You will have access to unpublished data and early-stage ideas. All advisors sign a confidentiality agreement before engaging with any project. Researchers share their work openly because they trust that what happens inside SPARK stays inside SPARK.

We ask advisors to disclose any potential conflicts of interest upfront. In most cases they are manageable and don't prevent involvement. If your organisation might want to license a project you are advising, we ensure full transparency and recuse you from relevant decisions. Our goal is a relationship that works for everyone.

You don't need to be in Bordeaux. Many of our advisors participate remotely and find it works well. We supplement virtual engagement with occasional in-person meetings when possible, but these are never mandatory.

Travel and other expenses are not reimbursed as a standard rule. Any exception must be discussed and approved by the SPARK-Bordeaux program manager in advance.

You won't be dropped into a project without context. The SPARK team provides project summaries, meeting agendas, and background materials ahead of each engagement. We are also available throughout to help if questions arise or you need guidance on how best to support a researcher at a given stage.