IRSES NUIG 23012008

1
Introduction to the Marie Curie International
Research Staff Exchange Scheme (IRSES) Dr Dagmar
Meyer Marie Curie National Contact Point
www.iua.ie
NUI Galway, January 23rd 2008
2
Basic features of IRSES

• Objectives of the IRSES scheme
• strengthen research collaborations between Europe
  and the rest of the world
• staff exchange programmes for sustainable
  research partnerships between research
  institutions
• based on joint programmes, with commitment from
  both EU Member States / Associated Countries and
  participating Third Countries (co-funding scheme)

3
Who can apply?

• Consortium composition basic rules
• at least two independent partners from two
  different Member States or Associated Countries
• at least one partner from a Third Country having
  a Science Technology agreement with the EU, or
  falling under the European Neighbourhood Policy
• more partners can be added, from either group of
  countries
• coordinator must be from MS/AC
• only research organisations in the sense of the
  FP7 Rules for Participation, i.e. public or
  private non-profit organisations can take part

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Basic definitions Eligible countries (I)

• EU Member States Associated Countries
• Member States (MS)
• there are now 27 EU member states
• Associated Countries (AC)
• Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Israel,
  Switzerland, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Serbia,
  Turkey
• since January 2008 Montenegro and Albania

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Basic definitions Eligible countries (II)

• Eligible Third Countries
• countries having signed a Science Technology
  agreement (ST) with the EU
• Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China,
  Chile, Egypt, India, Japan, South Korea,
  Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Russia, South
  Africa, Tunisia, Ukraine, United States
• countries falling under 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
  Republic, Tunisia
• International Cooperation Partner Countries
  (ICPC)

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How does the exchange programme work?

• Basic conditions on the programme
• multi-annual (2-4 years) joint exchange programme
  (balanced coordinated)
• short term exchanges (up to 1 year per person in
  total)
• researchers, management, technical staff
• exchanges to/from Europe (not between EU/AC or
  between Third Country partners)
• staff are seconded (maintain salary in
  institution of origin and have the right to
  return)
• no restrictions on the size of the programme

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What does the funding cover?

• Financial rules/Community contribution
• balanced exchange expected out/in Europe (in
  person years)
• each partner funds its own outgoing researchers
• community contribution
• fixed 1,800 per person-month (incl. travel,
  subsistence)
• only for MS/AC partners
• non-MS/AC partners may apply their own rates
• EU funding of ICPC and European Neighbourhood
  Policy Countries in exceptional cases
• budget for first call 25m

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Co-funding requirements

• Financial aspects for partners from Third
  Countries
• need for own funding to cover costs of
  researchers coming to Europe (matching funds)
• these may come from
• a public programme (special IRSES co-funding
  programmes exist in some countries)
• own resources of the institution
• importance to plan public funding contract
  negotiations will start in July 2008
• requests for Community funding may be granted
  exceptionally on a case by case basis

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Indicative timetable for IRSES scheme
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Evaluation process specifics for IRSES

• Submission and evaluation procedure as for other
  Marie Curie Actions, but
• 50 of evaluators from Third Countries
• positively evaluated proposals ranked on a single
  list (no separate panels by discipline)

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Evaluation criteria for IRSES
Overview of evaluation criteria
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Evaluation criteria a closer look (I)

• Quality of the exchange programme (weighting
  25, no threshold)
• Objective and relevance of the joint research
  programme
• Scientific quality of the partners
• Complementarities/synergies between the partners
• Transfer of Knowledge (weighting 30, threshold
  3/5)
• Quality and mutual benefit of the transfer of
  knowledge
• Adequacy and role of staff exchanged with respect
  to the transfer of knowledge

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Evaluation criteria a closer look (II)

• Implementation (weighting 15, no threshold)
• Capacities (expertise/human resources/facilities/i
  nfrastructure) to achieve the objectives of the
  planned cooperation
• Appropriateness of the plans for the overall
  management of the exchange programme
• Impact (weighting 30, threshold 3/5)
• Relevance of the proposed partnership to the area
  of collaboration and for the ERA
• Potential to develop lasting collaboration with
  eligible Third country partners.

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More information

• Official website of the FP7 People (Marie
  Curie) programme on CORDIS
• http//cordis.europa.eu/fp7/people/
• Follow the link to
• Find calls for this activity
• to download the Work Programme 2008 and the
  Guide for Applicants 2008
• Deadline 28 March 2008

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EI support for FP7 applicants travel grants

• Enterprise Ireland travel support
• for researchers in higher education / publicly
  funded institutions
• for visits by Irish researchers abroad to meet
  potential partners or attendance at EU
  information days/workshops relating to FP7
• covers least-cost travel plus subsistence rates
  up to 150 per day (typical length of visits
  three days)
• during the period of FP7, any one researcher can
  receive up to 3,000 to facilitate multiple
  visits to research partners (open to discussion!)

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EI support for FP7 applicants coordination grants

• Enterprise Ireland coordinator support
• for researchers in higher education / publicly
  funded institutions
• to facilitate preparatory work leading to a
  proposal for the coordination of any research
  project under FP7
• grants up to a maximum of 25,000
• for coordinator (or internal approved staff)
  least cost travel and subsistence expenses, costs
  of hosting meetings, communication costs with
  consortium members, employment of researcher for
  short-term analysis, professional services in
  preparation of application, strategy development
  and planning
• replacement teaching costs in well justified
  cases

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EI support for FP7 applicants more details

• More details on Enterprise Ireland FP7 support
  scheme and application form
• http//www.enterprise-ireland.com/FP7/Financial
  Support.htm

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Meeting room facilities in Brussels

• Irish Liaison Office
• for EU RTD

meeting room bookings Catriona Ward EU RD
Liaison Office Park Leopold Rue Wiertz 50
Wiertzstraat Bruxelles 1050 Brussel Tel. 32 (0)2
673 9866 catriona.ward_at_enterprise-ireland.com
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Marie Curie key contacts for IRSES

• IUA Marie Curie Office
• National Contact Point/National Delegate
• Dr. Dagmar Meyer - dagmar.meyer_at_iua.ie
• Dr. Conor OCarroll - conor.ocarroll_at_iua.ie
• mariecurie_at_iua.ie
• 353-(0)1-6764948
• Questions on eligibility and general programme
  rules
• Pre-submission proposal checks / comments on
  draft proposals
• Assistance in finding suitable partners