Pierantonios PapazoglouBSc, MEng, 6-sigma, NEBOSH, ΕΤΕΚ, PhD Cand.

Research Promotion Foundation

FP7 and H2020 PC Member and National Contact Point

«Marie Sklodowska Curie», «ENVIRONMENT», «SPACE», EURAXESS

• “Ice – Breaker”:

- Who I am … Who YOU are …

• Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions

- Policy Background…

- What has Changed from FP7…

INTRODUCTION

- What has Changed from FP7…

• “Hints-&-Tips”

- Content “as read” by the NCP…

- Proposal-Writing general Advice…

- NCP Services and Guidance…

“By bridging education and research,

EUROPE 2020 & 7 flagship initiatives:

SMART, SUSTAINABLE and INCLUSIVE GROWTH

“By bridging education and research,

and reaching out to industry,

Marie Curie Actions are a strong enabler

for at least three of these flagships

– the Innovation Union,

Youth on the Move and

the Agenda for new skills and jobs.”

President Barroso, 10 December 2010

Youth On the Move • Promote

researchers mobility across sectors,

Innovation Union • 1 million more

researchers

• Attract and train young

The Agenda for New Skills and Jobs • Equip

researchers with relevant

Youth On the Move

across sectors, countries and disciplines

• Attractiveness of European universities

• Stronger links between education, research and innovation

Innovation Union

train young people to become researchers

• Improve quality of doctoral training

• Involve businesses in doctoral training

The Agenda for New Skills and Jobs

with relevant skills that will match both public and private sector needs

• Improve career prospects of doctoral candidates

What Changes from FP7 “People”…

Changes from FP7 � Simplification…!� Clear definitions of participants

� Two sectors: academic/non-academic

� Two groups: beneficiaries and partner organisations

� Broader understanding of industry involvement: participation of businesses (including SMEs) and other socio-economic actors

� Streamlined definitions of supported researchers� Streamlined definitions of supported researchers

� ESR/ER

� Staff members in RISE

� Mobility rules ~maintained (new Reintegration Panel incorporated in the rules)

� Portability of IF grants

� Simplified “Unit Costs” – approach...!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

Excellence

Research

Training Training

Skills

Mobility

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!� Open to all domains of research and innovation from basic research up to market

take-up and innovation services

� Participation of non-academic sector strongly encouraged, especially industry and SMEs

� Mobility as the key requirement , aiming to attract and retain research talent

� Promotion of attractive working and employment conditions

Particular attention to gender balance� Particular attention to gender balance

� Public engagement of supported researchers

� Develop state-of-the-art, innovative training schemes, consistent with the highlycompetitive and increasingly inter-disciplinary requirements of research andinnovation

� Promote sustainable career development in research and innovation

� Focus on delivering new knowledge and skills, in line with key drivers identified inthe strategic programming approach

Deadlines….Call ID Call Opens Call Deadline Participant Portal Link

H2020-MSCA-ITN-2014 11-12-2013 09-04-2014

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/calls/h2020-msca-itn-2014.html2020-msca-itn-2014.html

H2020-MSCA-IF-2014 12-03-2014 11-09-2014

For now: http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/index.

html

H2020-MSCA-RISE-2014 11-12-2013 24-04-2014

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/calls/h

2020-msca-rise-2014.html#tab2

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

� Countries elligible for funding!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

� Countries NOT elligible for funding!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

• IF – Individual Fellowships ���� Support for exper.

Researchers (usu. Post-Docs) of any nationality in

international and intersectoral mobility.

�European Fellowships (12-24 mon.) or Global

Fellowships (12-24 mon. plus 12 mon. mandatory

phase of return).

“Content”… “as read” by the NCP…!

�Beneficiary is established in MS/AC.

�Call opens 12/03/2014…� Deadline: 11/09/2014…!

European

Global

Proposal – Writing “General Advice” by NCP…!

• ���� Know the Evaluation Criteria – Weightings – and ExAequo Priority

• In all H2020 we have: “Excellence – Impact – Implementation”

• However,MUST consider also:- Gender Balance in the Research Teams

- International Cooperation

- Widening Participation- Widening Participation

- Innovation Aspects

- Social Dimension and Impact

- Inclusion / Involvement of Private Sector, particularly SMEs

• Ensure Proposal addresses the Specific Challenge – the Scope – and theExpected Impact !!!

• See if the proposal is presented against the background of the relevant PolicyContext (Strategies, Initiatives, Directives, Communications, White/Green Papers,

etc, etc...)

Proposal – Writing “General Advice” by NCP…!• “Excellence”

�Clarity and pertinence of the objectives; Credibility of the proposed approach

�Soundness of the concept, including trans-disciplinary considerations; Progress beyond

the state of the art.

• “Impact”

�The expected impacts listed in the work programme under the relevant topic/ action

�Enhancing innovation capacity and integration of new knowledge;

�Strengthening the competitiveness and growth of companies by developing and deliveringinnovations meeting the needs of European and global markets;innovations meeting the needs of European and global markets;

�Effectiveness of the proposed measures to exploit and disseminate the project results(including management of IPR), to communicate the project, and to manage research datawhere relevant.

• “Implementation”

�Coherence and effectiveness of the Work Plan (Work Packages, Deliverables, Milestones,

Gantt Chart, etc), including appropriateness of the allocation of tasks, resources, budget;

�Competences, experience and complementarity of participants, as well as of the

consortium as a whole;

�Appropriateness of the management structures and procedures, including risk

management / contingency planning.

Proposal – Writing “General Advice” by NCP…!

� Common Errors•Proposal written as Scientific Paper

•Not addressing Scope and Expected Impact of Call

•Concept and “state-of-the-art” as well as the outline of the Network are elaborate and in-depth, but

� What Evaluators expect• Well-organised, “flowing” text,

addressing clearly Call’s Scope/ Objectives.

• Proposal should make the Evaluator’s “life” easier: consistent, well-written, following guidelines/templates

• Proposal should help the Evaluators are elaborate and in-depth, butImplementation/ Methodology, “beyond-the-state-of-the-art” and Impact are under-developed

•Unclear Aims and Objectives•Over-ambitious•Off page limits...!•Template and its structure not followed

•Essential parts disregarded

• Proposal should help the Evaluators score it more easily: “built” around the the eval. Scoring scheme

• Proposal has to convince that it will add value and Innovation in the specific field, for the Consortium and the EU at large.

• Clear description of Consortium and synergies/ compementarity within

• Clear Work Plan with Contingency Planning and fair budget distribution

Proposal – Writing “General Advice” by NCP…!

General “Good Practice”

� Good Practice• Evaluators don’t have too much time... Keep it simple and concise• Explain abbreviations / Use Glossary• Use tables and diagrams (relevant and easily understandable)• Use Structure and Table-of-Contents from GfA...Use Headings and

subheadings from GfA... subheadings from GfA... • Use Margins and Font Size set in GfA...Use Page-Numbering set in

GfA... Keep Page Limits set in GfA...!• Accurate, Verifiable and Professional content (refer. where needed)• No “emphatic” statements and claims that are unsubstantiated• Be consistent in UK/US English throughout the document. NO

‘jargon’ or ‘slang’.• Write for the “non-specialist”: if they can understand what you

want to do and why it’s worth the funding... The specialist will, too!• Proof – Read at the end...

Proposal – Writing “General Advice” by NCP…!

• Πολύ με συγκινεί

μια… λεπτομέρεια

� «Από Υαλί Χρωματιστό», Ποιήματα 1897-1933

Proposal – Writing “General Advice” by NCP…!

� Take care of the details and

� See the proposal with

critical way and “through the critical way and “through the

Evaluators’ eyes”…

Proposal – Writing “General Advice” by NCP…!

Successful Proposals are…

SM

SpecificSpecific

Measurable, verifiableMeasurable, verifiableMART

AchieveableAchieveable

RelevantRelevant

TimelyTimely

� The NCPs at RPF offer free and confidential pre-screening of the

NCP Services and Guidance…!

SMART Proposals are…

“Prescreened”...!!!

confidential pre-screening of the proposal:

�proof-reading (“commas” and “fullstops”)

�Addressing of Template’s Questions

�Strategy and Text Suggestions

More Information:

Pierantonios Papazoglou Research Promotion Foundation

PCM / NCP FP7 & H2020

MSCA, SC5, SPACE

Tel.: 22 20 50 48

Email: ppapazoglou@research.org.cy

Thank you…!

Libens, Volens, Potens… (Ready, Willing, Capable)