European Funding – European Opportunities for Canadians: ERA-Can

Funding :: European Funding – European Opportunities for Canadians

European Opportunities for Canadians

Through participation in FP7, Canadians have the opportunity to join well-funded research collaborations involving Europeans and researchers in developing countries around the world. FP7 presents opportunities for Canadians:

To build a professional research network in Europe
To work in Europe
To participate in well-funded and well-networked international research teams

Developing a professional research network in Europe

FP7 presents a number of opportunities for Canadians seeking to build a professional research network in Europe.

a. Research Conferences. Traditionally researchers find potential partners through their knowledge of the literature and participation in research workshops and conferences. Many of the largest international events in Europe are posted on the Web Site of the Directorate General for Research, known as, CORDIS. (www.cordis.europa.eu). Search under the “Cooperation program” by subject theme area.

b. Partner Search. One cost effective way to find Europeans who are searching for research partners is to browse the “partner search engines” linked to this Web site. (please click here). It is possible to search by research topic, field of expertise, discipline and institutional affiliation.

Canadians can also add their own profiles to European partner search engines. Europeans frequently use them to find partners for international projects. International participation is required for all funding from the European Commission.

c. National Contact Points. All EU member states and associated countries have National Contact Points for particular research areas. NCPs can assist Canadians in identifying research centres, researchers working in particular sub-fields, upcoming events and partnership opportunities. They also assist researchers in preparing competitive applications for FP7 competitions. A complete list of NCPs is available at: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ncp_en.html

d. Expert Adjudicators. Another effective way to build a professional network in Europe is to participate as an expert adjudicator in the FP7 peer review process. The Directorate General for Research is always searching for experts to adjudicate funding competitions. If accepted, you will have the opportunity to review European research proposals in your field, travel to Brussels to meet with your fellow reviewers and both build your knowledge of the adjudication process and your network of potential research partners in Europe. To apply, simply register at: http://cordis.europa.eu/research_openings/experts-home_en.html

e. People Program. The FP7 People Program offers a number of exceptional training, mobility and career development opportunities for Canadians in Europe and for Canadian organizations seeking to attract European experts to Canada. These include:

International Incoming Fellowships - for Canadian researchers seeking short or long-term opportunities in Europe
International Outgoing Fellowships – for Canadian research institutions seeking European researchers on short or long-term placements.
Initial Training Grants - for Canadian students in Europe and Canadian institutions seeking to join or develop training networks with European institutions
International Research Staff Exchange Scheme - for research institutions seeking to develop professional relationships with European institutions through the exchange of research and research support staff.(contacts)

f. Employment Opportunities. Canadians will find opportunities for employment in European institutions on the European Mobility Portal: http://europa.eu.int/eracareers

g. ERA-MORE. Canadian researchers have free access to a customized assistance service offered by the European Network of Mobility Centers (ERA-MORE). There are 200 centers in 32 countries to assist researchers with all matters relating to their professional and daily life, including information on legal issues, social security, health and taxes, everyday life as well as family support.

Canadians working in Europe

Canadian researchers working at European universities are fully eligible to participate in FP7 programs.

Participate in European Research Projects

Canadian researchers and research organizations are invited to participate in European research projects on a self-financing basis. As equal partners, Canadians can join large, well-funded multi-disciplinary international teams, addressing critical issues of global concern.

Please note the following:

1. Canadians may join European research teams as full partners at the proposal stage or join after European funding has been awarded. When considering whether or not to join a team at the proposal stage, Canadians may want to ask:

Does the proposed project address a specific EU policy issue (i.e. a policy issue identified by the EU)? Addressing these issues is the main purpose of Framework Programme funding.
Is the project leader / coordinator well versed in both the policy issue and the science related to it? (i.e. Have they spoken frequently on the issue? Have they received funding in the past?)
Does the call for proposals reference their country’s participation as particularly desirable?

2. Although Canadian participation in EU funded projects is almost always on a self-financing basis, Canadians are eligible for EU support if their contribution to a particular research project is deemed essential to the project’s success. In this case, “essential” means that a Canadian researcher:

Has a specific skill or expertise that is necessary for the project to succeed
That skill is unavailable anywhere in Europe
That researcher absolutely requires funding in order to participate (or, in the case of infrastructure, to be available)