Opportunities under FP7 Marie Curie Actions Estelle Kane and Cecilie Hansen UK National Contact Poin

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Support for FP7 Marie Curie Training Actions
Contact Beth York EU HR Mobility Administrator
Research Innovation Services Bethany.York_at_ nottin
gham.ac.uk ext 13667
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Support available at the University of Nottingham

• Under FP6 the University of Nottingham were
  extremely successful under the Marie Curie
  Actions. Our success rate was 62 and feedback
  from PIs currently running FP6 MCAs is that they
  attract very high calibre fellows. The
  University would like to continue this record in
  to FP7 and provides a range of support for PIs
  and Fellows involved in Marie Curie Actions.

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Initially

• If you are thinking about applying for an FP7
  People programme or would just like to find out
  more then talk to Beth York in RIS (13667) for
  background to the Marie Curie Actions and an
  overview of the funding and opportunities
  available

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Proposal stage

• The University retains Dr Martin Pickard as a
  consultant to assist with EC funding proposals.
  You may contact him directly on 07779 475190 or
  grantcraft_at_aol.com for advice and guidance. He
  is very knowledgeable and has a wealth of
  experience in this field so we do encourage you
  to speak with him.
• Please keep RIS informed if you do submit a
  propsal for advice on budget profiling etc.

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Contract Negotiation

• Beth York and Jill Harris in RIS will guide you
  through the process of contract negotiation with
  assistance from legal experts where necessary.

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Project Management

• During the lifetime of the project there are many
  areas with which you may require additional
  support or advice
• Recruitment
• Declarations of Conformity
• Eligibility checks
• Career Development Plans
• Liaison with EC
• Support for Fellows
• Periodic Reports
• Audits
• Mid-term reviews

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• Beth York in RIS is available to assist with all
  project management issues. Timesheets are kept
  and charges will be allocated to the management
  budget of your project (at real cost)
• Contact Bethany.York_at_nottingham.ac.uk
• Or telephone [phone]

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Opportunities under FP7 Marie Curie Training
Actions
Contact Beth York EU HR Mobility Administrator
Research Innovation Services Bethany.York_at_ nottin
gham.ac.uk ext 13667
9
What are the Marie Curie Actions about?

• Officially the Marie Curie Objectives for FP7 are
  to
• Make Europe more attractive to researchers
• Have a 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
• Enable trans-national and inter-sectoral mobility
• The budget for the Marie Curie Actions under FP7
  is 4.7 Billion which is a 50 year by year
  increase from FP6.
• The Marie Curie Actions will cover all stages of
  a researchers professional life, from initial
  research training to lifelong learning and career
  department.

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The Main Principles of Marie Curie

• The Marie Curie Actions are part of the European
  Commissions FP7 People Programme which aims to
  improve the quality of the human potential in
  European R D. The main principles (which
  should be kept in mind when writing a proposal!)
  are
• 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 enterprise
• 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 Actions
There are 7 different Actions under the Marie
Curie heading some applied for as the host and
others as individuals
Additional Specific Actions Marie Curie Awards,
Researchers Night
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How does this compare to FP6?
For those of you with any prior experience of the
Marie Curie Actions
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MCA FP7 4.7 billion Budget breakdown
Million
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MCA - Deadlines
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All Mare Curie projects

• Central to all Marie Curie Actions is the
  RESEARCHER, their training and their mobility.
  It has been stressed repeatedly that Marie Curie
  funding is primarily for the benefit of the
  Researcher and the Researchers training and not
  the actual research.

Definition of researchers
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Transnational Mobility Requirements

• Must not have been resident in host country for
  more than 12 months in the last 3 years
  immediately before reference date time of
  appointment for ITNs, and IAPP, application
  deadline for all other 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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Host Actions

• ITNs and IAPPs are Host Actions
• This means
• Host institutions/network applies for a number of
  fellows/researchers
• Hosts proposal is evaluated
• Selected host/network advertises fellowship
  position and selects fellows/researchers
• Contract duration with host, usually 4 years
• Fellows stay depending on Action (up to 3 years)

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What is an ITN?

• An Initial Training Network aims to
• Strengthen Early Stage Training at EU level
• Attract people to scientific careers
• Improve career perspectives by development of
  broad skills (including needs of industry)
• By
• Offering fellowships to ESR and EXR through a
  Joint Training Programme including complementary
  skills modules and, as an option, hold short
  training events open to researchers outside the
  network
• Research topics for ITNs can be chosen freely in
  defined scientific fields as well as
  inter-disciplinary, new and emerging
  supra-disciplinary fields.

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Who can participate in an ITN?

• At least 3 different research groups from Member
  or Associated States, of which 2 must be Member
  or Candidate Countries
• BUT ALSO it can be single or twin sites (in
  Member or Associated States) if the international
  context is strong
• 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

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Who participates in an ITN?

• An ITN must have both industrial and academic
  partners. Industry must be in involved at one of
  three levels
• As a full partner
• Provider of specific training or secondment
  opportunities
• On the Advisory Board
• An ITN must have
• Coherent quality standards and mutual recognition
  of training/ diplomas

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Who can you recruit to an ITN?

• An ITN supports researchers
• With up to 5 years FTE
• From all over the world
• For periods of 3 - 36 months (ESRs)
• For periods of 2 24 months (EXRs)
• As well as visiting scientists (optional)
• To carry out teaching and supervisory work
• For a period of at least 1 month (can be split
  stay)

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Community Contribution - ITNs

• Includes
• Salary costs (living, mobility, travel and career
  exploratory allowance)
• Contribution to research costs, networking and
  organisation of conferences
• Contribution to management costs
• An overhead

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Definition of Fellows Allowances

• These are all flat rates
• Living
• Basic salary on an employment contract
• Varies according to research experience
• Mobility
• Relocation costs
• Varies according to family situation
• Travel
• Every 12 months travel from location of origin to
  fellowship location
• Career exploratory
• Fellowships at least 1 year to spend on career
  development activities

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Researcher Salaries for ITNs
Salaries are inclusive of all compulsory
deductionsCorrection factor applied for cost of
living (UK Coefficient 110.2)
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Allowance rates

• Travel costs depending on distance
• 250 - 2500
• Mobility allowance
• Without family 500 per month
• With 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
  (ITNs only)
• Lab-based research 600 per month
• Non-lab-based research 300 per month

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Benefits for the institution - ITN

• Research Training
• 600 (ITN) per month
• Organisation of international conferences etc
• 300 per researcher per day for those outside ITN
• Management Activities
• maximum 7 (ITN) of the total EC contribution
• Contribution to overheads
• 10 of direct costs except for subcontractors
• Other types of eligible expenses
• N/A

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What is an IndustryAcademia Pathways and
Partnership?

• It is a two-way partnership with at least one
  commercial enterprise and one academic
  organisation in two different Member or
  Associated Countries
• An IAPP aims to increase industry-academia
  co-operation by
• Supporting the creation, development,
  reinforcement and execution of strategic
  partnerships
• Creating diverse career possibilities and
  experience for researchers
• Knowledge sharing/cultural exchange, especially
  SMEs
• Aiming for longer term co-operation between both
  sectors

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What can you do with an IAPP?

• Recruit experienced researchers for between 2
  months and 2 years
• Staff exchange early stage or experienced
  researchers (and possibly technical staff and
  research managers!) for between 2 months and 2
  years
• Organise common workshops/conferences
• Inter-sectoral mobility possible, within
  framework of whole project, in same country up to
  a maximum of 30 of total researcher months
• For SMEs, a contribution towards small equipment
  costs (up to 10 of project total)

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Community Contribution

• Includes
• Salary costs (living, mobility, travel and career
  exploratory allowance)
• Contribution to research costs, networking and
  organisation of conferences
• Contribution to management costs (3)
• Other eligible costs possible for SMEs only in
  IAPPs
• An overhead

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Proposal Submission

• All submission is online
• Contact the EC if there are compelling reasons
  for why you are unable to submit online
• Electronic Proposal Submission Service (EPPS)
• should be available at least a month before the
  deadline
• In the meantime, use the templates in the Guide
  for Applicants
• Two-stage submission for ITNs
• Stage 1 7 May address 2 criteria
• Stage 2 25 September full proposal
• One-stage submission for IAPPs
• Deadline likely to be 31 May
• !! MEET THE DEADLINE !!

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Process Overview
Call
One/two stage e-submission
Eligibility Check
Individual Evaluation
Panel Review
Feedback (ESR)
Commission Ranking
Negotiation of Proposals
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Key documents
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Proposal Submission Forms

• Part A
• Set of forms on administrative information about
  the proposal and the proposers (pre-prepared
  form), and general budget information (e.g.
  number of researchers)
• 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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Who submits?

• Technically co-ordinator manages the proposal
  application by
• Obtaining a user-name and password
• Co-ordinating completion of A Forms for each
  participant
• Co-ordinating drafting of Part B
• Pressing the SUBMIT button!
• Prepare application on-line before deadline date

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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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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 Fellowships

• 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

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International Incoming Fellowships

• 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

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European Re-integration Grants

• (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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International Re-integration Grants

• 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

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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)

43
Researcher Salaries
Salaries are inclusive of all compulsory
deductionsCorrection factor applied for cost of
living (UK Coefficient 110.2)
44
Individual fellow allowances

• Travel costs depending on distance
• 250 - 2500
• Mobility allowance
• Without family 500 per month
• With 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 expenses
• ERG
• Fixed amount 15000 per researcher per year
• IRG
• Fixed amount 25000 per researcher per year

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MCA - Deadlines
FP7 People Marie Curie
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Links

• 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//europa.eu.int/eracareers/europeancharter/
• UK HE Sector analysis http//www.rcuk.ac.uk/news/
  gapanalysis.htm
• European Researchers Mobility Portal
• http//ec.europa.eu/eracareers/index_en.cfm
• Marie Curie Vacancies
• http//mc-opportunities.cordis.lu/
• Queries
• mariecurie-uk_at_bbsrc.ac.uk

FP7 People Marie Curie
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EU Countries
EU-27 Austria, 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
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ICPC countries