http://www.ukro.ac.uk

Opportunities under FP7 Marie Curie Actions - Individual Actions

Cecilie Hansen and Estelle Kane UK National Contact Point for MCAsmariecurie-uk@bbsrc.ac.uk

Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

Economic and Social Research Council

Medical Research Council

Natural Environment Research Council

Arts and Humanities Research CouncilU

K R

esea

rch

Offi

ce

Central Laboratory of the Research Councils

UK

Res

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ffice

…promotes effective UK participation in EU-funded research programmes, higher education

programmes, and other related activities…

UKRO’s Aim

Based in Brussels, UKRO:

Provides early insight and briefing;• Disseminates EU funding opportunities; • Provides high quality guidance and training;• Exchanges information between the UK and EU

UK

Res

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UKRO Services include…

- Website with information on programmes, FAQs and Guidance http://www.ukro.ac.uk- Information services – email updates (& searchable database) - Enquiry service - Annual visit from an UKRO European Advisor- Specialist training courses and information events- Annual conference for European officers- Meeting room in Brussels

- Monthly publication - British Council ‘RTD Insight’- National Contact Point (Marie Curie and ERC)

Marie Curie NCP - helpdesk

• Web, email, telephone, visits• Advice on applying for MC actions:

• Eligibility• Application help• Results• Contractual issues

• Advice to those with MC contracts:• Social security and tax• Model agreements between host and fellow• Contractual issues

UK

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Overview of session

Opportunities to support post-doctoral researchers: Marie Curie Individual Fellowships and the International Dimension

How to apply and tips on writing your proposals

Round-up and Close

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http://www.ukro.ac.uk

Framework Programme 7

UK NCP for Marie CurieEstelle KaneCecilie Hansen

UK Research Office

Policy Background

• FP7 is designed to achieve the Lisbon 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:

• Competitiveness and Innovation• Education and Training• Structural Funds

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EU-27Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK

Associated Countries (FP6)Croatia, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, Serbia

EU CountriesF

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ICPCsF

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FP7 Specific Programmes

Co-operation – Collaborative Research

European Research Council

Marie Curie Actions

Capacities – Research Capacity

Fra

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Pro

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me

7

JRC EURATOM

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

Marie Curie Actions F

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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

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Overview of Marie Curie ActionsF

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Host Actions Individual Actions

Initial Training Networks

Industry Academia Partnerships and Pathways

Intra- European Fellowships

Incoming International Fellowships

Outgoing International Fellowships

European Reintegration Grants

International Reintegration Grants

Specific Actions: Marie Curie Awards, Researcher’s Night

MCA – Budget breakdown

72

9.5

38.4

24

2414.5 3 0.25

240

ITN

IEF

ERG

IAPP

IOF

IIF

IRG

NIGHT

AWARDS

€ Million

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MCA - Deadlines

Initial Training Networks (ITN) 7 May 2007

two stage application

Intra- European Fellowships (IEF)

International Incoming Fellowships (IIF)

International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF)

Call expected 28 February with a closing date of 14 August 2007

European Reintegration Grants (ERG)

International Reintegration Grants (IRG)

25 April & 17 October 2007

Industry-Academia Partnerships & Pathways (IAPP)

Call expected 28 February with a closing date of 31 May 2007

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Central to all MC projects

The RESEARCHER, their training and mobility

In order to assess eligibility (for project or fellowship), it is essential that you consider the following:

• The minimum or maximum amount of research experience stipulated for the action

• The transnational mobility requirements for the action

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Key Changes from FP6

• Individual Fellowships• Must have PhD or 4 years experience at time of

application (no 8 months rule)

• International Reintegration Grants• Must not be employed in research in a Member State or

Associated Country at time of application

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Individual Actions

• Researcher applies jointly with host• Length of stay depending on Action• Reintegration Phase

• Mandatory for International Outgoing Fellowships• Optional for International Incoming Fellows (if the fellow

is from an international co-operation partner country (ICPC))

• Fellow who withdraws cannot be replaced

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Definition of researchers

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)

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Transnational Mobility Requirements• Must not have been resident in host country for more

that 12 months in the last 3 years immediately before application deadline (for individual actions)

• Cannot be a national of host country unless

• European researcher working outside EU for 3 of the last 4 years

• Dual nationality and have not resided in a country of nationality for the last 5 years

• International organisation

• Return and reintegration grants

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Individual Fellowships

• Aimed at ‘Experienced Researchers’• Skills diversification• Three categories:

• Intra-European Fellowships (IEF)• International Incoming Fellowships (IIF)• International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF)

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Intra-European Fellowships

• EU Member or Associated State National or Third Country national if in EU for at least 4 of the last 5 years

• 12 – 24 months in a different EU Member State or Associated Country

• Resuming a career in research• Individual applies with host• Attaining or strengthening professional

independence• Skills diversification

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International Outgoing FellowshipsF

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• EU Member or Associated State Nationals only• 24 – 36 months in total of which 12 -24 months

in third country followed by mandatory reintegration phase in European host institutions

• Individual applies with host• Acquiring new knowledge in the third country

– bringing it back to the EU/AS • Contract is between European host institution

and Commission for duration of fellowship • Mandatory return phase of 1 year

International Incoming FellowshipsF

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• Third Country nationals only• 12 – 24 months incoming phase in EU/AS• Possible 1 year reintegration for nationals

from ICPC• Individual applies with host• Contract between European host institution

and EC for incoming phase, and between third country host and EC for reintegration / return

• Knowledge-sharing • Mutually-beneficial research co-operation

European Re-integration GrantsF

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• (Re)-integration into research career following a period of transnational mobility

• Applicants must have already benefited from a Marie Curie fellowship under FP6 or FP7 - 18 months minimum FTE

• The European Re-integration Grant:• Supports a research project of 2- 3 years• Contributes to the research costs • Researcher applies with host institution • Start within 12 months of your fellowship end

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• Integration into research career in Europe following a period of transnational mobility outside Europe for at least 3 years

• Contribute to development of lasting co-operation with scientific community of the third country from which they have returned

• No requirement to have benefited from MCA previously

• The International Re-integration Grants• Support a research project of 2- 4 years• Contributes to the research costs• Researcher applies with host institution• Host commits to researcher for at least 3 years• Must not be employed in research in EU at time of application

International Re-integration Grants

Any questions?

Overview of Marie Curie Actions F

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http://www.ukro.ac.uk

Financial Issues

UK NCP for Marie CurieEstelle KaneCecilie Hansen

UK Research Office

Community Contribution

• Benefits for the researchers • Living allowance• Mobility allowance• Travel allowance• Career exploratory allowance

• Benefits for the institution• Contribution to research costs• Contribution to management costs• Other eligible costs possible • Indirect costs (overheads)

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Researcher Salaries

Experience Employment contract

Early-Stage researchers €33,800

Experienced researchers €52,000

Experienced researchers

(more than 10 years experience)

€78,000

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Salaries are inclusive of all compulsory deductionsCorrection factor applied for cost of living (UK Coefficient 110.2%)

Individual fellow allowances

• Travel costs – depending on distance€ 250 - €2500

• Mobility allowance Without family: €500 per monthWith family: €800 per month Correction factor applied for cost of living

• Career Exploratory allowance€ 2000 for stays of more than one year

• Training / research costs of eligible researchers • Lab-based research: € 800 per month• Non-lab-based research: €500 per month

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Benefits for the institution

• Management Activities

maximum 3% of the total EC contribution

• Contribution to overheads 10% of direct costs except for subcontractors

• Other types of eligible expensesERG:

Fixed amount € 15000 per researcher per year

IRG:

Fixed amount € 25000 per researcher per year

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Contribution to the researcher – example

Activities carried out by the researcher:

Researcher with family, going from Lisbon to Paris for two years with an Intra-European Fellowships:

• Living Allowance: 52 000 * 2yrs = € 104 000• Mobility Allowance: 800 * 24 months = € 19 200

Correction factor = 91 % 123 200 * 91% = € 112 112• Career exploratory allowance: € 2000• Travel costs: 500 * 2 yrs = € 1000

Total contribution to the researcher = € 115 112• Research costs (Lab-based) 800 * 24 = € 19200

Total community contribution € 134 312

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http://www.ukro.ac.uk

Submission and Evaluation

UK NCP for Marie CurieEstelle KaneCecilie Hansen

UK Research Office

Proposal Submission

• All submission done onlineContact the EC if there are compelling reasons for why

you are unable to submit online

• Electronic Proposal Submission Service (EPPS) • should be available from 17 March

• Meet the deadline!

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Outline of the Process

Call fichePublished

Proposal submitted

Evaluation Process Notification

Ofresults

Contract negotiation

Contract signature

ProjectStart

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Eligibility

Individual Evaluation

Consensus

Thresholds

Ranking by Commission

Negotiation

NegativeResult

Ethical Issues

CommissionFunding Decision

Proposal

Rejection

Rejection

Rejection

Evaluation ProcessM

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Proposal Submission

• All submission done onlineContact the EC if there are compelling reasons for why

you are unable to submit online

• Electronic Proposal Submission Service (EPPS) • should be available from 17 March

• Meet the deadline!

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Proposal Submission Forms

Part A

Set of forms on administrative information about the proposal and the proposers (pre-prepared form)

Part B

Free-text description of the research project;

Series of headings and explanatory notes based on the evaluations criteria;

Limits on font size, size of PDF file

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Evaluation of proposals

• Evaluation by competent experts in the field

• Need to address all of the issues to maximise scores

• Total score is 100%

• Overall threshold (70%)

• Some criteria have a threshold

• Each area is weighted

• Science counts for 25%

• You must focus on the objectives of the activity to be successful

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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

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European Charter and Code

• The RCUK/UUK provided a UK HE sector analysis of the European Charter and Code against current UK guidelines and employment law

• The analysis indicates there are no major barriers to UK HEIs wishing to adopt the Charter and Code in a more formal way,

• Advise acknowledging adherence to the Charter and Code in all applications

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http://www.ukro.ac.uk

Maximising Your Chances of Success - Individual Fellowships

UK NCP for Marie CurieEstelle KaneCecilie Hansen

UK Research Office

What does the Commission want?

A project that matches “their”

objectives

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Individual Fellowships – Part B

Other issues

Training & knowledge transfer 15%

S & T Quality 25%

Researcher 25%

Implementation

15% Impact 20%

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3/5 No thresholds for IIF

No threshold

No threshold

3/5

Overall threshold 70%

MCA – S&T Quality

Sub-criteria

3/5 25%

• Scientific/technological quality, incl any interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary aspects of the proposal • Research methodology • Originality & innovative nature of project, and relationship to ‘state of the art’ • Timeliness and relevance of project • Host scientific expertise in the field• Quality of the group / supervisors

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MCA – Training

Sub-criteria

3/5 15%

No threshold for IIFs

• Clarity and quality of the research training objectives for the researcher • Relevance & quality of the additional scientific training & complementary skills offered • Host expertise in training experienced researchers in the field & capacity to provide mentoring / tutoring

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IEF/IIF/IOF Tips– Training (1)

Positive feedback:• Clear assignment of scientists responsible for

the training• Contemplates training courses specifically

designed for postdoctoral fellows.• Research training objectives are clearly

identified and described• Both participants will benefit from their mutual

collaboration, not only through direct joint work, but also through the interaction with the whole research group

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IEF/IIF/IOF Tips – Training (2)

Negative Feedback • A research project with no training element• The host asserts skills without presenting

convincing evidence of competence • The range of techniques described would

clearly be valuable to the researcher, but the lack of detailed description does not inspire confidence in the quality of training available.

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MCA – Researcher

Sub-criteria

3/5 25%

• Research experience• Results including patents/publications/teaching•Independent thinking & leadership qualities •Match between the fellow’s profile and research • Potential to acquire new knowledge• EIFs: Potential for reaching a position of professional maturity

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IEF/IIF/IOF Tips - Researcher

• Work experience (in research)• Industrial experience and expertise• Transferable skills• Prizes, Awards, Lectures etc• Research potential• Independent thinking and leadership qualities• Match between fellow’s profile and project • Cross and multi-disciplinary experience

Give evidence of statements • Referee assessment

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Positive Feedback:• Clear evidence of research experience and potential• Clear evidence of leadership qualities• Potential to acquire new knowledge is high • Good references• Clear list of Prizes, Awards, Lectures, etc

Negative Feedback: • CV lacks data on record• Limited experience as has only been at one University• Limited experience or technical skills related to

project• References were similar and from one institution

IEF/IIF/IOF Tips - Researcher

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MCA – Implementation

Sub-criteria

No threshold 15%

• Quality of infrastructure / facilities & international collaborations of host• Practical arrangements for implementation & management of scientific projects • Feasibility & credibility of project, including work plan• Practical & administrative arrangements & support for hosting fellow

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IEF/IIF/IOF Tips - Implementation (1)

• Does the host institution have the infrastructure required for the project – and will the researcher have access to it?

• Have you thought about how the project will be implemented in practice?

• What support is the host providing for the fellow? (e.g. resources for helping the fellow settle in; access to language courses)

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MCA – Impact

Sub-criteria

No threshold 20%

• Potential of acquiring competences during fellowships to improve prospects of reaching and / or reinforcing a position of professional maturity, diversity & independence, in particular through exposure to complementary skills training • Contribution to the career development, or re-establishment where relevant

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IEF/IIF/IOF – Impact (1)

• For international fellowships : potential for creating long term collaborations and mutually beneficial co-operation between Europe and the third country

• For incoming fellowships : contribution to the socio-economic development of the Developing Countries or emerging and transition economies by transfer of knowledge and human capacity building (where appropriate)

• Contribution to European excellence and European Competitiveness

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Crit

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http://www.ukro.ac.uk

Maximising Your Chances of Success - Reintegration Grants

UK NCP for Marie CurieEstelle KaneCecilie Hansen

UK Research Office

Reintegration Grants – Part B

Other issuesS & T Quality 30%

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3/5

3/5 No thresholds for ERG

No threshold

Researcher 30%

Implementation 20%

Impact 20%

No threshold

Overall threshold 70%

MCA – S&T Quality

Sub-criteria

3/5 30%

• Scientific/technological quality, incl any interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary aspects of the proposal • Research methodology • Originality & innovative nature of project, and relationship to ‘state of the art’ • Timeliness and relevance of project

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MCA – Researcher

Sub-criteria

3/5 30%

• Research experience• Scientific and technological quality of previous research • Independent thinking & leadership qualities • Match between the fellow’s profile and research

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MCA – Implementation

Sub-criteria

No threshold 20%

• Quality of host organisation, including adequacy of infrastructures / facilities• Practical arrangements for implementation & management of scientific projects • Feasibility & credibility of project, including work plan• Practical & administrative arrangements & support for hosting fellow

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MCA – Impact

Sub-criteria

No threshold 20%

• Potential of transferring knowledge to host• Capacity to develop lasting cooperation (with previous country / third country)• Potential & quality of lasting professional integration (Expected length of work contract, expected career development) • ERG: benefit to the career of the researcher from the period of reintegration• IRG: contribution to scientific excellence by attracting a first class researcher

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http://www.ukro.ac.uk

Hints & Tips

UK NCP for Marie CurieEstelle KaneCecilie Hansen

UK Research Office

Approaching your project proposal writing

• Work with your supervisor• Keep the Guide for Applicants in front of you • Treat the criteria as examination questions• Think about the way your write

• Brainstorm each section• Then focus on a section at a time

• Plan your proposal writing

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Approaching your project proposal writing

• It will feel repetitive – addressing issues from different angles

• Stick to the page limit• Think about your evaluators

• Clearly address the main objectives• Use clear and concise language• Explain country specific jargon• Provide them with the evidence they need

• Find colleagues to read it through

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General points on a good proposal – FP6 experience

• Meet the deadline• Characteristics of success / failure

• 90%+ well detailed, excellent and clear training programme and great science of clear EU wide benefit and potential in a new area

• 80-90% good project, lacking some detail on training, evaluating output and perhaps clashes with existing programmes

• 70-80% Some obvious omissions, consortium design needs adjusting, some science issues not addressed, concerns over transfer of knowledge

• 60 - 70% Serious omissions, lack of detail, poor management plans, no milestones, consortium partners too similar

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Any questions?

Overview of Marie Curie Actions F

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Further Information

UKRO NCP website:

http://www.ukro.ac.uk/mariecurie/index.htm

Queries on the schemes:mariecurie-uk@bbsrc.ac.uk

Tel: +32 2 230 0318; Fax +32 2 230 4803

Other useful websites:

http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/people/home_en.html

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