Additionally the highest operational representative of the Institution should be designated as Legal Representative.
 

How to apply

Step 1: Expression of Interest

Who submits?
The host institution’s Operational Contact submits the Expression of Interest (EOI) in English through our dedicated online platform.

What is required?
Once registered on the platform, the host institution provides:

• Candidate details (date of birth, date of PhD defense).
• A short CV of the prospective Chairholder (max. 3 pages).
• The title and description of the research program (max. 3,000 characters including spaces), including:
  • the long‑term vision of the Chair and its intended impact;
  • the main disciplines involved and how they will be integrated;
  • initial academic and non‑academic partners;
  • the overall approach to stakeholder co‑production and network governance.

Only shortlisted EOIs will be invited to proceed to the full application stage.

Step 2: Full application

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to submit a full application through our online platform.

• Applications must be submitted in English by the deadline.
• Late applications will be disqualified.

The full application includes:

• A detailed description of the research program.
• Information on the transdisciplinary network (partners, roles, governance).
• A Transdisciplinary & Stakeholder Engagement Plan.
• A Network Governance Plan and Data & Knowledge Sharing Plan.
• A detailed budget and justification.
• The Chairholder’s CV and publication list.
• Letters of support, including at least one from a non‑academic partner.

Step 3: Rebuttal

Applications are reviewed by independent external experts.

• Candidates will receive the reviewers’ comments and will have one week to submit a rebuttal.
• The rebuttal allows candidates to clarify misunderstandings and respond to key points before the application is submitted to the Scientific Committee.

Step 4: Online Q&A session with the Scientific Committee

For shortlisted candidates, an online Q&A session is organized with members of the Scientific Committee.

• The date and format of the session will be communicated in due course.
• The session is intended to clarify elements of the proposal and to assess the candidate’s vision, leadership, and ability to communicate with a broad audience.