FAQs
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The list of FAQs, which contains questions for the current Framework Programme (Horizon Europe), is updated with questions taken from the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Q&A Blog. Make sure that you visit the blog for the latest FAQs on MSCA.
For MSCA FAQs pertaining to the previous Framework Programme (Horizon 2020) visit the old blog which the project will also update on a regular basis.
COFUND
For calls with deadlines in 2022 and beyond, once a project proposal is selected for funding following evaluations, consortium partners concerned by the eligibility criterion will have until Grant Agreement signature to confirm they have a GEP in place.
This is mainly for statistics purposes.
External evaluation agencies would be seen as service providers, the applicant shall explain that they will be using an external agency when describing the evaluation and selection process under excellence, no need of letter of commitment in this case as they are not partners.
Own resources mean all resources – beneficiaries + implementing partners + associated partners (if applicable).
Yes, they will assess if the appropriate level of co-financing is committed to effectively implement the proposal.
Doctoral Networks
The deadlines and procedures are set out in the evaluation result letter. For more information on complaints about proposal rejection: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/funding-tenders-opportunities/display/OM/Complaints+about+proposal+rejection.
This option is fine. It is important to clearly state that all fellows will be enrolled into doctoral studies. It is quite difficult for beneficiaries to commit to the awarding of a doctoral degree to each recruited researcher at a specific date, given that the PhD programmes duration can be different from an institution to another and that unpredictable events can delay the PhD thesis completion.
Yes, each student must be enrolled in a double degree awarded by two participating organisations from MS/ AC. If an associated partner from a third country delivers a degree to a student, there should also be two other beneficiaries/ associated partners from MS/ AC delivering a degree to the same student.
An anti-plagiarism tool is used to flag any potential cases but REA are aware that a certain percentage of similarities will be explained by the templates or some standardized parts from institutions. REA only focuses on most critical cases.
MSCA & Citizens (Night)
All Open Science aspects are moved under Excellence in the methodology. Open Access should not be described under Impact and Dissemination as it is assessed under Excellence.
This requirement should be applicable to beneficiaries and not to associated partners.
For calls with deadlines in 2022 and beyond, once a project proposal is selected for funding following evaluations, consortium partners concerned by the eligibility criterion will have until Grant Agreement signature to confirm they have a GEP in place.
For calls with deadlines in 2022 and beyond, once a project proposal is selected for funding following evaluations, consortium partners concerned by the eligibility criterion will have until Grant Agreement signature to confirm they have a GEP in place.
This is mainly for statistics purposes.
Postdoctoral Fellowships
Yes. For eligibility purposes, weeks outside the host country are taken into account. The most important thing is to clearly indicate it in the application forms and researcher’s CV (proposal Part A & B2).
To get rid of the warning message blocking the submission, applicants should link the deliverables with WP1.
An official resubmission is a proposal with the same host organisation and researcher. Since the host institution for both GF and EF would be the European partner, a proposal with the same beneficiary would be considered a resubmission.
There are no limitations as to when the researcher can go on maternity leave during the fellowship. An issue might be the employment contract. Some employment contracts stipulate that for paid parental leave the researchers need to have been employed for a set period of time. This doesn’t mean they can’t take the leave, just that it isn’t paid.
It is possible to postpone the actual start date without losing the grant. The initial start date in the contract cannot be further away than the legally allowed date, but it can be further postponed then with an amendment. The researcher needs to contact the project officer and explain the situation.
Staff Exchanges
The first thing to note is, that even though they cannot directly claim costs, it does not mean that they cannot indirectly receive some funding for the role they have in the DN. Typically for each unit cost, there is one part that goes to the researcher and then there is the institutional part, and this part should not be seen as funding for just this particular fellow, and this beneficiary. It is rather a common pot for the whole consortium to run the project. In the consortium agreement the consortium defines how this is split. This funding can be distributed to the different partners according to their needs in the project: some partners provide more trainings, for instance, the coordinator typically has more management costs, so this funding can be redistributed, and some of this money can go to associated partners to cover the costs of them hosting researchers for secondments, or for them to provide trainings. So these are internal arrangements within the consortium (in the broader sense with the associated partners) so they can get indirectly money for their action. Of course, there are also non-financial incentives; the interest for them to participate could be transfer of knowledge or being part of a dynamic network and being associated to the research project.
For PF, direct financial benefits may not be there but there are plenty indirect benefits – scientific contributions, networking, getting experience in this type of projects, hosting events.
All Open Science aspects are moved under Excellence in the methodology. Open Access should not be described under Impact and Dissemination as it is assessed under Excellence.
This requirement should be applicable to beneficiaries and not to associated partners.
For calls with deadlines in 2022 and beyond, once a project proposal is selected for funding following evaluations, consortium partners concerned by the eligibility criterion will have until Grant Agreement signature to confirm they have a GEP in place.
For calls with deadlines in 2022 and beyond, once a project proposal is selected for funding following evaluations, consortium partners concerned by the eligibility criterion will have until Grant Agreement signature to confirm they have a GEP in place.