[PEGASUS]² Aims, Rules and Procedures

25 September 2015Dr.ir. Isabelle Verbaeys

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Content

• Background• [PEGASUS]²: Figures & Ambitions• Fellowships• Evaluation procedure• Practical

25 September 2015 [PEGASUS]²

Background Flanders as an attraction pole for foreign research talent

Video

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Background• Internationalisation, a leverage for excellence• Funding opportunities boosting international

mobility are manifold• Focus on outgoing mobility• Odysseus programme for very high-level

researchers, in general not for young postdocs

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Background

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Background

Datum

Participation FP7 (k€) / BBP (billion €)Source: Vlaams indicatorenboek 2015, Ecoom

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Background• First mobility programme ‘Pegasus’ was granted by

Marie-Curie Cofund Action under FP7 in 2011• Focus on incoming mobility for young postdocs• 30 Pegasus-long and 59 Pegasus-short• External evaluation positive• Recommendation to shift towards long fellowships

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Content

• Background• [PEGASUS]²: Figures & Ambitions• Fellowships• Evaluation procedure• Practical

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[PEGASUS]²: Figures• Cofunding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020

research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

• 5-year programme: • COFUND budget: € 6.372.000• FWO budget: € 8.258.760

• 60 postdoctoral fellowships with duration of 3 years.• Two types of fellowships:

• INCOMING [PEGASUS]² Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowships• OUTGOING [PEGASUS]² Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowships

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[PEGASUS]²: Ambitions• Brain circulation through international and intersectoral

mobility by

• Provide support and training all within an optimal research environment and enjoying the best working conditions

• Boost individual research career

Attracting more excellent researchers to Flanders via incoming fellowships

Bestowing researchers in Flanders with increased international experience via outgoing fellowships

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Content

• Background• [PEGASUS]²: Figures & Ambitions• Fellowships• Evaluation procedure• Practical

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Fellowships

INCOMING [PEGASUS]² MSCA fellowship

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INCOMING [PEGASUS]² MSCA fellowship• Regular 3-year postdoctoral fellowship • For researchers currently performing research abroad and wish to

continue research in the Flemish Community• Can partly be performed in non-academic sector• Affiliation with Flemish university, possibly in collaboration with a

Flemish or federal scientific institution

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INCOMING [PEGASUS]² MSCA fellowship

Conditions

• Net monthly salary equivalent to PhD Assistant (€ 29.069,73 - € 45.317,25)• Mobility allowance: € 600 euro/month• Bench fee: € 4.000 /year• Travel expenses to and from Belgium for the fellow• Social security and insurance

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INCOMING [PEGASUS]² MSCA fellowship

Optimal work environment

• Charter & Code principles• Transparent recruitment and appraisal procedures• “HR Excellence in Research" label• Welcome sessions• Training opportunities

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INCOMING [PEGASUS]² MSCA fellowship

Eligibility criteria

• No nationality restrictions• PhD required• Apply within 3 years after obtaining their PhD• In the three years preceding the start of the fellowship,

not have stayed in Belgium for longer than 12 months

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Fellowships

OUTGOING [PEGASUS]² MSCA fellowship

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OUTGOING [PEGASUS]² MSCA fellowship

• Regular 3-year postdoctoral fellowships • First two years research conducted at a foreign

research institution or company• Third year an obligatory return year at the Flemish

host institution to which the fellow is affiliated during entire 3-year fellowship

• Intersectoral mobility possible

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OUTGOING [PEGASUS]² MSCA fellowshipConditions

• Net monthly salary equivalent to PhD Assistant (€ 29.069,73 - € 45.317,25)• Mobility allowance: € 1.650 euro/month in first 2 years• Bench fee: € 4.000 /year• Travel expenses to/from place of destination for the fellow• Social security and insurance

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OUTGOING [PEGASUS]² MSCA fellowshipEligibility criteria

• No nationality rectrictions• PhD required• Apply within 3 years after obtaining PhD or postdoctoral extension• Performing research activities in the Flemish Community one year

before the submission deadline• In the three years preceding the start of the fellowship, not have stayed

in the country where you wish to carry out research in the first two years for longer than 12 months

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Content

• Background• [PEGASUS]²: Figures & Ambitions• Fellowships• Evaluation procedure• Practical

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Evaluation procedure

1. Eligibility check2. Remote evaluation by external referees

• 10 potential referees listed by applicants• Severe rules to prevent conflict of interest• FWO invites at random until ≥ 2 online reports

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Evaluation procedure

3. Panel evaluation

• 30 mono-disciplinary Expert Panels distributed over 5 scientific domains

• Interdisciplinary panel• 16-18 members, majority from outside Flanders• Applicant choses panel

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Evaluation procedure

4. Panel for International Collaboration

• Interdisciplinary• Peer review reports and reports mono-disciplinary panels

taken into account• Makes final ranking

5. Ratification by Board of Trustees6. Complete feedback report to all applicants

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Evaluation procedureEvaluation criteria

• Excellence of the fellow

• Excellence of the project

• Excellence of the context of employment/hosting

• Any other relevant point

• Holistic approach

Capability and potentialResearch skills Scientific independenceMobility of the applicant

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Evaluation procedureEvaluation criteria

• Excellence of the fellow

• Excellence of the project

• Excellence of the context of employment/hosting

• Any other relevant point

• Holistic approach

Originality and innovative nature FeasibilityFocusRelevanceCoherenceTraining possibilities public engagement activities

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Evaluation procedureEvaluation criteria

• Excellence of the fellow

• Excellence of the project

• Excellence of the context of employment/hosting

• Any other relevant point

• Holistic approach

Quality of hosting institute Quality of research environmentQuality of the supervision/training Potential to acquire new (non-)scientific skills Impact of fellowship on host lab

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Content

• Background• [PEGASUS]²: Figures & Ambitions• Fellowships• Evaluation procedure• Practical

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Practical: submission• Guide for applicants and regulations on website • Form available in November (print screens online) • Contact Flemish and Foreign host • Submission in English using the dedicated FWO e-

portal

http://www.fwo.be/nl/mandaten-financiering/postdoctorale-mandaten/[pegasus]²-marie-skłodowska-curie-fellowships/

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Practical: calls• Call 1

• Launch: September 2015• Deadline: February 1, 2016 (05.00 pm Belgian time)• Communication of the results: by the end of June 2016• Flexible start of the granted fellowships: October 2016-February

2017

• Call 2• Launch: February 2016• Deadline: May 1, 2016 (05.00 pm Belgian time)• Communication of the results: by the end of November 2016• Flexible start of the granted fellowships: January-May 2017

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