Herbette Foundation
Aims of the foundation
The Fondation Herbette was created in 1974 by the University of Lausanne, thanks to a bequest from Mrs Jeanne Herbette, widow of a former French ambassador to Russia and Spain, who died in Clarens on 5 April 1970.
In her will dated 9 August 1962, Mrs Jeanne Herbette stated:
"I hereby appoint the University of Lausanne as sole heir to all the property that I will leave upon my death. My heir must use these assets or the proceeds of their sale for the needs of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lausanne (physics, chemistry, mathematics, natural sciences)."
The Fondation Herbette offers the following support, namely, only one category per application:
- Invitation of scholars
- Organisation of congresses, conferences, courses, seminars
- Activities aimed at popularising science in all its forms
- Scientific training/training of teaching staff in engineering
- Research project
- Purchase of equipment, instruments, books, etc.
- Contribution to the costs of scientific publications
Foundation board
The Herbette Foundation is a private foundation. It is managed by a Foundation Board, chaired by a member of the University Management. Each year, the Foundation Board examines reports from the Faculty of Geoscience and the Environment and the Faculty of Biology and Medicine (excluding medicine). The Selection Committee examines the applications and submits its recommendations to the Foundation Board.
The Foundation Board approves or rejects the recommendations submitted by the Selection Committee. This is how the annual income from the Foundation's assets is distributed.
Presidency
Prof. Liliane Michalik
Members
Mr Michel Aubry, trésorier
Mrs Rébecca Michelot
Prof. Othmar Muentener
Prof. Alexandre Roulin
Administrator
Mrs Géraldine Gimmi
- 1878, April 7 - Birth of Jean Herbette, son of Louis, State Councillor in Paris
- 1879, July 28 - Birth of Jeanne Labateux
- 1893 to 1894 - Following mother's death, stays in Berlin with his uncle, Jules Herbette, French ambassador
- 1902 - Degree in science from the University of Paris
- 1902 to 1906 - Preparator at the Faculty of Science
- 1906 - Doctorate in science with a thesis in crystallography
- 1908 - Marriage to Jeanne Hélène Marie Eugénie Labateux, member of the Opéra corps de ballet
- 1907 to 1924 - Worked as a publicist for various French magazines and newspapers. During the First World War, political editor at L'Echo de Paris, then foreign policy editor at Le Temps.
- 1924 to 1931 - French Ambassador to Moscow
- 1931 to 1937 - French Ambassador to Spain
- 1938 - Retired to Clarens
- 1960, November 21 - Death of Jean Herbette
- 1970, April 5 - Death of Jeanne Herbette, née Labateux
- 1974 - Jeanne Herbette bequeathed to the University of Lausanne
These assets included securities, a building in Clarens, a flat in Monaco, a collection of icons, objets d'art and valuable furniture. In 1974, they represented a value of more than 3 million Swiss francs.
The collections were gradually reorganised and made available to a foundation set up to manage them for the benefit of researchers at the University of Lausanne. Every year since then, grants of up to 200,000 Swiss francs have been awarded, either under various categories, including invitations to scholars, sabbaticals/improvement leave, the purchase of equipment and teaching materials, or in the form of subsidies for publications or study trips.
The Foundation is also responsible for the management and administration of the Foundation.
Since 1 January 1981, these assets have been entrusted to the Société de gestion des biens universitaires vaudois.
The Rectorate of the University of Lausanne expresses its gratitude to Mr and Mrs Jean Herbette, whose memory it wishes to remember by naming after them the room where its councils and committees have met since 1981, in the Unicentre building.
The Salle Herbette is decorated with one of the three tapestries from the estate.
Getting support
How to apply
Are you looking to fund a project related to a scientific activity at UNIL?
The Herbette Foundation Guidelines will guide you from start to finish through the process of applying for financial support from the Herbette Foundation.
Eligibility
The Herbette Foundation supports UNIL professors and MERs. To be considered, applications must be in the field of natural sciences, excluding medical, humanities and social sciences.
Departments and institutes concerned
FGSE - Faculty of Geosciences and Environment
- IGD - Institute of Geography and Sustainability
- ISTE - Institute of Earth Sciences
- IDYST - Institute of Land Surface Dynamics
FBM - Faculty of Biology and Medicine
- CIG - Integrative Genomics Centre
- DBMV - Department of Plant Molecular Biology
- DEE - Department of Ecology and Evolution
- DMF - Department of Fundamental Microbiology
Deadline for applications
- Applications to be submitted to the Selection Committee secretariat: no later than 31 August
- Deadline for replies: 20 December
- Operating year according to the guidelines: calendar year of the application + 1
Form and documents to be provided
The forms and documents required to submit an application:
- The application for financial support form, duly completed and signed
- A brief description of the project highlighting its scientific interest and indicating the amount requested (bid) and the exact period of operation (2 pages)
- CV and list of publications over the last 5 years (2 pages), highlighting the skills of the applicant(s) and/or guest professor(s)
- Details of how the project fits in with the activities of a UNIL institute or research group (1-2 pages)
- The detailed budget required for all categories
In accordance with the Guidelines for applicants/recipients of financial support, the application must be no longer than 8 pages, excluding bibliographical references. Applications that do not meet this criterion will be excluded from assessment.
Submitting an application
The request for support form should be sent by post to
Selection Committee Secretariat - FGSE
Géopolis, office 4608
CH-1015 Lausanne
The complete application should be sent to: secretariat-fgse@unil.ch
You have received support
Transmit the information relating to the payment of the donation. The decisions of the Foundation Board will be sent by post to the professional address (UNIL) of the person responsible for the project (the person signing the application).
For donations of up to CHF 5,000, please complete this payment form as requested.
For grants of CHF 5,001 or more, please complete this payment form as requested.
Duly completed, dated and signed, this document should be sent by e-mail to: fondation.herbette@unil.ch
Provided we have the necessary information by 31 December, the funds will be credited on 30 January.
Reports to be submitted
Scientific report
As soon as the subsidy has been used, but no later than 31 March of the calendar year following the year of use, the beneficiaries must submit the following to the Secretariat of the Foundation Board:
- A maximum 2-page report on the use of the grant + any appendices - Scientific report template
- A statement of the use made of the funds, with supporting documents
Financial report
Beneficiaries must submit a financial report - issued by UNIL's financial department - detailing the use of funds by 31 March of the year following the year of operation.
In addition to the financial details, this document must contain the name of the project, the year of operation and the name(s) of the professor(s) responsible for submitting the application.
Repayment
Repayment of partially used funds granted
In accordance with article 3.6 of the Herbette Foundation's regulations, i.e.:
"Beneficiaries must submit a scientific report and a statement of the use made of the funds (with supporting documents relating to expenditure) as soon as the subsidy has been used, but no later than 31 March of the calendar year following the year of use".
If the statement shows a positive balance, the beneficiary will reimburse the difference between the amount paid by the Foundation and the amount used by sending the Herbette Foundation the duly completed reimbursement form.
Funds granted but not used
If the project announced is not carried out, the beneficiary will be reimbursed the full amount received by sending the Herbette Foundation a duly completed reimbursement form.
Contacts
Election and application committee
Petitions for support should be sent to the Selection Committee
Herbette Foundation
FGSE Deanship
Géopolis - office 4608
CH-1015 Lausanne
Tel. +41 21 692 35 00
secretariat-fgse@unil.ch
For the secretariat of the Foundation's Selection Committee
Foundation Board, payments and scientific and financial reports
Payments, the scientific report and the financial report areà sent to the Foundation Board
Herbette Foundation
UNIL Direction
Unicentre
CH-1015 Lausanne
Tel. +41 21 692 23 40
fondation.herbette@unil.ch