Complementary activities

Complementary activities

Les missions doctorales

In addition to the young researcher's main focus, which is research, a doctoral candidate may carry out various activities in or outside the academic sector within the limit of 1/6 of the actual annual working time. All of these non-research activities contribute to the doctoral candidate's development of skills, experiences that will be viewed positively in the curriculum vitae and portfolio of the future doctor.

In the case of a doctoral candidate under a doctoral contract*, it is possible to benefit from a complementary mission which gives the right to additional remuneration. The allocation of a complementary mission is subject to a specific selection process. 

* Doctoral contract as defined in the decree of 29 August 2016 amending the decree of April 23, 2009

Teaching duties take place within a faculty in conjunction with a teaching team. The doctoral candidates entrusted with these duties provide an annual service of 64 hours of tutorials and/or practical work in Bachelor's programs, exceptionally in Master's programs according to the needs of the Teaching Department. A pedagogical tutor follows the progress of the teaching provided by the doctoral candidate.

Candidate can also be assigned to the Library where they teach scientific information management (such as bibliographic research or scientific data management).

Some positions are also offered by the Department of Languages. 

The doctoral candidates are supported by Sorbonne University in the performance of their duties, particularly in pedagogy, either within the faculty they are assigned to or by the doctoral college of Sorbonne University.

The recruitment campaign is open from mid-June to the end of August, with the number of positions varying each year according to the needs expressed by the teaching departments of the various disciplines.

Doctoral candidates interested in a teaching role.

Promotion tasks are coordinated by the research department, which is in charge of defining and implementing an action plan for Sorbonne University's research activity. 

Doctoral candidates assigned to such duties participate in the promotion and protection of scientific innovation by negotiating and processing research contracts within the framework of European public or private partnerships and by assisting structures in the preparation of their files, for example in relation to intellectual property, technology transfer or the filing of patents.

The doctoral candidates are supported by Sorbonne University in the performance of their duties within the Research Department and by the Sorbonne University doctoral college, which offers courses focusing on promotion and entrepreneurship.

The time spent on these duties corresponds to 32 days per year.

Doctoral candidates interested in a research promotion role .

Expert assignments consist of a professional activity carried out by a doctoral candidate in a company, an administration, a local authority, a public establishment, an association or a foundation. This assignment is generally related to the field of knowledge and skills of the doctoral candidate but must not be linked to the doctoral research project. It may involve audit work, methodological advice, scientific expertise, technological watch, feasibility studies, or staff training.

For doctoral candidates, an expert assignment is an opportunity to test their skills in a different context from that of the laboratory, allowing them to gain additional experience and to fuel their reflections on their career paths, but also to diversify their professional network.

The time spent on these assignments corresponds to a maximum of 32 days per year.

For these assignments, recruitment is carried out throughout the year according to the offers proposed by companies and distributed to doctoral candidates by the doctoral schools. 

Such an assignment is arranged by an agreement signed between the doctoral candidate's employer institution and the person commissioning the expert assignment. This agreement clearly defines the duties entrusted to the doctoral candidate, the methods of execution, supervision and evaluation.

If a doctoral candidate is in contact with a company that would like to offer an expert assignment, please contact the company relations officer of the Sorbonne University doctoral college.

The dissemination of scientific and technical information aims to promote the world of research, to make scientific results known and to disseminate them broadly to the public. It consists in carrying out scientific culture activities aimed at schools and citizens. It is carried out within the university, in centres of scientific culture or museums, or in schools. The assignment can also be carried out in partnership with associations.

The doctoral candidate designs, implements and monitors the implementation of scientific culture projects or events that are part of a cultural programme, and also provides face-to-face mediation activities before an audience.

During such an assignment, accompanied by professionals in scientific mediation, doctoral candidates contribute to the cultural awakening of the young and old, but also participate in the integration of the university into the city and in the dissemination of knowledge to society. 

The time spent on these assignments corresponds to a maximum of 32 days per year.

The recruitment campaign is open every year from mid-June to the end of August.

Doctoral candidates interested in the dissemination of scientific and technical information - Scientific Mediation

Cumulation of activities

If a doctoral candidate does not have access to an assignment (contract of another type than the doctoral contract), they may carry out teaching or expert activities in the form of shifts within the framework of a combination of activities (according to the conditions specified in decree no. 2007-648 of 2 May 2007). But in this case, it is necessary to benefit from a cumulation authorisation validated before the start of the activity.

Regardless of the nature of the activity, whether within the framework of a doctoral assignment or as part of a cumulation of activities, the total duration of the work carried out may in no case exceed one sixth of the actual working time (i.e. 64 hours of teaching equivalent (directed work) per year for teaching, or 32 working days per year for other activities).

Contractual doctoral candidates may not engage in any other teaching or expert activity or other activity apart from those described above (Decree no. 2016-1173 of 29 August 2016 amending Decree no. 2009-464 of 23 April 2009).