FP7 information

Last updated: 15 Jan 2008

Latest calls announced: ERC Advanced Researcher Grants, European Reintegration Grants, International Reintegration Grants

Overview

See also RSD's webpage http://www.rsd.cam.ac.uk/staff/fp7/, although not all the documents are there.

FP7 (7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development), which kicked off in 2007, is divided into 4 main programmes (each comprising several different "actions"):

• Cooperation (32 billion euros),
• People (4.7 billion euros),
• Ideas (7.5 billion euros), and
• Capacities (4.2 billion euros).

There is therefore a large amount which is potentially available for the support of postdocs, visitors, and extended visits overseas, to anyone willing to get round the red tape. The new visiting schemes IEF, IIF, IOF look interesting for funding collaborations.

The bits of interest to us are probably People (which includes the Marie Curie Actions, such as individual fellowships including some novel types - and research training networks) and Ideas (which is new). Within these I have picked out below what are probably the most relevant actions.

The FP7 documents can all be found on the CORDIS webserver - however they have an irritating habit of wrapping the PDF files as zip archives (inside other zip archives), which makes retrieving them a bore. Below are links to the PDFs themselves.

Overview document about FP7 ("factsheets")

Each programme has 2 kinds of documents:

• A "work programme", describing the programme in more detail, and indicating the kinds of funding opportunities it will offer
• Periodic action "calls", which are announcements of individual calls for applications, with closing dates (some actions have more than one round planned)
• Guides for applicants. In line with EC best practice these often appear only a few weeks before the application deadline.

Most of what follows (apart from Training Networks) is for the support of Experienced Researchers, which is EU-speak for someone with a doctorate who is at least 4 years from his first degree (no upper age limit).

People

• Marie Curie initial training networks
  • Multi-centre training networks for graduate students (3 or more institutions in at least 3 different countries, including 2 EU member states).
  • Deadline: next call to be published April 2008, 1st deadline 2 September.
  • Call
  • Guide
• International Reintegration Grants
  • 2-4 year fellowship for a postdoc who has spent the previous 3 years active in research outside the EU
  • Deadline: 3 April 2008
  • Call
  • Guide
• European Reintegration Grants
  • postdoctoral fellowships for people who have already held positions (of at least 18 months duration) under FP6 or FP7
  • Deadline: 3 April 2008
  • Call
  • Guide
• International Incoming Fellowships
  • 1-2 year visiting fellowships for non-EU researchers (who may then be eligible for a "reintegration phase" on return home, which put simply is a 15kEuro grant)
  • Deadline: no open call
  • Call
  • Guide
• International Outgoing Fellowships
  • 1-2 year visiting fellowships for EU researchers to visit an institution outside the EU, followed by a year of fellowship for the candidate at their home institution
  • Deadline: no open call
  • Call
  • Guide
• Intra-European Fellowships
  • 1-2 year visiting fellowships for EU researchers to visit an institution in another EU state
  • Joint application by candidate and host institution
  • Deadline: no open call
  • Call
  • Guide

Ideas

• ERC Starting Independent Researcher Grants
  • Research grants for young researchers (between 2 and 9 years from PhD). Typically 5 years duration. Can be used to hire people, for travel and subsistence of anyone connected with the project, to buy exceptional equipment (e.g. special purpose computers)
  • Typical budget for a grant is 100-500 kEuro per year.
  • The budget for the first (April) call is roughly 300MEuros, divided across 20 subject areas, one of which is maths - so maybe they will award 10 grants in maths.
  • Deadlines: no open call
  • Call
  • Guide (53 pages)
• ERC Advanced Investigator Grants
  • Grants for established researchers. Maximum grant 500kEuro per year, for a maximum of 5 years (probably this figure should be divided by 4 for maths).
  • Same restrictions on spending as for ERC Starting Independent Researcher Grants.
  • Deadline: 28 February 2008
  • Call
  • Guide (81 pages)