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The Slovenian Research Agency, Bleiweisova cesta 30, 1000
Ljubljana, pursuant toArticles 2 and 11 of the Rules on the Procedures of the
(co)financing and Monitoring of the Research Activities Implementation (Official
Gazette RS, No. 52/16; hereinafter: the Rules), in conjunction with Article 15
of the Research and Development Act (Official Gazette of the RS, nos.
22/06-UPB1, 61/06-ZDru-1 112/07, 9/11, 57/12-ZPOP-1A), and based on Methodology
for Assessing Applications for Co-financing of Research Activities No.
6319-2/2013-38 dated 5/06/2017 - official consolidated text No. 4 (hereinafter:
Methodology), hereby announce
Public call for (co)financing potential ERC candidates to visit ERC grantees in 2018
1. The title and address of the publicly
founded body:
Slovenian Research Agency, Bleiweisova cesta 30, 1000 Ljubljana (hereinafter:
Agency)
2. Purpose of the public Call for proposals
In order to ensure a more uniform distribution of grantees of the European
Research Council’s funding, the ERC encourages national authorities to set up
visiting fellowship programme to fund potential candidates for ERC's calls to
visit teams of the ERC-funded Principal Investigators. In accordance with the
above, and in line with goals grounded in Slovenia’s strategic documents
(Resolution on the National Research and Development Programme 2011-2020)
(Official Gazette RS, No. 43/11), provided in Chapter 3.3 R&D Cooperation in the
EU and globally, and as well with tasks of the Agency, the purpose of this Call
is to stimulate researchers to apply for three types of ERC grants (Starting
Grant, Consolidator Grant and Advanced Grant), and thereby increase the success
rate of the ERC grant applications.
The Call shall be implemented by the Slovenian Research Agency in accordance
with the ERC Guidelines: Fellowship to visit ERC Grantee, European Research
Council, 19 January 2016, available on the following website:
https://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/document/file/Fellowship_Visit_ERC_Grantee.pdf.
3. Subject matter and objective of the Call
The subject matter of this Call is (co)financing research fellows visiting
former or current grantees of the European Research Council (hereinafter: ERC
Principal Investigator) that undertake research projects in any scientific
field. The duration of the researcher’s visits from Slovenia (hereinafter:
Visiting researcher) should be for a minimum of three months and up to six
months, commencing within the year 2018.
The objective of this public Call is cooperation between the Visiting
researcher and one of the former or the current ERC Principal Investigator with
a view to develop and prepare the project of his/her own. Accordingly, the
Call’s ultimate objective is that within the two consecutive ERC calls of a
kind, after the visit's conclusion, the Visiting researcher applies for an
appropriate ERC grant: Starting Grant, Consolidator Grant or Advanced Grant.
4. Entities that can apply to the Call
Entities that can apply to the Call are research institutions and private
researchers entered in the database on implementers of research & development
activities in the Republic of Slovenia and in the Register of private
researchers run by the Agency, meeting the conditions prescribed by the Research
and Development Act.
5. Applicant and Visiting researcher shall at
the time of submitting the application meet the following requirements
5.1. Conditions required for Research
institution
(1) At the time of submitting the application, the Visiting researcher has to
be employed at the research institution which is the applicant, or possess the
status of a private researcher.
(2) The applicant may lodge several applications, but no more than one
application per researcher.
(3) The research institution, the applicant to this Call, is, in addition, a
research institution through which a Visiting researcher shall apply for an
appropriate ERC grant, as follows from paragraph 3 of this public Call.
(4) The applicant has to submit a signed statement declaring that the
Visiting researcher shall apply for an appropriate ERC grant within the two
consecutive calls of a kind after the visit's conclusion, as follows from
paragraph 3 of this public Call. In cases where the latter is unfulfilled, the
Agency shall claim the funds paid;
5.2. Conditions required for Visiting
researcher
(1) A Visiting researcher must fulfil conditions required for the Principal
Investigator as laid down in the Research and Development Act, the Rules, the
Rules on the criteria for evaluating project leader qualifications (Official
Gazette RS, No. 53/16), and Methodology (Chapter A. General, Part III.
Quantitative entry conditions for mentors, principal investigators of projects
and programmes). The compliance with conditions shall be checked on the closure
date of the Call.
(2) The Visiting researcher ought to have a research number meaning he/she
is in the database on implementers of research & development activities in the
Republic of Slovenia or in the Register of private researchers run by the
Agency.
(3) The Visiting researcher has to submit a signed statement declaring that
he/she shall apply for an appropriate ERC grant within the two consecutive ERC
calls of a kind after the visit's conclusion, as follows from paragraph 3 of
this public Call. In cases where the latter is unfulfilled, the Agency shall
claim the funds paid;
(4) The Visiting researcher, who has already visited the ERC Principal
Investigator on the basis of this Call, cannot submit any other application to
the public Call for (co)financing potential ERC candidates to visit ERC
grantees.
6. The application shall include:
(a) An outline of the disposition of a future worked out scientific
research project submitted as proposal to one of the ERC’s main calls. The
outline should be written in Slovene and English language in the form
prescribed. The maximum length of the outline of the disposition should not
exceed 15 pages in both language cases. Related tables, graphs and other visual
elements could be attached as file to the application form, but no more than 5
pages and using portable document format (pdf);
(b) A signed statement of the Visiting researcher declaring that he/she
shall at the time of submitting proposal to one of the ERC’s main calls meet the
requirements of the call submitted:
https://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/document/file/ERC-Work-Programme-2018.pdf;
(c) A signed statement of the applicant and Visiting researcher declaring
that the latter shall apply for an appropriate ERC grant within the two
consecutive calls of a kind after the visit's conclusion, as follows from
paragraph 3 of this public Call;
(d) Curriculum vitae - showing compliance with the conditions for assessing
the scientific excellence of the researcher, as follows from paragraph 8.b. of
this Call. The form of the Curriculum vitae should be consistent with the ERC’s
instructions;
(e) A letter of support of the ERC Principal Investigator and hosting
research institution with the prescribed elements:
- an acquaintance of the ERC Principal Investigator and his/her research
institution with the requirements of the ERC Fellowship initiative;
- an acquaintance of the ERC Principal Investigator with the proposed
research of the Visiting researcher;
- an expert opinion of the ERC Principal Investigator on the outlined
research project of Visiting researcher (strengths and weaknesses, potential
success in the future ERC calls),
- a description of the strategic plan for an active inclusion of the
Visiting researcher into an ongoing project of the ERC Principal
Investigator.
(f) A statement on the acceptance of invitation conditions.
7. Evaluation procedure
The evaluation procedure is conducted by the Temporary expert
body(hereinafter: TEB) appointed by the Scientific Council of the Agency
(hereinafter: SCA). The SCA shall adopt the decision on appointing the
Chairperson, the Deputy Chairperson and members of the TEB, setting out their
duties and duration of the term. Composition of the TEB shall cover all
scientific disciplines whose applications are submitted. TEB is composed of
members of the Scientific Council of the Disciplines and Slovenian reviewers of
the ERC projects within Horizon 2020, namely three of them for each scientific
discipline.
Members of the TEB shall appoint two reviewers for each application
submitted, taking into account the criterion of the most appropriate reviewer in
terms of content of individual application. The reviewers are selected from the
list of the foreign experts run by the agency, from the list of the Slovenian
reviewers of the ERC projects within Horizon 2020, and as well from the list of
members of the Scientific Council of the Disciplines. When selecting reviewers,
priority shall be given to the foreign reviewers.
Every application is assessed by two reviewers, whereby one of the two is the
reviewer – rapporteur. Reviewers evaluate individual elements of assessment by
completing the evaluation form which contains a numerical and descriptive
assessment of individual criterions – an individual report. After consulting the
other reviewer, the reviewer – rapporteur prepares in a systematic and orderly
manner the combined work report with an overall assessment for each criterion.
The coordinated report is signed by both reviewers.
Members of the TEB shall then review the received reviewer’s reports. In the
event of a significant number of applications reaching the threshold for
inclusion into the draft list of projects, and thereby exceeding the available
funds for co-financing, an integral part of the evaluation process shall be an
oral hearing (interview). The oral hearing is intended only for those
applications whose total score is equal to the lower marginal threshold, which
in the present case is determined by the funds available. The oral hearing shall
be assessed by at least two members of the TEB who evaluate the presentation
with an assessment from 0 to 5, whereby the quality of the application, academic
age of the researcher and his/her prospects for success in the future ERC call
shall be considered. The evaluation of the hearing is complementary to the
overall assessment.
At the end of the evaluation procedure the TEB shall prepare a final
evaluation of the applications and the financially evaluated priority list of
applications, taking into account the principle of representation of all
scientific disciplines in such a way that at least one positively assessed
application for each discipline is included in the priority list. Ranking list
of all other applications shall be carried out on the grounds of the overall
assessment. The draft priority list of applications for co-financing is then
submitted for discussion to the SCA. The decision on the selection of
applications for (co)financing is adopted by director of the agency upon the
proposal from the SCA.
8. Assessment criteria
The detailed evaluation elements applying to the excellence of the research
project are set out below.
a) In terms of research project quality criterion and in line with
Article 99 of the Rules, the following indicators shall be considered:
- To what extent does the proposed research address important challenges?
- To what extent are the objectives ambitious and beyond the state of the
art (e.g. novel concepts and approaches or development across disciplines)?
- To what extent is the concept sound and the proposed timescales and
resources necessary and properly justified (based on the outline of a
scientific research project)?
- To what extent is the proposed research methodology appropriate to
achieve the goals of the project (based on the outline of a scientific
research project)?
b) In terms of researcher scientific quality and in line with Article 99
of the Rules, the following indicators shall be considered:
- To what extent have the achievements of the researcher typically gone
beyond the state-of-the-art?
- To what extent does the researcher provide evidence of creative
independent thinking?
- To what extent has the researcher demonstrated the ability to propose
and conduct ground-breaking research?
c) Partnership quality is assessed against the Application form and the
Letter of support of the ERC Principal Investigator, as follows from paragraph
6.e., whereby the following shall be taken into consideration:
- To what extent does the proposed research project correspond with the
ongoing research project of the ERC Principal Investigator?
- To what extent is the proposed plan for an active inclusion of the
Visiting researcher into the ongoing project of ERC Principal Investigator
well-defined and feasible?
- To what extent is the relevant research infrastructure available to the
Visiting researcher?
Each criterion is assessed on a scale from 0 to 5 in accordance with
paragraph 5 of Article 33 of the Rules. For admission to the selection for the
co-financing application must reach the threshold of three points for each
criterion and 10 points in total. In the event that the application fails to
achieve the threshold, it will be rejected.
9. The amount of available funds for the call
and (co)financing of the visits
The planned annual amount for the Call is EUR 240.000.
The Call shall be implemented in line with the funds earmarked in the budget
of the Republic of Slovenia and the Agency’s budget.
The Agency shall, in respect to this Call, (co)finance Visiting researcher’s
visits with:
- a reimbursement of expatriation allowances, including accommodation
costs, costs of one roundtrip to and from the city of the ERC research
group, the cost of public transport to the place of the host institution,
and meal expenses in total sum of 1.550 EUR per month, multiplied by the
Country correction coefficient for living allowance, attached as an Annex to
the invitation documentation. For countries where the correction coefficient
is not indicated in this Annex, a correction coefficient of 100 is to be
taken into account.
The Agency shall (co)finance Visiting researcher’s visits for a minimum of
three months and up to six months. The Agreement between the Agency and the
applicant sets out the amount as well as the rights and obligations and the
terms and conditions applicable to the grant awarded.
A Visiting researcher who has visited the ERC Principal Investigator on the
basis of this Call has to submit a final work report of the visit, using the
form specifically designed for this purpose. Final work report should be
delivered within 30 days after the visit’s conclusion. The report has to be
signed by both the Visiting researcher and the ERC Principal Investigator.
10. Method, form, and deadline for submitting applications
10.1. Submitting the application form with a digital signature
(1) An application to the Call is made and submitted by an application form
using the ARRS-MS-ERC-FS-JR-Prijava/2017 on the Agency's web portal
eObrazci.
A submitted application shall be considered complete if it contains both digital
signatures (of the authorized person of the RI and the researcher).
(2) The application shall be submitted both in Slovene and English.
(3) An application shall be deemed duly if it is secured with both digital
signatures on the web portal
eObrazci
by 12 December 2017, 15:00.
10.2. Submitting the application form without a digital signature
(1) If the applicant and/or the researcher have no digital signature, the
application form should be submitted unsigned in electronic form to the Agency's
eObrazci
web portal and in print, bearing the original signature of the authorized person
of the RI and the researcher respectively and the stamp of the RI.
(2) Both electronic and printed forms of the application have to be
completely the same in terms of content.
(3) Printed applications have to be submitted in closed envelopes marked "DO
NOT open - CALL FOR (CO)FINANCING POTENTIAL ERC CANDIDATES TO VISIT ERC GRANTEES
IN 2018 and with the name and address of the applicant, sent to the address:
Javna agencija za raziskovalno dejavnost RS, Bleiweisova cesta 30, 1000
Ljubljana.
(4) The applications shall be deemed timely when submitted in printed and
electronic formats by the deadline. An application shall be timely if submitted
in electronic form to the Agency's
eObrazci
web portal by 12 December 2017, 15:00 whereas the printed format is to be
received in the mail room of the Agency by 12 December 2017, 15:00. Applications
sent by registered mail from Slovenia by 12 December 2017 (postal stamp) shall
also be deemed timely.
10.3. Completeness of applications
(1) An application shall be considered complete if submitted using the
prescribed form and format (point 10.1 - with digital signature, point 10.2 -
without digital signature) and containing all data as prescribed
herein.Incomplete applications will be addressed in accordance with the Rules.
(2) The committee for opening applications shall disregard untimely and
incorrectly marked applications, which will be returned unopened to the sender
(unless the name of the applicant is not clearly written on the envelope, then
the application will be opened).
11. Applications opening date
The committee for opening applications will open all timely delivered and
properly marked applications at the registered office of the Slovenian Research
Agency, Bleiweisova cesta 30, 1000 Ljubljana, presumably on 15 December 2017.
12. Deadline by which the applicants will be informed of the results of the
Call
The applicants will be informed on the outcome of the Call within eight days
after the adoption of the decision by director of the Agency.
13. Place, time, and contact person where interested parties can obtain
documentation of the Call
This public Call will be published from the date of publication in the
Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia on the Agency’s website
www.arrs.si. Any additional information related to the Call can be obtained by
contacting Bojan Volf, the person responsible for the Call, by phone (01) 400
5973 or by email: bojan.volf@arrs.si.
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