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Marie Curie Schemes

Science is not the whole story!

(How to write a successful Marie Curie RTN Proposal)

Siobhan HarkinSiobhan Harkin

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Marie Curie Schemes

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1000

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Community fellowships Fellowships/year (average)

TrainingnetworksMarie Curiefellowships

History of Fellowships

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Marie Curie Schemes

Human Resources and Mobility in FP6Human Resources and Mobility in FP6

InitialTraining

Return and Reintegration Grants

AdvancedTraining

Excellence ChairsGrantsAwards

Research Training Networks

Conferences and Training Courses

Host Fellowships for Early-Stage

IndividualFellowships

Host Fellowships for Transferof Knowledge

Transfer ofKnowledge

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Marie Curie Schemes

Do’s and Don’ts

• Read the Guide for Proposers (application form!)

• http://fp6.cordis.lu/fp6/calls.cfm

• Follow the instructions to the letter!

• Use the Handbooks

• Use common sense!

• Electronic submission – don’t!!!!

Marie CurieMarie Curie

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Marie Curie Schemes

What is a Research Training Network (RTN)?

A Research Training Network consists of a consortium of research teams located in different countries that propose a common

research project to serve as a vehicle for providing training and, where necessary, transfer-of-knowledge.

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Marie Curie Schemes

• Well-defined collaborative research projects of recognised international stature

• Minimum 3 partners in 3 Countries (expected to be more)

• Flexible framework for the Training and Development of Researchers

• Appropriate mix of Early Stage and Experienced researchers

• Promotion of multidisciplinary research

• Up to 3 year fellowships, including short stays

Marie Curie Research Training Marie Curie Research Training NetworksNetworks

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Marie Curie Schemes

• B1 SCIENTIFIC QUALITY OF THE PROJECT– B1.1. Research topic (one A4 page) – B1.2. Project objectives (three A4 pages) – B1.3. Scientific originality of the project (two A4 pages) – B1.4. Research method (two A4 pages) – B1.5. Work plan (two A4 pages, plus tables and charts)

• B2 TRAINING AND/OR TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE ACTIVITIES– B2.1. Content and quality of the training and transfer of knowledge programme (three A4

pages)– B2.2 Impact of the training and/or transfer of knowledge programme (two A4 pages) – B2.3. Planned recruitment of early-stage and experienced researchers (one A4 page +

table) • B3 QUALITY/CAPACITY OF THE NETWORK PARTNERSHIP

– B3.1. Collective expertise of the network teams (one A4 page per network team) – B3.2. Intensity and quality of networking (one A4 page) – B3.3. Relevance of Partnership Composition (one A4 page)

• B4. MANAGEMENT AND FEASIBILITY– B4.1. Proposed management and organisational structure (two A4 pages) – B4.2. Management know-how and experience of network co-ordinator (one A4 page) – B4.3. Management know-how and experience of network teams (½ A4 page per network

team) • B5. RELEVENCE TO THE OBJECTIVES OF THE ACTIVITY (TWO A4 PAGES) • B6. ADDED VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY (TWO A4 PAGES) • B7. INDICATIVE FINANCIAL INFORMATION (ONE A4 PAGE, PLUS TABLE) • B8. PREVIOUS PROPOSALS AND CONTRACTS• B9. OTHER ISSUES (TWO A4 PAGES)

RTN - Proposal StructureRTN - Proposal Structure

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Marie Curie Schemes

• Individual evaluation of proposals

– Each proposal is evaluated against the applicable criteria independently by at least four experts who filled in individual evaluation forms giving marks and providing comments.

• Consensus– For each proposal a consensus report is prepared. The

report faithfully reflects the views of the independent experts.

• Panel evaluation– A panel discussion is convened to examine and

compare the consensus reports and marks in a given area, to review the proposals with respect to each other and, in specific cases (e.g. equal scores) to make recommendations on a priority order and/or on possible clustering or merging of proposals.

Marie Curie – Evaluation of ProposalsMarie Curie – Evaluation of Proposals

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Marie Curie Schemes

Scoring• There is a total of six sections (B1-B6) that are each scored 0-5

• A weighting factor is then applied

• Total score for a proposal is 100%

• For RTN’s the science score represents only 30% of total!!!!

– 15% for the “WHAT?”

– 15% for the “WHO?”

• Sections (B1, B2, B4) require a minimum score (threshold)

• There is a total minimum threshold of 70%

• Need to address all of the issues to maximise scores

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

• Look carefully at the score matrix

Marie Curie – Evaluation of ProposalsMarie Curie – Evaluation of Proposals

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Marie Curie Schemes

RTNRTN

Activity Research Training Networks

W=Weighting(1)

T= Threshold W (%) T (/5)

Scientific Quality of the Proposal / Project15 3

Training Activities / Transfer of Knowledge20 4

Quality of the Host/ network partnership 15 -

Management and Feasibility15 3

Relevance to the objectives of the specific activity 20 -

Added value to the Community 15 -

Notes: All activities will be subject to a threshold in the total score of 70%(1) W = Weighting expressed as a percentage, T = Threshold score out of 5

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Marie Curie Schemes

RTNRTN

Activity Research Training Networks

W=Weighting(1)

T= ThresholdW Content

Content of the Proposal / Project

15

Training Activities / Transfer of Knowledge 20

Quality of the Host 15

Management and Feasibility 15

Relevance to the objectives of the specific activity

20

“Describe the extent to which the overall capacity to train / achieve transfer of

knowledge will be increased by the network. If relevant, describe the potential for the project to overcome fragmentation in the particular area of the networks’ research”

Added value to the Community

15

“Co-ordination or synergy with regional, national or international activities or

programmes in research, training or areas such as higher education should be

presented”

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Marie Curie Schemes

• Total of 326 proposals evaluated by 344 experts– 109 were below threshold = 33%!– Almost all of these missed the training threshold

(4/5)– 50% of those under Training threshold had total

>70%

• 41 on the funded list = 13% success (compared to 36% in FP%)!

• Irish success rate the highest at 16% (8 funded)

• Average size of funded RTN 11 partners with budget of €3.3m and about 450 researcher months

RTN – First Round ResultsRTN – First Round Results

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Marie Curie Schemes

RTN – First Round ResultsRTN – First Round Results

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Score

Fre

qu

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Frequency

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Marie Curie SchemesType of actions covered by the call Dead-line for reception of

proposals

Research Training Networks 3 April 03

19 November 03

Early Stage Training Fellowships 2 April 03

11 February 04

Conferences and Training Courses 1 April 03

20 April 04

Transfer of Knowledge fellowships 22 May 03

19 May 04

Intra-European Fellowships 12 March 03

18 February 04

International Incoming Fellowships 21 May 03

12 February 04

International Outgoing Fellowships 21 May 03

12 February 04

Excellence Grants (Teams) 20 May 03

18 May 04

Chairs 20 May 03

21 January 04

Excellence Awards 20 May 03

18 May 04

European Re-Integration Grants from 15 April 03 to October 04

International Re-integration Grants

from 15 April 03 to October 04

FP6: RoadmapFP6: Roadmap

Single call published on 17 December 2002. This roadmap and indeed the schemes and budgets covers first 2 years of FP6. The period 2004-2006 will be reviewed by the Commission in 2004

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Marie Curie Schemes

FP6: BudgetFP6: Budget

Budget breakdown for 2002-2004. There is a total of €636m over the first two years (includes €6.5 for coordination actions). This will be reviewed in 2003 and revised depending on take up in the various elements of the programme

Type of actions covered by the call Budget (2002-2004) €m

% of Total

Research Training Networks 115 (April & Dec) 18%

Early Stage Training Fellowships 130 20%

Conferences and Training Courses 20 3%

Transfer of Knowledge fellowships 85 13%

Intra-European Fellowships 110 17%

International Incoming Fellowships 20 3%

International Outgoing Fellowships 28 4%

Excellence Grants (Teams) 55 9%

Chairs 10 2%

Excellence Awards 0.5 0%

European Re-Integration Grants 39 6%

International Re-integration Grants 17 3%

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Marie Curie Schemes

• Read the documents carefully

• Follow the guidelines

• Remember that science is not the whole story

• Ensure the training programme is the best

• Ensure you send the proposal so that it will arrive by the deadline

• Don’t trust the couriers!