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The Sixth
Framework Programme's Human Resources and Mobility (HRM) activity
has a budget of €1,580 million and is largely based on the financing
of training and mobility activities for researchers. These activities,
known as the Marie Curie Actions, are aimed at the development and
transfer of research competencies, the consolidation and widening
of researchers' career prospects, and the promotion of excellence
in European research.
The actions are open to researchers in all fields
of scientific and technological research from the EU Member States,
from countries associated with FP6 and from third countries.
Eligibility for the various schemes is based on research
experience and expertise, not age. All levels are covered from researchers
at the start of their career to world-class researchers with well-established
scientific expertise. The actions are also open to business, universities
and institutions active in research.
What is meant by mobility?
What's on offer to researchers?
How can businesses, universities and research organisations
benefit?
What is meant by mobility?
To take part in most of the Marie Curie Actions, a researcher must
be prepared to move country. Mobility is defined using the following
criteria:
- Firstly, the researcher should not be a
national of the state in which they plan to move and carry out
their research;
- Secondly, the researcher has not lived,
worked or studied in that country for more than 12 months out
of the three years immediately prior to either the time of application,
or the start of their work (depending on the action).
Exceptions from the first rule may be granted for
European researchers that have been working outside the EU for a
long period. Similarly, these rules do not apply to the Return and
Reintegration Mechanisms.
What's on offer to researchers?
The opportunities open to individual researchers depend on their
level of research experience. There are two main categories of researchers
eligible for funding:
- Early-stage researchers: This refers
to researchers at the beginning of their research career with
less than four years' active research experience (e.g. researchers
undertaking a doctoral degree);
- Experienced researchers: This applies
to researchers with more than four years of active research experience
or those with a doctorate degree. For some actions, researchers
with more than ten years of experience will not be eligible.
Individual researchers interesting in taking part
in a Marie Curie Action have two options:
- To apply directly to an institution that
has been selected by the Commission for a Host-Driven Action.
This covers:
- To prepare a project together with a host
institution of your choice and submit it to the Commission. This
options applies to:
How can businesses, universities
and research organisations benefit?
Research organisations can apply to the Commission for funding to
provide the following types of training opportunities for researchers
of any age or nationality:
- Initial Training: This is best suited
to researchers at the beginning of their careers and is normally
focused on structured training (e.g. via tutorials, courses and
acquisition of complementary skills in addition to training-through-research).
This includes:
- Transfer of Knowledge: This is mainly
aimed at institutions that want to develop their research capabilities
via the hosting or secondment of researchers with more experience
or specialised knowledge. In particular, multidisciplinarity and
intersectorial exchange will be encouraged. Included in this category
are:
- Advanced Training: This type of training
provides an environment where experienced researchers can receive
advanced or specialised training. This includes:
- Other Facilities: This includes funding
for the organisation of conferences
and training courses or for hosting world-class researchers
either as Marie Curie Chair-holders
or as team leaders in Marie Curie
Excellence Grants.
Under these schemes, the host institutions will be
selected by the Commission and will be given the freedom (within
certain guidelines) to select the researchers who will benefit from
the training, or who will participate in the transfer of knowledge.
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