ECOLE FRANCAISE DE ROME

Their core work

The École Française de Rome is a prestigious French research institute based in Rome, specializing in historical and archaeological research across the Mediterranean world. Their work spans from ancient history (Magna Grecia, southern Italy antiquity) to modern religious and diplomatic history, with a strong focus on Catholic institutions and their global influence. They combine traditional humanities scholarship with digital humanities methods, building databases and analytical tools for historical research on material culture, iconography, and transnational religious networks.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their earliest H2020 involvement (2016) centered on early modern European cultural history through PERFORMART, studying Roman aristocratic arts patronage. From 2020 onward, the focus shifted in two directions simultaneously: backward in time to deep antiquity (FEMINICON on Magna Grecia, 8th-3rd century BCE) and forward to 20th-century transnational religious history (HUMANE). The recent projects also show a methodological shift toward digital humanities tools and a thematic turn toward gender, intercultural exchange, and the political dimensions of religion.

They are broadening their chronological range while increasingly applying digital methods and socio-political lenses (gender, diplomacy, humanitarianism) to historical research.

How they like to work

EFR primarily leads its own projects, coordinating 2 out of 3 H2020 grants, both as MSCA Individual Fellowships — a format where the institution hosts a single researcher. Their one participation as partner (PERFORMART, an ERC grant) shows they can also contribute to larger externally-led projects. With only 1 unique consortium partner across all projects, they operate as an independent research host rather than a networked consortium builder.

Extremely small formal H2020 network with just 1 consortium partner in 1 country. Their real collaborative strength likely lies outside EU framework programmes, through their institutional role as a hub for French and international scholars working on Italian and Mediterranean topics.

What sets them apart

As a French national research institute physically located in Rome, EFR occupies a rare cross-border position — deeply embedded in Italian scholarly infrastructure while maintaining French academic standards and networks. Their research bridges Western European, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern history in ways few single institutions can. For consortium builders in humanities and social sciences, they offer a credible hosting environment for individual fellowships with strong archival access in Rome and southern Italy.

Highlights from their portfolio

• PERFORMART
  Largest grant (EUR 1,176,000) as an ERC Consolidator project — signals the institute's capacity to support ambitious, well-funded research.
• HUMANE
  Most recent project connecting Catholic humanitarian organizations to Middle East geopolitics — an unusual intersection of religious history and international relations.
• FEMINICON
  Combines ancient archaeology with digital humanities and gender studies — represents EFR's methodological modernization.