BRIDGES Program - Call For PHD Theses 2026

To the members of the Institutional Site Committee (CIS) in Mozambique

Dear Sir or Madam,

As announced at the first CIS meeting in March 2026, the BRIDGES Program has launched a call for PhD clusters aimed at funding and supporting the first cohort of doctoral students who will contribute to innovative research while benefiting from an intercultural, interdisciplinary environment of scientific excellence. This call is part of an ambitious initiative: to foster a new generation of ocean stakeholders capable of addressing the scientific and socio-ecological challenges of the southwestern Indian Ocean, while remaining grounded in local realities.

We are pleased to announce that ten thesis topics have been selected for funding, and to launch our call for applications to recruit the ten future doctoral students for the 2026 cohort. > Link to the 10 selected thesis topics

These doctoral students will contribute to addressing BRIDGES’ scientific challenges by developing research grounded in the realities of the field sites. They will benefit from an intercultural, interdisciplinary environment of scientific excellence, enabling them to become scientific experts capable of understanding, managing, and transforming the marine socio-ecological systems of the southwestern Indian Ocean.

Thanks to the diversity of their backgrounds and disciplines, these doctoral students will be able to contribute to academic circles.

Focus on Mozambique

Five PhDs are directly linked to Mozambique, whether through their geographical focus, planned missions, or scientific collaborations. We encourage you to share this information with your networks to identify motivated candidates from the territory.

• ACCRO: Using acoustic telemetry to inform spatial management: connectivity of exploited fish and shark species in contrasting protection regimes in the South-West Indian Ocean
• Areas of Interest: Mozambique, Comores, Mayotte, Reunion Island, and the regional SWIO site
• Job Location: France (mainland) with missions planned in the SWIO
• Host Laboratory: UMR MARBEC
• Supervisors: Jérome Bourjea (Ifremer), Taryn Murray (South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity)
• BRIDGHEAT: Marine Heatwaves and Coastal Pelagic Fisheries in the Southwestern Indian Ocean
• Areas of Interest: The regional SWIO site, Comores, Mayotte
• Job Location: France (mainland) and Mayotte
• Host Laboratory: UMR MARBEC
• Supervisors: Alexandre Ganachaud (IRD), Aurore Receveur (IRD), Rakamaly Madi Moussa (Université de Mayotte)

• EPIREEF : Quantitative eDNA and epigenetic for reef monitoring and assessment
• Areas of Interest: the regional SWIO site, Mayotte, Reunion Island
• Job Location: Reunion Island
• Host Laboratory: EMR SANTECO
• Supervisors:  Serge Bernard (CNRS), Sylvain Bonhommeau (Ifremer)
• EQOCEAN: Who benefits from marine conservation? Social equity assessment in the South-West Indian Ocean
• Areas of Interest: Mozambique, Reunion Island
• Job Location: France (mainland) and Reunion Island with missions planned in Mozambique
• Host Laboratory: LEMAR
• Supervisors: Marie Bonnin (IRD), Philile Mbatha (University of Cape Town), Adrien Comte (IRD)
• SWIOMPA : Integrated planning of marine protected areas for biodiversity and ecosystem services in the south-western Indian Ocean
• Areas of Interest: the regional SWIO site
• Job Location: France (mainland) with missions planned in the SWIO
• Host Laboratory: IGE
• Supervisors: Ignacio Palomo (IRD), Pierre Brasseur (CNRS)

The job offers for each PhD position will be published from mid-April 2026 on the recruitment platforms of IRD and CNRS. All links will be centralized and accessible directly from our website.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions.