Last month's activities
Joint event with MCST on three open calls: ERA Chairs, TWINNING and MSCA Individual Fellowships (IF)
On 18 June, RSSD organised an event together with MCST, the National Contact Point for Horizon 2020.
Ms Anthea Fabri, NCP Director, explained that the ERA Chairs call provides a EUR 2.5 million grant for an established researcher to develop a new research field in Malta. Ms Fabri went on to explain that the TWINNING calls provide a grant of EUR 800,000 to strengthen collaborations between Malta, as a widening country, and at least two other centres of excellence.
Ms Lili Vasileva then took the floor to talk about the MSCA IF call that is currently open. This call funds a post-doctoral researcher moving from any country in the world and hosted for two years at a local research institution. This year the widening fellowships have been introduced: this means that should the proposal be of sufficient quality but not funded, it is automatically eligible under a call designed for widening countries, including Malta, whereby EUR 5 million, or 35 additional fellowships will be awarded.
The event also featured an inspiring talk by Dr Catriona Brogan, the first MSCA IF Fellow to be hosted in Malta, and Dr Rosienne Farrugia, coordinator of the first TWINNING project funded at UM.
Researchers were also offered one to one consultations which provided the opportunity to discuss specific project ideas.
University College London (UCL) ERIO visits University of Malta (UM) RSSD
UCL ERIO and RSSD have continued to develop collaboration, when on 27 and 28 June, Mr Michael Browne, ERIO Head, and Ms Kimberly Cornfield, ERIO Head of Proposal Management, visited RSSD at UM.
During the visit, Mr Browne and Ms Cronfield were introduced to the research support system at UM. Dr Axel Steuwer, Director of RSSD, and Ms Angie Mifsud, Senior Manager RSSD gave presentations on the funding received by UM. Two UM Project Support Office representatives explained the pre- and post-award management systems from a financial perspective.
The discussion held in the afternoon focussed on collaboration: two UM research teams will be submitting a proposal for a Horizon 2020 collaborative project which deals with mental health at the workplace. The possibility of UCL to support the development of ERA chairs proposals at UM was also explored.
On the second day the UCL ERIO representatives visited MEUSAC, a state support service to local councils and NGOs, as well as Villa Bighi in Kalkara.
The Internationalisation Partnership Awards Scheme (IPAS) has made this collaboration possible.
Upcoming events
Open Calls
Call for Strategic Start-up Actions on Blue Growth in the Mediterranean
The BLUEMED CSA Consortium recently announced the opening of its on Blue Growth in the Mediterranean. The Call is open to entities seeking to conduct a series of meetings leading up to a feasibility, foresight or pilot study on topics that are crucial to the future of Blue Growth in the Mediterranean. Interested entities are invited to form a partnership of at least four partners – three from two different EU Member States and one from a non-EU state.
The Call takes a bottom-up approach, with no prescribed topics. A forward-looking, innovative and multidisciplinary approach is required. Interested parties are invited to carefully read the laying out all the conditions for applying.
Each selected partnership will receive up to EUR 32,000 to cover the costs of the organisation of three workshops/meetings leading to the drafting of the studies. Conditions apply.
Proposals are to be submitted via the online form no later than 15 July 2018. For more information contact startupactions@bluemed-project.eu.
Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions (MSCA) 2018
Would you like to learn more about the revamped Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions? Searching for bottom-up research funding and host a post-doc researcher? Are you a research institution/company looking for partnership with academia in third countries as well as industry? The following call for proposals are currently open:
- MSCA Individual Fellowship (IF) - This year, for the first time, this call will extend to 'Widening Fellowships', meaning that if a fellowship is not awarded under the general call, it will be eligible under a call for the 'low-performing' member states, including Malta, thus increasing our chances of getting funded!
Deadline: 12 September 2018
UM internal deadline for RSSD proposal support: 31 July 2018
- COST
These are Europe-wide networking actions in various research areas.
Next collection date: 29 November 2018.
HORIZON 2020 TOPIC
Digital health and care services - Digital solutions supporting a continuum of care across a range of health and care services can relieve the pressure on governments to provide more cost-effective health and care systems by improving utilisation of healthcare and health outcomes.
Deadline: 14 November 2018
HORIZON 2020 TOPIC
Smart and healthy living at home - Citizens in a rapidly ageing European population are at greater risk of cognitive impairment, frailty and multiple chronic health conditions with considerable negative consequences for their independence, quality of life and for the sustainability of health and care systems. The challenge is to foster large-scale deployment of integrated digital solutions which will bring improved quality of life to citizens while demonstrating significant efficiency gains in health and care delivery across Europe.
Deadline: 14 November
HORIZON 2020 TWINNING
This call is designed specifically for the 'low performing' member states including Malta. It needs to be coordinated by Malta, partnering up with two other 'Centres of Excellence'. It does not fund research but rather networking between these three entities in order to improve research performance.
Deadline: 15 November 2018
HORIZON 2020 ERA Chairs
This call, also designed specifically for the 'low performing' member states including Malta, is intended to develop a new research area in Malta. Funding is available to engage an expert in the research field as well as his/her team for a period of 5 years.
Deadline: 15 November 2018
Various Horizon 2020 Calls in the Marine field
Deadline: 23 January 2019
ERC grants
Are you a researcher with an excellent scientific profile and with visionary research projects in mind that you want to realise in Europe? The European Research Council (ERC) has a funding scheme that will meet your needs.
Starting, Consolidator, Advanced, Synergy and Proof of Concept Grants
- Call open. Deadline 30 August 2018
- Call open. Deadline 11 September 2018
- The next call will be announced shortly
- The next call will be announced shortly
- The next call will be announced shortly
Vision 2020 Network!
SPIN - The New Research Funding Software!
As you begin thinking about your next research project, we encourage you to consider utilising SPIN, an extensive research funding opportunity database. Visit the website at .
SPIN contains over 40,000 opportunities from more than 10,000 sponsors! Training sessions will soon be organised and you will be informed accordingly. For further information please contact Karen Cacciattolo.
For further information as well as support in the application process, get in touch with the today.
