Transcript EU Connects – An Action Plan

Funding Opportunities for Research and
Collaboration
Tatiana Panteli,
Coventry
29 September 2011
Programme
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Introduction
Marie Curie programme: background, objectives, priorities
Initial Training Network (ITN)
Project Examples from Europe
Pitch your project idea!
International Research Staff Exchange Scheme (IRSES)
How to apply for the ITN &/or IRSES
Complete Project Outline Forms / Partner Searches
Final tips from the successful applicants
Birmingham
Team
(former EU
Connects)
West Midlands European
Service – Who are we?
Brussels
Team
(former
WMiE)
West Midlands European Service
The Birmingham office
The Brussels Office
• Support to the organisations
new to or with limited
experience of European
funding
• Advice on various funding
programmes
• Project development grants
• Training in the bid writing
and project management
• Free
• Support to the experienced
in EU funding
• Advice on the FP7
• Lobbying
• Policy updates
• Meeting spaces (WM
European Centre)
• Service Level Agreement
• Project Management
WMES Birmingham aims
• To increase the number and value of
successful trans-national projects aligned to
key regional priorities
• To draw together the jigsaw of European
opportunities and networks across the region
into a co-ordinated “offer” of real value to the
regional organisations
•592 submitted projects worth €65M
•280 successful projects so far
•€18,8M investment to the WM
• 2000 people trained
Our success so far
Trans-national
Funds
• Exchange of best practice with partners
> Knowledge transfer > Innovative approaches
> Improve services
> Globally competitive
• Everyone is eligible
> No maps / geographic or sectoral requirements
> First timers welcome > capacity building
• We do not take up our share of €
> Not very competitive
Life Long
Learning
Vocational training
skills
Employability
Innovative learning
Policy or delivery
Marie Curie
Actions
SMEs/universities
Networks
Research/Knowledge
Transfer
Fellowships
INTERREG
LIFE+
Regional level
Strategy
Policy
Exchange of
best practice
Environment
Protecting natural
Assets / species
Strategic / policy
Competitiveness
& Innovation
SMEs
ICT
Innovative products,
services
and processes
Which Funds do
we support?
Intelligent
Energy Europe
Energy efficiency
Renewable energy
sources
Energy in transport
Integrated initiatives
Erasmus for Y.
Entrepreneurs
Work placements
in the successful
enterprises
Daphne III
Justice, freedom
and security
Our approach
1. Promote
partnership building
2. Link project ideas
to local problems
3. Improve
performance
Connecting to
Success
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33 Local Authorities
Regional Development Agency
Universities
Chambers of Commerce
Businesses
Voluntary organisations
Linking
organisations to
the projects
How are we doing this?
Tatiana Panteli
European Funding Adviser
[email protected]
www.wmeuropeanservice.org
Thank you!
Enterprise Europe Network Europe
• Part of international network funded under CIP
• Providing support services for SMEs and
research organisations
• Offered through a network of 600 organisations
working in regional consortia
• Over 46 countries involved
• CUE Ltd leads a Midlands consortium including
2 Chambers of Commerce
EEN services for Collaborative
Research
• Information and training days
- NMP Call information day, June 2011
- How to write a competitive FP7proposal, Sept 2011
•
FP7 partner/project search
- For Project Coordinators
- All Calls for Proposals – CIP and Framework
- Introductions made through Network partners
Contact details
www.een-midlands.org.uk
[email protected]
024 7623 6236
Your Turn!
• Who you are?
• Your organisation
• Your project idea
30 sec max
Marie Curie Initial Training Networks
UK National Contact Point
[email protected]
http://www.ukro.ac.uk
UK Research Office
UK Research Office
To promote effective UK engagement in EU
research,
innovation and higher education activities
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Based in Brussels, established in 1984,
Staff of 12
Sponsored by the seven UK Research Councils
Receives subscriptions from over 140 research
organisations
Range of services for sponsors and subscribers
Research Council policy work
Brussels liaison
For more information see www.ukro.ac.uk
UK Research Office
UKRO’s Services
‘Core’ subscriber services
Open to non-subscribers
Query service
(Majority of) training courses and
information events
Annual briefing visits
(for UK subscribers)
Annual Conference
News updates
ims.ukro.ac.uk
Marie Curie UK National Contact
Point
Subscriber website
www.ukro.ac.uk/subs
European Research Council UK
National Contact Point
Meeting room in Brussels
British Council
European RTD Insight
publication
UK Research Office – MC NCP
Marie Curie NCP - helpdesk
• Web, email, telephone, visits
• http://www.ukro.ac.uk/mariecurie/index.htm
• [email protected]
• Tel: +32 2 230 0318
• Advice on applying for MC actions:
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Eligibility
Application help
Results
Contractual issues
• Advice to those with MC contracts:
• Social security and tax
• Model agreements between host and fellow
• Contractual issues
Framework Programme 7 and the
‘People’ specific programme
UK NCP for Marie Curie
[email protected]
http://www.ukro.ac.uk/mariecurie
FP7 – Marie Curie Actions
Marie Curie Actions
Objectives and Policy Context:
“The People Work Programme 2012 has been
designed to support the implementation on the
Europe 2020 Flagship Initiatives ‘Innovation
Union’, ‘Youth on the Move’ and ‘An Agenda
for new skills and jobs’” (2012 Work
programme)
EU 2020: http://ec.europa.eu/eu2020/index_en.htm
Innovation Union:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/innovationunion/index_en.cfm
Youth on the Move:
http://ec.europa.eu/education/news/news2540_en.htm
FP7 – Policy Background
Policy Background
• FP7 is designed to achieve the EU2020 and
Barcelona objectives and to complement
activities in Member States.
• Support to the European Research Area
• Budget of €50 521 million
• Complementarity with other EC
programmes:
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Competitiveness and Innovation
Education and Training
Structural Funds
Who is eligible for funding?
FP7 Overview
EU-27
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria , Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg,
Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK
Associated Countries (FP7)
Albania*, Croatia*, Faroe Islands*, FYR Macedonia*,
Iceland*, Israel*, Liechtenstein*, Montenegro*, Norway*,
Serbia*, Switzerland, Turkey*, Bosnia Herzegovina*
*except Euratom
FP7
Country eligibility
Framework Programme 7
FP7 Specific Programmes
Co-operation – Collaborative Research
European Research Council
Marie Curie Actions
Capacities – Research Capacity
JRC
EURATOM
FP7 – Marie Curie Actions
Marie Curie Actions
Objectives and Policy Context:
• Make Europe more attractive to researchers
• Structuring effect on the European Research Area
through transnational and intersectoral mobility in
order to create a European labour market for
researchers
• Strengthen human potential by:
• Encouraging people to become researchers
• Encouraging researchers to carry out their
research in Europe
• Trans-national and inter-sectoral mobility
• €4.7 Billion
FP7 – Marie Curie Actions
Principles
• Skills and competence development at all
stages of researchers career
• Open to all research areas addressed under
the Treaty plus possibility of targeted calls
• Strong participation from enterprises
• Reinforce international dimension
• Appropriate gender and work/life balance
• Good working environment, transparent
recruitment and career development
Marie Curie Actions
FP7 – Marie Curie Actions
Overview: Marie Curie Actions
Host Actions
Individual Actions
Initial Training Networks
(ITN)
Intra-European Fellowships
Including:
Innovative Doctoral Programmes
(new)
European Industrial Doctorates
(new)
Incoming International
Fellowships
Industry Academia
Partnerships and Pathways
(IAPP)
Outgoing International
Fellowships
Career Integration Grants
International Research Staff
Exchange Scheme (IRSES)
+ Co-Fund, Researchers Night
FP7 – People – Marie Curie
MCA – Deadlines & Budgets
Industry Academia Partnerships and
Pathways
19/04/2012 €80
million
Researchers’ Night
10/01/2012 €4 million
Initial Training Networks (ITN)
12/01/2012 €423.23 m
COFUND
15/02/2012 €110
million
IRSES
18/01/2012 €30
million
Career Integration Grants (CIG)
06/03/2012 €40
million
Intra- European Fellowships (IEF)
International Incoming Fellowships
(IIF)
International Outgoing Fellowships
(IOF)
16/08/2012 €120 m
€40 m
€440 m
Definition of researchers
FP7 – Marie Curie Actions
Early-Stage Researchers
0 - 4 years (FTE)
from obtaining degree
that qualified them to
embark on a doctorate
Experienced Researchers i)
in possession of a
PhD
or
i) at least 4 years
experience (FTE)
FP7 – Marie Curie Actions
Transnational Mobility
Requirements
• Must not have been resident in host country for more
than 12 months in the last 3 years immediately before
application deadline / date of recruitment or
secondment
• Mobility rule now applies to all individual fellowships –
no ERG option to remain in same country under CIG
schemes
• New rule for Career Restart Panel – must not have
been in host country for more than 3 of 5 years prior
to deadline
• Nationality criteria remains only in IOF scheme, in
which applicants must either be nationals of a MS/AC
or have been residing/carrying out main activity in
MS/AC for 5 years before deadline
• ‘Impact’ sub-criterion for individual fellowships:
‘benefit of the mobility to the ERA’
Marie Curie Initial Training Networks
UK National Contact Point
[email protected]
http://www.ukro.ac.uk
ITN – new in 2012
FP7 – Marie Curie - ITN
• Three strands
• ‘Classic’ multi-partner ITNs – maximum 500
researcher months, max 40% budget to one
country
• Innovative Doctoral Programmes (IDP) –
maximum 500 researcher months
• European Industrial Doctorates – maximum 180
researcher months
• Budget:
• €400 million for ITN/IDP (€318m in 2011)
• Ring-fenced extra €20 million for EID
FP7 – Marie Curie – Classic ITN
What is an ITN?
• Aims:
• Offering a series of fellowships to ESR and EXR
through a Joint Training Programme including
complementary skills modules – focus on
development of early-stage researchers
• Covers networking costs & the organisation of
short training events
• As an option, can recruit ‘visiting scientists’
• ITNs are in:
• Defined scientific fields as well as interdisciplinary, new and emerging supra-disciplinary
fields
FP7 – Marie Curie – Classic ITN
Who can participate in an ITN?
• At least 3 different research groups from
Member or Associated States
• Third country partners are eligible, in addition
to the minimum requirements. International
Co-operation Partner Countries (ICPC) may
receive funding, whilst those in non-ICPCs
may receive funding if absolutely essential for
the project
FP7 – Marie Curie – Classic ITN
Who participates in an ITN?
• An ITN has both industrial and academic
partners. Industry involvement essential at
one of two levels:
• As a full partner (‘participants’)
• Provider of specific training or secondment
opportunities (‘associated partner’)
• Guide recommends consortium of 6-10
participants & maximum 500 researcher
months
Note: the third-level option of involvement
through membership of an advisory board is
no longer available
FP7 – Marie Curie – Classic ITN
Who participates in an ITN?
Private sector partners:
• must be organisations gaining the majority of
their revenue through competitive means with
exposure to commercial markets.
• Industry representatives can participate but
do not satisfy this criterion
• Think broadly about potential private sector
partners – end users?
ITN must have agreed quality standards and
mutual recognition of training/ diplomas
FP7 – Marie Curie – Classic ITN
Who participates in an ITN?
Private sector partners:
• Active involvement in research training
programme considered essential;
• Think about involving them in site visit to
academic partners, seminars, workshops
as well as secondments;
• As many fellows as possible should benefit;
• Level of involvement appropriate to nature
of training and subject area
FP7 – Marie Curie – Classic ITN
Who can you recruit to an ITN?
• An ITN supports researchers:
• With up to 5 years experience (inc. doctoral
study)
• From all over the world
• For periods of 3 - 36 months (ESRs)
• For periods of up to 24 months (EXRs)
• Researchers can be seconded to other
partners for up to 30% of recruitment
Researchers can be of any nationality but
must comply with the mobility rule
FP7 – Marie Curie – Classic ITN
ITNs – key issues
• Ratio ESR/ER:
- ‘The total amount of ESRs and ERs should be
reasonable and in line with what is recommended
in the Guide for Applicants’ (80/20)
• Visiting Scientists:
- Exceptional and duly justified in the context of
the training programme
• Conferences:
- ‘should be proportionate to the proposed research
training programme’
- ‘is an opportunity for the recruiter researchers to
exchange knowledge with more experienced
researchers from outside the network’.
FP7 – Marie Curie – ITN (IDP)
ITNs – Innovative Doctoral
Programmes (IDP)
• 1 Participant (from MS/AC)
• Associated Partners from any country, sector,
discipline
• Should be: intersectoral, international,
interdisciplinary
• Should equip doctoral candidates with
innovative skills (both subject-specific and
generic)
• Quality and quantity of supervision of doctoral
candidates key
• No option to recruit experienced researchers:
ESRs only!
FP7 – Marie Curie – ITN (IDP)
ITNs – Innovative Doctoral
Programmes (IDP)
Intersectoral dimension might be addressed by:
• Inviting researchers working in other sectors
to deliver courses on entrepreneurship,
exploitation, etc.
• Mentoring of doctoral candidates by
researchers/experts from industry/other
socio-economic actors
• Exposing researchers to various socioeconomic actors gathered in a single
campus or hub
• Offering placement opportunities to young
researchers to develop their research
projects at the premises of future employers
FP7 – Marie Curie – ITN (IDP)
ITNs – Innovative Doctoral
Programmes (IDP)
International dimension might be addressed by:
• Offering possibilities to take courses abroad
• Developing partnerships and/or joint degrees with
other research institutions or companies in different
countries
Interdisciplinary dimension might be
addressed by:
• Proposing common courses or projects to doctoral
candidates from different disciplines
• Bringing together doctoral candidates in multidisciplinary projects involving different teams from
the same/different institutions
• Offering possibilities of laboratory rotations or visits
FP7 – Marie Curie – ITN (EID)
ITNs – European Industrial
Doctorates
• 2 participants: 1 academic, 1 private sector
(MS/AC only)
• Possible associated partners from any
country and any sector
• Each researcher must:
• Be enrolled in a doctoral programme
• Be employed by at least one of the participants
• Spend at least 50% of the time in the private
sector
• Be jointly supervised by both participants
• 1 to 5 researchers/project
• Mandatory consortium agreement
• No experienced researcher recruitment
FP7 – Marie Curie – ITN (EID)
ITNs – European Industrial
Doctorates
Should:
• Involve companies in doctoral training
• Develop innovative aptitudes and
entrepreneurial mindsets
• Improve the employability and career
perspectives of doctorate holders
• Strengthen co-operation between universities
and companies
• Enhance the research potential and
competitiveness of European companies and
SMEs
FP7 – Marie Curie - ITN
ITNs – overview of 3 modes
ITNs – 2011 call info
FP7 – Marie Curie - ITN
• Publication date: 20 July 2011
• Call deadline: 12 January 2012
• Indicative budget: €423.23 million
• Indicative timetable:
• Results expected 4 months after deadline
• Grants agreement signature from 9 months after
deadline
Results
http://www.ukro.ac.uk
ITNs – results of 2010 call
FP7 – Marie Curie - ITN
Evaluated
proposals
Funded
proposals
Success
Rate
LIF
230
19
8.2%
ENG
199
14
7.0%
PHY
126
8
6.3%
CHE
100
7
7.0%
ENV
95
7
7.4%
SOC
77
6
7.8%
MAT
18
1
5.6%
ECO
21
1
4.8%
TOTAL
863
63
7.4%
ITNs – results of 2011 call
FP7 – Marie Curie - ITN
Evaluated
proposals
Main list
Success
Rate
LIF
285
27
9.5%
ENG
204
19
9.3%
PHY
99
9
9.1%
CHE
108
9
8.3%
ENV
121
11
9.1%
SOC
72
7
9.7%
MAT
15
1
6.7%
ECO
15
1
6.7%
TOTAL
919
84
9.1%
ITNs – 2010 results overview
FP7 – Marie Curie - ITN
• 63 projects on main list
Overall
UK
Total number of
coordinators
857
182
Funded
coordinators
63
(7.4%)
13
(7.1%)
Total applicants
7725
1104
Funded
applicants
574
(7.4%)
87
(7.9%)
Examples of a funded ITN proposal
http://www.ukro.ac.uk
FP7 – Marie Curie – ITN Example
LECHE: Lactase persistence and the
early Cultural History of Europe
• This large (15 researcher, 24 participants)
European training network explores the origin
and impact of dairying Europe. The participating
researchers will draw on the latest genetic
studies of modern humans and domestic
animals to identify markers of specific traits, but
will also travel back in time and search for these
in ancient remains.
• For more information visit:
http://sites.google.com/a/palaeome.org/leche
FP7 – Marie Curie – ITN Example
CODDE: Coordination for Optimal
Decisions in Dynamic Environments
• Studies the links between sensory input, brain
activity and motor output by combining
behavioural techniques, brain imaging,
movement recording and computational
modelling. Provides young scientists with a
structured programme to help develop their
professional skills and careers. Interdisciplinary
techniques include: behavioural method; virtual
reality; computational methods; brain imaging;
movement recording.
• For more information visit:
http://www.optimaldecisions.org
FP7 – Marie Curie – ITN Example
DESIRE: Creative Design
for Innovation in Science
and Technology
• Brings together expertise in human computer
interaction, psychology, arts and design. Aims
to advance understanding of creative design
processes applied in the scientific and
technological problem solving. This will lead to
the elaboration of: theories and models of
creative processes; and methods, techniques
and systems to support both creative design
processes and creativity training.
• For more information visit:
http://www.desirenetwork.eu
FP7 – Marie Curie – ITN Example
ELDEL: Enhancing Literacy
Development in European
Languages
• Overlapping cross-linguistic studies (known as
Workpackages 1-6) to reveal the languagespecific and language-general factors affecting
literacy development. Partners with expertise in
developmental, educational and clinical
psychology, experimental psycholinguistics,
speech and language therapy, and an industrial
partner specialising in the creation of software
for the assessment and training of literacy skills.
There are a total of 7 Partners.
• For more information visit:
http://www.eldel.eu/welcome
Financial information
http://www.ukro.ac.uk
FP7 – Marie Curie - Rates
Financial Information– ITNs
Category 1: Monthly Living Allowance
• €38,000 per ESR/year x country co-efficient (134.4% for UK!)
• €58,500 per ER/year x country co-efficient
Category 2: Mobility Allowance
• €1000/€700 (family/not) per researcher month x country co-efficient
(flat rate)
Category 3: Contribution to Training and Research Costs
• €1,800 per researcher month (multi ITN)
• €1,200 per researcher month (EID and IDP)
• Flat rate category
Category 4: Management Activities
• Maximum 10% of total EU contribution (real costs category)
Category 5: Overheads
• 10% of direct costs
• Flat-rate cost category
Tips on writing your ITN proposal
UK National Contact Point
[email protected]
http://www.ukro.ac.uk
FP7 Submission and Evaluation
Process Overview
Call opens One/two stage
e-submission
Feedback
(ESR)
Eligibility
Check
Individual
Evaluation
Panel
Review/ Consensus
Post-evaluation
Ranking
Report to
PC
Negotiation of
Proposals
MCA – Submission & Evaluations
Process timetable
Publication of call
20-07-2011
Deadline for submission of
proposals
12-01-2012 at 17:00:00,
Brussels
local time
April-2012
Evaluation of proposals
Evaluation Summary Reports
May-2012
sent to
proposal coordinators ("initial
information letter")
Invitation letter to successful
June 2012
coordinators to launch grant
agreement
negotiations with REA services
Letter to unsuccessful applicants From August-2012
Signature of first grant
agreements
From September-2012
Building your consortium
Who do I need in my consortium?
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Depends on topic…
Partners must match activities in proposal
Appropriate balance of sectors – industry,
academia, civil society, user groups, etc
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Industry considered essential but others
could also be important for the topic
Consideration of what the purpose of the
scheme is RESEARCH TRAINING
• NOTE – no more than 40% of funding
should go to one country
• EU dimension/ added-value!
What is EU added-value?
Building your consortium
How does the EU benefit from funding your project and why is it
required at the EU level?
S&T
•
•
•
•
Expertise from other EU countries
Access to data from other countries
Different cultural and social perspectives
Research/training too costly for one country
Implementation
•
Avoid having one partner dominate research/training activities and
budget
•
Appropriate geographic spread for that project
Impact
•
Improve competitiveness, health and environment of EU
•
Feed into EU-wide policy objectives and their development
•
Decrease fragmentation and duplication
FP7 – Marie Curie – Your Proposal
Admin information in……
• PART A provides participant details and
the information for the budget estimation
• A1 – Proposal information (abstract, acronym,
evaluation panel etc)
• A2 – Information on host organisation. Coordinator
is Participant 1 (not for associated partners)
• A3 – Not for ITNs
• A4 – Number of fellows. Includes details for
seconded and recruited researchers
• A5 – details on associated partners including their
role in the project
FP7 – Marie Curie – Your Proposal
Your project is mainly defined in
….
• PART B addresses the evaluation criteria
• …which vary according to MCA
• …and have different weightings and thresholds
• General structure of Part B for ITNs and
IAPPs is:
•
•
•
•
•
Cover Page, Table of Contents
S & T Quality
Training/Transfer of Knowledge
Implementation
Impact
Weightings and thresholds
for ITNs
FP7 – Marie Curie – ITNs
Weighting Threshold
Scientific
quality of the
project
Training
30%
3
30%
4
Implementation 20%
3
Impact
4
20%
Overall threshold of 70% applies
FP7 - Marie Curie – ITN criteria
S & T Quality criteria
• S&T objectives of the research programme,
including in terms of inter/multidisciplinary, intersectoral and/ or newly
emerging supra-disciplinary fields
• Scientific quality of the research
programme
• Appropriateness of research methodology
• Originality and innovative aspect of the
research programme - Knowledge of the
state-of-the-art
• Contribution of the private sector and
possible other socio-economic actors
FP7 - Marie Curie – ITN criteria
S&T Quality – positive
feedback
• Excellent overview of state-of-the-art in
this research area
• Precise and detailed research work plan
• Scientific quality and originality of the
proposal are excellent
• Research method is appropriate and well
described
• The project is timely and novel
• A series of well defined and relevant
project objectives
• The multidisciplinary is well demonstrated
FP7 - Marie Curie – ITN criteria
S&T Quality : negative
feedback
• Interdisciplinary aspect of the project is
not very strong
• Clear references to state-of-the-art and
scientific originality are missing
• The final research outputs and the
practical results of the training programme
should be more clearly described
• Role of the industrial partners is not well
explained
• A precise description of the research
methodology is missing
FP7 - Marie Curie – ITN criteria
Training criteria
• Quality of the training programme;
• Contribution and relevance of private sector training
• Transferable skills offered: Management,
Communication, IPR, Ethics, Grant writing,
Commercial exploitation of results, Research Policy,
entrepreneurship, etc. .
• Qulaity of Supervision (new sub-criteria!)
• Importance and timeliness of the training
needs (e.g. multidisciplinary, intersectoral,
and newly emerging supra-disciplinary
fields)
FP7 - Marie Curie – ITN criteria
Training criteria
• For ITN / IDP
• Meaningful exposure of each researcher to
another sector – particularly secondments
• Adequate combination of local specialist
training with network-wide activities
• For EID
• Appropriate time spent by the ESR in each
sector
• Adequate supervision arrangements and
combination of local specialist training with
wide training activities
FP7 - Marie Curie – ITN criteria
Training : positive feedback
• The training programme is very well
structured and is fully consistent with the
research programme
• Local and network wide training will be
provided
• Complementary skills training is well
thought of
• The training topics are well identified and
defined
• The role of the participants are well
described and exploitation of the network
potential is adequately considered and
discussed
FP7 - Marie Curie – ITN criteria
Training: negative feedback
• The role of the Supervisory Board should
be better defined
• Reason for the need for Visiting Scientist
should be given
• Description of the training project for each
researcher is too vague
• Average number of ESRs per partner
seems exaggerated
• The role of the associate partners and
their participation in the training events
should be more clearly defined
FP7 - Marie Curie – ITN criteria
Quality of training - tips
• Training in research methods and
techniques
• Personal Development Plan
• Complementary skills training – ethics,
research management
• Transferable skills training – cf Roberts
• Graduate School Provision – including
RC courses
• Conferences, seminars, public fora et
• Supervision!
FP7 - Marie Curie – ITN criteria
Implementation criteria
• Capacities (expertise / human resources /
facilities /infrastructure) to achieve the
research and adequate task distribution
and schedule
• Adequate exploitation of
complementarities and synergies among
partners in terms of research and training
• Private sector involvement at the highest
possible level appropriate to the research
topic & sufficient evidence of commitment
• Non-ICPC participation – essential to the
objectives of the research training
programme?
FP7 - Marie Curie – ITN criteria
Implementation criteria
• Networking and dissemination of best
practice among partners. Clarity of the plan
for organising training events (workshops,
conferences, training courses)
• Appropriateness of the overall management
of the training programme (responsibilities,
rules for decision-making)
• Clarity of recruitment strategy (incl timetable)
• Competitive international recruitment
• Equal opportunities
• In light of Charter and Code principles
MCA – Submission & Evaluations
European Charter and Code
• European Charter for Researchers
addresses:
• Roles and responsibilities
• Entitlements
• of researchers and their employers or funding
organisations.
• Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of
Researchers aims to:
• improve recruitment and make selection procedures
fairer and more transparent
• proposes different means of judging merit
MCA – Submission & Evaluations
“In endorsing the principles, we,
the signatories, hereby adopt
the principles of the European
Charter for Researchers And
Code of Practice for the
Recruitment of Researchers”
UK Concordat - http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk
• If principles of the revised Concordat
are adopted by an institution then they
have also adopted the principles of the
Charter and Code
• However, it is an institutional decision
to become a signatory to the Charter
and Code
FP7 – ITN – Implementation
Implementation: positive
feedback
• The type and frequency of meetings seem
appropriate
• The industrial partners play an essential
and active role both in the training and
research aspects of the proposal
• The recruitment strategy is clearly defined
• The management structure is clear and
appropriate to the proposed project
• The plan for dissemination of project
results is well done
FP7 – ITN – Implementation
Implementation: negative
feedback
• The industry involvement is poor in
comparison to the industrial importance of
the project theme and potential results
• Description of a research PhD theme for
each ESR is not provided
• More details should be provided on the
milestones and deliverables within the
workplan
• Limited rules for decision making
FP7 - Marie Curie – ITN criteria
Impact criteria
• Contribution of the proposed training
programme to:
• Structure training at doctoral level with the
acquisition of skills needed in both the public and
private sectors
• Improvement of career prospects
• Stimulation of creativity and entrepreneurial
thinking
• Contribution of the training programme to
the policy objective of structuring the
initial research training capacity at
European level (through establishing
longer-term collaborations and/or lasting
structured training programmes between
the partners’ organisations)
FP7 - Marie Curie – ITN criteria
Impact criteria
• The contribution of the training
programme towards the policy objective of
enhancing public-private sector
collaborations in terms of research
training
• Where appropriate, mutual recognition by
all partners of the training acquired,
including training periods in the private
sector
• Where appropriate, plans for exploitation
of results
• Impact of the proposed outreach activities
FP7 - Marie Curie – ITN criteria
Impact: positive feedback
• Clear impact of the involvement of visiting
scientists
• Good prospects for potential long term
collaborations
• The involvement of industrial partners will
be mutually beneficial for the companies
and for the ESRs/ERs
• The project can offer great career
opportunities to both ESR and ER involved
• The training proposed by the network is
such that probably no single institution in
Europe would be capable of providing it
on its own.
FP7 - Marie Curie – ITN criteria
Impact: negative feedback
• The proposed impact, as described [in the
field of science] is not convincing
• The number of visiting scientists is too
high and not appropriate for the proposed
programme
• The lack of training in an industrial context
is a major drawback
• The description of the impact on the
scientific community outside the network
should be elaborated upon
FP7 - Marie Curie – ITN criteria
Impact: tips
Think about impact on different levels, e.g.
• Personal – what will researcher gain beyond that
available at single institution?
• European – address fragmentation, common
courses, sustainability of collaboration, including
that with private sector
• Discipline – what is available in single country?
Why EU level needed? Why need for trained
researchers in area?
• Others?
FP7 – Marie Curie - ITN
ITNs – final tips
• Industrial participation is key
• Addressed under all four criteria: and has been
strengthened with respect to training. Aspects that
are assessed under more than one evaluation
criteria will count under each of these criteria
• Evaluation criteria
• Address thoroughly: make sure you cover each
one; do not bury in text
• Clarity of presentation
• Present case clearly: use tables, diagrams and
summaries where appropriate
• Different schemes
• Make sure you have addressed the requirements
of the relevant strand!
FP7 Submission and Evaluation
Key documents
Call Fiche
Focus
Work Programme
Guide for Applicants
EPSS Guide
Rules on Submission and
Evaluation, Guide for Evaluators
Model Grant Agreement
Financial, negotiation, reporting and
IPR guidelines
FP7, Specific Programme Text
Other policy documents
Preparation
and
submission
Background
Top tips – preparation
1. Clarify your own goals for participation
2. Read all Call documentation (ie, GfA and
WP)
FP7 - Essentials
- Also consider relevant EU policy documents
3. Fully appreciate the evaluation criteria
4. Discuss with and meet potential partners
5. Use appropriate partnership (including
balance of budget and activities)
6. Set aside enough time
7. Research previous and current projects
8. Work with your institution
Top tips - application
FP7 - Essentials
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Register in EPSS (Coordinator)
Put yourself in the shoes of the evaluator
Write clearly and concisely
Stick to formatting rules (page limits, font,
etc)
Include well worked out plans
Outline any ‘Plan B’ (risk analysis)
Use tables and diagrams where
appropriate
Ask someone to read through your
proposal
Make sure final version is submitted!
FP7 – Marie Curie Actions
Further Information
UKRO NCP website:
http://www.ukro.ac.uk/mariecurie/index.h
tm
Queries on the schemes:
[email protected]
Tel: +32 2 230 0318; Fax +32 2 230 4803
Other useful websites:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/people/home_
en.html
Links
FP7 – People – Marie Curie
• UK National Contact Point for Marie Curie
http://www.ukro.ac.uk/mariecurie
• CORDIS
http://cordis.europa.eu/mariecurie-actions
• The Charter and the Code
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/rights/index
• UK HE Sector analysis:
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/news/gapanalysis.htm
• Euraxess Mobility Portal
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess
• Queries
[email protected]
How to become a successful ITN applicant -
a West Midlands perspective
Maria A Heckl
Department of Mathematics
Keele University
Staffordshire ST5 5BG
U.K.
[email protected]
29 September 2011
WMES Workshop, Coventry
1. Rationale of “Initial Training Networks” (ITN)
ITN: Multi-disciplinary network across Europe collaborating on a
specified research project.
Involves partners from universities, research organisations, industry.
The focus is on research training of young people.
The young researchers have to be mobile and cannot work in their
native country.
They are typically employed for 3 years and finish with a PhD.
Post-docs can also be involved.
Training is provided through hands-on research, workshops, modules for
complementary skills.
29 September 2011
WMES Workshop, Coventry
2. The topic of my network (LIMOUSINE)
Combustion instabilities
flame
fuel injector
generic combustor
29 September 2011
industrial combustor
(Siemens SGT 100 gas turbine)
WMES Workshop, Coventry
Features of this topic
Past and present research area of mine (applied mathematics).
Combines analytical, numerical and experimental aspects.
Combines several disciplines:
applied mathematics
mechanical engineering
thermodynamics
control theory
etc.
Concern for industry, in particular power generation with gas turbines.
Touches on environmental issues.
Has received EC funding in the past.
29 September 2011
WMES Workshop, Coventry
3. Steps to build a network
Choice of research project
Identify core topic by brainstorming with one or two colleagues
from a complementary discipline and a different EU country.
Look at earlier EC projects, and focus on some new key elements
to make the new project distinctly different.
Identify issues for industry.
Choice of partners (they need to be responsive and efficient)
Select existing colleagues/contacts.
Seek personal recommendations from trusted colleagues.
Face-to-face meetings with new contacts (no risks with unfamiliar
partners).
Additional requirements for industrial partners:
Interest in the project.
Staff and facilities to supervise a PhD student.
Broad base of knowledge.
29 September 2011
WMES Workshop, Coventry
Partners in the LIMOUSINE network
Partner (academic)
country
expertise
Keele University
Applied Mathematics
UK
Analytical modelling of thermoacoustics
University of Twente
Thermal Engineering
NL
Modelling and experiments on
acoustics and combustion
Imperial College
Mechanical Engineering
UK
Laser diagnostics: PIV, flame front
tracking
Brno Univ. of Technology
Thermodyn.& Environm.
Eng.
Czech
Republic
Dynamics of liquid fuel
combustion
University of Zaragoza
Fluid Mechanics / LITEC
Spain
Combustion dynamics of diffusion
flames
29 September 2011
WMES Workshop, Coventry
Partner (research org.) country
expertise
CERFACS
CFD Team
France
Large Eddy Simulation and fluidstructure interaction
DLR
Combustion
Germany
Numerical simulation of oscillating
flames and transient heat flux
Partner (industrial)
country
expertise
Ingenieurbüro für
Thermo-Akustik
Germany
Active control of combustion
instabilities
Siemens Power
Generation
Germany
Gas turbine design, manufacture
and operation
ANSYS
UK
Numerical simulation of fluid and
structure mechanics
Electrabel
NL and
Belgium
Operation and maintenance of gas
turbine power plants
Sulzer Elbar
NL
Repair and manufacture of gas
turbine parts
29 September 2011
WMES Workshop, Coventry
4. How I got involved
In 2006, I organised a structured session (on theoretical aspects of
combustion instabilities) for an international congress on sound and
vibration.
Through this, I got to know a colleague who organised a session
on a similar topic (engineering aspects of combustion instabilities).
We applied to the Royal Society for an “International Joint Project”,
which gave us funding over two years for regular exchange visits.
In the first year, we designed a generic combustor, which became the
core of the LIMOUSINE project.
In the second year, we collaborated on our application to the EC,
mainly by face-to-face meetings funded by the Royal Society.
29 September 2011
WMES Workshop, Coventry
Challenges
Misunderstandings can occur because different disciplines and
different countries have different “cultures”.
Face-to-face discussions are vital for the proposal preparation.
Visiting potential partners requires time, mobility and funds.
Describing the project in only 30 pages is not easy.
Copy/paste from earlier proposals does not work.
Benefits
ITNs are a good opportunity to set up and run exciting research
projects.
The funding is attractive (~ £60 000 over 3 years to cover training
expenses of a PhD student).
ITNs are multidisciplinary and give insights into other areas.
The international aspect is very stimulating.
29 September 2011
WMES Workshop, Coventry
International Research Staff
Exchange Scheme (IRSES)
Mandy Heard
West Midlands European Service
29th September 2011
Programme today
•
•
•
•
IRSES: what this is all about;
IRSES: application process;
How to prepare a successful proposal;
You and your priorities.
WEST MIDLANDS EUROPEAN
SERVICE
West Midlands European
Service – Who are we?
Birmingham
Team
(former EU
Connects)
Brussels
Team
(former
WMiE)
West Midlands European Service
The Birmingham office
• Support to the organisations
new to or with limited
experience of European
funding
• Advice on various funding
programmes
• Project development grants
• Training in the bid writing
and project management
• Free
The Brussels Office
• Support to the experienced
in EU funding
• Advice on the FP7
• Lobbying
• Policy updates
• Meeting spaces (WM
European Centre)
• Service Level Agreement
• Project Management
• Dissemination Partner
WMES Birmingham aims
• To increase the number and value of
successful trans-national projects aligned to
key regional priorities
• To draw together the jigsaw of European
opportunities and networks across the region
into a co-ordinated “offer” of real value to the
regional organisations
Our success so far
•592 submitted projects worth €65M
•280 successful projects so far
•€18,8M investment to the WM
2000 people trained
Life Long
Learning
Vocational training
skills
Employability
Innovative learning
Policy or delivery
Marie Curie
Actions
SMEs/universities
Networks
Research/Knowledge
Transfer
Fellowships
INTERREG
LIFE+
Regional level
Strategy
Policy
Exchange of
best practice
Environment
Protecting natural
Assets / species
Strategic / policy
Competitiveness
& Innovation
SMEs
ICT
Innovative products,
services
and processes
Intelligent
Energy Europe
Energy efficiency
Renewable energy
sources
Energy in transport
Integrated initiatives
Erasmus for Y.
Entrepreneurs
Work placements
in the successful
enterprises
Daphne III
Justice, freedom
and security
Which Funds do we support?
General Overview
MARIE CURIE
PEOPLE ACTIONS
FP7 Programme
4 Programmes: Cooperation, Ideas, People, Capacities
(+ Joint Research Centre + Euratom)
Marie Curie Objectives
Structuring training, mobility and career development for
researchers
•
•
•
•
•
•
Develop European human resources potential in R&D
Stimulate people to enter researcher profession
Attracting & retain researchers from around the world
Employment contracts with full social rights
Addressed to researchers at all stages of their careers
International prestige
* Open to third-country nationals
1. Initial training:
• Networks for early stage researchers*
2. Life long training and career development:
• Intra European Fellowships*
• Career Integration Grants
• Co-funding of national programmes*
3. Industry dimension:
• Industry-academia partnership and pathways*
4. World Fellowships:
• Outgoing fellowships
• Incoming fellowships*
•International Research Staff Exchange Scheme*
5. Specific actions
Such as: ‘Researchers’ Night’
Recruited Researcher
profile
Applicant
Individual
Fellowships
Postgraduates
< 4 years
Industry &
Research
Research
Institutions
Organisations
ITN
Post-doc
> 4 years
IOF
IEF
Senior postdoc
> 10 years
IIF
CIG
IAPP
IRSES
International Research Staff Exchange Scheme
IRSES
Purpose of the programme
 Strengthen research
partnerships between EU
and non EU research
organisations.
 Staff exchange and
networking activities.
 Establishment or
reinforcing of long-term
collaboration.
Size of the consortium
Min 3 partners, but no maximum size
Duration
Project: 24-48 months
Partners
Public or private non-profit research organisations
Lead partner
Must be from EU or AC
Who can participate?
• Early stage researchers
• Experienced researchers
• Technical and managerial staff
How long is the secondment?
max. 12 months (can be split)
Less than 1 month stay should be well justified.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Typical Activities
Joint research
Training
Joint workshops
Seminars
Networking
Transfer of Knowledge
Complementarity and synergies between partners
are critical
IRSES: Eligible Countries
Countries with EU agreements on S&T:
Algeria*, Argentina*, Australia, Brazil*, Canada, China*, Chile*,
Egypt*, India*, Japan, Jordan*, Rep. of Korea, Mexico*, Morocco*,
New Zealand, Russia*, South Africa*, Tunisia*, Ukraine*, United
States
Countries of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP):
Eastern Europe & Central Asia (EECA) Armenia*, Azerbaijan*,
Belarus*, Georgia*, Moldova*, Ukraine*
Mediterranean Partner Countries (MCP) Algeria*, Egypt*, Jordan*,
Lebanon*, Libya*, Morocco*, Palestinian-administrated areas*,
Syrian Arab Rep.*, Tunisia*
* International Cooperation Partner Countries (ICPC) than can receive funding
http://ec.europa.eu/research/iscp/index.cfm?lg=en&pg=countries
IRSES: Participation rules
- Partnership: min. 2 independent EU/AC non-profit
research organisations of at least 2 different
countries and one or more organisations in a eligible
third country (S&T agreement and Neighbourhood
policy)
- Coordinator from EU MS/AC
- Duration of the Exchange Programme: 24- 48 months
- Any research topic is eligible (except EURATOM)
Scientific Panels








Chemistry (CHE)
Social Science and Humanities (SOC)
Economic Science (ECO)
Engineering & Information Science (ENG)
Environment & Geosciences (ENV)
Life Sciences (LIF)
Mathematics (MAT)
Physics (PHY)
IRSES: Financial rules
– Staff are seconded (maintain their employment and
salary)
– Community contribution for EU MS/AC partners:
fixed 1900€/person/month (incl. travel, subsistence)
– Extra 200€ for long distance countries ICPC and
Neighbourhood policy countries: Community
contribution is envisaged
– Exchanges MS/AC<->MS/AC, non-ICPC>MS/AC,
ICPC<->ICPC are not eligible for Community funding
(own resources)
– Average requested budget: ca. 160.000 €
– Range: 13.000 - 1.044.000 €
Financing (Industrialised Countries*)
Secondment of outgoing staff members (from
EU/AC towards these countries) are eligible for
funding.
*Australia, Canada, Japan, Rep. of Korea, New Zealand, USA
Financial Reporting
X No reporting on actual
costs, no evidence
required
√ Results only (scientific
and number of personmonths exchanged)
Statistics
Proposals
received
Available Budget Proposals
Funded
2008
73
€25M
56
2009
178
€30M
107
2010
172
€31,350M
89
2011
189
€30M
85*
* Number of proposals recommended for funding
Example 1
• A French and a Swiss research institute propose an exchange
programme with a university in Tunisia, coordinated by a Tunisian
partner.
• Eligible but the coordinator must be an EU MS/AC research
organisation
Example 2:
• A Dutch research centre and Estonian University propose an
exchange programme with the USA. Staff from the US partner will
be seconded to Estonia and the US and Estonian Staff will be
seconded to the Netherlands and the US.
• Eligible. Estonian staff going to Netherlands and vice-versa are
ineligible for funding. US costs to the EU must be covered from
own resources
Example 3: EASTWESTFOOD
The joint activities in this project will take place within four
areas of collaboration, organized in four work packages:
1) Healthy Diets in East and West,
2) Dairy Technology,
3) Metabolic Engineering and
4) Business Economics and Entrepreneurship
Partners: Denmark; Netherlands; India
Duration: 48 months
Funding: € 127.800
Example 4: Laser Nanoscale Manufacturing
Staff exchange on researching and developing new
maskless laser nanoscale manufacturing technologies for
low cost, simple and high speed manufacturing of nano
structured surfaces and components including periodic
structures.
Partners: Finland, UK, China
Duration: 36 months
Funding: €347.400
Example 5: Novel medical adsorbents for
extracorporeal treatment of life threatening
conditions
This program gives the opportunity to cultivate a high scientific quality
consortium consisting of 2 European and 1 third country academic
institute, with the aim to sustain and create new collaborative
partnerships between EU partners and Ukraine, and transfer knowledge
and technologies in one of the most exciting fields of modern biomaterial
science. Focusing on the development of extracorporeal methods for
toxin removal, for the treatment of many life threatening conditions and
chronic conditions, that result in a low quality of patient life.
Partners: UK, France and Ukraine
Duration: 48 months
Funding: €113.400
IRSES success rate (2011)
46%
IRSES
APPLICATION PROCESS
IRSES new call for proposal
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal
Presenting your proposal
Part A
Administrative information
(description of work, contact
details, partner
Characteristics etc).
Part B
Your Proposal
Including Science and
Technical content
Uploaded by the lead
partner to EPSS
Online forms on EPSS
Part A
A1: Snapshot of your project (complete by the
lead partner)
A2: Partner Organisations (completed by each
participant)
A4: Funding request
Part B
B1: Quality of Exchange Programme
(complementarities/synergies)
B2: Transfer of Knowledge (mutual benefits)
B3: Implementation (management)
B4: Impact (collaboration, ERA)
IRSES
Evaluated criteria and thresholds
IRSES
EVALUATION FEEDBACK
STRENGTHS: QUALITY OF THE EXCHANGE PROGRAMME
PARTNERSHIP IS HOMOGENEOUS AND OF GOOD
QUALITY IN THE ADDRESSED TOPIC.
THERE ARE GOOD COMPLIMENTARITIES/SYNERGIES
BETWEEN THE PARTNERS. EACH PARTNER
CONTRIBUTES TO ONE OR MORE
THE SCIENTIFIC QUALITY OF THE PARTNERS AND
THEIR EXPERIENCE IN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
ARE VERY GOOD.
RESEARCH AND TRAINING OBJECTIVES ARE CLEARLY
STATED AND MOTIVATED.
WEAKNESSES: QUALITY OF THE EXCHANGE PROGRAMME
THE ONE MONTH SECONDMENTS OF ESRS ARE
TOO SHORT TO BOTH LEARN NEW KNOWLEDGE
AND PURSUE THE PLANNED RESEARCH TASKS
PROJECT COORDINATORS ARE NOT CLEARLY
IDENTIFIED FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS
SCIENTIFIC QUALITY OF THE EXCHANGE
PROGRAMME IS NOT FULLY DEMONSTRATED, AS
THE WORK IS MORE A TECHNICAL NATURE
THE DELIVERABLES ARE MOSTLY COMPRISED OF
REPORTS AND PAPERS
STRENGTHS: TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE
THE PROJECT CLEARLY HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR A TOK
WITHIN THE ADDRESSED TOPIC, WITH BENEFITS FOR BOTH
REGIONS INVOLVED.
THE KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER IS STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY
SEVERAL TRAINING ACTIVITIES (WORKSHOPS AND
SCHOOLS) WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THEIR
ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT.
THERE IS A GOOD DEGREE OF INTEGRATION AND SHARING
IN THE EXECUTION OF THE WORK PACKAGES.
THE PLANNED EXCHANGES CAN BRING SIGNIFICANT ADDED
VALUE. ALL THE PARTNERS ARE EXPECTED TO LEARN NEW
EXPERTISE
WEAKNESSES: TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE
THE PLANS FOR TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE TOWARD
THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY THROUGH PUBLICATION
OR INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AND ITS
SUSTAINABILITY ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY DESCRIBED
THE ROLES AND BENEFITS OF THE ESRS ARE ONLY
GENERALLY DESCRIBED
THE NUMBER AND ROLE OF THE STAFF TO BE
EXCHANGED IS NOT FULLY JUSTIFIED IN LIGHT OF THE
WORK-PLAN PROPOSED.
THE DURATIONS OF THE SECONDMENTS ARE QUITE
SHORT TO BE USEFUL
STRENGTHS: IMPLEMENTATION
THE PARTNERS HAVE GOOD CAPACITIES AND THE
HUMAN RESOURCES TO CARRY OUT THE PROPOSED
ACTIVITIES
THE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE IS VERY CLEAR AND
WELL-SUITED FOR THE EXCHANGE PROGRAMME.
STATE OF THE ART FACILITIES AND
INFRASTRUCTURES ARE MOST APPROPRIATE TO
MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PLANNED
COOPERATION.
GOOD PLANNED MEASURES FOR SUPPORTING
RESEARCHERS
WEAKNESSES: IMPLEMENTATION
THE PLANNED SUPPORT TO THE INCOMING AND
OUTGOING PERSONNEL IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY
DETAILED
A RISK MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE COULD HAVE BEEN
PROVIDED DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF
MILESTONES
THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IS NOT FULLY JUSTIFIED,
AS NO EXCHANGES TAKE PLACE AT THE SECOND
HALF OF THE YEAR
STRENGTHS: IMPACT
THE ADDRESSED TOPIC IS RELEVANT WITHIN THE
OBJECTIVES OF ERA
THERE IS POTENTIAL TO DEVELOP LONG LASTING
COLLABORATION WITH THIRD COUNTRY PARTNERS
WITHIN THE FIELD OF THE PROJECT.
THE GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL
BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSAL ARE VERY RELEVANT TO
THE FIELD
THE PROPOSAL IDENTIFIED SEVERAL POSSIBLE
IMPACTS AND PROVIDED GOOD ANALYSIS SHOWING
THE CONTRIBUTIONS
WEAKNESSES: IMPACT
THE COMMITMENT TO MAXIMISE THE BENEFITS
OF THE PROPOSAL BY FUTURE INDUSTRIAL OR
COMMERCIAL EXPLOITATION COULD HAVE BEEN
DEVELOPED
EXPLOITATION PLANS ARE NOT FULLY
DEVELOPED
Key Success factors
• Researcher experience
• Read carefully the 2011 People Work Programme and
the IRSES Guide for Applicants
• Check if you comply with the eligibility rules
• Balanced exchanged programme
• Clarity and quality of the research objectives
• Timeliness and relevance of the project
• Contribution to European excellence
• Have the application read by a third person
• Work with WMES!
2012 Deadlines
International Research Staff Exchange
Scheme (IRSES)
18 January 2012
Intitial Training Networks (ITN)
12 January 2012
Industry Academia Partnerships and
Pathways (IAPP)
19 April 2012
Intra- European Fellowships (IEF)
International Incoming Fellowships (IIF)
International Outgoing Fellowships
(IOF)
11 August 2011
(opens 16/03/2011)
Useful links
• EPSS https://www.epss-fp7.org/epss/welcome.jsp
• IRSES call documents:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/page/people?c
allIdentifier=FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IRSES
• Find a partner:
• http://cordis.europa.eu/partners-service/home_en.html
• Euraxess:
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index_en.cfm?l=0&12=1
• Publications (for rationale and impact sections)
http://ec.europa.eu/research/iscp/index.cfm?pg=allpublication
s
• WMES: http://www.wmcouncils.gov.uk/west-midlandseuropean-service
ITN AND IRSES
APPLICATION WORKSHOPS
3RD NOVEMBER
Mandy Heard
European Funding Adviser
[email protected]
0121 245 0185 / 07827 894749
www.wmeuropeanservice.org
Thank you!
How to become a successful IRSES applicant
– a West Midlands perspective
Dr Weidong Li
Coventry University
[email protected]
Motivation to apply for IRSES
• We have developed and are developing strategic and research
cooperation with some good research organisations/universities in third
countries, in particular China and Ukraine
• One of our primary research areas is sustainable manufacturing. China is
one of the primary manufacturing hubs. Neighbour countries are the
potential new members of the EU
• To cooperate with China and neighbour countries such as Ukraine should
be considered in an urgent agenda to eliminate
political/legislative/operational barriers to fulfil the global mission
• IRSES is a good research funding theme to support our cooperative
research
Why IRSES
•
The scheme is for research organisation cooperation. Therefore there are a
number of researchers involved – means you have more opportunities to
work with a number of researchers from different organisations seconded to
your organisation for a short period (less than 12 man-months per researcher
during the project); You will also have opportunities to visit organisations in
third countries
•
The scheme can support third countries financially – means research
organisations from third countries are more willing to participate
•
The scheme is flexible in supporting worldwide research cooperation – means
you can cooperate with organisations not only from the EU
•
The success rate of IRSES is generally higher than other PEOPLE schemes
•
The funding scheme is straightforward and easier to manage
Choosing research topic for IRSES application
•
IRSES theme uses a bottom-up approach, i.e. all fields of research of
interest to the EU are eligible for funding, except areas of research
covered by the EURATOM Treaty
•
On the other hand, the EU is supporting research projects more in the
areas of renewable energy, environmental protection (including climate
change), green building, sustainable transport, etc.
•
It will be good if you could link your research topic with the research
priority areas defined by the EU, which will enhance the impact of your
research proposal
•
In our case, we proposed to use Information Communication
Technologies (ICT) to develop services and architecture for sustainable
manufacturing management in SMEs
Setting-up project consortium
•
Public or private non-profit bodies carrying out research can participate
in this action. A partnership in this action shall be composed of at least
two independent partners established in at least two different EU MS or
AC, and one or more organisation(s) either located in countries with
which the EU has an S&T Agreement, or in other third countries covered
by the ENP (European Neighbour Partnership)
•
We felt that it could be easier to carry out an IRSES project if there is a
balanced number from the EU and third countries in the consortium, e.g.,
easier to arrange the secondment plan
•
A consortium with multi-disciplinary skills from partners is encouraged by
the funding agency
•
In our case, we have 4 partners from the EU and 4 from the third
countries. The project partners are from multi-disciplinary areas (ICT,
manufacturing management, etc.)
Developing the bid – our experiences
•
Developed two IRSES bids in the past years, and both got awarded
•
IRSES is about the secondment and exchange of senior and junior
researchers. It is important to explain why it is necessary to develop this
cooperation and research exchange (e.g., necessity and motivation of
worldwide cooperation, benefits to the EU, timing of project)
•
It also needs to emphasise research innovation and originality, not only
about the research exchange plan/arrangement
•
It is better if both of experienced and junior researchers are included in
the secondment plan, and explain their roles
•
Dissemination and exploitation plans are important
•
A balanced secondment plan for all partners will be good (e.g., each EU
partner organisation should have opportunities to visit every third
country organisation, and vice versa)
Example –
Complementarities/synergies between the partners
Example –
Exchange program arrangement
Proposal structure
•
Need to address all the points of the bid template
•
Need to plan the bid structure carefully – there are some similar items in
different sections
•
Can emphasise important points in different sections wisely – reviewers
are easy to forget your major points when they read a long document
•
Need to make the main body of your bid within 30 pages!
Project coordinator’s role
•
Project coordintor is crucial to the success of the project – in the phases of
the bid development and execution later on
•
During the bid development, it will be more efficient if the coordinator can
detail the tasks for partners to follow, such as providing a document template
and examples for partner to follow easily
•
Teleconference is always cheap and useful to collect and explain ideas (can
consider to use Skype, etc.)
•
It will be good to update the status of the bid development frequently to
motivate partners during the bid development
•
Finally, getting invitation from the EU for project negotiation is a very GOOD
news! However, it is just one of many steps to run a successful project – as a
project coordinator you will have a lot of works to be done before a project
starts
Thank you