Horizon 2020: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) Work Programme 2016-2017
Content Overview Grant Schemes Cross-cutting Issues Additional Information
Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA Overview
Horizon 2020 structure Excellent Science Industrial Leadership Societal Challenges European Research Council (ERC) Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) Marie Skłodowska- Curie Actions (MSCA) Research Infrastructures Leadership in Enabling and Industrial Technologies (LEIT) - ICT, NMBP, Space Access to Risk Finance Innovation in SMEs Health and Wellbeing Food security Transport Energy Climate action Societies Security Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation; Science with and for Society; Cross-cutting activities focus areas; Fast Track to Innovation European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) EURATOM Joint Research Centre (JRC)
MSCA in Horizon 2020 Work Programme.. Ensure excellent and innovative research training as well as attractive career and knowledge-exchange opportunities through cross-border and cross-sector mobility of researchers to best prepare them to face current and future societal challenges. Total budget: 6.2bn
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Operates in a bottom-up basis For any research and innovation ideas (basic research; market take-up) Mobility (cross-border and cross-sector) is a key requirement Enhance skills of people behind research and innovation Strong participation across sectors Dissemination and public engagement - public outreach Gender balance equal opportunities in the research content
MSCA grant schemes Innovative Training Networks (ITN) For Early Stage Researchers Individual Fellowships (IF) For Experienced Researchers Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) Exchange visits (secondments) of staff Co-funding of programmes (COFUND) For regional, national, international doctoral or fellowship programmes Researchers Night (NIGHT) Public and media events for the promotion of research and innovation
Key MSCA Definitions Early Stage Researcher (ESR) Experienced Researcher (ER) Academic sector Nonacademic sector ITN COFUND RISE RISE IF COFUND Standard Mobility Rule At the time of recruitment (ITN) by the host organisation, must be in the first 4 years (full-time research experience) of their research careers and have not been awarded a doctoral degree At the time of the call deadline (IF) or secondment (RISE) by the host organisation, must be in possession of a doctoral degree or have at least 4 years of full-time equivalent research experience Includes universities and higher education institutions (public and private) awarding degrees, non-profit research institutions (public and private), and international European interest organisations Includes any socio-economic actor not included in the academic sector At the time of the relevant deadline for submission/recruitment/secondment researchers shall not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies...) in the country of their host organisation for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the reference date.
Commission contributions Scheme Researcher unit cost [person/month] Living allowance* Mobility allowance Family allowance Institutional unit cost [person/month] Research, training and networking costs Management and overheads ITN 3110 600 500 1800 1200 IF 4650 600 500 800 650 RISE 2000 1800 700 COFUND ESRs 3710 ERs 5250 * A correction co-efficient will apply to these costs (see MSCA Work Programme table 4) For COFUND: Unit costs are subject to a co-funding rate of 50% as established in the grant agreement. Unit costs are reduced by 50% in case researchers are recruited under fixed-amount fellowships. 650
MSCA panel structure Evaluation panels Chemistry (CHE) Social Sciences and Humanities (SOC) Economic Sciences (ECO) Information Science and Engineering (ENG) Environment and Geosciences (ENV) Life Sciences (LIF) Mathematics (MAT) Physics (PHY) Additional multidisciplinary panels for ITNs European Industrial Doctorates (EID) European Joint Doctorates (EJD) Additional multidisciplinary panels for IFs Career Restart Panel Reintegration Panel Enterprise and Society Panel
MSCA main novelties for 2016-2017 Mandatory consortium agreements for ITN and RISE An explicit link to Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) Elements of Open Science in the training of researchers Gender aspects integrated in the award criteria Further involvement of the non-academic sector new Society and Enterprise panel in European Fellowships
Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) Grant Schemes
A Typical Innovative Training Network Collaborative work in multidisciplinary, international consortia (academic + non-academic) Proposing competitively selected joint research training/doctoral programme for Early-Stage Researchers Recruit researchers across the consortium each researcher has an Individual Research Project Advanced research and transferable skills training e.g. communication, research management, societal outreach, entrepreneurship, IP Exposure to non-academic sector (secondments) Networking events Can be involved as either a beneficiary (host and recruit PhD students) or a partner (provide skills training and host secondments)
Innovative Training Networks European Training Networks At least three beneficiaries from different MS/AC Doctoral programme enrolment optional Maximum 540 researcher-months European Joint Doctorates At least three beneficiaries from different MS/AC Doctoral programme enrolment mandatory Award of joint, double or multiple doctoral degree mandatory Maximum 540 researcher-months European Industrial Doctorates At least one academic and one non-academic partner (primarily enterprises) from different MS/AC Doctoral programme enrolment mandatory Maximum 180 researcher-months Common features: Only Early Stage Researchers (ESR) recruited Maximum project length = 48 months Maximum ESR contract length = 36 months Collaboration between academic and non-academic sectors essential Participation of third countries possible
MSCA Innovative Training Network activities Three different modes with common features: Project duration: up to four years Maximum 540 researcher months (180 for EID with two partners) Support for individual ESRs of 3 36 months Activities include: Structured training courses Transferable skills training Training through research ESR career development Knowledgeexchange (e.g. secondments) Visiting researchers Network-wide training activities
Individual Fellowships (IF) Individual grant for experienced researchers to support their mobility, research project and training Opportunity to gain new knowledge in and outside academia, work on research projects in or outside Europe Fully-funded fellowships (salary, travel, research costs, management/overheads) hosted by academic or non-academic organisation No nationality, age or career stage restrictions Specific support for return of researchers to Europe (RI) and career restart for individuals with high potential who have been out of active research (CAR) European Fellowships (12-24 months) - From any country to MS/AC Global Fellowships (12-24 months + 12 month return phase) - Secondment from MS/AC to third country Good way to get high quality experienced researchers to Middlesex for 2 years
MSCA Individual Fellowship activities Training-through-research at the host institution of Fellow s choice, with named Supervisor Realistic and well-defined objectives in terms of research project and career advancement, incl. a Career Development Plan (if successful) Develop and significantly widen the competences of the researcher, incl. multi-interdisciplinary expertise, inter-sectoral experience and transferable skills Public engagement activities Optional secondment (should significantly add to the impact of the research project) of up to 3-6 months
MSCA Individual Fellowships Outgoing Return New
Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) Aim to promote international and inter-sector collaboration through research and innovation staff exchanges, and sharing of knowledge and ideas from research to market (and vice-versa) for the advancement of science and development of innovation Should involve institutions from the academic and non-academic sectors (particularly SMEs) based in MS/AC and/or third countries Development of partnerships in the form of joint research and innovation activities between the participants Knowledge sharing via international and/or inter-sector mobility through two way secondments of staff with built-in return mechanism no recruitment of new staff Exchanges between MS/AC only: secondments must be inter-sectoral Exchanges between MS/AC and third countries: secondments can be same sector and/or intersectoral
Research and Innovation Staff Exchange Participants must be from at least three different countries, at least two of which are MS/AC If all participants in same sector one participant country must be a third country Secondment period 1-12 months (does not need to be continuous) Projects up to 4 years and max 540 exchange visit months Typical activities in RISE: Workshops, joint R&I, networking, knowledge exchange, new skills, conferences
MSCA Research and Innovation Staff Exchange activities minimum setup At least 3 independent participants in 3 different countries At least 2 participants from 2 different MS/AC If all in MS/AC: at least 1 academic and 1 non-academic If all in the same sector: one participant country must be a third country MS/AC MS/AC MS/AC Non- Academic MS/AC Academic TC MS/AC RISE RISE
COFUND Supports new or existing programmes for international, intersectoral and interdisciplinary research training and transnational and cross-sector mobility of researchers Doctoral programmes Supports ESRs Doctoral enrolment mandatory Training and secondment opportunities with partners, particularly the non-academic sector will be advantageous Fellowship programmes Supports ERs Not open to permanent employees of the host organisation Regular selection rounds allowing fair competition Cross-sectoral mobility encouraged
COFUND Standard unit costs - fixed amounts per researcher /year MSCA contribution to COFUND only to be used as contribution to the management of the programme and to the living allowance of the researchers Other costs (research costs, travel and mobility allowances, overheads) to be funded from institution s own resources or other EU programmes Maximum EU contribution to single legal entity per call = 10M Must comply with the MSCA mobility rule Programmes of 36-60 months All researchers should be covered by full social security
MSCA scoring Excellence (50%) Impact (30%) Implementation (20%) Evaluation scores awarded for each criterion from 0 to 5 Each award criterion has a weighting Total score is subject to a threshold of 70% - competitive proposals need to aim at a score of 90+%! Evaluation summary reports provided as feedback to applicants along with score and funding decision No restrictions on re-application, but applicants discouraged from making references to previous evaluation results
Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) Cross-cutting issues
Other considerations Gender: Proposals are encouraged to take appropriate measures to facilitate mobility and counteract gender-related barriers Equal opportunities to be ensured, both at the level of supported seconded staff and that of decision-making/supervision Guidance on Gender Equality in Horizon 2020 Ethics: Ethics issues table in Part A and self-assessment in Part B section 6 Outside the 30-page limit provide detailed information Crucial for all research domains - need to identify any potential ethical issues and describe how they will be addressed All proposals considered for funding subject to Ethics Review Ethics Self-Assessment Guidance
Other considerations (cont.) Open access/open research data pilot Obligation to ensure open access to all peer-reviewed scientific publications relating to their results Option to participate in the open research data pilot Guidelines on Open Access to Scientific Publications and Research Data in Horizon 2020 Guidelines on Data Management in Horizon 2020
Final tips Clarify your own goals for participation Read all Call documentation (i.e. Guide for Applicants and Work Programme) - also consider relevant EU policy documents Research previous and current projects Discuss with and meet potential partners Use appropriate partnership (including balance of budget and activities) Fully appreciate the evaluation criteria Help the evaluators (covering each point, not burying text) Set aside enough time Work with your institution!
MSCA calls 2016 timetable Call identifier Publication date Deadline Call budget, M MSCA-ITN-2016 MSCA-ITN-2017 MSCA-RISE-2016 MSCA-RISE-2017 MSCA-IF-2016 MSCA-IF-2017 MSCA-COFUND-2016 MSCA-COFUND-2017 MSCA Researchers Night 15 October 2015 15 September 2016 8 December 2015 1 December 2016 12 January 2016 10 January 2017 28 April 2016 5 April 2017 14 September 2016 14 September 2017 370 430 80 80 218.50 248 12 April 2016 11 April 2017 14 April 2016 29 September 2016 80 5 April 2016 28 September 2017 80 15 October 2015 13 January 2016 8