The missions of French Schools Overseas

French Schools Overseas fulfill a threefold mission of training, research, and dissemination of knowledge in the humanities and social sciences. Their territorial roots facilitate direct access to sources and research fields, contributing to the renewal of knowledge.

They welcome doctoral and post-doctoral students, support the international mobility of researchers, and draw on French and foreign scientific communities. The schools conduct collective and individual research projects, promote the results, and publish numerous scientific books and journals each year.
 

Domaines et terrains de recherche

According to a five-year program, EFEs conduct archaeological operations, international research projects, and field missions in many areas of the humanities and social sciences, including archaeology, history, art history, religious studies, anthropology, sociology, geography, political science, and law.

As recognized centers of expertise, they offer a scientific, administrative, and technical environment suitable for hosting projects funded by national, European, or international agencies. They also participate in the development of digital humanities, in conjunction with national and European infrastructures.
 

Infrastructure for research and education

French schools abroad are setting up programs to welcome researchers, doctoral students, and teacher-researchers who are relocating. Every year, they organize thematic research schools and support young researchers in their professional careers.

Their libraries, located in Athens, Rome, Cairo, Paris, and Madrid, are open to the public and offer access to more than 730,000 books and specialized reference collections.
 

Actions of the EFE Network

Launched in 2011 and officially recognized in 2021, the network is jointly managed by the directors of the schools. It is supported by a shared service based at the EFEO in Paris and a Strategic Steering Committee. The rotating presidency of the network is held by one of the directors of the EFEs on January 1 of each year.

This organization strengthens coordination between the schools, pools expertise, and develops joint initiatives: thematic seminars, exchanges of best practices, staff mobility, and partnerships with other European and international research networks.
 

Joint programs and digital transition

The Network awards the “inter-EFE” label to research programs based on close collaboration between several schools or on the development of shared tools across the Network.

Committed to open science, ResEFE is pursuing a joint approach to promote the interoperability of digital platforms in order to improve the visibility and dissemination of research data. This initiative is based on partnerships with national infrastructures such as OpenEdition, Huma-Num, Persée, and Métopes, as well as training programs in digital humanities.