Funding for PhD students carrying out Flavor research (Giract)
Event details
| Date | 31.10.2025 |
| Category | Call for proposal |
GIRACT is the leading transnational business research and consultancy organization specializing in food ingredients, additives and related fine chemicals and technologies.
The consortium of seven industry sponsors aims to raise awareness of the industry and career opportunities in order to increase the flavor research talent pool in Europe. The 7 sponsoring companies are:
The aim of the program is to promote innovative flavor research amongst PhD students across European universities and research institutes. PhD students enrolled in universities and research institutes in 35 European countries (European Union, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and UK) are eligible to apply.
Funding:
The program targets two different groups of PhD students:
This is translated into the following sub-objectives:
Who can apply?
You are eligible to apply provided you are
The consortium of seven industry sponsors aims to raise awareness of the industry and career opportunities in order to increase the flavor research talent pool in Europe. The 7 sponsoring companies are:
- Ajinomoto
- Asahi Group Foods
- Givaudan
- Kerry
- Lallemand Bio-Ingredients
- Biospringer by Lesaffre
- PepsiCo
The aim of the program is to promote innovative flavor research amongst PhD students across European universities and research institutes. PhD students enrolled in universities and research institutes in 35 European countries (European Union, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and UK) are eligible to apply.
Funding:
- 6 Bursaries for 1st–year PhD students (EUR 3,000 each)
Six first year PhD students are eligible to win a bursary of EUR 3000, each. Additionally, these six students have the opportunity of visiting the laboratory of certain sponsor companies during the second year of their PhD studies, by using a part of their winning bursary amount for their travel and stay. This will enable them to obtain a first-hand view of an industry R&D centre.
- Best PhD thesis award (EUR 5,000).
One final year PhD student is eligible to win an award of EUR 5000. The winner will also be invited to the Savory Flavor and Food Industry Conference, held in Geneva, Switzerland as a platform for the winning student to present his/her work to 'potential employers'.
The program targets two different groups of PhD students:
- Group 1 (bursaries for 1st–year PhD students): students who are about to start their PhD studies
- Group 2 (best PhD thesis award): students who are about to complete their PhD and hence will soon be examining opportunities for employment.
This is translated into the following sub-objectives:
- Publicise the attractions of flavor research so as to pull high calibre students into appropriate PhD courses and then into industry
- For Group 1:
- Award bursaries to 6 selected students who are planning to start their PhD studies in flavor science during the 2025-2026 academic year
- Give the 6 winning 1st–year PhD students the opportunity to visit the laboratory of sponsor companies during the second year of their PhD studies through use of part of their bursary for travel and accommodation costs.
- For Group 2:
- Solicit and evaluate innovative flavor research projects amongst these students
- Offer the opportunity to the winning student to present his/her work to potential employers at the Annual Savory Flavor & Food Industry Conference, held in Geneva in the spring of each year.
Who can apply?
You are eligible to apply provided you are
- enrolled as a PhD student in a European University/Institute in 35 European countries (European Union, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and UK)
- a PhD student planning your research in areas relevant to flavor science, technology, processing, chemistry, etc. in a European University/Institute.
Please visit this webpage for eligibility and application details.
Practical information
- General public
- Free