Malta Council for Science and Technology Launch and Information Session National R&I Programme 2011 Launch and Information Session Eric Flask Director, National Funding Unit 26 November 2010

26 Nov 10 2 Agenda 10:00Welcome Coffee & Registration 10:15National R&I Programme – Launch & Info Session Mr. Eric Flask, Director, MCST 11:15Q&A Session 12:00Closure

26 Nov 10 3 Outline National R&I Programme Overview R&I Programme 2011 –Scope and Focus –Funding Modalities –Project Considerations –Evaluation Criteria –Submission & Timeframes Conclusion Q&A

26 Nov 10 4 National Research & Innovation Programme An Overview

26 Nov 10 5 National R&I Programme Programme ParticipationProgramme Total Proposals Requested Funding Available Budget Total Projects Funded RTDI €7.0M€700K15 R&I €7.0M€930K7 R&I €5.4M€700K7 R&I €1.5M€1.5M€300K3 R&I €5.8M€700K5

26 Nov 10 6 The National R&I Programme Programme Objectives2004Programme2006Programme2008Programme2009Programme2010Programme Thematic No preference4 priority sectors Focus AnyApplied research, innovation Collaborative research Consortium AnyPreference for industry- academia Required industry + academia Allocation Many small projects Few large projects (€50K - €200K) Few large projects (€50K - €100K) Few large projects (€50K - €200K) Selection criteria Quality of science Prospects for economic benefit BalancedBalanced with emphasis on Potential Impact

26 Nov 10 7 R&I Programme 2011 Scope & Focus

26 Nov 10 8 The National R&I Programme Scope & Focus Financial support for research, development and innovation in Science and Technology Focus on technology transfer between: –Knowledge providers (Academic Institution) –Knowledge users (Industry) Technology transfer to fulfill genuine need (funding limits apply) Focus on 4 Priority Areas 1. Environment and Energy Resources 2. Information and Communications Technology 3. Value-added Manufacturing and Services 4. Health and BioTech

26 Nov 10 9 State Aid Operates under de minimis state aid regime: –Projects in fisheries, aquaculture and agriculture ineligible –Industry to ensure they do not exceed allowable limit of aid (€200K gross over 3-year period) –Necessary reporting required Complements Malta Enterprise scheme to promote R&D in industry Double funding not allowed – checks are conducted

26 Nov Participation Consortium –At least 2 participants, (a) an academic institution and (b) industry –other partners may be included but must add value Maltese legal entities (academia, public, private, NGOs) eligible for funding Foreign entities eligible but not funded Project Coordinator must be Maltese legal entity Conflict with fundamental aim of Programme

26 Nov R&I Programme 2011 Funding Modalities

26 Nov Funding Modalities Eligible Direct Costs –Technical and management personnel –Purchase of specialised equipment –Travel, networking, dissemination –Subcontracting (limit 25%) Eligible Indirect Costs –10% of eligible costs, excluding subcontracting, excluding equipment over €5,000

26 Nov Funding Modalities Eligible Direct Costs –Technical personnel –Project Management (limit 10%) –Purchase of specialised equipment externalization –Travel, networking, dissemination, externalization –Subcontracting (limit 25%) Eligible Indirect Costs –10% of eligible costs, excluding subcontracting, excluding equipment over €5,000

26 Nov Funding Modalities Ineligible Direct Costs –Expenses related to loans, interest, etc –Recoverable value added tax. –Expenses which are recoverable through other funding mechanisms –Re-purchase of equipment originally procured through other funding mechanisms –Normal office equipment

26 Nov Funding Modalities Project funding: €50K – €200K Project duration: 1yr – 3yrs Funding restrictions –Up to 75% for individual participant –Up to 75% for funding category –Up to 25% for Maltese Public Bodies Funding levels –Public, Academic, NGO: 100% –Business: 75%

26 Nov Funding Modalities cont. Allocation of funding –Project Structured in stages (12 months per stage) –Advanced payments in tranches –Initial advanced payment 100% –Further payments depend on reporting –Retention of 10% of total project grant –Retention of 20% for single-stage projects

26 Nov R&I Programme 2011 Project Considerations

26 Nov Financial Considerations Participants must maintain separate financial accounts and separate bank account Actual costs with fiscal receipts Costs determined in accordance with usual accounting and management procedures Expenses must be consistent with principles of economy, efficiency and effectiveness Refundable expenses limited to allocation

26 Nov Oct Importance of IP Ownership of IP and all rights rests with participants Consortium IP agreement must be signed within 3 weeks of receiving evaluation result Start discussions early Get help –The IP office at UoM –Patenting Office

26 Nov Other Issues Significant events – inform MCST Withdrawal of participant – agree with MCST for reallocation or replacement Default – MCST entitled to withdraw funding and claim refund

26 Nov R&I Programme 2011 Changes to Programme

26 Nov Project Management and Consultancy Costs –Target 7% of overall budget –Limited to a maximum of 10% of overall budget Dissemination and Externalization by Project Participants –Coordinators to include but budgeted separately under ‘other’ expenses: 2 articles per year (min) to be featured in local publications Half-day event (min) to present project results. Local externalisation events encouraged but limited to be held at MCST and exclude food other than light refreshments IP agreement –Application process will require more details at an early stage The National R&I Programme Changes to Programme

26 Nov R&I Programme 2011 Evaluation Criteria

26 Nov Evalution Criteria Marking and Thresholds Evaluated on 4 criteria Each criterion allocated maximum of 5 marks No weighting Threshold of 3 for each criterion Overall threshold of 14

26 Nov Evaluation Criteria 1. Programme Objectives –Priority sectors –Industry Academia Collaboration 2. Concept and Approach –Workplan 3. Quality of Consortium –Knowledge and skills –Balanced participation and funding 4. Potential Impact –Commercialisation –Spillover effects –Cost Benefits –Licensing Maximum of 5 marks per criterion Threshold of 3 marks per criterion Overall Threshold of 14 marks

26 Nov Four Evaluation Criteria 1. Programme Objectives –Degree of fit with priority sectors –Extent of collaboration between academia and industry –Addresses a genuine need for knowledge transfer 2. Concept and Approach –Conceptually sound –Clearly defined objectives, ambitious but achievable –Clearly defined deliverables –Proposes suitable actions

26 Nov Evaluation Criteria cont. 3. Quality of Consortium –Participants have necessary knowledge and skills –Balanced participation and funding 4. Potential Impact –Application and uses of research and deliverables –Commercialisation of Project results. –Roadmap for realisation of benefits –Spillover effects –Other Benefits Cost Reduction Licensing Networking Organisational Benefits

26 Nov R&I Programme 2011 Submissions & Timeframes

26 Nov Process Pre-registration 2-stage submission and evaluation process Shortlisting stage –Lightweight preliminary proposal –Estimates of timeframes, costings Selection stage –Full project proposal –Details of participants –Activities, timeframes, detailed budgets and distribution –Draft IP Agreement 13/01/ /02/2011, noon 07/04/2011, noon

26 Nov Submissions of Proposals Electronic Submissions to OneOne single file in Ms Word (.doc) format (without signatures) OneOne single file in Portable Document Format (.pdf) (includes a scanned signed copy of the Participant Details Section for each participant) Files limited to 5MB per file All received proposals acknowledged by

26 Nov Timeframes Milestone Standard Schedule R&I Programme 2011 Budget Announcement followed by pre-announcement of Launch Oct – NovOctober – November 2010 Launch Announcement & Info SessionNov Wk 4Friday, 26 November 2010 Additional Information SessionDec Wk 1Friday, 03 December 2010 Pre-registration Cut-off DateJan Wk 2Thursday, 13 January 2011 Deadline for First Stage SubmissionFeb Wk 1Thursday, 03 February 2011, noon First Stage Evaluation ResultsMar Wk 2Friday, 11 March 2011 Deadline for Second Stage SubmissionApr Wk 1Thursday, 07 April 2011, noon Second Stage Evaluation ResultsJun Wk 3Friday, 17 June 2011 Signing of Grant Agreement (incl. IP)Jul Wk 2By mid July 2011

26 Nov Getting Involved Submit your own proposal –Max length of proposal –Clarity and conciseness Get in touch with Academia –allow enough time for signatures Get in touch with MCST for Assistance –discuss your proposal with us before submission

26 Nov Run through Preliminary Application Form

26 Nov Q&A Session

26 Nov Thank You For Further Information Contact: Eric Flask Director, National Funding Unit Malta Council for Science and Technology Villa Bighi, Bighi Kalkara, KKR / Tel: (356) Fax: (356) Web: NOTE: Additional / Repeat Info Session Friday 3rd December, at at MCST