The aim of the Francqui Foundation is to encourage the prestige of desinterested fundamental research. To this end, the Foundation grants researchers four types of chairs:
Two types for professors external to UAntwerp:
- The domestic Francqui Chair, awarded to a professor from another Belgian university. Annually, the UAntwerp may award two such chairs, one of which may be awarded to a professor attached to a foreign (European) Institution;
- The chair for International Francqui Professor, nominated by the UAntwerp and at least one other Belgian university for a foreign eminent scholar with a world class reputation.
Two types for professors at UAntwerp:
- The Francqui Research Professor
- The Francqui Docent (or Start-Up Grant) for new members of the ZAP
If the holder of one of these four chairs works within the field of (bio)medical sciences, they are referred to as 'Collen-Francqui' professorships given the donations made by the Désiré Collen Foundation to the Francqui Foundation for the benefit of (bio)medical research.