MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate (EJD)

Gijs Du Laing

Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Applied Ecochemistry

Ghent University

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

What?

• ITN = international training network: education through research, courses and network-wide training events, exchange, and dissemination/outreach activities

• MSCA-EJD = similar as MSCA-ETN but more focus on:•organisation of network-wide training (joint doctoral training programme)•awarding of joint/double PhD degrees to ESRs

• joint application procedure and joint selection of doctoral candidates (max. 15 per project)

• mandatory joint governing structure

• SuPER-W = EJD on Sustainable Product, Energy and Resource Recovery from Wastewater

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Why applied for MSCA EJD?

• Erasmus Mundus IMETE – International Master of Science in Environmental Technology and Engineering• Many graduating international MSc students, but too little PhD scholarship

opportunities for international students in Belgium/Flanders• Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate programme – last call in 2013 • Since 2014: joint doctorates integrated in MSCA programme

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Why applied for MSCA EJD?

• Research: joint PhD = high potential to generate scientific output through (structured) international collaboration

• ESRs in MSCA ITN have significant budget to conduct research = important when lab work with advanced analytical equipment is involved!

• Less administrative overload and (financial) regulations compared to other H2020 projects

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Surplus value of EJD

• International (bilateral/multilateral) collaboration and student exchange (without need to use own budgets to cover associated research expenses)

• Access to other expertise, analytical equipment and research infrastructure by being member of a network

• Stimulation to collaborate, disseminate and valorise research (having also staff and budget to support this!)

• Provide other, locally funded PhD projects/students access to doctoral training and dissemination/valorisation activities of the network

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Proposal - Excellence

• Motivation – added value• Clearly motivate the need for new type of professionals, e.g. by illustrating

societal/paradigm shifts (e.g. SuPER-W: from wastewater treatment to product, energy and resource recovery)

• Clearly emphasize/list the innovative and original elements for both research and training

• Research programme• Multidisciplinary• Structure: for EJD, a list of individual PhD topics is allowed, but should fit into a well-

structured general framework

balanced distribution of topics over the framework

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Excellence• Suggestion: define challenges (technological and non-technological!)

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Excellence

• Training programme•Multidisciplinary

• Having several pillars, e.g. education through research, exchange with the non-academic sector, structured training courses and through participation in public outreach activities

• Good mix between network-wide training events and locally organised training activities and between technical courses and training on a variety of transferable skills

• e.g. policy input formulation, creative problem-solving, modelling and analytical tools, impact assessment, business development, IP management, communication skills,…

•Network-wide training should be relevant and diversified•Suggestion: include also training event for staff members and senior researchers

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Excellence

• Supervision and evaluation of ESRs•Joint supervision!•Emphasize qualifications and experience of supervisors •Supervision and evaluation approach should be comprehensive and relevant

• Evaluation methods for different programme components should be clear and transparent

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Excellence

• Mobility•International: mandatory - respect mobility requirement!•Inter-organisational: advisable (involvement of the non-academic

sector)

• Role of the non-academic sector in the training, e.g.:•(Mandatory) internships•Clear involvement in network-wide training activities and workshops•Member of doctoral guidance committees

• Contribution of visiting scientists and non-academic partners: be specific/concrete!

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Impact• Involvement of the non-academic sector

• Clear plans and activities for communication, public engagement/outreach and dissemination

include relevant dissemination activities for different target groups

try to include an innovative feature

dedicate a specific WP to dissemination and outreach activities

substantiate exploitation of results with concrete plans (e.g., involve ESRs in developing a dissemination/exploitation plan)

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Impact• Explain relevance of acquired skills for different career development

paths• Explain linkages with different international (EU) knowledge and

innovation platforms (e.g., Knowledge Innovation Communities, European Innovation Partnerships,...) and how these will be involved in dissemination

preferably involve ESRs in these networks

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Impact• Include some PhD projects aimed at assessing and increasing the

societal/economic impact of the entire project, e.g. focused on: •identification and removal of bottlenecks for implementation of technology•assessment of stakeholder involvement, legislation, policy and policy input formulation

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Implementation

• Consortium includes a mix of partners from academia, industry, government and network organizations

• Clearly exploit complementarity within the consortium!• Work plan is coherent, efficient/effective and logical, broken down in

work packages, which address the research, training, exchange, networking and dissemination, and project management

• Involve all beneficiaries in selection of ESRs (joint procedure!), research and training

• Clear description of WPs and related tasks, including clear allocation of responsibilities for beneficiaries and partner organizations

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Implementation

• Clear management structure

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Implementation

• Quality control and performance management (e.g. using KPIs), covering all aspects (research and training, exchange and management)

• Involve an independent panel of experts, regularly evaluating project progress

• Consider gender aspects at recruitment stage and during the project lifetime

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Implementation

• Risk management and contingency plans: focused not only on research

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

General

• Be concrete/specific• Revise and resubmit taking comments of reviewers into account if

unsuccessful

MSCA – European Joint Doctorate – Gijs Du Laing – Information session MSCA ITN grants

Questions?