UK Research Office
The Office, our mission and services
About us
• UKRO is the office of the seven UK Research Councils in
Brussels and delivers a subscription-based advisory service for
around 150 research organisations in the UK and beyond.
• UKRO also provides National Contact Point services on behalf of
the UK Government.
• Our mission is to maximise UK engagement in EU-funded
research, innovation and higher education
The team
• 14 staff in Brussels including eight European Advisors
Our daily work
• UKRO services: offering a wide range of quality services to help
subscribers and sponsors make informed decisions on
participating in EU programmes
• Policy work: supporting UK input into European research policy
development and implementation.
• Brussels liaison: establishing and maintaining contacts with the
European Institutions and other major Brussels stakeholders in
research and innovation.
Our suite of services
• UKRO Portal: always up to date with the latest in EU funding
and policy
• Enquiry service and you dedicated European Advisor:
individual support and advice, all year round
• Annual visit: a tailored event for your institution
• Meeting room: a venue in Brussels – free of charge
• Specialist training courses, focus groups and information
events: providing in-depth insight into EU programmes
• Annual conference for European officers: the latest
information on programmes and policies presented by
European Commission staff, and other speakers
• UK National Contact Points for the Marie Curie Actions and
the European Research Council (ERC)
UKRO Portal – sign up today at
www.ukro.ac.uk
•
•
•
•
Tailored news articles on EU funding and policy
UKRO Factsheets on Horizon 2020 and other funding streams
Email alert function and search engine with refiners and tags
Daily or weekly alerts - personalise your account to best meet your needs!
UKRO Factsheets on the Portal
Annual visit
• Bespoke annual visit to your institution by your UKRO European
Advisor
• Programme is agreed with the European Liaison Officer (ELO)
• Sessions can cover a variety of subjects and are tailored to each
audience
Your European Advisor
• All subscribers have a named contact at UKRO
• Contact your European Advisor with questions on EU funding
programmes and EU research and innovation policy
• Help with legal and financial questions
• Advice on the best funding stream for your research project
• General advice on proposal writing
UKRO Conference
• 2-day event for EU policy and networking
• Key event for European Liaison Officers, European research
managers, Research Councils and policy makers
• High-level European Commission and other speakers
UKRO National Contact Points
• Advice on the European Research Council and the
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
• Websites
– www.ukro.ac.uk/erc
– www.ukro.ac.uk/mariecurie
• Helpdesk
– erc-uk@bbsrc.ac.uk; Phone: 0032 2289 6121
– mariecurie-uk@bbsrc.ac.uk; Phone: 0032 2 230 0318
Horizon 2020
Pillar One: Excellent Science
Horizon 2020 structure
Excellent
Science
European Research
Council (ERC)
Future and Emerging
Technologies (FET)
Marie SkłodowskaCurie Actions (MSCA)
Research
Infrastructures
Industrial
Leadership
Societal
Challenges
Health and Wellbeing
Leadership in
Enabling and
Industrial
Technologies (LEIT)
- ICT, NMBP, Space
Access to Risk
Finance
Innovation in SMEs
Food security
Transport
Energy
Climate action
Societies
Security
Widening Participation; Science with and for Society, Mainstreaming of
Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) and ICT, Fast Track to Innovation
European Institute of
Innovation and
Technology (EIT)
EURATOM
Joint Research Centre
(JRC)
Excellent Science Rationale
“…reinforce and extend the excellence of the Union’s science base
and to consolidate the European Research Area in order to make
the Union’s research and innovation system more competitive on a
global scale…”
• Activities under this pillar cover a wide range of Europe’s
research and innovation needs
• Forward-looking, long-term skill development and capacity
building to support emerging European talent
• Largely science-driven pillar with many ‘bottom-up’
opportunities
Excellent Science Opportunities
European
Research
Council
Research
Infrastructures
Marie
SklodowskaCurie Actions
Future and
Emerging
Technologies
European Research
Council
What is the ERC?
“The fundamental activity of the ERC is to provide
attractive, long-term funding to support excellent
investigators and their research teams to pursue groundbreaking, high-gain/high-risk research.”
“Scientific excellence is the sole criterion on the basis of
which ERC frontier research grants are awarded.”
“The ERC’s frontier research grants operate on a ‘bottomup’ basis without predetermined priorities.”
ERC Work Programme 2016 text
ERC Budget in Horizon 2020
ERC allocated around €12.7 billion for Horizon 2020 (compares to the allocation
of €7.5 billion for FP7). Largest amount of funding will go to the Starting Grants
and Consolidator Grants schemes.
In the present
budget, support to
ERC is under its
2013 level for 3
years
Source: ERC
ERC Frontier Research Grant Schemes
• The ERC seeks to fund the best ‘frontier research’ proposals
submitted by excellent researchers in the area of their choice.
• Funds projects led by a Principal Investigator, if necessary
supported by a research team (no requirement for
collaboration or forming a team across different EU countries)
• 25 panels in 3 domains which proposals can be submitted to:
• Physical Sciences and Engineering (PE)
• Life Sciences (LS)
• Social Sciences and Humanities (SH)
• Not suitable for consortium type proposals
ERC Grant Schemes
Starting Grants
• For PIs 2-7 years from PhD, up to €2 million for 5 years
Consolidator Grants
• For PIs 7-12 years from PhD, up to €2.75 million for 5 years
Advanced Grants
• For leading researchers, up to €3.5 million for 5 years.
Synergy Grants
• for 2 to 4 PIs, up to €15 million for 6 years. No call in 2016 or 2017.
Proof of Concept
• For ERC grant holders only, up to €150,000 for 18 months
Proof-of-Concept grants
• “Maximise the value of the excellent research that the ERC funds, by
funding further work (i.e. activities which were not scheduled to be
funded by the original ERC frontier research grant) to verify the
innovation potential of ideas arising from ERC funded projects.”
• Only PIs on ERC frontier research grants that are on-going or have
ended less than 12 months before the opening date of the call are
eligible.
• The funding will cover activities at the very early stage of turning
research outputs into a commercial or socially valuable proposition,
i.e. the initial steps of pre-competitive development.
• Up to €150,000 over 18 months
Principal Investigator (PI)
• Expected to spend:
– StG: A minimum 50% of total working time on the ERC project or
– CoG: A minimum 40% of total working time on the ERC project and
– AdG: A minimum 30% of total working time on the ERC project and
• A minimum of 50% of total working time in an EU Member
State or Associated Country (this does not exclude
fieldwork/research outside Europe needed to achieve research
objectives)
• Central to the grant and review criteria
• Expected to lead their team and be fully engaged in the running
of the grant
• Can be of any age, nationality or current location
PI Eligibility
• StG - 2 to 7 years from date of award of first PhD or equivalent
(as at 1 January)
• CoG – 7 to 12 years from date of award of first PhD
• Extensions for certain reasons (must be properly documented). These are:
– Maternity leave (18 months per child), paternity leave (actual amount of
documented leave taken), national service, long-term illness (over 90
days) of PI or a close family member (child, spouse, parent or sibling)
and clinical training
– For other ‘unavoidable statutory reasons’ please contact us for advice
• AdG: No specific eligibility criteria with respect to academic requirements not an eligibility criterion to have been awarded a PhD. Should be
established research leaders who have made original and significant
contributions to research.
Competitive Candidates for StG and CoG
• Must have already shown potential for/demonstrated research
independence and evidence of maturity
• For example, it is expected that applicants:
– will have produced at least one/several important publication without
the participation of their PhD supervisor
– can demonstrate promising track record of early achievements
appropriate to their field and career stage, including:
• Significant publications (as main author) in major international peerreviewed major multidisciplinary scientific journals or in leading
international peer-reviewed journals in their field
• May have monographs, invited presentations, granted patents,
awards, prizes
Competitive Candidates for AdG
• Active researcher
• Track record of significant achievements in last 10 years
– 10 publications (as senior author) in major international peer-reviewed
journals which are multidisciplinary or leading journals or conference
proceedings in their field.
– Or 3 major research monographs, of which at least one is translated
into another language.
– If appropriate to their research field: granted patents (5), invited
presentations (10), led expeditions (3), organised international
conferences (3), international recognition (awards, prizes, academy
membership, artefact with documented use) and leadership in
launching the careers of outstanding researchers and industrial
innovation.
• Internationally recognised as exceptional leader in terms of
originality and significance of research contribution
UK Success in ERC
• The UK was the most successful country in applying to the ERC
in FP7
• Around 20% of all ERC grants are based in the UK
• PIs at over 80 institutions in the UK have been awarded an ERC
grant
• Over 1100 grants have been awarded to UK Host Institutions
since 2007.
• See here for the details of funded projects:
http://erc.europa.eu/erc-funded-projects
• And here for more statistics: http://erc.europa.eu/projects-andresults/statistics
ERC Success Rates by Host Institution
Country (StG, CoG, AdG 2007-2013)
Source: ERC
ERC 2016 Calls
Starting
Grant
Consolidator
Grant
Advanced
Grant
Proof of
Concept
Call
identifier
ERC-2016-StG
ERC-2016-CoG
ERC-2016-AdG
ERC-2016-PoC
Call Opens
29 July 2015
15 October 2015
24 May 2016 22 October 2015
17 November
2 February 2016
2015
1 September
2016
16 February
2016
26 May 2016
4 October 2016
540 (235)
20 (130)
Deadline
Budget €M
(estimated
grants)
485 (335)
605 (335)
ERC 2014 Overall Call Results
Call
Deadline
No. of
proposals
submitted
No. of
retained
proposals
Success Rate
% (of eligible
proposals)
ERC-2014-StG
27/03/2014
3273
375
11.46
ERC-2014-CoG
20/05/2014
2527
372
14.98
ERC-2014-AdG
21/10/2014
2287
190
8.44
ERC-2014-PoC
01/04/2014
01/10/2014
182
260
50
51
27.93
20.65
ERC: More information
•
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Participant Portal
ERC website
ERC statistics on funded projects
ERC panel members
ERC funded projects
2016 ERC Work Programme
NCP – erc-uk@bbsrc.ac.uk
ERC Annual Report
ERC report on activities in FP7 (2007-2013)
Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Actions (MSCA)
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
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
Innovative Training Networks (ITN)
• For Early Stage Researchers
Individual Fellowships (IF)
• For Experienced Researchers
Research and Support Staff Exchange (RISE)
• Exchange visits (secondments) of staff
Co-funding of programmes (COFUND)
• For regional, national, international doctoral or fellowship programmes
Key MSCA Definitions
ITN
COFUND
RISE
IF
RISE
COFUND
Early Stage
Researcher
(ESR)
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
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
Academic
sector
Includes universities and higher education institutions (public and
private) awarding degrees, non-profit research institutions (public
and private), and international European interest organisations
Nonacademic
sector
Includes any socio-economic actor not included in the academic
sector
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.”
No restrictions on nationality!
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
ITN activities
Research
and
Innovation
Dissemination
Communication
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
European Industrial
Doctorates
• 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 (primarily
enterprises)
• Doctoral programme
enrolment mandatory
• Joint governance,
admission, selection,
supervision,
monitoring and
assessment mandatory
• Maximum 180
researcher-months
Commission contributions
Researcher unit cost [person/month]
Scheme
Living
allowance*
Mobility
allowance
Family
allowance
Institutional unit cost
[person/month]
Research,
training and
networking
costs
Managemen
t and
overheads
ITN
3110
600
500
1800
1200
IF
4650
600
500
800
650
1800
700
RISE
COFUND
2000
ESRs
3710
ERs
5250
650

* 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.
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) 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)
Individual Fellowships (IF)
Outgoing
Return
New
Commission contributions
Researcher unit cost [person/month]
Scheme
Living
allowance*
Mobility
allowance
Family
allowance
Institutional unit cost
[person/month]
Research,
training and
networking
costs
Managemen
t and
overheads
ITN
3110
600
500
1800
1200
IF
4650
600
500
800
650
1800
700
RISE
COFUND
2000
ESRs
3710
ERs
5250
650

* 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.
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
Knowledge
exchange
Networking
New
skills
Conferences
RISE – Minimum Set-up
• 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
MS/AC
MS/AC
TC
RISE
MS/AC
NonAcademic
MS/AC
Academic
MS/AC
RISE
RISE – Eligible secondments
Intra-European Exchanges
MS/AC 1
Academic
Non-Academic
MS/AC 2
MS/AC 3
RISE – Eligible secondments
Europe – Third Country Exchanges
MS/AC 1
• Secondments from TC to MS/AC
subject to H2020 funding rules!
• If funded by TC  describe in
proposal!
MS/AC 2
TC
Commission contributions
Researcher unit cost [person/month]
Scheme
Living
allowance*
Mobility
allowance
Family
allowance
Institutional unit cost
[person/month]
Research,
training and
networking
costs
Managemen
t and
overheads
ITN
3110
600
500
1800
1200
IF
4650
600
500
800
650
1800
700
RISE
COFUND
2000
ESRs
3710
ERs
5250
650

* 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.
MSCA calls – 2016 timetable
Call identifier
Publication date
Deadline
Call budget, €M
MSCA-ITN-2016
MSCA-ITN-2017
MSCA-RISE-2016
MSCA-RISE-2017
15 October 2015
15 September 2016
8 December 2015
1 December 2016
370
430
MSCA-IF-2016
MSCA-IF-2017
12 April 2016
11 April 2017
12 January 2016
10 January 2017
28 April 2016
5 April 2017
14 September 2016
14 September 2017
80
80
218.50
248
2014 MSCA Success Rates
No. of eligible
proposals
submitted
No. of retained
proposals
Success Rate %
MSCA-ITN-2014
1153
121
10.49%
MSCA-RISE-2014
200
84
42%
MSCA-IF-2014
7409
1305
17.61%
MSCA-COFUND-2014
90
23
25.56%
MSCA-Researchers’
Night-2014
123
48
39%
Call
Useful Links
• UKRO Subscriber factsheet on Marie Curie Actions
https://www.ukro.ac.uk/subscriber/Factsheets/factsheet_msca.pdf
• Commission’s Marie Curie Actions websites
ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions and
ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/h2020-section/mariesklodowska-curie-actions
• UK NCP Helpdesk
Email: mariecurie-uk@bbsrc.ac.uk
Phone: + 32 2 230 0318
Website: www.ukro.ac.uk/mariecurie