1. Marie Curie Actions at CERN
Seamus Hegarty, HR-TA
HR Seminar, 27 February 2014

2. What are they? European research grants
For researchers regardless of nationality or research field
Generous research funding from 180 keuro to 10 Meuro
Mobility is key
CERN = European Interest Organization ~ own country
Gain experience abroad in public & private sectors
Training with career-relevant competences or disciplines
Physics, computing, engineering, life sciences
Impact on society

3. Who are they for? Mainly Early Stage Researchers (ESR)
Equivalent to our Junior Fellows
With up to 4 years of post-MSc experience
Experienced Researchers (ER)
Equivalent to our Senior Fellows
4 to 5 years post-MSc experience or PhD
Some have more experience (post-docs)

4. How many?

5. What sort of projects? Innovative Training Networks for the ESRs
Fellow, emphasis on PhD, 3 yrs for ESR, 2 yrs for ER
Individual Fellowships for ERs (8 FP FP7)
Fellow contract 2 years
Industry-Academia exchanges
COFUND
Additional funding for our Fellowship Programme
3-year Fellowship + option to go on special leave

6. How do we secure funding?
For the ITNs
The Marie Skłodowska Curie Steering Group
Support to proposal writers in the departments
For COFUND
Scaled-down Steering Group → Fellow Programme
Negotiation with Brussels
COFUND = a lengthy process of justification of costs

7. What is HR’s role in this?
For departments
Support to the Fellows and the managers
Recruitment interviews for ITN positions 
1500 EDH authorizations in 2013!
For Brussels
At least one report per year per Grant Agreement
Mid-Term Reviews for project assessment = important!
Follow up – LinkedIn!

8. What does CERN get out of it?
Additional Fellows that we would not have on budget
Excellent researchers → new blood for the future
Work on topics of strategic importance to the EC
Via contacts in Brussels
Involvement in strategic policy development
Visibility at the highest level

9. What do the Marie Curies get?
Training, Training, Training!
Science & technology: on the job + courses
Complementary skills
Language, management & communication
Outreach experience
€ € € € € €
It’s all about career development

10. Where do they come from? No nationality limitations  but…
Mobility Rule: ≤12 months at CERN in past 36 months
At CERN from 3 months to 3 years
Since 2004 under FP6 & FP7
442 researchers at CERN (including 185 COFUNDers)
North America 11 Central & South America 7
Asia 19 Australasia 1

11. Where do they go? Questionnaire 2012 on FP6 & FP7 (pre-COFUND)
50% academia
32% CERN
2% finishing PhD
2% other fellowship
8% in large-scale industry
6% in small-scale industry
First move
38% said Marie Curie Fellowship and/or CERN were good references
62% said research as a Marie Curie was main reason for hiring
If moved to another position
31% said Marie Curie Fellowship and/or CERN were good references
64% said research on Marie Curie Actions were main reason for hiring
5% declared no impact as they changed to different field

12. Our opportunities in H2020? New interesting host-driven actions
Substantial budget increase
Very good relations with Brussels 
COFUND applied to the Doctoral Programme?

13. Our challenges in H2020? ITNs will remain extremely competitive
Too many successive successful COFUNDs…
Greater emphasis on innovation, multidisciplinary and inter-sectorial projects
Participation of Swiss partners (UniGE, EPFL, etc.) 
Receive € / pay CHF according to our Fellow payscale
The Mobility Rule will apply to COFUND 

15. Thank you for your attention! Questions?