Presentation of the A*Midex Foundation

The Initiative of Excellence (IdEx)

The A*Midex Initiative of Excellence brings together a consortium of nine institutions from the Aix-Marseille higher education and research site, under the coordination of Aix-Marseille University. Its implementation is carried out by A*Midex, placed under the responsibility of the Board of Directors of Aix-Marseille University and steered by a monthly Steering Committee. The foundation manages the interests ofan endowment of €750 million devolved by the State to the University of Aix-Marseille, i.e. nearly €26 million per year, which allows it to carry out experimental and innovative actions in support of the strategy of the Aix-Marseille University political team and in relation to the site policy deployed with the partners of the Initiative of Excellence:

The 3 flagship programs

1. Calls for projects and co-financing actions

The calls for proposals launched by A*Midex aim to develop strong and effective cooperation with all public and private players in research and education, as well as to support the transformation of the Aix-Marseille site in relation to its partners.

• 5 to 10 calls per year to finance ambitious and innovative projects, capable of responding to societal and scientific challenges.
• Co-financing actions to create a leverage effect and increase the chances of selection by national or international funders.

2. Graduate schools

The graduate schools, bridges between research and education, rely on the university's laboratories, faculties and schools, as well as on its socio-economic partners, to strengthen its interdisciplinary approach and its openness to innovation.

• The creation, financial support and monitoring of interdisciplinary institutes.
• Support for other emblematic structures of the site and precursors of this dynamic: theInstitute for Advanced Studies (IMéRA) and the university research schools (Neuro*AMU, AMSE).

3. The France 2030 Investment Plan

Since 2020, the Foundation has been entrusted with the mission of leading and coordinating the France 2030 Investment Plan.

• The implementation and monitoring of all projects from the 3rd wave of the France 2030 Investment Program (now France 2030) that it has itself incubated(Tiger and IDeAL).
• The coordination of all the responses and concerted actions of the Aix-Marseille site within the framework of the priority calls of the France 2030 Investment Plan.