Horizon 2020CambPlants Hub - Translational Funders Day

Cambridge, 30th July 2015

Research Operations

Presenter: Renata SchaefferExt: 61648Email: rs530@admin.cam.ac.uk

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Investment in Research and Innovation sits at the heart of EU policy objectives

Horizon 2020 is the European Framework Programme for research and innovation. Acting as the financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union, a Europe 2020 flagship initiative aimed at securing Europe’s global competitiveness.

KEY TO FUTURE PROSPERITY AND

GROWTH OF EUROPE

EUROPEAN RESEARCH AREA – a ‘single market’ for

research

Smart, sustainable and Inclusive Growth

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A single programme: bringing together three separate programmes (FP7, CIP and EIT) – ‘Research to Retail’:

Framework Programmes for Research and Technical Development

Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) –‘innovation related’

European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)

Basic Research Technology

R&D

Large Scale Validation

Demonstration

Prototyping Pilots

Close-to-market outputs

Challenge based

A simpler programme

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Excellent Science (1)

ERC

FET (Future and Emerging Technologies)

Marie Curie Actions

European Research Infrastructures

Industrial Leadership (2)

Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – ICT, KETs, Space

Innovation in SMEs

Access to risk finance

Societal Challenges (3)

1. Health, demographic change and wellbeing

2. European Bioeconomy Challenges –

3. Secure, clean and efficient energy

4. Smart, green and integrated transport

5. Climate action, resource efficiency and raw materials

6. Europe in a changing world

7. Secure societies

(European Institute of Technology) EIT

Spreading Excellence and Widening participation

Science with and for Society

Joint research Centre (JRC)

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Health, demographic change and wellbeing (9.7%)

helping EU citizens to lead longer and healthier lives

European Bioeconomy Challenges (5.0%)

investment for a safe, secure food supply, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland waterway research

Secure, clean and efficient energy (7.70%)

e.g., efficient use of resources to create affordable green electricity

Smart, green and integrated transport (8.23%)

development of more intelligent and safer transport systems

Climate action, resource efficiency and raw materials (4.0%)

efficient use of resources for protection of our planet

Europe in a changing world (1.7%)

inclusive, innovative and reflective societies

Secure societies (2.2%)

protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens

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Strategic Programme: focus areas form the backbone for calls for proposals in Pillars 2 and 3!

2014-15 WP

• Personalising health and care for quality of life

• Sustainable food security

• Blue growth: unlocking the potential of oceans

• Smart cities technologies

• Competitive low-carbon energy

• Resource efficient transports

• Waste: a resource to recycle and reuse

• Water innovation: boosting its value for Europe

• Overcoming the economic, financial, political & social crisis:

• New strategies and governance structures

• Disaster-resilience: safeguarding society

• Digital security

2016-17 WP

• Personalising health and care for quality of life

• Sustainable food security

• Blue growth: unlocking the potential of oceans

• Smart cities technologies

• Competitive low-carbon energy

• Resource efficient transports

• Waste: a resource to recycle and reuse

• Water innovation: boosting its value for Europe

• Overcoming the economic, financial, political & social crisis:

• New strategies and governance structures

• Disaster-resilience: safeguarding society

• Digital security

• Internet of things

• Automated road transport

• ‘Circular economy’ – sustainable industrial production

*Promise of a stronger role for social sciences

*Encouragement international participation

Basis of Work

Programmes

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Pillar 1 – Marie Sklodowska-Curie (MSCA)

FP7 Horizon 2020

ITN ITN:European Training Networks

European Joint/Industrial Doctorates (?)

Innovative Training Networks (early Stage Researchers only)

IEFIOFIIFCIG

IF:European Fellowships

Global Fellowships

Individual Fellowships (Support for experienced researchers undertaking

international and inter-sector mobility)

IAAPIRSES RISE

Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (Exchange of Staff)

COFUND

COFUNDCofunding or regional,

national and International programmes

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MSCA – Key features

Open to all domains of research and innovation. Entirely bottom-up

Participation of non-academic sector strongly encouraged (industry and SMEs)

Mobility is a key requirement

At the time of relevant deadline researcher shall not have resided or carried out the main activity (work, studies etc…) in the country of their host organization for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the call deadline.

Support to experienced researchers of any nationality

Experienced researcher (ER): at the time of relevant deadline be in possession of a PhD or have at least 4 years of full-time equivalent research experience

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European Research Council (ERC)

Funding is designed to support talented individuals to form research ‘teams’ to undertake ground-breaking research

Collaborative research is possible, but the ERC award typically what they class as mono-partner projects, based in a single institution

There are four main awards offered by the ERC:

Starting, Advanced and Consolidator Investigator Grant, Synergy Grant and Proof of Concept

Funding is very generous – ranging from €1.5 million to €15 million (Synergy grants)

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European Research Council (ERC)

Eligibility depends on level of postdoctoral experience prior to publication date of the call

Starting Grants – PhD awarded between 2 up to 7 years

Consolidator Grants – PhD awarded between 7 and 12 years

Advanced Grants - to have a track record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years

Synergy Grants - will fund projects for groups of between two and four PIs who are excellent researchers, to undertake frontier research of their choice. No specific eligibility criteria with respect to their academic requirement are foreseen

Proof of Concept – Provides additional funding to ERC grant holders to establish proof of concept, identify a development path and an IPR strategy for ideas arising from ERC grant

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Future and Emerging Technologies (FET)

Expanded from ICT and Energy to be used as cross-cutting funding scheme

Supports frontier research: alternative ideas, concepts or paradigms of risky or non-conventional nature (similar to ERC)

Open, light and agile Roadmap based research

FET Open

•Exploring novel ideas

• Individual research

•Early ideas

•Coordination and support action

•Deadline: 31/03/2015 and 29/09/2015

•FETOPEN4 – Innovation Launchpad (focus on early innovation stages from FET funded projects)

FET Proactive

•Emerging themes and communities:

•Future technologies for societal change

•Biotech for better life

•Disruptive information technologies

•New technologies for energy and functional materials

•HPC

FET Flagship

•Tackling grand interdisciplinary science and technology challenges

•Graphene

•Human Brain (HBP)

•Support for Flagships

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Leadership in Industrial and Enabling Technologies

(LEIT)

ICT, Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) and Space

Micro- and nano-electronics,

Photonics

Nanotechnologies

Advanced Materials

Biotechnology

Advanced Manufacturing and Processing

Also funding through collaborative projects and Public Private

Partnerships, e.g. Joint Technology Initiatives

KETs – strong focus on industrial involvement and applied research

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Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU)

BBI VC3.R8 - Increasing productivity of industrial multi-purpose agricultural

crops

Expected impact:

• Contribute to giving more value to agricultural production and introducing

additional sources of income for the farmers.

• Increase of the economic output of the production chain for biorefinery

operators, by focusing on industrial crops with multiple applications.

• Achieve a 10% increase in crop productivity (within 4 years) on the selected

value chain with respect to state of the art.

• Achieve an increase of the efficiency of nutrient uptake, water use and land

regeneration, thus contributing to environmental benefits while having a

positive impact on the creation of green jobs and revitalisation of rural areas.

http://www.bbi-europe.eu/

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SME Instrument

Attract more SMEs to Horizon 2020 to support innovation

Three phases (including coaching and mentoring service).

1. Concept and feasibility assessment

2. R&D, demonstration and market replication

3. Commercialisation (no direct funding)

Participants can apply to phase 1 with a view to applying to phase 2 at a later date, or directly to phase 2.

Only SMEs can apply for funding, but R&D can be subcontracted!

Directed calls embedded within different areas of Horizon 2020

Working with Enterprise Europe Network

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2016-17 WP Societal Challenge 2:

Food Security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy

• SFS – 21. Support to the implementation of the EU-Africa partnership on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (TBC)

• SFS – 15. Support for international research on animal health (CSA)

• SFS – 16. Validation of diagnostic tools for Animal Health (IA) (potentially to be extended to plant health)

• SFS – 18. Breeding multipurpose livestock for resilience and efficiency (RIA)

• SFS – 7. New partnerships and tools to enhance European capacities for in-situ conservation (CSA)

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SFS – 18. Breeding multipurpose livestock for resilience and efficiency (RIA)

• Specific Challenge: While increasing focus is placed on the efficiency of animal production, animal production systems also need to be resilient, at animal or system level. These systems may make use of local, multipurpose breeds as well as, or in place of more intensively and highly productive breeds.

• Scope: The research will target efficiency related traits (e.g. in particular GHG emissions/Feed Conversion Ratio) as well as resilience related traits (e.g. feed diversity; thermoregulation; gut health; fertility), the possible relations between them (synergies; trade-offs) to address balanced breeding goals. Research activities should at least assess and exploit the potential of none main stream genetic resources (local/mixed breeds). Research should include tools/systems for measuring phenotypes and assess feasibilty of schemes for improving targeted livestock.

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Horizon 2020 – How to participate?

Any institution may participate either as a Partner or as a Coordinator!

Responsibilities of the Coordinator:• Submits the proposal and (generally) leads the project.• Reporting responsibilities• Receives payment from the Commission and distributes to partners• Acts as a ‘hub’ for queries between Partners and Commission

Resources and Benefits? Coordinator receives adequate funding for resources to manage the

consortium. Costs are claimed as incurred and cannot lead to a profit. Closer links to Brussels Prestige (?)

Financial support of up to £10k for preparation of large research funding bids may be available from the University: https://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/rso/bidsupport/

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Most of today’s European societal challenges are universal and require wide international cooperation

Openness: Horizon 2020 remains the most open research funding programme in the world

Open to almost any entity….

EU Member States (28) Candidate Countries

• e.g. Turkey, Serbia Associated Countries

• e.g. Switzerland, Norway, Israel

International Co-operation Partner Countries (ICPC)• e.g.: third countries

Industry• Multinationals to

SMEs Research organisations Universities & other HEIs Public bodies

• e.g.NHSTrusts Trade Associations International Bodies

• e.g. Red Cross, etc

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The Main EU Drivers!

From Research to Innovation – from basic research to bringing ideas to the market! Strong emphasis on industry participation across the Programme

Multi- disciplinary approach to research. Integration of SSH disciplines in calls

Industry participation is highly advisable even if not a requirement!

Industry participation is highly advisable even if not a requirement!

Text describing the call is used in the assessment process: so quote it back in your proposal. Show clear consistency with call text and aims! (more flexibility will be tolerated

during project implementation…)

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‘As is’ approach to evaluation process – no opportunity to tidy-up proposal at negotiation stage (consider: IPR, access rights, management structure)

Less descriptive calls focusing on Challenge and Scope

‘One set of rules for all - Simplified funding: 100% of direct costs + 25% overheads. Except for non-public organizations on Innovation Actions (IA): EU contribution is 70% only (incl. 25% overhead) (ERC, FET, IMI, Industrial Leadership and Societal Challenges calls)

Promise of Quicker time-to-grant (5+3 months)

Paperless EC

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Prime criteria is Excellence in research! This is your starting point!

Prior experience counts lots

Long term working relationship with Brussels is crucial

Keep in touch with Brussels.

Wide range of partners with good relationships throughout the EU

A wide spectrum of industry collaborators is ideal but not always possible

Consolidating industry may be an issue in certain areas (i.e: gas

turbine area – GE buys ALSTON, one less partner). Solution: Diversify!

Weaving the science with EU goals and policies

But also learn how to say ‘No’ to partners. A partner must add real value!

Industry participation needs to add value and it is not about quantity; it

requires complete integration.

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Prime criteria is Excellence in research! This is your starting point!

Prior experience counts lots

Long term working relationship with Brussels is crucial

Keep in touch with Brussels.

Wide range of partners with good relationships throughout the EU

A wide spectrum of industry collaborators is ideal but not always possible

Consolidating industry may be an issue in certain areas (i.e: gas

turbine area – GE buys ALSTON, one less partner). Solution: Diversify!

Weaving the science with EU goals and policies

But also learn how to say ‘No’ to partners. A partner must add real value!

Industry participation needs to add value and it is not about quantity; it

requires complete integration.

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Successful partnerships work best when everyone involved is doing their

own top priority! Building an effective synergy from that is the

management challenge for the coordinator

Minimum requirement for consortium: 3 institutions from 3 Member States

Inherently an international, collaborative environment?

Best international partnerships are long term and acquired during prior

projects and other lateral collaborations

Benefit from higher impact and allow for useful exchange of technologies

and ideas. Especially in fields with expensive technology

International Partnerships is a key element for Horizon 2020

participation

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A starting point?

Start with Excellence and build on your institutional strengths (again)

Start building networks with broad aims in existing collaborations

Marie Sklodowska-Curie networks are excellent for attracting the best

researchers and helping the inter-twinning between industry-

academia.

‘Twinning’ can be used to support partnerships with institutions of the

low performing member states and regions

Look beyond Europe whenever possible. Joining forces globally to tackle

global challenges (international collaboration will be further encouraged in

2015-16 calls)

Looking for partners in new areas: find ‘talent’ in early stage researcher

grants like ERC Starting/Consolidator Grants or MSC fellowships

EU funding is about International Partnerships!

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Participant Portal

Cambridge’s PIC: 999977172

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Participant Portal

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Useful Links

Participant Portal:http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/home.html

Experts for Horizon 2020 Advisory Groupshttp://ec.europa.eu/research/horizon2020/index_en.cfm?pg=h2020-experts

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Research Office EU Team

Renata Schaeffer

Questions on: General queries, funding opportunities and EU policy

Catherine Hill

Questions on: Coordinator grants

Bethan Jones

ERC Officer