1. Horizon 2020 Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions (MCSA) Violeta Atanasovska Ministry of Education and Science Skopje, December 2015

2. Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions (MCSA) 2 Total budget: €6.2bn (compared with €4.7bn in FP7) 30% of the total H2020 Budget ‘......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’

3. 3 MCSA Objectives  Attract and retain research talent  Develop state-of-the-art, innovative training schemes, consistent with the highly competitive and increasingly inter- disciplinary requirements of research and innovation  Promote sustainable career development in research and innovation  Strengthen international & Inter-sector Cooperation and intersector mobility Overall objective: “to strengthen the excellence of European research ”

4. 4 MCSA Key Features For researchers at every stage of their career Bottom-up approach From basic research to market take-up Mobility of researchers from all over the world Focus on training and career development of researchers Participation of non-academic sector strongly encouraged, especially industry and SMEs promotion of attractive working and employment conditions (financing rate of 100% )

5. MCSA – 4 main schemes 5

6. 6 Researcher Definitions Early Stage Researcher (ESR) At the time of recruitment (ITN) or secondment (RISE) 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 Experienced Researcher (ER) 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

7. 7 Innovative Training Networks (ITN) Key Features ‘Aims to train a new generation of creative, entrepreneurial and innovative early-stage researchers, able to face current and future challenges and to convert knowledge and ideas into products and services for economic and social benefit’

8. 8 Innovative Training Networks (ITN) Key Features  Doctoral and initial training of researchers proposed by international networks of organisations from academic and non-academic sectors  Dedicated to early-stage researchers (no ER recruitment)  Focus on scientific/ technological knowledge through research on individual/personalised projects  Meaningful exposure to non-academic sector  Developing entrepreneurship and skills matching research labour market needs. Transferable skills training e.g. communication, research management, IP, ethics, societal outreach, entrepreneurship  1) Beneficiaries – full partner, supervise, host ESRs, secondment opportunities and 2) Partner: provide training and host ESRs during secondments

9. 9 Innovative Training Networks (ITN) Researchers funded from 3-36 months European Training Networks European Joint Doctorates European Industrial Doctorates At least three beneficiaries from different MS/AC Doctoral programme enrolment optional Maximum 540 researcher months At least three beneficiaries from different MS/AC Doctoral programme enrolment mandatory Joint governance, admission, selection, supervision, monitoring and assessment mandatory Award of joint, double or multiple doctoral degree mandatory Maximum 540 researcher months At least one academic and one non-academic partner from different MS/AC Doctoral programme enrolment mandatory Joint governance, admission, selection, supervision, monitoring and assessment mandatory Maximum 180 researcher months

10. 10 Innovative Training Networks (ITN) Conferences Activities over 4 years project max: Average size of consortium = 6-10 Max support 36 months for ESRs Training: Seminars, Workshops, summer schools modules Supervision Networking Secondments, placements Research and Innovation Career development of early stage researchers Communication & Dissemination Collaboration & Exchange of Knowledge Public Engagement

11. 11 Individual Fellowships “Aims to enhance the creative and innovative potential of experienced researchers wishing to diversify their individual competence in terms of skill acquisition at multi- or interdisciplinary level through advanced training, international and intersectoral mobility”

12. 12 Individual Fellowships  Individual fellowships for most promising experienced researchers  Enhance competences and creative potential of best researchers of any nationality  to develop their skills through international or inter-sector mobility  Acquire and transfer new knowledge (in and outside EU)  Specific support for reintegration and career restart

13. 13 Individual Fellowships Mobility rule applies Mobility rule for CAR and RIG: “researcher has not resided or carried out their main activity in the country of their host organisation for more than 3 years in the 5 years immediately prior to the relevant deadline” * AND “researcher has not been active in research for at least 12 months” ** AND “researcher has previously been active in Europe for at least five consecutive years” European FellowshipsGlobal Fellowships 12-24 months From any country to MS/AC Separate multi-disciplinary panels for career restart * and reintegration** 12-24 months plus 12 month return phase Secondment from MS/AC to third country Mandatory 12 month return phase in Europe (not subject to mobility rule

14. 14 Individual Fellowships  Optional intersectoral secondment that should significantly add to the impact of the research project  Must take place in a MS/AC and during the fellowship  Secondment phase can be a single period or divided into shorter mobility periods  For a fellowship > 18 months, secondment phase may be up to 6 months  For a fellowship ≤ 18 months, secondment phase may be up to 3 Month

15. 15 Research and Innovation Staff Exchange ‘ “Aims 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”

16. 16 Research and Innovation Staff Exchange  Development of joint research and innovation project partnerships.  Projects up to 4 years and max. 540 researcher months  Typically can be 4-6 organisations  Knowledge sharing via international and/or inter-sector mobility through two way secondments of (ESRs /ERs/support 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

17. 17 Research and Innovation Staff Exchange A RISE partnership shall be composed by at least three independent participants established in three different countries and must respect one of the following two conditions:  two organisations are located in two different MS/AC and one organisation is located in a TC (can be either sector) or  If from MS/AC, at least one organisation should be from the academic sector and one from the non-academic sector. Above these minimum requirements additional organisations established in MS/AC and/or in other third countries can participate

18. 18 Research and Innovation Staff Exchange Networking Knowledge Sharing Joint research and innovation Career Development Training / Workshops / conferences / summer schools New skills 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 to 12 months- does not need to be continuous Activities of the programme:

19. 19 COFUND Supports new or existing programmes for international, intersectoral and interdisciplinary research training and transnational and cross-sector mobility of researchers Doctoral programmesFellowship programmes Supports ESRs Doctoral enrolment mandatory Training and secondment opportunities with partners, particularly the non-academic sector will be advantageous Supports ERS Not open to permanent employees of the host organisation Regular selection rounds allowing fair competition Cross-sectoral mobility encouraged

20. 20 AWARD CRITERIA Evaluation scores awarded for each criteria from 0 to 5  Each award criterion has a weighting  Total score is subject to a threshold of 70%  Proposals ranked  Proposals funded in ranking order  Evaluation summary reports provided  No restrictions on re-application Excellence 50% Impact 30%Implementation 20%

21. 21 Standard Mobility Rule At the time of the relevant deadline for submission of proposals, or recruitment/secondment by the host organisation, depending on the action, researchers shall not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc) in the country of their host organisation for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the reference date.”

22. MSCA Calls 2016-2017 Funding scheme Call deadlines Budget ITN 15/10/2015 – 12/01/2016 EUR 370.00 mil 2016 15/09/2016 – 10/01/2017 EUR 430.00 mil 2017 IF 12/04/2016 – 14/09/2016 EUR218.50 mil 2016 11/04/2017 – 14/09/2017 EUR 248.00 mil 2017 RISE 08/12/2015 – 28/04/2016 EUR 80.00 mil 2016 01/12/2016 – 05/04/2017 EUR 80.00 mil 2017 COFUND 14/04/2016 – 29/09/2016 EUR 80.00 mil 2016 05/04/2017 – 28/09/2017 EUR 80.00 mil 2017 NIGHT 15/10/2015 – 13/01/2016 EUR 8.00 mil in 2016

23. 23 Funding ITNIFRISECOFUND ESR living allowance €3,110/month + co-efficient ESR mobility allowance €600/month ESR family allowance €500/month Host research, training and networking €1,800/person/ month Host management and overheads €1,200 /person/ month ER living allowance €4,650 / month + co-efficient ER mobility allowance €600/month ER family allowance €500/month Research, training and networking €800/person/ month Management and overheads €650/person/ month Secondment travel & subsistence €2,000/person/ month Research, training and networking €1,800/person/ month Management and overheads €700/person/ ESR living allowance: Salaried €2,450 - €3,500/month or Stipend: €1,225 - €1,750/month ER living allowance: Salaried: €3,675 - €5,250/month or Stipend: €1,225 - €1,750/month Management €650/person/ Month Host needs to cover all other costs and EC will pay up to 50%

24. Thank you for your attention and Happy New Year Violeta.Atanasovska@mon.gov.mk