University of Trieste

PHD school in Nanotechnology

How to write (and manage) a research

project

Agenda of the Seminar• The funding opportunities with particular attention to

FP7: 14.00 – 14.45 (Blasetti, Fermeglia) • Writing a proposal: steps, structure of the document,

PERT, Gantt, resource allocation…  14.45 – 15.30 (Fermeglia)• Managing team and role of scientific background:

15.30 – 16.00 (Blasetti)

• Break 16.00 - 16.30

• How to manage a research project: meetings, coordination, deliverables, milestones, administrative issues.  16.30 – 17.00 (Fermeglia)

• Annual report, final reports: 17.00 – 17.45 (Blasetti)• The point of view of the project officer: evaluation

before and during the project: 17.45 – 18.30 (Sergo)• Questions & answers

University of Trieste

PHD school in Nanotechnology

The funding opportunities

… with particular attention to FP7

Maurizio Fermeglia&

Cecilia Blasetti

R&D Funding in Italy• In Italy most of the government funding for R&D

is under the responsibility of MIUR Ministry of University and Research

• MIUR funding channels are– general funding to higher education institutions:

Includes the Ordinary Fund for Higher Education (FFO) provided by to both public and private universities;

– the "Fondo ordinario per ricerca e sviluppo" (Ordinary Fund for R&D), which represents the core funding of the public non-university institutes.

• Both channels are included in the yearly national financial law. No funds are transferred from the state to the local administrations for performing R&D activities

Targeted or Thematic Funding

• PNR National Research Programme 2005-2007 defines priorities: – quality of life, – sustainable competitive growth, – environment and energy – Mediterranean cultures in the global system.

• MIUR Ministry of University and Research funds these macro objectives through – direct support to setting up private-public

partnerships– establishing networks of excellence.

Targeted or Thematic Funding

• All of these actions are funded on the basis of competitive procedures through a variety of instruments:– COFIN Fund for the co-financing of research

activities of universities, through nationally relevant research projects;

– FIRB Basic Research Investment Fund; – FAR Fund for the promotion of Research; – FISR Special Integrative Fund for Research; – PON, research programmes in the Southern regions,

aiming at structural changes within the larger strategy of the Development Plan for the Mezzogiorno;

– PUS Funds for the diffusion of scientific culture.

PRIN - COFIN• free projects and grants include the Prin-Cofin• COFIN fund for the co-financing of research

activities of Universities, financed by on a competitive basis

• It funds basic research of universities and PROs

• this is the most representative competitive mechanism under this typology.

• the evaluation procedures are based on peer reviewing, integrated by external experts.

MIUR – Fund of promotion of research

• FAR, Fund for the promotion of Research, for supporting applied research developed by firms also in collaboration with universities.  – is mainly devoted to private organisations. – But it also deals with collaborative projects, and a

small part of the funds go to public research organisations

– This fund is provided on competitive bases and cofunding from industry is foreseen

– Evaluation procedures are carried out by a special committee with the support of special experts.

MIUR – Basic research investment fund

• Firb programme Basic Research Investment Fund (FIRB) devoted to funding basic research performed by universities, PROs, firms and other private organisations– the evaluation is based on peer reviewing with the

involvement of international experts. – FAR principally acts through two types of

instruments: • subsidies • repayable loans.

Ministry of Economic Development - FIT

• FIT (Fund for technological innovation) of Ministry for Economic Development is more specifically devoted to precompetitive development activities– pilot projects and projects to build prototypes with

non incremental changes– It can also finance mixed activity of R&D, if research

activity is not predominant in development.

Other fundings• Industria 2015 (Ministry of Economic development)

– Only in this period– Collaboration Industry - Academia– For selected areas

• Energy efficiency• Sustainable mobility• New technologies for life• New technologies for Made in Italy• Technologies for Cultural heritage

• Ministry of health– Specific projects for young researchers

• Foundations and similar– AIRC, Telethon,…– Banks ….– Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation …

Regional Funding (FVG)• Law n. 47 (formerly law 30)

– Collaboration between Industry – academia– Industry is responsible of the project– University is sub contractor– … many limitations – ... Applied research and technology transfer (at

most!)• Law “Bertossi”

– Same as before– More ‘research’ oriented

• Interreg ITA-xxx (Mixed funding Italy – xxx – EU)– Specific themes – Complex administrative management due to high

level of burocracy

University of Trieste

PHD school in Nanotechnology

EU Funding