SMLOUVA O ÚČASTI NA PROGRAMU MERIT mezi Středočeské inovační centrum, spolek aÚstav živočišné fyziologie a genetiky AV ČR, v. v. i.
mezi Středočeské inovační centrum, spolek a Ústav živočišné fyziologie a genetiky AV ČR, v. v. i. |
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Obsah
1. Definice a výkladová pravidla 3
3. Postavení a způsob zapojení Stran 8
4. Základní podmínky spolupráce 8
5. Podpora a Spolufinancování 8
6. Základní práva a povinnosti Stran 11
8. Práva a povinnosti Stran ve vztahu k Výzkumníkům 14
9. Závazek k uzavření Dodatku o hostování 14
10. Práva duševního vlastnictví 14
12. Trvání Smlouvy, ukončení a smluvní sankce 15
14. Ostatní a závěrečná ustanovení 17
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Tuto SMLOUVU O ÚČASTI NA PROGRAMU MERIT (dále jen „Smlouva“) uzavřely ve smyslu § 1746 odst. 2 zákona č. 89/2012 sb., občanský zákoník (dále jen „OZ“) následující smluvní strany:
(1) Středočeské inovační centrum, spolek
se sídlem Strakonická 3367, Smíchov, 150 00 Praha 5
IČO: 042 28 235
zastoupený Mgr. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx, statutárním ředitelem (dále jen „Koordinátor“)
Ústav živočišné fyziologie a genetiky AV ČR, v. v. i.
se sídlem Rumburská 89, 277 21 Liběchov
IČO: 67985904
zastoupená Ing. Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx CSc.,ředitelem
(dále jen „Partner“)
(Koordinátor a Partner společně jako „Strany“)
(A) Středočeské inovační centrum, spolek, IČO: 042 28 235, se sídlem Strakonická 3367, Smíchov, 150 00 Praha 5, vystupuje jakožto koordinátor Programu MERIT realizovaného na základě Grantové dohody uzavřené mezi Koordinátorem a Výkonnou agenturou pro výzkum (European Research Executive Agency).
(B) Partner je jednou z tzv. Implementujících organizací ve smyslu Grantové dohody.
(C) Strany mají zájem spolupracovat na realizaci Programu MERIT financovaného z grantu evropského programu, výzvy MSCA-COFUND Horizon Europe, z rozpočtu Středočeského kraje a spolufinancovaného z rozpočtu vybraných Implementujících organizací, v intencích stanovených Grantovou dohodou.
(D) Strany za účelem nastavení spolupráce níže stanovují svá práva a povinnosti při realizaci Programu MERIT tak, aby bylo dosaženo cílů Programu MERIT. Cíle Programu MERIT jsou specifikovány v Popisu a harmonogramu Programu, který je přílohou této Smlouvy, jakož i v Grantové dohodě.
1. Definice a výkladová pravidla
1.1. Není-li v této Smlouvě nebo jejích přílohách uvedeno jinak, mají následující slova a spojení uvedená v této Smlouvě (včetně jejích příloh) a psaná s velkým počátečním písmenem následující význam:
COFUND | Finanční podpora poskytovaná Poskytovatelem podpory na základě Grantové dohody. |
Dočasné vyslání | Kratší působení (secondment) Vybraného výzkumníka v Přidružené organizaci v délce 2 – 9 měsíců. Dočasné |
vyslání je realizováno na základě písemné Dohody o dočasném vyslání. | |
Dodatek o hostování | Dodatek v písemné podobě, uzavřený mezi Stranami, jímž dojde ke změně postavení Partnera z Implementující organizace na Hostující organizaci. V Dodatku o hostování Strany uvedou popis vybraného Projektu, jehož prostřednictvím bude Hostující organizace participovat na plnění Programu, včetně předpokládaných výstupů Projektu. Dodatek o hostování bude dále obsahovat závazek Hostující organizace k zaměstnání Vybraného výzkumníka a povinnost Spolufinancování. Vzor Dodatku o hostování tvoří Přílohu č. 4. |
Dohoda o dočasném vyslání (Secondment Agreement) | Dohoda v písemné podobě uzavíraná před zahájením Dočasného vyslání Vybraného výzkumníka mezi Hostující organizací a Přidruženou organizací. V Dohodě o dočasném vyslání Strany stanoví zejména podmínky Dočasného vyslání a jeho ukončení, délku Dočasného vyslání, jakož i závazek k jednání a poskytování součinnosti Stran v zájmu naplnění cílů a účelu Programu, práv a povinností dle Smlouvy, resp. Grantové dohody. V Dohodě o dočasném vyslání se Strany upraví rovněž otázku ochrany práv duševního vlastnictví. |
Xxxxxxxx xxxxxx (Grant Agreement) | Xxxxxxxx dohoda, projekt 101081195 – MERIT, uzavřená mezi Výkonnou agenturou pro výzkum (European Research Executive Agency) a Středočeským inovačním centrem, spolek, IČO: 042 28 235, jakožto koordinátorem a příjemcem podpory z evropského programu, výzvy MSCA-COFUND Horizon Europe, dne 10. 10. 2022. Xxxxxxxx dohoda v plném znění byla Partnerovi poskytnuta před podpisem Xxxxxxx. |
Hostující organizace | Implementující organizace, s níž byl uzavřen Dodatek o hostování zaměstnávající Vybraného výzkumníka v rámci plnění Programu. Partner nabývá postavení Hostující organizace účinností Dodatku o hostování. |
Implementující organizace (Implementing partner) | Jedna z patnácti (15) organizací účastnících se Programu, jež se při splnění podmínek může (ale nemusí) stát Hostující organizací Výzkumníků podpořených v rámci Programu, a s níž je uzavírána tato Smlouva. V případě, že se Implementující organizace stane Hostující organizací, vzniká jí při splnění podmínek stanovených Smlouvou nárok na poskytnutí Podpory. |
Letter of Committment | Dokument vyjadřující závazek Přidružené organizace, jímž se tato organizace v rámci Programu zavázala k přijetí všech nezbytných opatření pro účast na realizaci Programu, zejména přijetí Výzkumníků v rámci jejich Dočasného vyslání, školení a dohledu nad Výzkumníky v oblastech definovaných výzkumným projektem. |
MERIT | Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology. |
Podpora | Finanční podpora (dotace) poskytovaná Hostující organizaci Výkonnou agenturou pro výzkum (European |
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Research Executive Agency) na základě Grantové dohody (tj. COFUND) a Středočeským krajem na základě smlouvy uzavřené mezi Koordinátorem a Středočeským krajem (tj. příspěvek na rodinu). Způsobilá výše měsíční Podpory pro jednoho Výzkumníka, jakož i podíl finanční participace entit a Spolufinancování Hostující organizace, je uveden v článku 5. Podpora je Hostující organizaci vyplácena Koordinátorem zpětně. | |
Poskytovatel podpory | Poskytovatelem podpory se ve vztahu k podpoře poskytované na základě Xxxxxxxx dohody rozumí Výkonná agentura pro výzkum (European Research Executive Agency). Ve vztahu ke zbývající části Podpory (příspěvku na rodinu) se Poskytovatelem podpory rozumí i Středočeský kraj. |
Pracovní smlouva | Pracovní smlouva uzavřená mezi Hostující organizací a Vybraným výzkumníkem, na jejímž základě bude Vybranému výzkumníkovi vyplácena mzda a hrazeny náklady související s jeho působením u Hostující organizace. Výčet ustanovení, které se Hostující organizace zavazuje v plném rozsahu převzít do Pracovní smlouvy uzavírané s Vybraným výzkumníkem, tvoří Přílohu č. 3. |
Program | Program MERIT, jakožto pětiletý regionální program vědecké mobility, jehož cílem je výběr a zaměstnání 30 výzkumníků – postdoktorandů z celého světa. Jedná se o společnou iniciativu Středočeského inovačního centra, spolek, IČO: 042 28 235 jako Koordinátora a 51 partnerských institucí (15 Implementujících organizací zastoupených regionálními výzkumnými organizacemi a 36 Přidružených organizací, mezi něž patří malé a střední firmy, regionální pobočky velkých firem, mezinárodní univerzity a místní střední školy). Program bude realizován od 1. 1. 2023 do 31. 12. 2027. Program bude financován z vícero zdrojů, a to z grantu evropského programu, výzvy MSCA-COFUND Horizon Europe, z rozpočtu Středočeského kraje a spolufinancován z rozpočtů Hostujících organizací. Program MERIT má 3 strategické cíle, které jsou v souladu s Národní výzkumnou a inovační strategií pro inteligentní specializaci České republiky 2021-2027 (RIS3), jejímž cílem je 1) Posílit evropskou a celosvětovou základnu lidského kapitálu v oblasti výzkumu a inovací, přispět k posílení evropského výzkumného prostoru a zvýšit mezinárodní otevřenost zúčastněných partnerů a celého regionu; 2) Navázat nová partnerství a spolupráci mezi akademickým a neakademickým sektorem (zejména regionálními výzkumnými organizacemi a malými a středními podniky), což povede k vyšší konkurenceschopnosti a inovativnosti obou sektorů; a 3) Propagovat vědu a její četné praktické využití ve společnosti mezi mladými lidmi a prosazovat větší zastoupení vědkyň v technických a přírodovědných výzkumných oborech se zaměřením na aplikovaný výzkum. Program MERIT podporuje výzkumné aktivity a |
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vzdělávání vybraných výzkumných pracovníků v následujících oblastech: biotechnologie a biomedicína, laserové technologie, kosmické technologie, udržitelná energie a materiály a digitalizace jako průřezová oblast, přičemž všechny oblasti respektují genderový rozměr výzkumu. Tyto oblasti jsou v souladu s RIS3 a dalšími evropskými nebo globálními strategickými rámci. Doba trvání stipendií je plánována na 24 až 30 měsíců, včetně Dočasného vyslání. Podrobný popis Programu je součástí Grantové dohody. Harmonogram a stručný přehled výstupů tvoří Přílohu č. 1. | |
Projekt | Výzkumný projekt, na jehož naplňování se podílí Vybraný výzkumník v rámci Stáže u Hostující organizace a jímž dochází k realizaci Programu. |
Přidružená organizace (Associated partner) | Jedna z 36 organizací, mezi něž patří malé a střední firmy, regionální pobočky velkých firem, mezinárodní univerzity a místní střední školy, uvedené v čl. 9.1 Grantové dohody, jež v Letter of Commitment potvrdily zájem účastnit se realizace Programu v postavení Přidružené organizace. |
Souhrnná zpráva o realizaci | Výsledek Vykazování v podobě Souhrnné zprávy o realizaci, jejíž součástí je Žádost o platbu. Souhrnná zpráva o realizaci sestává z administrativní a obsahového části. Administrativní část zprávy zahrnuje jméno Vybraného výzkumníka, počet měsíců strávených u Hostující organizace v uplynulém Vykazovaném období, název Projektu nebo výzkumného týmu, přehled a výši výdajů a výpočet požadované Podpory za uplynulé Vykazované období. Obsahová část zprávy obsahuje tzv. Zprávu o průběhu řešení projektu Vybraného výzkumníka, zahrnující aktualizovaný plán kariérního rozvoje, data management plán a plán komunikačních a diseminačních aktivit výzkumníka, jakož i informaci o stavu a průběhu Dočasného vyslání. Vzor Souhrnné zprávy tvoří Přílohu č. 2. |
Vykazování | Pravidelné informování Koordinátora ze strany Hostující organizace o postupu při realizaci Projektu, zejména naplňování aktivit Vybraného výzkumníka a o případných změnách Projektu, hospodaření s Podporou a způsobilých výdajích, dále též o výši poskytnutého Spolufinancování, to vše za uplynulé Vykazované období. |
Vykazované období | Období, za nějž Partner v postavení Hostující organizace provádí vůči Koordinátorovi pravidelné Vykazování, resp. předkládá Xxxxxxxxx zprávu o realizaci. Souhrnná zpráva o realizaci je předkládána vždy za období leden – červen, červenec – prosinec příslušného roku, a to i v případě, že je Stáž zahájena v průběhu Vykazovaného období, kdy bude vykazováno za poměrnou část období. |
Řídicí výbor (Steering Committee) | Řídicí výbor složený z pěti (5) zástupců se vztahem ke Středočeskému kraji, kteří zastupují neakademickou a akademickou sféru (veřejný a soukromý) sektor, zodpovědný za monitoring Programu, která schvaluje Souhrnnou zprávu o realizaci předkládanou Hostujícími |
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organizacemi, platby Podpory a disponuje dalšími právy a povinnostmi uvedenými v Grantové dohodě. | |
Spolufinancování | |
Stáž (Fellowship) | Pracovní pobyt Vybraného výzkumníka u Hostující organizace v délce 24 – 30 měsíců (není-li podmínkami Programu stanoveno jinak). |
Středočeský kraj | Středočeský kraj, IČO: 708 91 095, se sídlem Xxxxxxxxx 00, 000 00 Xxxxx. |
Výzkumník | Výzkumný pracovník splňující podmínky dle článku 6.2, oddíl A.1 písm. c) Grantové dohody. |
Vybraný výzkumník | Výzkumník, jenž byl vybrán v rámci výběrového procesu Programu a jeho výběr, včetně přiřazení k vybranému Partnerovi (Hostující organizaci), byl oficiálně schválen Řídicím výborem. Vybraný výzkumník je přiřazen ke konkrétní Hostující organizaci, která Vybraného výzkumníka zaměstnává na základě Pracovní smlouvy. |
Závěrečné vyúčtování | |
Žádost o platbu | Žádost o vyplacení Podpory či její části podaná Koordinátorovi ze strany Hostující organizace. Žádost o platbu je součástí Souhrnné zprávy o realizaci. Vzor Žádosti o platbu tvoří Přílohu č. 2. |
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1.2. Pro výklad této Smlouvy platí následující pravidla:
1.2.1. Ustanovení této Smlouvy musí být vykládána a naplňována v souladu s Xxxxxxxxx dohodou tak, aby mohlo být dosaženo cílů Programu a naplněny závazky Koordinátora ve vztahu k Poskytovateli podpor, zejména pak závazky plynoucí z Xxxxxxxx dohody.
1.2.2. Odkazy na „články“ či „čl.“ a „Přílohy“ se vykládají jako odkazy na příslušné články a přílohy této Smlouvy.
1.2.3. Pojmy definované v této Smlouvě v množném čísle mají shodný význam i v jednotném čísle a naopak.
1.2.4. Vedle ustanovení právních předpisů, jejichž použití je v této Smlouvě vyloučeno výslovně, se pro účely této Smlouvy nepoužijí ani další ustanovení právních předpisů v rozsahu, v jakém jsou nahrazena odchylnými ujednáními Stran dle této Smlouvy.
1.2.5. Nadpisy jsou v této Smlouvě použity pouze pro přehlednost a pro výklad ustanovení Smlouvy nemají žádný význam.
2.1. Předmětem Smlouvy je vymezení podmínek spolupráce Xxxxx při realizaci Programu, tj. práv a povinností, a to jak ve vztahu mezi Xxxxxxxx, tak ve vztahu ke třetím subjektům, zejména Poskytovatelům podpory, Výzkumníkům a Přidruženým organizacím. Dále je předmětem této Smlouvy vymezení podmínek, při jejichž splnění vzniká Partnerovi právo na poskytnutí Podpory.
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3. Postavení a způsob zapojení Stran
3.1. Koordinátor plní funkci hlavního koordinátora při realizaci Programu dle Xxxxxxxx dohody, zejména zajišťuje spolupráci s Poskytovateli podpory a výplatu Podpory.
3.2. Partner se podílí na realizaci Programu plněním práv a povinností stanovených Smlouvou, jakož i Xxxxxxxxx dohodou, vztahujících se k jeho postavení.
3.3. Podpisem Smlouvy nabývá Partner postavení Implementující organizace ve smyslu Grantové dohody. Účinností Dodatku o hostování Partner nabývá postavení Hostující organizace. Partnerovi nevzniká nárok na nabytí postavení Hostující organizace.
4. Základní podmínky spolupráce
4.1. Spolupráce Stran bude realizována za podmínek této Smlouvy, v souladu s podmínkami stanovenými Grantovou dohodou, jakož i v souladu s příslušnými právními předpisy ČR a EU. V případě kolize Xxxxxxx s Xxxxxxxxx dohodou se použijí obě smlouvy současně v rozsahu, v jakém si neodporují; jinak má přednost Xxxxxxxx dohoda.
4.2. Strany prohlašují, že se před podpisem této Smlouvy seznámily s Xxxxxxxxx dohodou, a zavazují se jí řídit v rozsahu práv a povinností z ní pro ně plynoucích. Partner v této souvislosti výslovně potvrzuje, že se seznámil s právy a povinnostmi Implementující a Hostující organizace dle Grantové dohody, stanovenými zejména v čl. 9.1, čl. 11 – 14, čl. 17.2, čl. 18 – 20, čl. 25 Grantové dohody a dále ustanoveními Grantové dohody souvisejícími s etikou, ochranou dat a přístupovými oprávněními (access rights), která se vztahují na příjemce, a zavazuje se k jejich dodržování.
5.1. Partnerovi vzniká nárok na Podporu při současném splnění následujících podmínek:
5.1.1. Výzkumník se zájmem o Stáž u daného Partnera byl vybrán v rámci výběrového procesu Programu a jeho výběr, včetně přiřazení k vybranému Partnerovi, byl oficiálně schválen Řídicím výborem (Steering Committee);
5.1.2. Koordinátor a Partner uzavřeli Dodatek o hostování;
5.1.3. mezi Partnerem a Vybraným výzkumníkem byla uzavřena Pracovní smlouva dle pokynů stanovených v Příloze č. 3;
5.1.4. Partner splnil povinnosti dle Xxxxxxx a Xxxxxxxx dohody, zejména povinnost k řádnému Vykazování a Spolufinancování;
5.1.5. Řídicí výbor (Steering Committee) schválil Xxxxxxxxx zprávu o realizaci předloženou Partnerem a výplatu Podpory;
5.1.6. Koordinátor obdržel Podporu určenou k proplacení Partnerovi.
5.2. Způsobilá výše měsíční Podpory poskytovaná Hostující organizaci ze strany Poskytovatelů podpory na jednoho Vybraného výzkumníka činí až 4 316 EUR / člověkoměsíc a skládá se z COFUND příspěvku ve výši 3 980 EUR / člověkoměsíc a příspěvku na rodinu ve výši max. 336 EUR, vznikne-li na něj nárok.
5.3. Hostující organizace je povinna poskytnout Spolufinancování Vybraného výzkumníka ve výši až 1214 EUR / člověkoměsíc.
Xxxxxxx náklady na jednoho Vybraného výzkumníka | |||
Kategorie | Podpora dle Xxxxxxxx dohody (EUR / člověkoměsíc) | Spolufinancování Hostující organizace (EUR / člověkoměsíc) | Podpora od Středočeského kraje (EUR / člověkoměsíc) |
COFUND | 3 980 | x | x |
Příspěvek na mobilitu | x | 200 | x |
Příspěvek na rodinu | x | 164 | max. 336 |
Cestovné | x | 300 | x |
Náklady na výzkum | x | 400 | x |
Vzdělávání | x | 150 | 150 |
TOTAL | 5 680 EUR / člověkoměsíc |
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5.5. Náklady na Vybraného Výzkumníka musejí být vynaloženy následujícím způsobem:
Způsobilé náklady dle účelu čerpání | |
Kategorie | Účel čerpání |
COFUND | Příspěvek určený ke krytí mzdových nákladů Hostující organizace Vybraného výzkumníka. Jedná se o paušální (fixní) zdanitelný příspěvek, který je součástí mzdových nákladů Vybraného výzkumníka. |
Příspěvek na mobilitu | Příspěvek určený ke krytí nákladů souvisejících s přemístěním Vybraného výzkumníka, členů jeho domácnosti a na něm závislých osob, za účelem výkonu Stáže. Jedná se o paušální (fixní) zdanitelný příspěvek, který je součástí mzdy Vybraného výzkumníka |
Příspěvek na rodinu | Xxxxxxxxxxxx příspěvek podmíněný existencí rodinného svazku Vybraného výzkumníka. Příspěvek na rodinu je hrazen Hostující organizací v rámci Spolufinancování a dorovnán až do výše 500 EUR Středočeským krajem jakožto Poskytovatelem Podpory. Rodinný svazek Vybraného výzkumníka je založen i) manželstvím, ii) registrovaným partnerstvím, iii) péčí Vybraného výzkumníka o nezaopatřené dítě. Příspěvek ve výši 250 EUR náleží Vybranému výzkumníku, který v České republice v době Stáže pobývá s partnerem/partnerkou v rodinném svazku bez nezaopatřeného dítěte. Příspěvek ve výši 500 EUR náleží Vybranému výzkumníku, který v České republice v době Stáže pobývá s nezaopatřeným dítětem, o nějž pečuje. V případě, že na tento příspěvek vznikne Vybranému výzkumníku nárok, jedná se o paušální (fixní) zdanitelný příspěvek, který je součástí mzdy Vybraného výzkumníka. |
Cestovné | Příspěvek určený ke krytí cestovních nákladů a náhrad spojených s účastí Vybraného výzkumníka na školeních či obdobných akcích, workshopech, konferencích atp. V rámci tohoto příspěvku se hradí např. náklady na letenky, ubytování, stravné Vybraného výzkumníka na těchto akcích. Jedná se o nezdanitelný příspěvek. |
Náklady na výzkum | Příspěvek určený ke krytí nákladů na nákup materiálu a drobného vybavení souvisejícího s výzkumem Vybraného výzkumníka u Hostující organizace, včetně nákladů na publikování Projektu formou Open Access. |
Náklady mohou zahrnovat také další náklady, jako jsou náklady související se získáním víza nebo náklady na vyrovnání kurzové ztráty či přeplatku. Jedná se o nezdanitelný příspěvek. | |
Vzdělávání | Příspěvek je určen ke krytí nákladů na školení v oblasti výzkumu a přenositelných dovedností, včetně koučingu a mentoringu. |
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5.6. Paušální náklad v každé kategorii dle článku 5.5 (COFUND, příspěvek na mobilitu a příspěvek na rodinu) je nutno v daném měsíci na Vybraného výzkumníka vynaložit v plné výši (100 %). Nepaušální náklady (cestovné, náklady na výzkum, vzdělávání) musí být za dobu trvání pracovního poměru ve svém souhrnu vyčerpány v rozsahu 100
% součtu jejich hodnoty násobené počtem měsíců trvání pracovního poměru.
5.7. COFUND bude Koordinátorem vyplácen v měně EUR na účet Hostující organizace specifikovaný v Žádosti o platbu, jinak na účet uvedený v záhlaví Smlouvy, a to dle následujícího harmonogramu:
5.7.1. 85 % COFUND, tedy částku 3 383 EUR / člověkoměsíc, vyplatí Koordinátor Hostující organizaci v průběhu zaměstnávání Vybraného výzkumníka, v termínech dle článku 5.10;
5.8. Podpora v rozsahu příspěvku na rodinu se poskytuje Vybranému výzkumníku pouze za předpokladu splnění podmínek uvedených u této kategorie nákladu dle článku 5.5. V případě, že Vybranému výzkumníku vznikl nárok na příspěvek na rodinu, zavazuje se Hostující organizace poskytnout Spolufinancování ve výši 164 EUR / člověkoměsíc. Zbývající část příspěvku na rodinu (až do výše 500 EUR / člověkoměsíc) bude financována Podporou poskytovanou Středočeským krajem. Splnění předpokladů pro vznik nároku na Podporu Středočeského kraje a její výši je Hostující organizace povinna Koordinátorovi doložit.
5.9. Podpora poskytovaná Středočeským krajem bude Koordinátorem vyplácena v měně CZK na účet Hostující organizace specifikovaný v Žádosti o platbu, jinak na účet uvedený v záhlaví Smlouvy. Pro přepočet EUR na CZK bude použit průměrný kurz denních směnných kurzů za příslušné Vykazované období (dle GA mezi Koordinátorem a Poskytovatelem podpory, dle čl. 5.16.
5.10. Podpora dle článku 5.7.1 a 5.8 za dané Vykazované období bude Hostující organizaci vyplácena vždy po uplynutí Vykazovaného období, nejpozději do 2 měsíců po obdržení řádné Souhrnné zprávy o realizaci.
5.11. Podpora dle článku 5.7.2 bude Hostující organizaci vyplacena po skončení Programu a předložení řádného Závěrečného vyúčtování (předběžně v 1. polovině roku 2028).
5.12. Hostující organizace se zavazuje zajistit předfinancování Podpory dle článku 5.7.1,
5.7.2 a 5.8 z vlastních zdrojů, přičemž všechny paušální náklady (COFUND, příspěvek na rodinu, příspěvek na mobilitu) se zavazuje vyplácet Vybranému výzkumníkovi na měsíční bázi.
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Vykazovaného období, kdy ještě není známý směnný kurz ECB dle čl. 5.15, provede Hostující organizace odhad vývoje směnného kurzu ECB a v poslední mzdě výzkumníka vyplatí jednorázovou odměnu, která má za cíl zajistit, aby na konci Vykazovaného období nedošlo k nedoplatku vůči výzkumníkovi. Pokud i přesto zůstane na konci Vykazovaného období nedoplatek vůči výzkumníkovi, musí jej Hostující organizace výzkumníkovi vyplatit v souladu s národní legislativou a svou interní běžnou praxí. Přeplatky výzkumníka může Hostující organizace financovat z kategorie Náklady na výzkum dle článku 5.5.
5.15. Přeplatek vzniklý konverzí měn (EUR – CZK) dle článku 5.13 není Hostující organizace oprávněna nárokovat po Koordinátorovi, ani Vybraném výzkumníku.
5.16. Pro zjištění výše nedoplatku či přeplatku je rozhodný průměrný kurz denních směnných kurzů za příslušné Vykazované období (dle GA mezi Koordinátorem a Poskytovatelem podpory). Pro jeho automatický výpočet je možné použít konverzní nástroj Evropské centrální banky
xxxxx://xxx.xxx.xxxxxx.xx/xxxxx/xxxxxx_xxx_xxxxxxxx_xxxxx/xxxx_xxxxxxxxx_xxxxxx ge_rates/html/eurofxref-graph-czk.en.html. Koordinátor na žádost informuje Hostující organizaci o výši tohoto kurzu, jakmile bude tento kurz Koordinátorovi znám, předběžně dle Vykazovaných období nastavených v Grantového dohodě mezi Koordinátorem a Poskytovatele podpory 25. měsíc implementace (leden 2025), 38. měsíc implementace (březen 2026) a po ukončení implementace (leden 2028).
5.17. Koordinátor je oprávněn ponížit výplatu Podpory Hostující organizaci:
5.17.1. Budou-li Poskytovatelem Podpory zjištěny nedostatky při implementaci Programu vedoucí k neproplacení Podpory či její části vzniklé v důsledku jednání či opomenutí Hostující organizace, je Koordinátor oprávněn ponížit Podporu o částku odpovídající uplatněné finanční korekci; a/ nebo
5.17.2. Dojde-li vůči Koordinátorovi k uplatnění nároku na vrácení Podpory či její části Poskytovateli či příslušnými orgány v důsledku jednání či opomenutí Hostující organizace, je Koordinátor oprávněn ponížit Podporu o částku odpovídající výši uplatněného nároku; a/nebo
5.17.3. Bude-li zjištěn nedoplatek související s konverzí měn, a tento nedoplatek nebude Hostující organizací vypořádán dle článku 5.14, je Koordinátor oprávněn ponížit Podporu o částku odpovídající výši nedoplatku; a/nebo
5.17.4. Budou-li v souvislosti s výše uvedeným uplatněny vůči Koordinátorovi jakékoli sankce ze strany Poskytovatelů podpory či příslušných orgánů, je Koordinátor oprávněn ponížit Podporu o částku odpovídající těmto sankcím, pokud by udělená sankce vedla k neschopnosti Koordinátora plnit závazky vůči Hostující organizaci. V takovém případě Koordinátor vynaloží veškeré úsilí získat finanční prostředky z jiných zdrojů.
Byla-li Podpora Hostující organizaci již proplacena, je Koordinátor oprávněn nárokovat po Hostující organizaci vrácení Podpory (či její části) ve výši dle článku 5.17. Tím není dotčeno právo Koordinátora na náhradu škody.
5.18. V případě předčasného ukončení Programu či předčasného ukončení Stáže jsou Strany povinny bezodkladně vypořádat svá práva a povinnosti plynoucí z této Smlouvy či související s touto Smlouvou, zejména finanční závazky.
6. Základní práva a povinnosti Stran
6.1. Strany se zavazují:
6.1.1. poskytovat si veškerou nezbytnou součinnost potřebnou k realizaci Programu a skutečnostem souvisejícím s realizací Programu, včetně kontroly plnění povinností;
6.1.2. vyvinout veškeré úsilí k tomu, aby byl naplněn účel Programu a dosaženo cílů Programu, jakož i cílů a předpokládaných výsledků spolupráce dle Xxxxxxx.
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Strany se zároveň zdrží jednání, jež by mohlo vést k ohrožení dosažení účelu a cílů Programu i spolupráce dle Smlouvy. Cílem a účelem spolupráce Stran dle této Smlouvy je podílet se na realizaci Programu a dosažení cílů Programu, jak jsou uvedeny v Popisu a harmonogramu Programu, který tvoří Přílohu č. 1;
6.1.3. bezodkladně informovat druhou Stranu o všech skutečnostech, které mají či by mohly mít podstatný vliv na realizaci Programu a plnění práv a povinností Stran dle této Smlouvy, resp. Grantové dohody (např. o opoždění výplaty Podpory či její části, neschopnosti plnit řádně a včas povinnosti dle Smlouvy, předčasném ukončení Programu, změnách týkajících se pracovního poměru Vybraného výzkumníka u Hostující organizace atp.);
6.1.4. bezodkladně informovat druhou Stranu o změně kontaktních údajů, včetně účtu pro výplatu Podpory;
6.1.5. archivovat dokumenty související s realizací Programu a plněním povinností dle této Smlouvy po dobu nejméně 10 let od ukončení Programu;
6.2. Partner se zavazuje:
6.2.1. stanovit maximální počet Výzkumníků (nejvýše však 3), které je k plnění Projektu v rámci realizace Programu schopen zaměstnat, pakliže se stane Hostující organizací;
6.2.3. k propagaci Programu a jeho výzev dle pokynů Koordinátora zajistit, aby ve všech informacích a materiálech vydávaných či zveřejňovaných v souvislosti s propagací Programu a jeho výzev byl uveden odkaz na Program MERIT, logo EU a další náležitosti související s povinnou publicitou dle čl. 17.2 Grantové dohody, jakož i logo Středočeského kraje;
6.2.4. bezodkladně uzavřít s Koordinátorem Dodatek o hostování, bude-li k tomu Koordinátorem vyzván.
6.3. Partner v postavení Hostující organizace má dále následující práva a povinnosti:
6.3.1. nad rámec povinností dle ustanovení 6.2.2 Smlouvy dodržovat povinnosti stanovené v čl. 25 Grantové dohody a ustanovení Grantové dohody související s etikou, ochranou dat a přístupovými oprávněními (access rights);
6.3.2. uzavřít s Vybraným výzkumníkem Pracovní smlouvu, na jejímž základě bude Vybraného výzkumníka zejména hostit, školit, rozvíjet jeho vědecké dovednosti, hradit mu stanovenou mzdu a proplácet ostatní náklady dle článku 8, jakož i zajišťovat dohled (supervizi) nad naplňováním aktivit Vybraného výzkumníka dle schváleného plánu Projektu;
6.3.3. zajistit, aby při komunikaci a diseminaci výsledků výzkumu Vybraného výzkumníka byl uveden odkaz na Program MERIT, logo EU a další náležitosti související s povinnou publicitou dle čl. 17.2 Grantové dohody, jakož i logo Středočeského kraje;
6.3.4. umožnit Vybranému výzkumníku účast na vzdělávacím programu rozvoje měkkých dovedností pořádaném Koordinátorem;
6.3.5. hospodařit s Podporou v souladu s jejím účelem a zajistit Spolufinancování Vybraného výzkumníka;
6.3.6. provádět řádné Vykazování, a to jak ve Vykazovaném m období, tak na vyžádání Koordinátora i mimo toto období. Náležitosti a podmínky Vykazování jsou stanoveny v článku 7;
6.3.7. neuplatňovat v Žádosti o platbu náklady odlišné od těch vymezených v odst.5.4 Xxxxxxx, ledaže tyto náklady byly Poskytovateli podpory dodatečně zahrnuty do způsobilých nákladů a jimi schváleny; o zahrnutí dalších způsobilých nákladů a podmínkách vzniku nároku na jejich proplacení je Koordinátor povinen Hostující organizaci včas informovat;
6.3.8. kdykoli v průběhu realizace Programu, až do 10 let po jeho ukončení, umožnit Koordinátorovi, případně též auditnímu a jinému kontrolnímu orgánu ve smyslu čl. 25 Grantové dohody, kontrolu řádného plnění práv a povinností dle Smlouvy,
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zejména řádného čerpání a užití Podpory a poskytování Spolufinancování, včetně kontroly účetní evidence Partnera souvisejících s předmětem Smlouvy. Za tímto účelem je Partner povinen umožnit na žádost Koordinátora kontrolu na místě (v sídle Partnera a na pracovišti Vybraného výzkumníka), a poskytnout veškerou dokumentaci vztahující se k Projektu a jeho realizaci v listinné podobě;
6.3.9. uchovávat veškeré účetní doklady k vynaloženým nákladům (např. nákladům na výzkum, cestovné, vzdělávání), jakož i podklady vztahující se k zaměstnání Vybraného výzkumníka a plnění Projektu, zejména Pracovní smlouvu, výplatní pásky, vč. potvrzení o poukázání prostředků na účet Vybraného výzkumníka, laboratorní deník,, pracovní výkazy (pokud je daná Hostující organizace vyžaduje), a e-mailovou komunikaci vztahující se k vynaloženým nákladům, kterou lze dle příslušných právních předpisů poskytnout, zaměstnání Vybraného výzkumníka a plnění Projektu. Hostující organizace je povinna účetní doklady a další podklady dle předchozí věty uchovat až do uplynutí 10 let po skončení Programu a kdykoliv v této době je na vyžádání poskytnout Koordinátorovi, Poskytovateli podpory či auditnímu orgánu;
6.3.10. ukončit realizaci Projektu nejpozději do termínů stanovených v harmonogramu Programu, který tvoří Přílohu č. 1.
6.4. Partner souhlasí s Dočasným vysláním Vybraného výzkumníka k Přidružené organizaci, jíž si Vybraný výzkumník s přihlédnutím k Projektu zvolí. Partner v postavení Hostující organizace za účelem Dočasného vyslání uzavře s Přidruženou organizací Dohodu o dočasném vyslání.
6.5. Koordinátor se zavazuje:
6.5.1. zajistit management a koordinaci Programu a jeho komisí působících v rámci hodnotícího a výběrového procesu (zejména zahraničních hodnotitelů, Řídicího výboru, Etické komise a Komise pro rovnost a diverzitu dle Grantové dohody) dle Popisu a harmonogramu Programu, který tvoří Přílohu č. 1;
6.5.2. informovat Partnera o vyhlášení výzev Programu a důležitých milnících Programu;
6.5.3. předávat Partnerovi podstatné informace od Poskytovatelů podpory. Za podstatné se pro tyto účely rozumí informace mající dopad na Partnera, resp. na plnění práv a povinností Partnera dle Smlouvy;
6.5.4. vyplatit Hostující organizaci při splnění podmínek Podporu dle článku 5 ve stanovených termínech i výši.
7.1. Hostující organizace se zavazuje k pravidelnému informování Koordinátora o postupu při realizaci Projektu, zejména naplňování aktivit Vybraného výzkumníka a o případných změnách Projektu, hospodaření s Podporou a o způsobilých výdajích, dále též o výši poskytnutého Spolufinancování, to vše za uplynulé Vykazované období.
7.2. Hostující organizace odevzdá Souhrnnou zprávu o realizaci do 15 kalendářních dnů po skončení Vykazovaného období.
7.3. Hostující organizace odpovídá za obsah Souhrnné zprávy o realizaci, tj. za její úplnost, správnost a pravdivost informací v něm uvedených.
7.4. Souhrnná zpráva o realizaci podléhá schválení ze strany Řídicího výboru (Steering Committee). Zjistí-li Řídicí výbor či Koordinátor závažné nedostatky Souhrnné zprávy o realizaci spočívající v neúplnosti, nesprávnosti, či nepravdivosti Souhrnné zprávy o realizaci, bude Hostující organizace vyzvána k opravě těchto nedostatků a zaslání upravené Souhrnné zprávy o realizaci. Pokud tak neučiní do 10 kalendářních dní od této výzvy, vzniká Koordinátorovi nárok na nevyplacení té části Podpory, která byla v důsledku těchto závažných nedostatků Souhrnné zprávy o realizaci neoprávněně nárokovaná. Za závažné nedostatky se považují takové nedostatky, jež mají vliv na výši nárokované Podpory.
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8. Práva a povinnosti Stran ve vztahu k Výzkumníkům
8.1. Partner uzavře s Vybraným výzkumníkem Pracovní smlouvu, na jejímž základě bude Vybranému výzkumníkovi vyplácena mzda a poskytováno další plnění dle odst.5.5 Smlouvy související s jeho působením u Hostující organizace. Výčet ustanovení, které se Hostující organizace zavazuje v plném rozsahu převzít do Pracovní smlouvy uzavírané s Vybraným výzkumníkem, tvoří Přílohu č. 3.
8.2. Hrubá mzda společně s odvody zaměstnavatele jednoho Vybraného výzkumníka činí xxx. 4 680 EUR a sestává se z Podpory COFUND a příspěvku na rodinu Středočeského kraje (vznikl-li na něj nárok), a Spolufinancování v rozsahu příspěvku na mobilitu a příspěvku na rodinu (vznikl-li na něj nárok). Ostatní náklady poskytované Hostující organizací ve formě Spolufinancování, sestávající z příspěvku na výzkum, vzdělání a cestovné, nejsou součástí mzdy, ale jsou propláceny v souladu s příslušnými ustanoveními zákoníku práce a pravidly Programu; Hostující organizace je však povinna tyto náklady ve prospěch Vybraného výzkumníka vynaložit.
8.3. Hostující organizace se zavazuje bezodkladně Koordinátora informovat o jakýchkoli změnách týkajících se pracovního poměru Vybraného výzkumníka a okolnostech vyvolávajících vznik dalších nákladů, jakož i okolnostech, jež by mohly vést k přerušení Stáže, zejména nutnosti nákupu speciálních potřeb pro Vybraného výzkumníka se zdravotním handicapem, dlouhodobé nemoci Vybraného výzkumníka (za dlouhodobou se považuje nemoc, jež vyžaduje absenci Vybraného výzkumníka v délce nad 30 dní), mateřské či rodičovské dovolené.
9. Závazek k uzavření Dodatku o hostování
9.1. V případě, že dojde ke splnění předpokladů dle odst. 9.2 Xxxxxxx, zavazuje se Partner bezodkladně po výzvě Koordinátora uzavřít Dodatek o hostování; vzor Dodatku o hostování tvoří Přílohu č. 4.
9.2. Dodatek o hostování bude uzavřen při současném splnění následujících předpokladů:
9.2.1. Výzkumník předložil Projekt, s nímž se hlásí jako kandidát do Programu;
9.2.2. Projekt splňuje požadavky Programu;
9.2.3. Výzkumník v Projektu označil Partnera jakožto Hostující organizaci, u níž má zájem Projekt realizovat;
9.2.4. Výzkumník byl vybrán v rámci výběrového procesu Programu a jeho výběr, včetně přiřazení k vybranému Partnerovi, byl oficiálně schválen Řídicím výborem (Steering Committee).
9.3. Účinností Dodatku o hostování nabývá Partner postavení Hostující organizace.
10. Práva duševního vlastnictví
10.1. Strany berou na vědomí, že Partner je vlastníkem práv k výsledkům duševní činnosti (předmětům duševního vlastnictví) existujícím před začátkem plnění Projektu (background IPR).
10.2. Partner se zavazuje, je-li to možné, Vybraným výzkumníkům za účelem plnění Projektu zajistit bezplatný přístup k background IPR, který Vybraný výzkumník nezbytně potřebuje pro svou práci na Projektu, a to v průběhu trvání pracovně-právního vztahu Vybraného výzkumníka u Hostující organizace. Poskytnutím takového přístupu nedochází ke změně vlastnictví k background IPR, která nadále zůstávají ve vlastnictví Partnera.
10.3. Strany berou na vědomí, že výsledky Projektu jsou zaměstnaneckým dílem, nebo podnikovým vynálezem, nebo užitným vzorem nebo zaměstnaneckým průmyslovým vzorem, a to ve smyslu § 58 zákona č. 121/2000 Sb., autorský zákon, ve znění pozdějších předpisů, nebo ve smyslu §9 zákona č. 527/1990 Sb., vynálezech, průmyslových vzorech a zlepšovacích návrzích, ve znění pozdějších předpisů, nebo
§21 odst. 2 zákona č. 478/1992 Sb. o užitných vzorech, nebo §13 zákona č. 207/2000 Sb. o průmyslových vzorech, ve znění pozdějších předpisů. Vykonavatelem všech
o
výlučných majetkových práv duševního vlastnictví k výsledkům Projektu se stává Hostující organizace; autorství/původcovství Vybraného výzkumníka tím není dotčeno.
10.4. Partner se zavazuje upravit práva a povinnosti k výsledkům Projektu v Pracovní smlouvě s Vybraným výzkumníkem. V případě Dočasného vyslání Vybraného výzkumníka se Partner zavazuje upravit práva a povinnosti k výsledkům Projektu i v Dohodě o dočasném vyslání, kdy tato úprava musí reflektovat práva a povinnosti vztahující se k právům duševního vlastnictví dle Xxxxxxxx dohody.
10.5. Partner se dále zavazuje zpřístupnit výsledky Projektu ostatním Implementujícím či Přidruženým organizacím participujícím na realizaci Programu, je-li to nutné pro využití jejich výsledků Projektu, a to za spravedlivých a přiměřených podmínek.
10.6. Partner se zavazuje dodržovat a postupovat plně v souladu s právy v povinnostmi stanovenými v Grantové dohodě (zejména v Příloze č. 1, části B, čl. 2.3.2 Grantové dohody a Příloze č. 5 Grantové dohody) a vztahujícími se k úpravě práv duševního vlastnictví a využití výsledků Projektu.
10.7. Strany se zavazují poskytnout si veškerou nezbytnou součinnost k naplnění práv a povinností Stran vztahujících se k úpravě práv duševního vlastnictví dle Xxxxxxxx dohody.
10.8. Partner v Závěrečné zprávě či na vyžádání Koordinátora poskytne Koordinátorovi seznam osob oprávněných z práv duševního vlastnictví vztahujících se k plnění a výsledkům Projektu.
11.1. Žádná ze Stran nesmí poskytnout třetí straně jakékoli informace o podmínkách této Smlouvy a jednáních s ní spojených, které byly výslovně písemně označené jako důvěrné a jsou nad rámec zveřejněné redigované verze Smlouvy v registru smluv („Důvěrné informace“), které se týkají druhé Strany, bez předchozího písemného souhlasu dotčené Strany, s výjimkou poskytnutí těchto informací (i) svým poradcům vázaným povinností mlčenlivosti ve stejném rozsahu jako Strany, (ii) příslušným státním a jiným správním úřadům a soudům, pokud jsou Strany povinny podle obecně závazných předpisů jim tyto informace poskytnout, (iii) Poskytovateli podpory, nebo (iv) informací, které jsou nebo se stanou veřejně dostupnými jinak než porušením této Smlouvy.
11.2. Žádná ze Stran neučiní veřejné prohlášení nebo veřejnosti neposkytne informace, které byly výslovně písemně označené jako důvěrné a jsou nad rámec zveřejněné redigované verze Smlouvy v registru smluv, bez předchozího písemného souhlasu ostatních Stran. Ustanovení předchozí věty se nevztahuje na oznámení Koordinátora, že došlo k uzavření Xxxxxxx s Partnerem a na veřejná prohlášení učiněná nebo informace poskytnuté podle příslušných právních předpisů nebo na základě zákonného požadavku jakéhokoli státního orgánu, soudu, správního orgánů či příslušného auditního orgánu, včetně uveřejnění této Smlouvy v registru smluv.
11.3. Strany podpisem Xxxxxxx udělují souhlas k poskytnutí Důvěrných informací Přidružené organizaci a Vybranému výzkumníkovi, a to v rozsahu nezbytném, s přihlédnutím k účelu jednání s těmito subjekty, zpravidla tedy uzavření a plnění Pracovní smlouvy či Dohody o dočasném vyslání. Strany přitom dbají na práva a oprávněné zájmy druhé Strany.
12. Trvání Smlouvy, ukončení a smluvní sankce
12.1. Smlouva nabývá účinnosti dnem jejího uveřejnění v registru smluv. .
12.2. Tato Xxxxxxx se uzavírá na dobu určitou, a do doby ukončení Programu. V případě zániku právního vztahu založeného touto Smlouvou zůstávají v platnosti a účinnosti ta ustanovení Smlouvy, z jejichž povahy vyplývá, že mají zůstat nedotčena zánikem právního vztahu založeného Smlouvou.
12.3. Kterákoli Strana může tuto Smlouvu jednostranně písemně ukončit. V takovém případě uvede důvod, z něhož k ukončení přistupuje. Smlouva zaniká doručením jednostranného ukončení druhé Straně, ledaže by v důsledku tohoto ukončení došlo
o
k závažnému ohrožení dosažení účelu a cílů Programu; v takovém případě je jednostranné ukončení Smlouvy účinné po uplynutí doby přiměřené k odvrácení takového ohrožení. Byla-li Smlouva ukončena z důvodů na Straně ukončující Smlouvu, je tato Strana povinna nahradit druhé Straně náklady, které druhá Strana účelně vynaložila v souvislosti s plněním Smlouvy, požádá-li o jejich náhradu do 30 dnů po doručení jednostranného ukončení. K Žádosti o náhradu účelně vynaložených nákladů je nutno přiložit vyčíslení těchto nákladů.
12.4. Smlouva může být ukončena rovněž písemnou dohodou Smluvních stran a dalšími způsoby stanovenými příslušnými právními předpisy.
12.5. Koordinátor je oprávněn od Xxxxxxx odstoupit v případě, že
12.6. Odstoupí-li Koordinátor od Smlouvy z důvodů dle odst.12.5.1 či 12.5.2 Xxxxxxx, je Partner povinen vrátit Podporu v plné výši. Dojde-li k odstoupení od Xxxxxxx z důvodu dle odst. 12.5.3 Xxxxxxx, je Partner povinen vrátit nevyčerpanou část Podpory.
12.7. Partner odpovídá za použití poskytnuté Podpory na plnění Projektu dle této Smlouvy a Grantové dohody. Partner odpovídá za újmu způsobenou porušením povinnosti Partnera mající za následek zrušení či vznik nároku na vrácení Podpory či její části, a s tím přímo související vzniklou sankci Poskytovatele vůči Koordinátorovi, a to maximálně do výše své Podpory.
13.1. Není-li v této Smlouvě či Xxxxxxxx dohodě výslovně uvedeno jinak, vzájemná komunikace Stran, zejména jakákoli oznámení či sdělení vyžadovaná podle této Smlouvy, budou činěna v písemné formě v českém jazyce a doručena dotčené Straně na níže uvedené adresy výlučně (i) osobním doručením, (ii) zasláním uznávanou poštou doporučeným dopisem, (iii) zasláním kurýrní službou, která umožňuje ověření doručení, nebo (iv) datovou schránkou či e-mailem opatřeným uznávaným elektronickým podpisem. Oznámení učiněné výše uvedeným způsobem bude považováno za řádně doručené příslušné Straně okamžikem:
(a) v případě osobního doručení, převzetím oznámení nebo sdělení osobou uvedenou v odst. 13.2 Smlouvy za příslušnou Stranu nebo osobou písemně pověřenou k převzetí oznámení nebo sdělení příslušnou Stranou;
(b) v případě doručení poštou převzetím Stranou nebo, pokud Strana písemnost nepřevezme, (i) uplynutím třetího pracovního dne po dni uložení písemnosti na poště nebo (ii) dnem, kdy Strana převzetí odmítla, s tím, že za doklad o odeslání se považuje potvrzený podací lístek; a
(c) v případě doručení kurýrní službou převzetím Stranou nebo, pokud Strana písemnost nepřevezme, uplynutím druhého pracovního dne po odevzdání oznámení nebo sdělení ke kurýrní přepravě;
(d) v případě doručení datovou schránkou okamžikem, kdy se osoba oprávněná přihlásila do datové schránky; pokud se do datové schránky nepřihlásí ve lhůtě deseti (10) dnů ode dne dodání, považuje oznámení za doručené posledním dnem této lhůty;
(e) v případě doručení e-mailem opatřeným uznávaným elektronickým podpisem uplynutím třetího (3) pracovního dne ode dne odeslání e-mailu.
13.2. Doručovací adresa Koordinátora:
o
k rukám:
email:
k rukám: adresa: Liběchov email:
Partnera: sekretariát
ÚŽFG AV ČR, v.v.i., Rumburská 89, 277 21
13.3. Strana písemně oznámí bez zbytečného odkladu druhé Straně jakékoli změny údajů uvedených v odst. 13.2 Smlouvy. Toto ujednání je výjimkou z povinnosti uzavírat dodatky k této Smlouvě písemnou formou ve smyslu odst. 14.10 Smlouvy. Řádným doručením tohoto oznámení dojde ke změně doručovací adresy Strany bez nutnosti uzavření dodatku k této Smlouvě.
14. Ostatní a závěrečná ustanovení
14.1. Tato Xxxxxxx a veškeré dodatky k ní se řídí právními předpisy České republiky a budou vykládány v souladu s nimi.
14.2. Strany se tímto zavazují vynaložit veškeré úsilí k urovnání všech případných sporů vzniklých z této Smlouvy a/nebo v souvislosti s nimi („Spor“) smírnou cestou. Pokud Strany nevyřeší jakýkoli Spor smírnou cestou, bude takový Spor řešen věcně příslušnými českými soudy.
14.3. Není-li výslovně uvedeno jinak, nese každá ze Stran své náklady vzniklé v souvislosti nebo v důsledku plnění povinností plynoucích z této Smlouvy nebo s ní souvisejících.
14.4. Žádná ze Stran není oprávněna postoupit, převést, ani zastavit tuto Smlouvu ani jakákoli práva, povinnosti, dluhy, pohledávky nebo nároky vyplývající z této Smlouvy bez předchozího písemného souhlasu druhé Strany. Partner není oprávněn započíst své nároky vůči Koordinátorovi vyplývající z této Xxxxxxx bez souhlasu Koordinátora.
14.5. Bude-li jakékoli ustanovení této Smlouvy shledáno příslušným soudem nebo jiným oprávněným orgánem zdánlivým, neplatným, nebo nevymahatelným, bude takové ustanovení považováno za vypuštěné ze Smlouvy a ostatní ustanovení této Smlouvy budou nadále trvat, pokud lze předpokládat, že by Strany tuto Smlouvu uzavřely i bez takového ustanovení, pokud by zdánlivost, neplatnost nebo nevymahatelnost rozpoznaly včas (oddělitelné ujednání). Strany v takovém případě bez zbytečného odkladu uzavřou takové dodatky k této Smlouvě, které umožní dosažení výsledku stejného, a pokud to není možné, pak co nejbližšího tomu, jakého mělo být dosaženo zdánlivým, neplatným, nebo nevymahatelným ustanovením.
14.6. Smluvní strany bezvýhradně souhlasí se zveřejněním plného znění Smlouvy tak, aby tato Smlouva mohla být předmětem poskytnuté informace ve smyslu zákona č. 106/1999 Sb., o svobodném přístupu k informacím, ve znění pozdějších předpisů. A s uveřejněním plného znění Smlouvy dle zákona č. 340/2015 Sb., o zvláštních podmínkách účinnosti některých smluv, uveřejňování těchto smluv a o registru smluv (zákon o registru smluv), ve znění pozdějších předpisů.
14.7. Tato Smlouva představuje úplné ujednání mezi Stranami ohledně předmětu v ní popsaného, a nahrazuje tak všechny předchozí dohody mezi Stranami týkající se tohoto předmětu.
14.8. Pro tuto Smlouvu nebo uzavření dodatku k ní se nepoužije ustanovení § 1740 odst. 3 Občanského zákoníku.
14.9. Tato Smlouva je vyhotovena a podepsána ve dvou (2) vyhotoveních, přičemž každá ze Stran obdrží po jednom (1) vyhotovení.
14.11. Přílohy, na něž je v textu Smlouvy odkazováno, a jejichž seznam je připojen k této Smlouvě, tvoří nedílnou součást této Smlouvy:
Popis a harmonogram Programu | |
Příloha č. 2 | Vzor Souhrnné zprávy o realizaci a Žádosti o platbu |
Příloha č. 3 | Pokyny k Pracovní smlouvě s Vybraným výzkumníkem |
Příloha č. 4 | Vzor Dodatku o hostování |
o
14.12. Vzory, jež tvoří Přílohy této Smlouvy, resp. náležitosti a ustanovení v nich uvedená, dále též práva a povinnosti sjednané v Grantové dohodě, jsou pro Partnera závazné.
V dne | V dne | |
Koordinátor Xxx. Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, statutární ředitel | Partner Xxx. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, XXx.,ředitel |
Příloha č. 1 - Popis a harmonogram Programu
History of changes
1. | July 2022, p. 26, 28 | Consortium agreement concluded between SIC and Implementing/Associated partner was replaced by Bilateral agreement concluded between SIC and Implementing partners. |
2. | July 2022, p. 27 | Gantt chart (Figure 6) was modified according to the formal requirements for MSCA- COFUND project funded under Horizon Europe |
3. | July 2022, p. 5, 27 | The calls and all subsequent deliverables and milestones were postponed by 2 months in the project timeline. |
4. | July 2022, p. 12 | Coaching/mentoring was added to the description of training costs |
5. | July 2022, p. 12 | The amount of management costs and total budget was changed |
6. | July 2022, p. 5 | Relaxed mobility rule was removed |
7. | July 2022, p. 11 | The information about candidates invited to oral interview was specified. Maximum of 30 candidates per call will be invited for oral interviews. |
8. | July 2022, p. 5,6, 32, 33 | Recommendations from the Ethics summary report were included and the text was aligned to be coherent with these recommendations. All successful proposals (ranked list and reserve list) will be screened or reviewed for ethics, therefore, the ethic pre- screening phase was removed. |
9 | September 2022, p. 34 - 37 | Section 5 with the table of partner organisations was included. |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.1 Quality and novelty of the selection / recruitment process for the researchers 3
1.1.1 Transparency of the selection process of the researchers 3
1.1.2 Organisation of the selection process 6
1.1.5 Appointment conditions of researchers 12
1.2 Quality and novelty of the research options offered by the Programme 13
1.2.1 Excellence of the research programme 13
1.2.2 Quality of the research options in terms of interdisciplinary research options, intersectionality and international networking 15
1.2.3 Open science practises 17
1.2.4 Research data management and management of other research outputs 17
1.3 Quality, novelty and pertinence of the research training programme 17
1.3.1 Overview and content structure of the postdoctoral training programme 17
1.3.2 Role of non-academic sector in the training programme 19
1.4 Quality, novelty and pertinence of the supervision, career guidance and career development arrangements
1.4.1 Supervision arrangements 19
2.1 Strengthening human resources good practices at institutional, regional, national or international level, in particular through aligning the practices of participating organisations with the principles set out by the EU for human resources development in research and innovation 21
2.1.1 Impact of the proposed programme on strengthening research human resources at the institutional, regional, national or international level 21
2.1.2 Contribution of the Programme to the implementation of principles set out by the EU for the human resources development in R&I at the participating organisations 23
2.2 Credibility of the proposed measures to enhance the career perspectives and employability of researchers and contribution to their skills development 24
2.2.1 Impact of the research and training on the fellows' careers 24
2.3 Suitability and quality of the measures to maximise expected outcomes and impacts, as set out in the dissemination and exploitation plan, including communication activities 24
2.3.1 Plan for the dissemination and exploitation activities, including communication activities 24
2.3.2 Strategy for the management of intellectual property, foreseen protection measures 26
3. QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY OF THE IMPLEMENTATION 26
3.1 Quality and effectiveness of the work plan, management, structures, assessment of risks and appropriateness of the effort assigned to work packages 26
3.2 Quality and capacity of the host institution(s) and participating organisations 27
3.2.1 Appropriateness of the infrastructure and capacity of each participating organisation 27
3.2.2 Support offered to the candidates/researchers during the application/recruitment/implementation by the host/participating organisations 28
3.2.3 Consortium composition and exploitation of participating organisations' complementarities 28
3.2.4 Commitment of the beneficiary and Implementing/Associated partners to the Programme 29
1.1 Quality and novelty of the selection / recruitment process for the researchers
1.1.1 Transparency of the selection process of the researchers
1.1.1.1 Dissemination of the calls in appropriate ways
The Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (hereafter MERIT or the Programme) will be a new regional programme for international incoming postdoctoral researchers. In total, 51 partners are committed to host, supervise and train 30 researchers from all over the world within MERIT. The Implementing partners are represented by research organisations and universities established in the Central Bohemia Region (hereinafter the Region). Associated partners are represented mostly by SMEs, but also by large enterprises, universities and high schools located in the Region or outside the Czech Republic. 15 Implementing partners will host fellows for 24 to 30 months and 36 Associated partners will offer secondments for 2 to 9 months. The total length of each secondment much depends on the total length of each fellowship, in any case for each fellow it will amount to a maximum of 30% of his/her fellowship length. The lengths of fellowships and secondments were agreed based on general consensus among the Implementing and Associated partners with regard to their hosting capacities and joint requirements of the Programme (in terms of communication/dissemination and training activities). The Programme and the network of partners will be coordinated by the Beneficiary (hereinafter SIC). Two Calls for recruitment (and one reserve call if deemed as necessary) over the five-year programme will result in fellowships benefitting from transnational mobility opportunities, intersectoral experience, an environment for interdisciplinary research and advanced training. A full-time Programme Manager (PM) has been appointed together with other members of the Management Board (MB) that has designed a Strategy for the dissemination and communication of the Programme and its calls (Strategy). This Strategy is meant to promote both calls throughout the first 14 months of the running of the Programme.
With this Strategy, MERIT aspires to attract at least 100 high-quality candidates in order to select the 30 best among them through an international, open, transparent and equal opportunity process, with the intention to reach a success rate of the submitted applications of around 30% in order to boost the competitiveness of the Programme. The PM will monitor the interest in the calls disseminated in various channels of communications (see Table 1) using web analytics and other tools, such as heat maps and online feedback questionnaires, to adapt the Strategy where necessary. The MERIT logo (including this image representing diversity and unity and referring to puzzles that exercise the brain by fitting different pieces together; such pieces represent new skills that ultimately will build excellence in scientific research) and the MSCA visual identity will be used on the disseminated materials.
SIC has significant marketing experience as the coordinator of the PR strategy in R&D&I for the Central Bohemia Region, has a professional team dedicated to PR & marketing and an expert responsible for international relations who will assist the PM with the public outreach strategy. In addition, the Implementing and Associated partners have relevant experience in the dissemination and communication of research results through their participation in previous European framework programmes or other international projects and especially H2020 projects (e.g., one of the Implementing partners, the Řež Research Centre, participated in 32 H2020 projects).
With all these elements in place, the Strategy is tailored to the desired target group: international postdoctoral researchers who have achieved outstanding results in their research and demonstrate potential in their field to apply for the prestigious fellowships under MERIT. SIC will carefully consider diversity aspects (e.g. geographical, age, ethnical, economic situation), the inclusion of researchers at risk and the gender balance when advertising the Programme, using tools that will reach all these groups.
Table 1: Tools for Calls dissemination
Type of tool | Description |
MERIT programme website | The Programme website will include key resources and details about MERIT, the Implementing and Associated partners, their infrastructures, supervisors, etc. The website will be launched in M2. It will be monitored using web analytics to know how much traffic it gets, including heat maps to know where the attention of the potential candidates is, and adjusted accordingly. |
Programme launch event | The event will take place in the premises of one of the Implementing partners. The key audience will be leaders of research groups, ambassadors who will promote the call in their home countries, industry leaders, etc. Promotional material will be developed and handed out in digital form (USBs) to eliminate the use of paper as much as possible. |
Electronic communication kit | In addition to the press releases, SIC will share an electronic communication kit that will include posters, flyers, and hand-outs about the calls. The kit will be used by Implementing and Associated partners in conferences and network events in the selected fields. |
EURAXESS | The Programme and its Calls will be advertised on the EURAXESS website including the Science4Refugees initiative. |
MERIT project consortium networks | Institutional websites, social media and other channels of, in total, 51 Implementing and Associated partners in the Czech Republic and abroad (located in many European countries such as Germany, Austria, Italy, Latvia, United Kingdom, Poland, Sweden, Ukraine, as well as in the U.S.A and Mexico) that committed (in the Letters of Commitment) to take an active role in the promotion and communication of the Programme and its calls. |
International and national job portals | International job portals, e.g. Nature Careers, Jobs Science Career, Academic positions, New Scientist Jobs, University Positions EU, Xxxx.xx.xx, Science Careers AAAS. Gender equality job search portals such as European Association of Women in Science, Engineering and Technology, Orange Jobs and Xxxxxxxx.Xxx. Other websites, |
e.g. French research jobs ABG, International Association of Universities (IAU), Trabajar en Chequia, Czech Emploi, Life Science Network etc. Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Technical University in Prague, Xxxxxxx University, Research Jobs (Czech platform that advertises job opportunities in science and technology), STAR cluster, etc. | |
Social media | MERIT Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter accounts will be created. In addition, the MSCA Facebook and LinkedIN group will be used. To multiply the effect, SIC and its partners will share the promotional material (kit material) about the call on their own social media: e.g. LinkedIn, Facebook. |
International networks and projects | Information about the calls will be sent to 1) the partners and NGOs of the Inspireurope project supporting researchers at risk, 2) Czech Embassies abroad, 3) foreign embassies in the Czech Republic and its network of Science and Technology Ambassadors, 4) international networks, e.g. Red Global Mexico, KEA network of New Zealanders abroad, Czexpats in Science, Xxxxx.Xxxxxx (Czechs living abroad), 5) Consortia (EU projects and others) that SIC or partners are part of, requesting to disseminate it among key research institutions. |
Online Info days | An online Info day will be carried out before each call opens (promotion through the partner networks and the MSCA National Contact Point). It will be streamed and available on YouTube and aimed raising awareness about the Programme and its calls among potential applicants. |
Thematic conferences, exhibitions, journals | Xxxxxxxxx will be prepared to be handed over in strategic conferences and exhibitions in the Czech Republic and abroad. Careful planning will be done in terms of content, location, timing, using the right language to create a large response. Examples: European Researchers’ Night, Science Week, Innovation Week, International Rector’s Conferences, etc. Ads in journals, e.g. Optics & Laser Technology, Nature Biotechnology, Energy Research Journal and Journal of Innovation in Digital Ecosystems will be also used. |
1.1.1.2 Information provided to the candidates
Table 2: Information provided to the candidates through the MERIT website1
Information | Description |
Background and framework of the Programme | MERIT will be a one-of-a-kind regional programme of Central Bohemia with 5 application areas (Biotechnologies/Biomedicine, Laser technologies, Space technologies, Sustainable energy/materials and Digitalisation/AI). |
Central Bohemia region, RIS3 | Applicants will be informed of living and working in the Region, visas and work permits (with links to the Central Bohemia website and Welcome Office website) and RIS3 Strategy of the Central Bohemia Region. |
Implementing and Associated partners (using the full potential of digital tools) | A “virtual gallery” of Implementing partners will be part of the MERIT website, including their virtual tours, the research programmes they offer, key research facilities, infrastructure and equipment, profiles of supervisors and their expertise. A “virtual gallery” of Associated partners will be part of the MERIT website, including type of secondment they offer (non-academic or academic), related research disciplines and industry sectors, previous cooperation with Implementing partners, profiles of relevant supervisors, etc. |
MERIT online system | A video tutorial will be created on how to apply through the MERIT online system (account creation, uploading documents, editing options, etc.). FAQs and Helpdesk will be available for technical support for the application. |
Conditions of the fellowship | Applicants will be informed of terms and conditions, available budget, calls calendar and indicative timeline, eligibility requirements, selection and evaluation process, employment conditions and obligations, amounts that will be provided to the benefit of the researchers, as well as salary breakdown and applicable taxes and duration of fellowships. FAQs and corresponding downloadable Guide for Applicants, application form, annexes and mandatory templates will be available. Information about the Career Development Plan and training options will be available (see 1.3). Work contracts will be concluded in English. |
Secondments | Secondments will be an imperative experience. All applicants will be informed of the requirements. Secondment options will be offered by Associated partners or freely chosen by the candidates. The secondment template will be available (see 1.1.1.3). |
Transnational mobility | Transnational mobility will be an imperative experience. All applicants will be informed of the minimum requirements (see 1.1.1.3). |
Evaluation and selection process | Information about the evaluation and selection workflow, indicative timeline, weighing factors + evaluation criteria (research proposal and interview), applying threshold, minimum and maximum scores and explanation of the scores will be provided. |
Ethical issues | The Ethics Issues Table (EIT) using an MSCA template will be available on the MERIT website. An Ethics Self- Assessment will be required if any box is checked from the EIT. Research areas excluded from funding will be described. Personal data will be protected: consent with GDPR will be required (see 1.1.1.3). The Beneficiary and each Implementing partner has a Data Protection Officer who will ensure the applicants’ personal data will be processed in compliance with the applicable data protection rules (see their names in part B2 - Ethics). |
Feedback | All applicants will be notified about the successful submission of their application (by an automatic email generated by the MERIT online system). The outcomes of the eligibility check and evaluation score (a summary report from the experts' evaluation will be sent by email), and reasons for below threshold applicants (by email). Those who pass the threshold will receive an invitation for an interview. The final results of the selection process will be published on the MERIT website. The candidates recommended for funding will be contacted by the PM and instructed on the administrative procedure related to the recruitment. |
Redress | A redress template will be available on the MERIT website. Redress requests can be made solely in regard to procedural issues. Applicants will have 10 calendar days to apply for a redress procedure after being notified of their eligibility check results. Applicants will be informed by email within 5 working days if their redress request is accepted from the date the redress is submitted. If so, a new evaluation will be conducted on procedural issues. The applicant will receive the final result within 15 working days from the date the applicant received the notification of the redress being accepted. |
Suspension | The fellow is to complete the contracted period of the fellowship. Fellowships may not be suspended under other than exceptional circumstances (e.g., maternity or parental leave, military service or long-term illness). Any |
1 The information provided to the candidates will be in English
suspensions must be in line with the employment terms and follow the procedures of the Implementing partners, and, where relevant, national procedures on this matter. |
1.1.1.3 Eligibility criteria and application requirements
There will be 2 open Calls for recruitment (and 1 reserve call if necessary), to be published in M6 and M14, offering 30 fellowships, 15 fellowships per call. Following the eligibility criteria, the application requirements will be applied and will be also detailed in the Guide for Applicants, in compliance with MSCA principles under Horizon Europe.
● The structure of the application: Part A – administrative information (candidates’ details, keywords, abstract and lay abstract, declarations on Open Science Policy and Research Data Management), Part B – research proposal (10-page limit), Part C – CV, Part D – Ethics Issues Table, Security Issues Table, and Ethics Self-Assessment (if applicable) Part E – Secondment template and Part F – GDPR form.
● A short reflection on the Gender dimension in research must be included in all research proposals (in Part B – research proposal). It means that all candidates must describe how gender or other intersectional categories such as age, ethnicity, etc., will be integrated in the content of their research projects (if not relevant, justification must be provided). See also 1.1.1.4.
● The proposals must be written in English, and must be completed and submitted before the call deadline, through the MERIT online system. Failure to submit the forms by the deadline will result in the application being deemed ineligible. Proposals that will not fulfil the eligibility criteria, form and completeness of the proposal (research experience, mobility rule, deadline) will be ineligible. Excess pages (10-page limit for the research proposal) will be disregarded.
● Research experience: candidates must be, at the date of MERIT’s call deadline, in possession of a doctoral degree. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will also be considered as postdoctoral researchers and will be considered eligible to apply.
● The standard mobility rule will be applied. Applications will be submitted under different panels (see Table 3).
Table 3: Mobility rule applying to 4 different panels
Panel | Standard | Researchers at risk | Career Restart | Reintegration |
Description of panel | Researchers moving within Europe or coming in from other parts of the world who do not apply to Researchers at risk, Career Restart or Reintegration panel. | Researchers with the status of refugees or researchers at all stages of their careers who are experiencing threats to their life, liberty or research career, and those who are forced to flee or have been displaced because of such threats. | Researchers who wish to restart their research after a career break (e.g. after parental leave, working outside research, etc.). The researchers must not have been active in research for a continuous period of at least 12 months within the 18 months immediately prior to the deadline for submission of proposals. | Czech nationals or long-term residents who wish to return and reintegrate in a longer-term research position in the Czech Republic. |
Mobility rule | Standard mobility rule | |||
Standard mobility rule: Researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the Czech Republic for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the call deadline.
Research proposals:
● During the preparation of their proposal, the Programme Manager will be at the candidates’ disposal regarding any technical and administrative issues of the call (in addition to the information and FAQs available on the MERIT website), regarding infrastructure, technical equipment of the Implementing/Associated partners or their supervisors. To ensure meeting the individual needs of all the candidates, during the application stage they will be able to freely formulate their own research topics and choose the appropriate Implementing and Associated partners to host them, including supervisors.
Ethics: MERIT is committed to ensuring that all research activities will comply with ethical principles and relevant Union, national and international law, respecting the relevant Horizon Europe ethics rules (see B2 – 4. Ethics).
● Applicants will need to fill in 1) the compulsory Ethics Issues Table and Security Issues Table to declare whether their proposed research activity deals with the research areas focusing on: human embryos/foetuses, humans, human cells/tissues, personal data, animals, third countries, environment & health and safety, artificial intelligence, other ethics issues or misuse; and 2) Ethics Self-Assessment (if any potential ethical issues are identified)..
● All successful proposals (ranked list and reserve list) will be screened or reviewed for ethics. SIC and the partners will ensure the applicant’s personal data will be treated in compliance with the GDPR rules (see part B2 – 4. Ethics). All Implementing partners possess security certifications related to the types of activities carried out by their employees. In the beginning of each fellowship, fellows will attend mandatory security training applying to the type of activity they will execute and will be familiarised with the security protocol of their workplace.
The following integral parts of the fellowship are the major benefits for the researchers’ career development:
Transnational mobility:
● Transnational mobility is mandatory. The fellows must participate in a minimum of 3 events outside of the Czech Republic. These should significantly add to the impact of the fellowship and be relevant in terms of the acquisition of new knowledge or the transfer of knowledge.
● Examples of international events can be seminars, symposiums, congresses, workshops, conferences, summer schools, short visits etc. These events and their expected results must be reflected in the Career Development Plan (CDP) and consulted with the supervisor in the Implementing partner.
Secondments:
● At least one secondment is compulsory for each fellowship. It should be relevant, feasible, and beneficial for the researcher and in line with the project objectives. The aim of secondments is to assure intersectoral, international or interdisciplinary experience for fellows, the transfer of knowledge and technologies from research organisations to industry or to gather relevant inputs and industry needs to research organisations. The applicants need to complete the secondment template as part of their application.
● The duration of the secondment is from 2 to a maximum of 9 months (FTE). It can be carried out in one or more institutions in a single period or divided into shorter periods. Short visits and stays of less than 2 months are not counted as secondments.
● The secondment can be carried out in the non-academic or academic sectors (private or public) in the Czech Republic or abroad. Secondments in the industry are preferred because of the application focus of the Programme. However, secondments in public or academic sectors are welcome, if they better fit the research project needs or if fellows want to experience multiple types of secondments. In any case, secondments must fulfil at least one of the three key elements: intersectoral, international or interdisciplinary.
● Fellows will carry out their secondments at the premises of the Associated partners while keeping their contract with the sending institutions, the Implementing partners. The Programme offers a wide range of secondment options provided by Associated partners, including large enterprises, SMEs, start-ups/spin-offs, international universities and local high schools2. 36 Associated partners are already known at the proposal stage. Other institutions can be freely chosen by fellows and become Associated partners during the Programme implementation.
● The co-supervisor from the Associated partner will be identified before the start of the secondment and will be named in the secondment agreement concluded between the Implementing and Associated.
1.1.1.4 Gender dimension and other diversity aspects
With reference to the document GENDERED INNOVATIONS 2: How Inclusive Analysis Contributes to Research and Innovation, MERIT will stimulate gender-responsible science and technology. Since the gender dimension is a key element of MERIT, this will be present in the following stages and as a deliverable.
At the individual level (requirements at application stage): MERIT candidates must include a short reflection on the gender dimension or other intersectional categories (such as sex, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation or geographical location) in their research proposals. The review on the gender dimension in the research proposals will be carried out before the oral interviews by the Equality and Diversity Committee composed of experts on gender in science. This committee will play an important role in the evaluation and selection process (see Table 4) and be part of the Interview Panel to discuss the gender dimension with the candidates and potential future fellows.
At the Programme level:
● Support for fellows: The gender dimension issue can be particularly challenging for researchers from technical and life sciences research disciplines which are relevant for MERIT. That's why SIC will offer training on how to successfully and meaningfully include the gender dimension and intersectionality in the content of the fellows' research projects as part of the transferable skills training for all fellows (see Table 10). Additionally, individual consultations and support from the Management Board will be available.
● Deliverable: Based on the gender dimension/intersectionality cases that will be incorporated in the fellows' research projects, the Management Board will create a Report presenting the best practices and lessons learned which will be shared and presented among MERIT partners (this report will be one of the deliverables of the WP Diversity, D6.2).
1.1.2 Organisation of the selection process
The selection process is inspired by the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF) and includes some innovative elements:
1. Specific committees: One innovative approach to the selection process is the creation of specific selection committees, the evaluation committees with the full participation of international peer-reviewers (in written and oral phases), strongly interconnected among themselves to ensure the principles of equal opportunities,
2 Secondments in high schools will engage researchers in teaching activities for students from 11 to 19 years old.
transparency, ethics, and intersectorality oriented on applied results. Hence, the Equality and Diversity Committee will support the Management Board to secure equal opportunities for all candidates and fellows regardless of their gender, nationality, race, age, etc., while the Steering Committee, composed of representatives of different sectors, will put an emphasis on intersectorality and the application potential of the selected research projects.
2. Experts from the industry: In order to better assess the level of applicability of the research projects and to include the industrial point of view, the Pool of evaluators will be composed not only by scientists from the academic sector, but also by experts from the industry, particularly from the R&D departments of high-tech companies.
3. Gender dimension in research: The gender dimension and other intersectional categories such as age, race, nationality, sexual orientation or geographic location are carefully considered as part of the evaluation and selection process, despite the technical and life sciences focus of expected research projects.
1.1.2.1 Composition of committees involved in the different stages of the process
Table 4: Composition and roles of selection committees and other boards
Name and role | Composition and description of roles |
Management Board (MB): Eligibility check and Coordination | Composed of 3 full-time employees of the Beneficiary, SIC: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxx (f), Programme Manager, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx (f), Career Development Manager, Xxxxx Xxxxxxx (m), Finance Manager The MB will check for the eligibility of all submitted proposals, prepare the report to the Steering Committee to approve the distribution of proposals to evaluators, be part of the Interview Panel (see below), prepare Panel Reports and coordinate the whole evaluation and selection process. |
Equality and Diversity Committee (EDC): Prevention of unconscious gender bias, Gender dimension in research | Composed of 5 members: experts on gender in science and Open Science and prominent researchers, of mixed gender and different origins and ethnicities: 1. Xx. Xxxxxxx Xxxxx (f) (Switzerland), Gender in Science Expert, more than 10 years of experience with MSCA, 2. Xx. Xxxxx Xxxxx (f) (Austria), Gender in Science Expert, lecturer at the Vienna University of Technology, 3. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxx (f) (Czech Republic), Gender in Science Expert, Centre for Gender & Science, 4. Xx. Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx-Z, Ph.D. (m) (Mexico), Open Science Expert, Tecnológico de Monterrey, 5. Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx, Ph.D. (m) (India), Senior researcher at the Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences. They will specifically: 1. Review and approve the call documents and procedures before the launch of each call to prevent any unintentional bias, particularly gender bias or the discouragement of female candidates from being incorporated into the Programme. 2. Review the reflection on the gender dimension in fellows' research proposals and be part of the Interview Panel to discuss these issues. 3. During the evaluation process and the fellowships: work closely with the Management Board and the Ombudsperson in case any issues related to gender, diversity or equal opportunities are raised. |
Redress Committee Redress process | Composed of the Ombudsperson and the HR Specialist of SIC. All candidates will have recourse to redress solely with regard to procedural issues or the perceived incorrect application of eligibility criteria, and not with regard to the scientific judgments of the evaluators and members of the Interview Panel. The process is described in Table 2. The Redress Committee decisions are final. In addition, the role of the Ombudsperson will be to solve any potential issues (contractual or others) raised by selected researchers during the fellowships, and take immediate action, if necessary. |
International evaluators: Scientific evaluation of assigned proposals | Pool of approximately 200 evaluators composed of independent experts of any nationality from outside the Programme partnership. 5 scientific panels will be established, one for each of the chosen areas, and headed by one Chair for each panel. The Chairs will match the proposals to the individual evaluators and check the quality and consistency of the experts’ Consensus Reports. The advised matching will be sent for approval to the Steering Committee (SC). The SC will have the power to propose changes to optimise the matching. Once the allocation is completed, the MB will check for any potential conflict of interest. Each research proposal will be evaluated by 3 experts remotely. One of the evaluators will serve as a Rapporteur and will engage with the other evaluators (remotely) to prepare a Consensus Report for each application, based on the evaluation criteria and scoring. |
Ethics Committee: Ethics screening and the ethics review | Composed of 7 independent ethics experts formed from the most important ethics committees in the Czech Republic (see part B2, section 4). The ethics screening will be executed by a single member and the ethics review by all members of the committee of proposals recommended for funding. |
Interview Panel: Oral interviews | Composed of 10 people: 5 international evaluators, specifically the Chair of the corresponding scientific panel, 3 reviewers of the proposal and another international evaluator as an observer (for scientific discussion/independent observation); 1 permanent member of the Steering Committee; 1 member of the Equality and Diversity Committee (for gender/intersectional topics); the Programme Manager; an HR representative and a director of the corresponding Implementing partner to explain the working conditions and to enable the partners to choose their future employees. Oral interviews will be held through the online platforms ZOOM, Teams, Skype or using the virtual showrooms of concerned Implementing partners (to reduce the CO² footprint) |
Steering Committee (SC): Synergies, monitoring and approving the evaluation and selection process | Composed of 5 members related to the Central Bohemia Region and representing non-academic and academic (public and private) sectors: 1. Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx (m), CEO of the Beneficiary, SIC (non-academic public sector), 2. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx (m), Vice-Governor of the Central Bohemia Region (non-academic public sector) 3. Assoc. Xxxx. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Ph.D. (m), medical researcher (academic public sector) 4. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx (f), Technology Transfer Officer in the field of energy (academic private sector) |
5. Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx (f), Manager of an expanding local incubator, AI Award Personality of the year 2019, (non- academic private sector) They will specifically: 1. Review the secondments assessing the readiness of any industry/academic partnership specifically articulated in the proposal, and be part of the Interview Panel (at least 1 member). 2. Based on the final Consensus and Panel Report, approve the final list of proposals recommended for funding. The SC will also propose/approve issues to be solved during the negotiation phase. The decision of the SC will be final. 3. During the fellowships, monitor and approve progress reports. They will be authorised to suspend or terminate a fellowship due to the unsatisfactory performance of the fellow and they will provide feedback and propose adjustments to the running projects as well as the Programme in general. |
1.1.2.2 Selection of experts
SIC will seek to achieve diversity among the experts (gender, age, etc.). Priority will be given to the relevant skills, knowledge and experience in the areas of their selected fields. There are two types of experts to be hired: 1) experts for selection committees and 2) international evaluators for scientific evaluation and as members of the Interview Panel. Both will sign an expert contract with an honorarium of EUR 500 per person per day.
Experts for selection committees (Steering Committee, Equality and Diversity Committee, Redress Committee and Ethics Committee) will be selected by the Management Board based on the experts' CVs and personal interviews (online or offline) led by members of the Management Board or long-term cooperation with SIC. The majority of experts were already selected at the proposal stage (see Table 4).
Evaluators for scientific evaluation of proposals: SIC will create an ample database of around 200 evaluators to efficiently manage the submitted applications. Common templates for evaluator profiles will be used in order to obtain a unified database. The evaluators’ personal data will be protected. SIC will look for national and international evaluators in different ways:
● Open call for both national and international evaluators in research disciplines related to Biotechnologies/Biomedicine, Laser technologies, Space technologies, Sustainable energy/materials and Digitalisation/AI. The call will be published in month 2 of the project and will be open for 3 months. The call will be published on the MERIT website and other international websites (from Table 1) and disseminated by:
○ asking XXX to send the information about the call to the evaluators from the MSCA expert list;
○ contacting the Czech NCP to share the call within the NCP network and on the national Horizon Europe portal;
○ using mailing lists and contacts from 51 Implementing/Associated partners, especially through their networks of partners for international cooperation (universities and research organisations)
○ using international contacts of SIC and the Central Bohemia Region, especially through the signed memorandums of understanding and previous international activities, such as Twinning (at least 15 international co-operations); and
○ contacting national grant agencies or other providers of grants in R&D&I (Grant Agency of the CR, Technology Agency of the CR, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Industry and Trade, CzechInvest, etc.)
● Using existing databases:
○ List of contracted experts within H2020 2014-2020/Excellent science publicly available on European Funding and Tenders Portal.
○ Database created within the previously implemented COFUND programme in the Czech Republic (SOMOPRO) and other independent expert databases of 15 Implementing partners.
○ To complete the pool with evaluators coming from the business sector, SIC will use the national database of YNOVATE network experts (originally called PLATINN - Switzerland3, and the experts from R&D departments of SMEs and other companies from the SIC network (but from outside the Programme partnership to avoid any potential conflict of interest).
Before the evaluation and selection process of fellows (in month 5), the Management Board will select and nominate 5 Chairs of scientific panels related to the MERIT application areas (on the basis of personal online interviews). The choice of Chairs will be approved by the Steering Committee. Before the written evaluation phase, the Chairs of the relevant scientific panels (supported by the Management Board) will assign each research proposal to 3 individual evaluators from the pool. The matching will be based on evaluators' abstracts, keywords, profiles and the following criteria:
● For each proposal, the evaluators shall be 1) of mixed gender, 2) at least two evaluators must be of another nationality than Czech and, 3) if a secondment in the private sector is foreseen, at least one evaluator shall come from the business sector.
● The selection of the evaluators will be based on their expertise as evidenced by research outputs, geographic and
gender balance, reviewing experience, involvement in policy, ability to use IT tools and time availability.
● Experience in international project evaluations (especially in H2020 - MSCA) is welcome.
3 The Czech Republic has been a holder of the licence since 2013
Requirements towards experts and evaluators:
● All experts will perform their work on a personal basis, not as representatives of their institution, their country or any other entity. They are required to be independent, impartial and objective.
● They will sign an expert contract with SIC, including a declaration of confidentiality, declaration of no conflict of interest4 and declaration against the discrimination of candidates on the basis of gender, age, ethnicity, nationality or social origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, language, disability (both physical and mental), political opinion, or social or economic condition before beginning their work.
● Under the terms of their contract, all experts must declare beforehand any known conflicts of interest and must immediately inform the Programme Manager if they detect a conflict of interest during the work.
● The evaluators will be given clear evaluation criteria (guide including an assessment grid) and a mandatory
online evaluation briefing (concerning criteria) organised by SIC.
● In addition, the members of the Interview Panel, Management Board, Equality and Diversity Committee, Steering Committee and individual evaluators will receive a mandatory online briefing, organised by SIC, on how to avoid unconscious bias based on gender, age, ethnicity, etc.
1.1.2.3 Fellows’ selection workflow and powers entrusted to the different actors
Figure 1: Evaluation and selection process scheme
Table 5: Fellows’ selection workflow and powers entrusted to the selection committees
Steps in the selection process | Responsible Actors | Duration |
Open call | Management Board | 3 months |
Information on successful submission and eligibility check to the candidates | Management Board | 1 week |
Redress procedure (if applicable) | Redress Committee | 3 weeks |
Matching proposals to individual evaluators | Chairs of scientific panels | 1 week |
Written evaluation. Consensus discussion and upload of Consensus Reports to MERIT online system | International evaluators | 3 weeks |
Check of the quality and consistency of the evaluators’ reports | Chairs of scientific panels | 1 week |
Submission of the final Consensus Report to the SC | Management Board | 1 day |
Preliminary rank list (at least a 75% in the written evaluation) of proposals for oral interviews | Steering Committee | 2 weeks |
Review of secondments in proposals for interviews | Steering Committee | |
Review of gender dimension in research in proposals for interviews | Equality and Diversity Committee | |
Ethics screening and ethics review (if applicable) | Ethics Committee | 1 week |
Sending invitations for oral interviews including Consensus Report | Management Board | |
Oral interviews and the Panel Report | Interview Panel | 3 weeks |
Preparation of the final list of project proposals: 1) recommended for funding, 2) reserve list, and 3) not funded | Management Board | 1 day |
4 The Horizon Europe contract for experts model will be used. If necessary, SIC may withdraw experts from evaluation duties. What constitutes a conflict of interest will be assessed according to the Horizon Europe rules.
Final approval and award decision | Steering Committee | 1 week |
Communication of results and acceptance of fellowships | Management Board | 1 week |
Work contracts and relocations | Implementing partners | 4 months |
MERIT will have a two-stage evaluation process: written and oral. MERIT evaluation criteria will be inspired by MSCA-PF award criteria (excellence, impact, implementation) applying similar weighting factors. Evaluation scores will be awarded for each of the three criteria (see table below). All of the separate elements of each criterion will be considered by the evaluators in their assessment. The top ranked proposals will pass to the next stage, where candidate fellows will be invited for an oral interview.
Table 6: Criteria for the selection of researchers
CRITERIA FOR RESEARCH PROPOSALS | ||
Excellence | Impact | Implementation |
Quality and pertinence of the project’s research and innovation objectives (and the extent to which they are ambitious, and go beyond the state-of-the-art). | Credibility of the measures to enhance the career perspectives and employability of the researcher and contribution to his/her skills development. | Quality and effectiveness of the work plan and assessment of risks. |
Soundness of the proposed methodology (including interdisciplinary approaches, the gender dimension and other diversity aspects if relevant for the research project). | Suitability and quality of the measures to maximise expected outcomes and impacts, as set out in the dissemination and exploitation plan, including communication activities. | Relevance, feasibility and benefit for the research project objectives of the planned secondment. Quality of the secondment choice in terms of at least one of the following principles: intersectorality, interdisciplinarity or international mobility. |
Quality of the two-way transfer of knowledge between the researcher and the host. | Sustainability of the candidates’ research project in the Region. Opportunities to continue the research through regional/international collaboration with relevant industry or academic sectors. | |
Quality and appropriateness of the researcher’s professional experience, competences and skills. | ||
CRITERIA FOR INTERVIEWS | ||
Together with the invitation for oral interviews, candidates will receive the Consensus reports including comments and questions. The goal of the interviews is to assess the candidates’ motivation for their research proposal, their capability to communicate effectively and their potential to lead a future team of their own. The interview will be held online and in English. To ensure standardisation and objectivity in the process, all candidates will have 30 minutes for the interview, including five minutes for the candidates’ presentation about their research topic and motivations to come to the Czech Republic, and 25 minutes for questions asked by the members of the Interview Panel. There will be a fixed set of questions for each category and they will correspond to a weighted score (scoring 0-5). | ||
Scientific discussion - Discussion following the questions raised in the Consensus reports - Discussion on the gender dimension /intersectionality in the research proposal | Communication ability - Confidence - Clear and concise communication targeted to different audiences - Giving and receiving feedback | Potential for leadership - Interest in coaching and mentoring or leading own research groups - Past experience with leading challenging projects |
Table 7: Overview of criteria, scoring, weights and threshold for oral interview
Evaluation criteria | Scale | Criteria weight | Total weight |
- Excellence | 0-5 | 50% | 70% |
- Impact | 0-5 | 30% | |
- Implementation | 0-5 | 20% | |
Threshold for interview invitation 75% | |||
Criteria for interviews | Scale | Criteria weight | Total weight |
- Scientific discussion | 0-5 | 50% | 30% |
- Communication ability | 0-5 | 25% | |
- Potential for leadership | 0-5 | 25% | |
Each criterion for the written and oral stage will be scored out of 5, including decimals. A weighted total score will be calculated based on the scores of the report from the consensus discussion (70%) and the scores of the oral interview (30%). For the written part, each proposal will be remotely evaluated by three evaluators in an individual and independent manner. After carrying out their individual evaluation, the evaluators will join in a consensus discussion in order to agree on a common position, including comments and scores for each award criterion in a Consensus Report. For each proposal, one of the evaluators will be designated as the Rapporteur and will assume additional responsibilities in the evaluation phase (drafting of the Consensus Report, moderation of the remote consensus discussions). The discussion will be done through online platforms. The aim of the Consensus Report is to give a clear assessment of the proposal based on its merit, with justification and clear feedback on the proposal’s strengths and weaknesses. The quality and consistency of the reports will be checked by the Chairs of each panel. Those candidates that reach at least 75% in the written stage (but maximum 30 of candidates per call) will be invited for an interview. For the oral part, the members of the Interview Panel will have access to the different Consensus Reports in order to ensure the consistency and equal treatment of the proposals. As the experts in the written phase, members of the Interview Panel will join in a consensus discussion after each interview to agree on a common position, including comments and scores for each award criterion, which will be formulated in a Panel Report that will contain a clear assessment on the candidate’s skills and abilities.
For proposals with the same score, the following sub-criteria will apply:
1. Priority selection according to the scores they have been awarded for 1. Excellence, 2. Impact 3. and Implementation.
2. Assessment of the secondments and gender dimension in research proposals (reviewed by the Steering Committee and Diversity and Equality Committee).
3. The gender balance among the selected researchers will be taken into consideration.
4. Any further prioritisation will be based on geographical diversity.
1.1.3.1 Award decision, distribution of grants
According to the Consensus Reports and Panel Reports, the Programme Manager will prepare and present the final ranked list of projects 1) recommended for funding, 2) reserve list, and 3) not funded (proposals below the cut-off score) to the Steering Committee for their review and final award decision. There will be a reserve list of up to 8 proposals per call. The Steering Committee has the authority to request: a) a fourth review if there are major inconsistencies in the consensus report; b) a new application review if a potential conflict of interest is reported; c) a decision on the calculation of the average score when applications are evaluated by a fourth expert; d) the exclusion of proposals if they are not aligned to ethical and diversity principles. Those recommended for funding will be informed by the Programme Manager about an offer for a fellowship position at one of the Implementing partners.
MERIT will contribute significantly to strengthen European international competitiveness in the scientific field and improve working conditions for researchers at all levels of their career. The Czech central state authorities who serve as the founders of research and development institutions and others took the initiative to respect and enforce the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers back in 20065. Implementing partners involved in MERIT will offer the fellows working conditions in line with those two documents. The principle of non-discrimination is also specified in the Czech Labour Code. Moreover, SIC and all Implementing partners have Ethic Codes or similar that ensure an equal opportunities policy. No researcher will be discriminated against based on gender, age, ethnicity, nationality or social origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, language, disability (both physical and mental), political opinion, or social or economic conditions.
• At the Programme level: SIC created and nominated the members of the Equality and Diversity Committee to address diversity aspects and inclusion and the respect of people of different racial ethnic groups, ages, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc. XXX also nominated an Ombudsperson for MERIT who will individually address and solve any issues raised by fellows, including the issues connected to diversity and equal opportunities.
• At the level of the dissemination of the calls: MERIT will be open to any postdoctoral researchers around the world provided they comply with the mobility rule. All candidates will have equal conditions of access to information about the Programme on the MERIT website and professional support staff will be available to them. One of the roles of the Equality and Diversity Committee will be to review the call documents and procedures in order to prevent any kind of unconscious bias. MERIT will support and welcome researchers at risk (see different panels including Researchers at risk in Table 3). The calls will be advertised in the Science4Refugees initiative on the EURAXESS portal and through the network of NGOs and other partners of the Inspireurope project. SIC will advertise calls widely, explicitly promote diversity, and encourage women to apply by highlighting the number of female researchers already employed in some of the Implementing partners and by demonstrating how the gender balance and diversity in a fellowship cohort might have a long-lasting transformative impact.
• At the evaluation and selection level: Briefing on how to avoid an unconscious bias based on gender, age, race, nationality or health (both physical and mental) will be a mandatory experience for the members of all selection committees. SIC will use, to the extent possible, diversity among evaluators for each evaluation (see 1.1.2.2). To determine the prevalence of gender/diversity, the Management Board will monitor e.g. the percentage of women candidates/selected researchers in MERIT, the percentage of women in selection committees/evaluators, etc. Fellows will be selected following an open, transparent, merit-based, impartial and equitable selection procedure, based on international peer review. The main criterion for recruiting the fellow under MERIT will be his/her professional skills and experiences.
• At the implementation level: SIC will take all measures to promote equal opportunities between women and men in the implementation of MERIT aiming, to the extent possible for a gender balance at all levels. MERIT is committed to offering working conditions and a culture that allow women and men to have equally fulfilling careers and to equally value the aspirations and needs of women and men. Implementing partners ensure the appropriate conditions for working parents with small children (kindergartens) and workplace accessibility for people with mobility impairments. Part-time fellowships (at least 50%) in justified cases for family or
5 Resolution of the Government of the Czech Republic No 951 from 16th August 2006 about recognition of the European Commission's recommendation on the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers
professional reasons will be allowed in order to ensure equal opportunities to working parents with small children (given the fact that in science longer breaks can have a devastating impact on a scientific career). Regarding salary conditions, the Programme will offer motivating Family Allowances in order to encourage the arrival of whole families to the Region. Implementing partners possess advanced equipment and top-class infrastructures and will ensure full Open Access for the recruited researchers to the background and results needed for their training and research activities under MERIT. SIC will apply for Special Needs Allowances in the case of researchers with disabilities selected within MERIT. SIC will also do its best to meet the needs and requirements (as reasonable adjustments) for people that might require assistance due to their gender, age, ethnicity, nationality social origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, language, or their condition of disability (both physical and mental), political opinion, social or economic situation.
1.1.5 Appointment conditions of researchers
Table 8: Amounts provided to researchers and hosting organisations
Cost categories | EU contribution (EUR/person-month) | Total cost = EU contribution + own resources (EUR/person-month) |
COFUND allowance | 3 980 | 3980 |
Mobility allowance | 200 | |
Family allowance | 500 | |
Travel allowance | 300 | |
Research costs | 400 | |
Training | 300 | |
Management costs | 870 | |
Indirect costs | 100 | |
Number of fellows | 30 | |
Number of fellow months | 900 | |
Total amount | 3,582,000 | 5,985,000 |
Amounts for the benefit of the researchers:
COFUND allowance: €3,980 per month. It covers the salary, social security, contributions, taxes and other costs included in the remuneration. This amount will be taxable.
Mobility allowance: €200 per month. It is provided to compensate for the cost of the required personal and household relocation of the fellow and his/her dependents. This amount will be taxable.
Family allowance: Up to €500 per month. This will be paid if the researcher has family obligations (under the same conditions as defined in the MSCA Work Programme, p. 84) and will be two-level (€250 for researchers with family obligations not including children; €500 for researchers with family obligations including children). The amount was calculated based on the knowledge of the local environment (e.g., private English school fees) to motivate researchers to relocate to the Region with the whole family. This amount will be taxable.
Travel allowance: €300 per month. It covers travel expenses for training/events, workshops, conferences, etc. This amount will not be taxable.
Research costs: €400 per month. It covers research-related materials and small equipment purchases.
Training in transferable and research skills: €300 per month. It covers costs for both training in research and transferable skills and coaching/mentoring.
1.1.5.1 Employment conditions and comparison of the proposed working conditions through the Programme with the regional and national ones
The researchers’ cost was calculated at €5,680/person/month. Out of this amount, direct remuneration for selected researchers will be €4,980 (including COFUND, mobility, family and travel allowances) and €700 will cover research and training costs, also for the benefit of the fellows. The Programme salary conditions are therefore highly competitive with regard to living costs in the Central Bohemia Region and Prague and with regard to the average postdoctoral researcher’s salary in the Czech Republic, which is approximately €1,200/person/month. The MERIT programme offers even more competitive salary conditions than MSCA-PF for the Czech Republic, which is
€5,278/person/month. Moreover, MERIT fellows will benefit from excellent training programmes in research and transferable skills and from other career development opportunities (see 1.3) as well as interdisciplinary research options, intersectoral exposure and international networking opportunities (see 1.2.2), which exceed the regular career opportunities in the research centres of the Central Bohemia Region or the Czech Republic.
The fellows will be recruited by the Implementing partners under the relevant employment law with full social security and health security coverage. In the Czech Republic, the employment contracts imply sickness, parental and unemployment benefits. No additional commercial health insurance is necessary. Depending on the Implementing partners’ practice, other benefits may also be provided to the fellow, such as contributions to pension funds, provisions for annual and sickness leave, etc. Some Implementing partners offer accommodation in the premises they themselves own. All work contracts will be concluded in English. The funding to fellows will be paid on a monthly basis.
Central Bohemia, where the Implementing partners are all located, is the largest and the most populous region of the Czech Republic, situated both in the heart of Europe and the Czech Republic. Its administrative centre is in the Czech capital city of Prague, which lies in the natural territory of the Region. However, the city of Prague is not part of the Region but is a region of its own (see the map below).
In general, the workplaces of Implementing partners recruiting fellows are located in quiet rural areas of the Region surrounded by scenic landscapes but also in proximity of the capital city of Prague, with possibilities for an active international social and cultural life. There are great train or bus connections across the Region, with international lines to many European cities, affordable accommodation and good infrastructure (e.g., high-quality medical care accessible for everyone, kindergartens/schools for children including international ones). In conclusion, fellows will benefit from high-quality working and living conditions in the centre of the Czech Republic, which ranks as the 9th safest country in the world6. With a constantly low unemployment rate and labour shortage, the Region offers great job opportunities not only for international researchers, but also for their family members.
Figure 2: Central Bohemia Region and some of its figures7:
All MERIT fellows will benefit from the regional Welcome Office support (a programme existing since 2018). The services are divided into “before arrival” and “after arrival”. Before arrival: it is intended to help researchers with procedures before entering the Czech Republic, in cooperation with EURAXESS Prague. Researchers, especially non-EU researchers, will be informed about the scientific VISA procedure and will be supported in order to obtain all the necessary documents for the VISA application process in due time. In addition, fellows will obtain all practical information necessary to them and their family members for their life in the Central Bohemia Region, tips/advice on how to find suitable accommodation or schools for children. After arrival: fellows will be supported in their communication with the authorities and will be invited to join regular International Researcher Meetups organised (since 2020) by the Welcome Office, which are very popular among the foreign researchers living in the Region. Fellows will have an opportunity to attend free Czech language courses provided by the national NGOs and EURAXESS. Besides that, fellows will benefit from the support of the institutional welcome offices within the HR departments of each Implementing partner. Before a fellow is recruited, the HR department at the host institution will familiarise fellows with national regulations and provisions concerning social security and pensions, provisions for maternity/parental leave and answer any of the fellows’ questions regarding their work contract and affiliation to the institution.
1.2 Quality and novelty of the research options offered by the Programme
1.2.1 Excellence of the research programme
MERIT is an excellent research mobility programme offering a wide range and quality of research options in terms of research infrastructure, equipment, research teams/projects and disciplines. The uniqueness of the Central Bohemia Region is in its great diversity in research, innovation and technology, which creates the ideal ground for interdisciplinary and intersectoral research. MERIT research and training options will be ensured by the engagement and commitment of 15 Implementing partners (regional research organisations) and 36 Associated partners from non-academic (private and public) and academic sectors. MERIT sets up application areas which range among the most promising technologies for the future and are in line with the RIS3 of the Region:
6 The Global Peace Ranking 2021.
7 The dots on the map indicate research organisations located in the Region.
Biotechnologies/Biomedicine, Laser technologies, Space technologies, Sustainable energy/Materials and Digitalisation/Artificial Intelligence (which is a cross-cutting area because the research options offered within Digitalisation are always combined with some of the other application areas). The choice of these areas was based on the strategies at the regional, national, European and global level, including Horizon Europe clusters from Pillar II (top-down approach). On the other hand, also the research infrastructure and technical resources of the Region offers fertile land for MERIT areas (bottom-up approach): the most intense lasers in the world in ELI Beamlines or the largest institute for phenogenomics in Central Europe in BIOCEV are good examples (see Figure 3). Digitalisation/AI is reinforced by the presence of the Brain4Industry Digital Innovation Hub (the national candidate for the European Digital Innovation Hub) and the prg.ai hub in artificial intelligence as an Associated partner of MERIT. Moreover, one of the Implementing partners is the leader of the H2020 RICAIP project to build the European Centre of Excellence for Industrial Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.
Figure 3: MERIT areas and compliance with regional, national, European and international strategic frameworks
MERIT is unique, among other mobility programmes, because the Beneficiary of MERIT is a Regional Innovation Centre, as the coordinator of the wide network of Implementing and Associated partners which will host selected researchers. SIC has the deepest knowledge of the regional innovation ecosystem and a close connection with the key stakeholders representing non-academic and academic sectors. It is the leader of the Regional Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation (RIS3) of Central Bohemia and, due to this strategic overview will create synergies between MERIT and other already existing regional programmes, initiatives and funding schemes. SIC is the designer of new regional programmes to boost the regional economy and its transition to Industry 4.0 while respecting the principles of sustainable development. In the last six years, SIC has fostered a successful and trustworthy network of research and industry partners at regional, national and international levels which will serve as a perfect innovation ecosystem for the implementation of the MERIT programme and it makes the Regional Innovation Centre the ideal COFUND programme leader in terms of intersectoral, interdisciplinary, international and novelty elements.
The Implementing partners are e.g. large research infrastructures with significant international overlaps and top- class equipment, 2 European Centres of Excellence BIOCEV (Biotechnology and Biomedicine Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Xxxxxxx University) and the pan-European project ELI Beamlines, in addition to 4 other new infrastructures (funded from ERDF in the programming period 2007-2013). On the other hand, there are long- established institutes with rich histories and achievements such the Astronomical Institute (dating back to 1898), hosting one of the European ARC nodes of the international ALMA project.
The privileged position in the vicinity of Prague also makes the Region an attractive location for the private sector. Seventeen branches out of the top 100 European investors in R&D are located in the Region, e.g., VOLKSWAGEN (ŠKODA), HELLA, CONTINENTAL or VALEO (one of the Associated partners). These corporations and other multinational companies such as RIGAKU (X-ray and Space), expanding local SMEs, e.g., LINET (the global leader of smart hospital beds exporting to 100 countries), BEZNOSKA (Healthcare) and new businesses, incubators, start- ups, e.g., DIANA Biotechnologies represent other potential career opportunities for the fellows. The fellows will benefit from the already-existing network of academic institutions and businesses connected for interdisciplinary research, and to carry their intersectoral collaboration. MERIT aspires to support individual-driven research projects with a strong application focus. In addition to international networking, interdisciplinary exposure and
career development, fellowships will also include intersectoral secondments and industry networking events such as speed dating or hackathons in cooperation with the stakeholders from industry mentioned above.
1.2.2.1 Interdisciplinary exposure
MERIT offers a real variety and diversity of research programmes (see Table 9 below). These research programmes are offered by the 15 Implementing partners based on the application areas set up by MERIT and are composed of multidisciplinary research teams. Interdisciplinarity will be ensured because MERIT candidates will freely choose among these options and formulate their own research topics connecting several research disciplines. Table 9: Research options of MERIT
Main MERIT area | Examples of research programmes offered by 15 different Implementing partners | Main HE clusters synergies |
Biotechnologies/ Biomedicine | Structural Biology and Protein Engineering (Structural biology of signaling proteins, Structural proteins and their complexes, Molecular Interactions of Anti-cancer drugs, Protein Structure Characterization by Advanced Mass Spectrometry), Development of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures (Molecular Pathogenetics), Molecular Ecology, Cell Signaling, Experimental Neurobiology, Translational Neuroscience, Biotechnological Use of Algae, Biomonitoring and Water Treatment, Plant Biodiversity and Evolution, Environmental and Isotope Geochemistry | Health Cancer Biodiversity Environment Environmental observation |
Laser technologies | Advanced Laser Development (Thin Disk Lasers and Nonlinear Optics, High-Energy Slab Lasers), Industrial Laser Application (Laser Shock Peening, Laser Induced Damage Threshold, Efficient Laser Micromachining), Scientific Laser Applications (Laser Matter Interaction, Laser Material Processing, Nanomaterials, Mid-IR and Bio-applications, Ultrafast Photonics), X-Ray Sources, Particle Acceleration, Ultrahigh Intensity Interactions, Development of new laser technologies (DPSSL technology, Nonlinear Laser Amplification, Petawatt Lasers | Industrial research and innovation |
Space technologies | Solar Physics - Physics of solar flares and prominences, Structure and dynamics of the solar atmosphere, Heliosphere and space weather, Solar Radioastronomy, Stellar Physics - Physics of Hot Stars, Extrasolar Planet Research, High Energy Astrophysics, Interplanetary Matter, Galaxies and Planetary Systems, Spatial Sciences in Ecology and Environment, Geodesy and Geodynamics (Development of multi-GNSS products) | Space (including earth observation) |
Sustainable energy/ Materials | Architecture and the Environment, Energy Systems in Buildings, Materials and Structures, Indoor Environmental Quality, Complex flows in turbines for efficient power generation, Turbulent flows above terrain for improved exploitation of wind energy, Pollutant dispersion studies, Enhancement of efficiency in cooling applications, Nuclear Research (Nuclear Safety, New Technologies Development, Research Reactors, Environmental Protection, Material Research), Hydrogen Technologies | Energy Climate- neutral and smart cities Climate action |
Digitalisation/AI (combined with some of the areas above) | GIS and Remote Sensing, Biomechanics and Assistive Technologies, Information and Communication Technologies in Medicine, Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Data Science in Medical Environment, Virtual Reality in Neurosciences, Hydrological and Climate Variability, Laser scanning technology and metrological traceability, Control and Monitoring of Intelligent Buildings | Space Artificial intelligence and robotics |
All MERIT fellows will be able to develop core and advanced research skills within and beyond their own disciplines with regard to the scientific fields of the Implementing partners. The Implementing partners have the capacity to work with multiple disciplines and approaches and provide a perfect environment to interconnect research disciplines and even combine research areas set up by MERIT. This can be demonstrated on some of the already-existing research problems they address, such as AI applications to medical data analysis, Human-Robot Interaction, Ergonomics and workload which relates to Biotechnologies and Digitalisation; Creating high spatial resolution maps of microclimates which relates to Space technologies and Digitalisation. They also cooperate at an inter-institutional level on challenging projects requiring multidisciplinary approaches, profiles and equipment.
The Central Bohemia Region, thanks to its research infrastructures, but also due to its geographic location, provides the perfect environment for multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research. For example, the Region hosts an innovative interdisciplinary project Hydronaut (one of the Associated partners for secondment), supported by ESA- BIC, that includes interdisciplinary research (hyperbaric medicinal and psychological research, development and testing of technology and space agencies training).
All Implementing partners are located in proximity to one another and, due to the high concentration (33 research organisations located on 11 000 km²), they cooperate closely with each other. Moreover, the capital city of Prague is the location of many other universities and research organisations, creating a natural knowledge corridor.
In addition, the Supervisory Board of MERIT (see 1.4) composed of supervisors, co-supervisors and directors from Implementing and Associated partners, will be also multidisciplinary.
1.2.2.2 Intersectoral exposure
Figure 4: Intersectoral exposure of fellows (examples)
Secondments will be an integral and mandatory part of the fellowships. Their conditions and major benefits are described in section 1.1.1.3. Fellows will benefit from the great variety of secondment options in the non- academic sector (private or public) offered by the project consortium. In total 22 non-academic institutions have already become Associated partners of MERIT at the proposal stage. They include regional branches of large multinational companies (such as Eaton, VALEO), local SMEs (such as DEVINN, CRYTUR), innovation centres, start-ups/spin-off and incubators (such as prg.ai) and even 3 local high schools (public sector exposure).
Fellows will be employed by the Implementing partners which have established strong collaborations with national and international partners from the industry. Some of them are strongly oriented to generate applied results (e.g. HiLASE laser applications for high-tech industry) and cooperate closely with stakeholders both
from the private and public sectors (e.g., Smart City solutions for regional municipalities).
SIC will provide multiple joint training sessions in transferable skills to all fellows, encouraging the application of research results, including workshops with local SMEs, spin-offs, etc. (see 1.3.).
Industry networking events will be organised by SIC and partners of MERIT in cooperation with other partners from the private and public sector. For example, speed dating and matchmaking events (events already organised by SIC) will bring together researchers and partners from industry. Moreover, SIC will also organise meetings of fellows with representatives from the public sector: the regional government, municipalities, schools, etc.
Moreover, the application of research results generated from MERIT can be potentially supported by regional funding programmes (e.g., INO:EX programme and Creative vouchers for research organisations, see section 0 – General description of the Programme) engaging research with industry, administered by SIC. These successful financial instruments have funded more than 100 innovative projects linking regional SMEs or start-ups with a partner from academia. SIC will promote the open calls among the fellows, their supervisors and regional business partners in order to enhance the sustainability of the research.
Lastly, the Steering Committee, which will review the secondments in the industry, be part of the Interview Panel and be the highest decision-making body of the selection process (see 1.1.2.1), is also intersectoral, since its members come from academic and non-academic sectors (public and private organisations).
1.2.2.3 International networking
Mandatory transnational mobility requirements (a minimum of 3 events outside the Czech Republic - see 1.1.1.3) will be essential to the process of integrating an international, intercultural, and global dimension into the fellows’ career development. Fellows will be able to participate in prestigious international conferences, seminars, symposiums, congresses and workshops, with respect to their scientific disciplines, together with their research teams, e.g. EMBO Symposium Microtubules: from atoms to complex systems in Germany (see Table 11 for others). In order to promote the opportunities for transnational mobility, SIC will regularly post on the MERIT website and email the supervisors and fellows about the most relevant events happening around the world where fellows will be invited to participate.
The Programme will also provide secondment opportunities in at least 11 other countries than the Czech Republic (inside and outside Europe) thanks to the network of 15 international Associated partners which have already joined the consortium at the proposal stage, e.g., DE.TEC.TOR. company (IT), Luleå University of Technology (S), Medical University Innsbruck (AUT), Queen's University Belfast, Centre for Plasma Physics (UK), Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (PL), University of Washington (U.S.A.), Tecnológico de Monterrey (MEX) and others.
All Implementing partners offer an international environment where researchers from all over the world (from Europe, the Americas, Asia, etc.) already work in cooperation with Czech researchers. One of the Implementing partners, ELI-Beamlines, is the statutory seat of the newly established ELI-XXXX consortium.
International networking will be enhanced by regular International Researcher Meetups organised 2-4x per year (from 2020) by SIC within the regional Welcome Office programme, bringing together researchers of different origins, nationalities, ages, backgrounds or scientific disciplines from all research institutions across the Region.
The Open Science policy of MERIT will be in line with Horizon Europe principles (Open Access policy and recommended guidelines - Horizon Europe Programme Guide, national policy - Open Access in the Czech Republic). Mandatory as well as recommended Open Science practises will be applied. As part of the Welcome package, SIC will prepare a practical Handbook for MERIT fellows to provide them with useful information and templates related to Open Science. During fellowships, researchers will receive mandatory training in Open Science tackling Open Science components (Open Source, Open Access, Open Infrastructure, Open Methodology, Open Data, Citizen Science etc.) and how to ensure Open Access to scientific publications and research data in Horizon Europe. Open science practises of the Programme will include the following:
● MERIT will ensure research outcomes accessible without paywalls. The choice of venue for publishing will be done based on its Open Access policy: only Gold Open Access journals or transformative journals committed to transform into fully Open Access journals will be targeted. All of the publications will be also uploaded to either a general repository such as ZENODO or a discipline-specific repository trusted in a given research field such as bioRxiv, medRxiv, Arxiv. The upload will take place at the latest on the date of publication. Special attention will be paid to the copyright conditions set by the journals to ensure that the articles are published under open licence CC-BY (4.0) or a similar license in order to allow commercial use of the results. MERIT will ensure the early and open sharing of research, research data management (see 1.2.4), reproducibility of research outputs, provision of Open Access to research outputs (publications, data, software, models, algorithms, and workflows) and participation in open peer-review.
● Citizen Science practises: Since MERIT will be coordinated by a Regional Innovation Centre, there will be significant involvement of citizens in the research projects enabling joint collaborations between researchers and citizens (e.g., volunteers will be able to collaborate with fellows to collect research data using their mobile devices). This will be ensured by several means: 1) Special Citizen Science workshops including co-design and co-creation activities with citizens and end users (as part of transferable skills training sessions); 2) Visits/secondments in high schools where projects will be discussed with students enabling their engagement and empowerment; 3) MERIT Innovation Days where key stakeholders will be invited so that the fellows’ project processes and results can be presented and have an impact on improving public policy, an essential goal in Citizen Science; 4) Promotion of national Open Science initiatives (such as Open Science of the Czech Academy of Sciences, offering up to 1 year high school student internships in research organisations or events for the public), where several Implementing partners already participate.
1.2.4 Research data management and management of other research outputs
Research data will be managed in compliance with FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and re-usable) principles and the principle “As open as possible, as closed as necessary”. As stated above, MERIT will ensure open access to peer review research articles and publications and, in line with that also to research data generated within the MERIT projects following Horizon Europe’s Open Access policy. The subsequent principles will be followed:
● Certified trusted repositories or disciplinary and domain repositories endorsed by the research communities and recognized internationally (e.g. ZENODO, or a suitable repository to be found through OpenDOAR, ELIXIR or Registry of Research Data Repositories) and online tools such as DMP online, Argos or Data Stewardship Wizard and software and tools for research data and metadata management (GIT, JupyterLab, RDMkit, etc.) will be recommended.
● Standardised metadata framework: including publication, author, title, date of publication, publication venue, project name, acronym and number, licensing terms, persistent identifiers for the publication, and the authors involved.
● Fellows must develop their Data Management Plans (DMPs) within 6 months of starting research projects. Templates for the DMP (Funding and Tenders portal of the EC) will be used. In the DMPs, fellows need to describe how they will 1) make data findable; 2) make data accessible; 3) make data interoperable; 4) increase data re-use and 5) how they will ensure data storage, protection and curation. They will also detail what kind of research data their project will generate, specify what research data will be open and which will be opt-out (with justification), whether and how it will be exploited or made accessible for verification and re-use. DMPs will be part of the progress reports submitted to the Steering Committee (SC) and therefore will be reviewed every 6 months.
1.3 Quality, novelty and pertinence of the research training programme
1.3.1 Overview and content structure of the postdoctoral training programme
In order to develop the skills of new generations of scientists and meet the industry and research organisations’ needs, an ambitious combination of core and advanced research skills and transferable skills training will be offered aiming at career development and a mutual transfer of knowledge between fellows and their host institutions. The training programme will consist of:
● Core and advanced research skills: The corresponding supervisor (from the Implementing partner) and co- supervisor (from the Associated partner) will define the requirements together with the fellow. Development in advanced research skills within the MERIT fellows’ discipline/s and of core research skills beyond the fellows’ discipline/s will be ensured.
● Transferable skills: Will be offered as joint training sessions to all MERIT fellows and will provide international networking and interdisciplinary experience to them. Sessions will be organised by SIC (by the Career Development Manager) and provided by the subcontractors/experts of SIC or Implementing/Associated partners. SIC will require the mandatory participation of fellows during their fellowship in at least 4 training sessions in transferable skills (minimum 32 hours) from the list in Table 10, with the Open Access course being mandatory. The wide range of transferable skills will be mainly oriented on innovation, commercialisation and technology transfer and reflect the most current trends, such as citizen science, crowdfunding as one way to finance a research project, an emphasis on communication, entrepreneurial spirit and even co-creation or maker culture, which include digital fabrication, critical thinking and rapid prototyping. One of the transferable skills training sessions will focus on how to include the gender dimension in individual research projects in different disciplines (especially from technical and life sciences, which are relevant for MERIT).
● In addition, all fellows will attend mandatory security training (see part B2, 4. Ethics).
The MERIT training programme is based on the Researcher Development Framework (RDF) and its 4 domains of development (Knowledge and intellectual abilities, Personal effectiveness, Research governance and organisation, Engagement, influence and impact). This tool is already used by supervisors from the Implementing partners that recommended it as an example of best practice. The training programme boosts the principles of interdisciplinarity, international networking and mainly intersectorality, encouraging the application of research results.
Table 10: Career development programme for fellows
Core and advanced research skills | Format / time |
Advanced research skills within the researchers’ own disciplines. Example (from Biotechnology): Heterologous protein expression and their in vitro biochemical, biophysical and structural characterisation. | training through research (fellowships and secondments) |
Core research skills beyond the researchers’ own disciplines by meeting and working with other research teams from various departments/labs at Implementing/Associated partners. Example (from Energy): Contribution to the development of advanced mathematical models. | |
Transferable skills: Title / description of training outcomes | Format / time |
Open Science/Open Access: What are Open Science elements (Open Source, Open Methodology, Open Data etc.). How to ensure Open Access to scientific publications and research data in Horizon Europe, FAIR data management. | mandatory seminar 8 hrs |
MSCA Green Charter: How to include green deal principles in research (reduce, reuse and recycle, use less paper, green purchasing for project-related materials, sustainability of project events, etc.). | workshop 8 hrs |
Gender dimension in research: How to include the gender dimension and other intersectional categories (such as age, ethnicity, etc.) in individual research projects in different disciplines. | seminar 8 hrs + consultations |
Leadership skills: Adopting problem-solving, leadership, critical-thinking and interpersonal skills. | workshop 8 hrs |
Public engagement/Citizen Science: Adopting basic Citizen Science skills. Importance and channels; presentation skills, dealing with nervousness, unexpected questions, rehearsing, etc. | workshop 8 hrs |
Citizen Science workshop: Adopting co-creation and design thinking skills for innovation and rapid prototyping (human-centred Maker method aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals). Analysis and prioritisation of key problems in the region according to the national strategic agenda. Development of functional prototype solutions according to local technological infrastructure. | 3-day workshop in local high school |
IPR Management and Patenting: Learning about the legislative framework in the Czech Republic and Europe, principles of the Code of Practice annexed to the Commission. Management of IP in knowledge transfer activities. | workshop 8 hrs |
Funding opportunities/Grant writing: How to write a successful application in EU/national funding programmes (based on an expression of the fellows’ interest). Adopting basic project management in research. | workshop 8 hrs |
Crowdfunding: How to crowdfund scientific research, how to find the right platforms, investors, including preparing an elevator pitch for investors. | workshop 8 hrs |
Exploitation of research results: How to exploit research results with an emphasis on applied research and commercialisation (market validation, product or service commercialisation, patent licensing, contractual and collaborative research, spin-offs, etc.), national and European legislation. | workshop 8 hrs |
Spin-offs: How to create academic spin-offs, legislative framework, administrative and mental barriers and how to overcome them. | workshop in local spin-off |
Entrepreneurial/Communication skills: Adopting skills to effectively present research results to partners from the business sector (elevator pitch, business language); how to find an appropriate business partner. | workshop 8 hrs |
In addition to the sessions mentioned above, the fellows will attend and actively participate in many network-wide training events or conferences taking place in different countries all over the world and covering all MERIT application areas. The table below shows examples of them. All the events are regularly attended, organised or co- organised by the Beneficiary or MERIT Implementing/Associated partners.
Table 11: Main Network-Wide Training Events and Conferences and Contribution of the Beneficiary/ Partners
Main Training Events & Conferences | Lead Institution | Acton Month (estimated) |
EMBL Heidelberg, Germany | 6/2024, 26 | |
American Society for Mass Spectrometry, USA | 6/2024, 25, 26 | |
Fibroblast Growth Factors in Development and Disease | Gordon Research Conference | 5/2025 |
EORTC-NCI-AACR, International symposium on molecular targets and cancer therapeutics | European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer | 10/2024 |
SPIE (Society of Photographic Instrumentation Engineers) conferences | Society of Photographic Instrumentation Engineers, USA | 1/2024,25, 26 |
ELI Summer School. Annual event for high school students to provide young scientists with a comprehensive overview of the generation and application of intense laser pulses | ELI Beamlines (of the Implementing partners), Czech Republic | 8/2024, 25, 26 |
Industrial Laser Applications Symposium (ILAS) | Association of Industrial Laser Users | 2024 |
Advanced Solid State Lasers conference | OPTICA, USA | 10/2024 |
Uni Kobe, Japan | 2025 | |
International Astronomical Union | 8/2025 | |
CISBAT Lausanne | EPFL Lausanne, Switzerland | 9/2024 |
International Building Physics Conference (IBPC) | Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada | 5/2024 |
FABx Conference FAB2024. Held under the auspices of The Fab Foundation (founded at MIT) | Network of FabLabs in the Czech Republic, co- organised by SIC | 5/2024 |
International Cartographic Conference (ICC) | International Cartographic Association | 8/2025 |
1.3.2 Role of non-academic sector in the training programme
The training programme was developed guaranteeing the involvement of academic and non-academic employers for skills development. The role of the non-academic sector in the training programme is therefore fundamental. Part of the core and advanced research skills will be developed at the premises of Associated partners, which are represented mostly by SMEs. All transferable skills training sessions will be organised by SIC, which is an NGO with close connection to the regional government and to the private sector (large companies, regional SMEs, incubators, start-ups and spin-offs). Other local non-academic actors will also be involved in the training.
Novelty: In addition to the career development in research and transferable skills, fellows will also benefit from individual coaching in three potential key areas of development (see 1.4.1 for more details). Coaching will be provided by experienced counsellors, mentors, coaches and experts coming from industry who have already worked closely with SIC through other existing programs. SIC will carefully choose the appropriate coaches for the fellows based on personal meetings with the fellows, after identifying their specific needs.
1.4.1 Supervision arrangements
Supervision arrangements in MERIT are designed as joint initiatives. Each fellow will have one primary supervisor appointed by the Implementing partner and one co-supervisor appointed by the Associated partner (for the secondment). The profiles of the supervisors and co-supervisors will be presented on the MERIT website. The co-supervisors for the secondment will be identified by the start of the secondment and named in the secondment agreement between the Implementing and Associated partners.
The core role of the supervisors in all partner organisations will be to closely cooperate with the fellow on his/her research project during the fellowship, in line with the MSCA Guidelines on Supervision. The supervisor will be in close contact with the fellow, working together to develop the research project and to ensure the adequate progress of the research tasks and plan. These tasks will require intensive communication not only in the fellow-supervisor relationship, but also between the fellow and other research group members, and staff from other organisations and institutions, whether academic or non-academic. The supervisor will also help the fellow with networking and getting new contacts among researchers and commercial users in a given field. The supervisor will assist with publications, monitor and guide him/her through the process of professional and personal development. The supervisor will be the mentor and the scientific leader of the fellow and will help the fellow to develop his/her core and advanced research skills.
Novelty: While fellow researchers will get scientific supervision from their supervisors at Implementing and Associated partners, the Programme will offer, to all fellows, mentoring/coaching in three potential key areas of development (see below) provided by experienced counsellors, mentors, coaches and experts.
1. Life coaching for researchers designed to support researchers to achieve their personal potential, especially to balance mental health and overcome academic challenges, focused on time and stress management.
2. Leadership/career mentoring/coaching for those who want to focus on leadership skills and/or become principal investigators (how to create a good working team, how to finance their own research project, how to become a future mentor/coach, etc.).
3. Business mentoring/coaching for those who want to create their own business or commercialise their research results (using several tools, such as Innovation Due Diligence®, good practice adopted by SIC from the Luleå University of Technology in Sweden, one of the Associated partners of MERIT).
Supervisors, co-supervisors and mentors/coaches will form a Supervisory Board and will meet annually to share the progress of the research projects before submitting the progress reports to the Steering Committee (SC). Additionally, the Supervisory Board will be invited to MERIT dissemination and communication events (see 2.3). Career Development Plan (CDP): The CDP will be designed at the beginning of the fellowship jointly by the fellow and his/her supervisor/co-supervisor and supported where possible by the mentors/coaches. Based on the good practice, SIC will recommend to follow the Researcher Development Framework to all supervisors. The tool contains 4 basic domains of career and personal development of researchers. The CDP will be discussed between fellows and their supervisors every 6 months (and updated if necessary). SIC will provide a CDP template on the MERIT website. The CDP will include career development in research and transferable skills (seminars and workshops), secondments, dissemination and communication plans, international networking events, research and innovation projects, research methodology and outputs, etc.
Progress report: The fellows together with the supervisors will be required to submit a progress report to the SC every 6 months. Such a report will combine the progress and the final results of the reviewed CDP (including the Dissemination and Communication Plan) and the corresponding Data Management Plan. The SC will approve the progress and achievement of objectives and give feedback and recommendations to the fellow and his/her supervisors.
1.4.1.1 Qualifications and supervision experience of supervisors
38 current supervisors (of mixed gender) from Implementing partners, have expressed their interest in becoming MERIT supervisors within application areas set up by the Programme. All of them have excellent scientific profiles in their relevant disciplines, are senior researchers with significant results, an h-index up to 65, their own patents, foreign study/research/teaching experience, substantial experience in tutoring and mentoring postdocs (including MSCA-IF), and are prolific authors in their area of specialisation in high impact journals. In addition, more than 90 professionals from Associated partners, including experts, successful managers with scientific backgrounds from the business sector and professors from renowned international universities, have expressed their interest in becoming potential co-supervisors of the Programme. Several supervisors and co-supervisors are listed in the table below (for the complete list of supervisors and co-supervisors see part B2, 5 – Partner Organisations).
XXX will also offer non-compulsory training for all supervisors before the commencement of the fellowships, addressing the following topics: conflict resolution, leadership, critical thinking and interpersonal skills.
Table 12: Examples of MERIT supervisors and co-supervisors (not exhaustive)
Biotechnology Biomedicine | Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx, Ph.D. (f), Head of the Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics at the Institute of Biotechnology, Expert Evaluator of calls FP7 and H2020 (h-index 24, 52 publications) |
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Ph.D. (f), Head of Laboratory of Structural Biology of Signaling Proteins at the Institute of Physiology (h-index 23, 53 publications) | |
Xxxx. Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Ph.D. (m), Xxxxx and Xxxx Xxx Xxxxxxxxxx Endowed Professor of Chemistry Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, USA (h-index 65, more than 26k citations) | |
Laser technologies | Prof. Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx (f), Head of Department of Scientific Laser Application at HiLASE (h-index 33, more than 180 journal papers, 2 patents) |
Prof. Xxxxxx X. Bulanov, Ph.D. (m), Head of Department of Radiation Physics and Electron Acceleration at ELI Beamlines (h-index 62, 577 publications, Awards of the Japan Laser Society for contribution to the laser physics) | |
Space technologies | Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Ph.D. (m), Head of Solar Physics Dpt. at the Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (h-index 21, 68 publications, PI of ESO ALMA Development Study - Solar Research with ALMA) |
Xxxx. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Ph.D. (m), Relativistic astrophysics at the Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (h-index 38, 179 publications) | |
Sustainable energy/ Materials | Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Ph.D. (f), Institute of Thermomechanics (h-index 7, 23 publication, 88 citations) |
Xxxx. Xxx Xxxxxxxx, Ph.D. (m), Professor at the Czech Technical University in Prague, Senior researcher in Hygrothermal Laboratory at University Centre of Energy Efficient Buildings (h-index 9, 49 papers, 4 patents) | |
Digitalisation/ AI | Xxxx. Xx. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, MSC. (m), Head of the AI Centre at the Czech Technical University, R&D of AI & cybersecurity, venture building and investing, CTO at Avast Software (h-index 38, 420 publications, 4 teaching activities) |
Assoc. Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Ph.D. (f), Head of the Department of Spatial Sciences at the Czech University of Life Sciences (h-index 15, 31 publications) |
1.4.1.2 Enhancement on potential and future career perspectives of selected researchers
The MERIT Programme will enhance the employability of the recruited researchers through the following activities:
1. Mentoring/Coaching: Mentoring/coaching is described in 1.4.1. There can be huge benefits to mentoring or coaching for researchers, such as increased motivation, productivity and performance, improved interpersonal relationships, communication and networks, more awareness of personal impact, a clearer idea of their career path or goals, and easier integration into a new role, institution, culture, or country. Moreover, the fellows mentored or coached will adopt the skills needed to become future mentors/coaches themselves.
2. Shared database of selected researchers and other candidates’ CVs: Both categories, the fellows selected by the Programme and the candidates who have applied for fellowships and not have been selected (but have a competitive CV) will be asked for approval (in line with GDPR) if their CVs can be integrated in the database created and managed by SIC. Given the interest to reach a success rate of less than 30% of candidates, this database could contain up to 100 researchers following the 2 Calls of the Programme. With all researcher’s prior permission, SIC will share this database with Implementing and Associated partners or other relevant regional stakeholders and potential employers who can offer permanent jobs or other career opportunities to the researchers within or outside the Programme.
3. Events such as the MERIT Innovation Days intended to find private investors, commercial partners or other types of funding for the fellows’ research projects (to ensure the continuation of funding). These events will be organised 2- 3 times during fellowships. Xxxxxxx will prepare pitch presentations about their research projects (pitch presentations are one of the offered training sessions in transferable skills). After each pitch, a jury (composed of the members of the Steering committee of the Programme) will inquire about the next steps and the fellows' actual needs related to their research projects or future career plans. The event will be attended by a large audience composed of local and international investors, SMEs or big companies, grant providers, public organisations, and NGOs.
4. Assistance for fellows who will seek to find a permanent position in the Region (using the website xxxxxxxxxxxx.xx of current vacancies and partner networks of key employers in the Region) or for fellows who are interested in creating their own start-ups, spin-offs.
5. Research projects generated from MERIT, which include industrial collaboration, can be potentially supported by regional funding programmes (current or future), administered by SIC (see section 0 – General description of the Programme).
Institutional level:
1. Up to 30 new collaborations between researchers and business partners will be established through secondments in companies and networking/communication/dissemination events. This will lead to a higher competitiveness and innovativeness of the institutions involved in MERIT, especially regional research organisations and SMEs (research organisations with close connection to the private sector are more competitive; business products and services developed in collaboration with the academic sector are more innovative).
2. Around 15 new international partnerships between Implementing partners and those Associated partners located abroad will be established through secondments abroad.
3. The Implementing/Associated partners will escalate their international openness and cooperation, attracting more and more talented researchers from abroad even beyond the Programme. MERIT will expose their unique top-class research infrastructure and show exceptional results in applied research.
4. MERIT will help the Implementing/Associated partners or other regional key employers recruit talented international researchers, including Czech researchers with international experience (see Table 3 – Reintegration Panel), two categories of researchers identified in RIS3 of the Central Bohemia as an essential need, not only the selected ones, but potentially other MERIT candidates, especially through the tool of shared database as described in 1.4.1.2.
5. Since MERIT is a postdoctoral programme, the mutual transfer of knowledge between the fellows and researchers or managers from the Implementing/Associated partners is expected. Engagement in MERIT will therefore also be beneficial for the personal and professional development of supervisors from the Implementing/Associated partners, through their cooperation with postdoctoral researchers with international experience. Supervisors will also be offered training oriented on conflict resolution, leadership, critical thinking and interpersonal skills (see 1.3.1).
6. The engagement of 15 research organisations as Implementing partners will contribute to the implementation of principles set out by the EU for human resources. For example, the Programme will significantly strengthen gender equality and diversity in their workplaces (commitment of SIC to support them to implement the Gender Equality Plans - see 2.1.2). Participation in MERIT will also help them integrate the gender dimension in their research at the institutional level as common practice. This will lead to their higher participation in Horizon Europe (by 30% from the current status) and increase their potential success in it.
Regional level:
1. MERIT will solve the main challenges defined in all three key areas of change of the regional RIS3: 1) Lack of talented people with international experience in regional research organisations by recruiting 30 postdoctoral researchers from all over the world. 2) Fragmented innovation ecosystem and lack of cooperation between academia and industry through secondments, networking events, dissemination and exploitation activities. 3) Not using the full potential of the Region's research capacities by regional stakeholders by the participation of regional SMEs in MERIT as Associated partners and by the engagement of the regional government, municipalities and even citizens in the Programme.
2. MERIT will be a completely new programme for the Central Bohemia Region, which has never benefited from the MSCA-COFUND. Therefore, the implementation of a COFUND programme will significantly increase the attractiveness and competitiveness of the Region and will have a direct effect on at least 15 regional key research organisations. 30 new research projects will push the boundaries of the most promising technologies for the future and will generate interesting results from which all regional stakeholders will benefit. Moreover, the Region will offer career opportunities for the fellows to stay longer or permanently after their fellowships. This will enable research organisations or companies located in the Region to get new talented and highly-skilled people and for fellows to develop their projects or test/prove the applicability of their projects in different spheres.
3. MERIT will produce a synergistic effect with regional financial instruments, programmes and policies already in place, such as the regional RIS3 (see Figure 3), the INO:EX programme, Creative vouchers, Counselling programme for research organisations or the regional Welcome Office for incoming researchers (see section 0 – General description of the Programme).
4. The implementation of MERIT will reinforce the intersectoral cooperation of key stakeholders at regional level. In addition, there is a commitment of the regional government and the Implementing partners to provide financial contribution to implement MERIT.
National level:
1. MERIT will help achieve the goals to increase the international openness of the Czech research environments, and enhance cooperation between public research and the application sector, set in the national RIS3. In addition, MERIT is in line with key trends listed in the Innovation Strategy of the Czech Republic 2019–2030 (artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, space and laser technologies, biotechnology, energy and their applications).
2. Following Horizon Europe’s equal opportunities rules, MERIT is committed to promote gender equality in research and motivate female researchers to become group leaders. The Programme will encourage and motivate female students in high schools to choose a research career (see communication activities in Table 14) and female researchers to apply for prestigious grants (e.g., through training sessions such as Leadership skills). It is particularly important to raise and promote this topic in the Czech Republic where women in research are still underrepresented compared to other EU countries (in 2018 only 14.9% of women represented decision- making positions in xxxxxxxx0).
3. MERIT will enhance the research capacities of the Czech Republic. Out of 14 Czech regions, Central Bohemia has the 3rd highest number of researchers and together with Prague creates 50% of the research capacity of the whole country (Regional RIS3, p. 36)9. The implementation of the Programme, which intends to invite up to 30 postdoctoral researchers, will therefore increase research capacities on the national level.
4. MERIT will promote the higher participation of Czech researchers and Czech research organisations in MSCA and other international mobility programmes. MERIT will place the Central Bohemia Region in a leading position in the Czech Republic in terms of research excellence in a moment when the country aspires to be one of the EU’s leaders in terms of the number and quality of its research centres and research infrastructures.
European and international level:
1. MERIT will strengthen the European and global human capital base in research and innovation and contribute to a stronger European Research Area where knowledge, technology and researchers circulate freely because some of the Implementing partners are included in the ESFRI Roadmap as large research infrastructures participating in the most important European and global research facilities and projects (ELI Beamlines, ALMA, Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Reactor, European Solar Telescope, etc.) and are members of important European alliances (such as XXXX).
2. The MSCA Green Charter will be followed and promoted. Long fellowships (up to 30 months) are planned. The Programme will combine physical and virtual mobility and the use of low emission forms of transport will be recommended to all participants. Oral interviews and some training sessions will be held online.
8 Source: The Position of Women in Czech Science - Monitoring Report 2018, p. 35
9 In 2020, 3968 researchers were affiliated in research organisations in the Region (source: Czech Statistical Office)
Committee meetings including international participants will be held online to the maximum extent possible (and to contribute to the reduction of the CO² emissions footprint). The outputs such as the MERIT website, multi-media outputs, etc., will be maintained several years after the end of the Programme in order to contribute to the sustainability of the Programme. Fellows will be encouraged (through dedicated training, see Table 10) to use green project-related materials, ensure the sustainability of their results, include awareness on environmental sustainability in their communication activities, etc. in order to adopt these practices for their further research path.
3. Open Science principles will be reinforced by dedicated training and workshops, going even to the level of Citizen Science practices (see 1.2.3).
4. The Programme will produce a multiplier effect by increasing the value of European money invested into regional centres within ESIF. The Region benefited from ERDF funding in research infrastructures and its equipment accounting for more than €658 million in the last two programming periods (2007-2020). These investments have significantly enhanced the Region’s research capacities and undoubtedly placed it on the research map of Europe. Several MERIT partners are centres of excellence or regional R&D centres supported by ERDF in past programming periods. The Implementing and Associated partners of MERIT will also benefit from ESIF within the forthcoming programming period 2021-2027, as well as from the National Recovery Plan Package, where substantial money is dedicated to research & development.
5. Participation in HE-MSCA-COFUND will contribute to fully exploit the potential of Europe’s talent pool, since the Czech Republic, belonging to so-called widening countries, faced low participation rates in previous framework programmes.
6. MERIT will reinforce Czech research organisations’ internationalisation, openness and visibility at the European and global level. The Programme will help them become key actors and partners in other European and international socio-economic ecosystems and strengthen their international, intersectoral and interdisciplinary collaborative networks.
SIC and MERIT partners are aware of the importance of the EU Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R), and especially the HR Excellence in Research Award and Gender Equality Plans (GEPs). XXX has encouraged regional research organisations to get involved in the process of obtaining the HR Award since 2018 (e.g., holding seminars to promote this quality label and funding opportunities from ESIF). At present, 10 out of 15 Implementing partners in MERIT are proud holders of the HR Excellence in Research Award: the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 2 institutes of the Czech Technical University in Prague, the National Institute of Mental Health and 6 institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences: ELI Beamlines and HiLASE of the Institute of Physics, the Institute of Physiology, the Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, the Institute of Thermomechanics and the Institute of Botany.
Since one of the biggest challenges of the Central Bohemia Region is a gender imbalance among researchers in regional research organisations, one of the objectives set up by MERIT is to advocate for the stronger representation of female scientists in technical and life sciences. To reach this objective, SIC is committed to support all Implementing partners to successfully implement GEPs. For this purpose, SIC has launched a special counselling program designed for research organisations (in place since 2021). Experts of this program have been providing mentoring to the managers/HR managers of research organisations and guiding them through the process of the implementation and subsequent monitoring/evaluation of GEPs. Out of 15 Implementing partners, 6 have already adopted GEPs and the rest of them are in the middle of the process. A survey in the hosting institutions will be carried out at the start (M6.1) and at the end (M6.2) of the MERIT implementation to assess the impact of GEPs (not only to assess the number of female researchers and women in leadership positions, but also institutional culture with regard to gender issues). This will lead to a Report on the impact of GEPs as a deliverable (D6.1). SIC also established a special Equality and Diversity Committee for MERIT. One of the roles of this committee will be to prevent gender bias within call documents and procedures and encourage female researchers to participate in the Programme (a representative of the Czech support infrastructure in Gender & Science is part of this committee). SIC will also promote the importance of women in science within dissemination actions of the calls and other communication activities (see 2.3). The MERIT has set the following two goals in this regard to be achieved by the end of Programme duration:
● GEPs will be successfully implemented in 15 technical and life sciences-oriented research institutions (all the Implementing partners)
● The expected increase of female researchers and women in leadership positions at these 15 employers is at least by 15%.
2.2.1 Impact of the research and training on the fellows' careers
1. The training and acquisition of new skills by MERIT fellows will have the general goal of cultivating talents, helping the researchers to reach maturity and preparing the next scientific leaders to tackle global challenges imperative to both Europe and the world. But also, to bring an immediate multiplier effect, since fellows will be able to share the acquired knowledge and skills with different audiences: other researchers/colleagues (e.g., lecturing/presenting at conferences), students (e.g., secondments or holding seminars in high schools), business partners, regional government representatives, etc.
2. The fellows will be able to carry out their research projects in progressive research organisations while exploring technologies with the biggest potential for the future (see Figure 3). All Implementing partners have proven exceptional research results at the national, European, and global levels, e.g., the development of the promising breast cancer treatment MitoTam, the treatment of Huntington's disease, new antibiotics and infertility treatment (BIOCEV), the development of a device which turns an arid desert into a green landscape called S.A.W.E.R. and the micro power plant called WAVE (University Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings), the development of a small-scale nuclear reactor (Řež Research Centre) or even leading global projects such as ALMA, the largest astronomical project (Astronomical Institute). By joining their teams, fellows will be able to build their own international networks for future career opportunities.
3. The experience of the fellowship within MERIT will enable the researchers to become more competitive and independent in future career steps, for example create their own research groups, become research group leaders and apply for national/European or international grants (such as ERC grants). What is more, fellows will increase their attractiveness to international forerunner employers, such as the Fraunhofer Institutes, the European Southern Observatory or the European Space Agency (thanks to close cooperation between them and some Implementing partners). In addition, the Region also offers numerous job opportunities and it is desired that fellows will settle in the Region where they may be offered a permanent position in academia (15 Implementing partners frequently looking for permanent positions suitable for international postdoctoral researchers) or in the industry (Associated partners based in the Region or other potential private employers mentioned in 1.2.1).
4. Fellows will adopt an “entrepreneurial” mindset and get a set of skills to create their own companies (start- ups or spin-offs). MERIT is strongly oriented on applied research and technology transfers. This approach, in conjunction with appropriate training courses, will train researchers how to co-create with the potential user and adjust to a business environment, which includes understanding business timing and language - often the primary barriers between the science and business worlds. Thanks to the training courses oriented on co-creativity and Design Thinking, the fellows will develop an innovative growth mindset and a set of skills to create their own companies.
5. Fellows will enhance networking and communication capacities with scientific peers, as well as the general public and the private sector. SIC will organise networking events for fellows to meet representatives of industry, municipalities, the general public, schools, etc., giving them the opportunity to improve their communication skills necessary to present their own research projects to various target groups.
2.3.1 Plan for the dissemination and exploitation activities, including communication activities
At the individual level: Fellows will develop their own Dissemination and Communication Plans (DCP) as part of their Career Development Plans. They will be delivered by the end of the Programme as a Plan for the dissemination and exploitation of results, including communication activities (D4.2 and D4.5). Since MERIT is strongly focused on applied research it is expected that fellows’ research project results will be disseminated and exploited by various stakeholders and the projects will have an impact in the private and/or the public sector. The DCPs will be updated and will be part of the progress reports. Therefore, the DCP will be reviewed every 6 months by the Steering Committee (SC), considering any factor that could affect the exploitation and dissemination path. For every innovation result generated within the projects, the fellows, their supervisors and members of the SC will jointly decide whether it is suitable for protection or if it can be disseminated to increase the project’s impact.
• Dissemination/exploitation: All fellows are expected to disseminate their research results in at least 1-2 scientific high-level publications during the whole period of the fellowship (depending on the field and duration of the fellowship) and in at least 2 professional events per year (from Table 13).
• Communication: Fellows will take part in at least 2 communication activities/events per year (from Table 14) in order to communicate their research projects to the general public. The list of such events is publicly available in the publication issued by SIC Central Bohemia Region Success stories which will be shared with fellows. Fellows will be offered training in public engagement. Special attention will be dedicated to women students
in order to raise their interest to pursue research careers, especially in natural sciences and technical disciplines. For this purpose, female fellows in particular will be encouraged to visit high schools (as part of communication activities or as part of secondments) to become ambassadors of women in science.
At the Programme level: At the beginning of the implementation, SIC will develop a practical Handbook for the MERIT fellows which will contain a general framework for the dissemination, exploitation and communication activities and Open Science policy. The Handbook will also contain comprehensive dissemination and communication guidelines for promoting the MERIT programme and its research results, but also MSCA-COFUND as such, designed by SIC and supported by SIC partners from the creative industry (graphic designers, software developers, advertising, marketing, film and TV, etc.). Multiple target audiences will be reached, the public and private sector, schools and women/girls by using different tools (see Table 14). The guidelines will comprise a common visual identity, a time schedule for the implementation of the individual tools, and key performance indicators. The activities will be implemented by SIC, partner organisations and the fellows. The fellows will be supported by their supervisors, PR staff at the partner organisations, as well as by SIC.
• Exploitation: Up to four years after the end of the action, the Implementing partners who will recruit fellows and the fellows themselves will use their best efforts to exploit the results generated within MERIT directly or to have them exploited indirectly by another entity, in particular through transfers or licensing. If, despite their best efforts, the results are not exploited within one year after the end of the action, they must use the Horizon Results Platform to find interested parties to exploit the results.
Table 13: Plans and procedures for dissemination and exploitation towards different target audiences
Target groups | Measures | KPIs per programme |
Research community | Regional, national, international conferences related to relevant research disciplines (current events) | min. of 100 conferences |
Research articles and publications, Open Research Data (Open Access) | min. of 45 accepted peer reviewed publications, 30 different subjects in re3data where data will be deposited | |
Dissemination during international or interdisciplinary secondments (14 Associated partners from academia, mostly located in other country than the Czech Republic) | 14 secondments expected | |
Industries, commercial actors | Market validation, product or service commercialisation licencing & patenting | min. of 30 validations, 30 new collaborations, 5 patent applications |
Funding through regional or national (Technology Agency of the Czech Republic) schemes | min. of 5 research projects funded from regional or national schemes | |
Speed dating events, hackathons with the participation of companies, organised by SIC (current events) | min. of 5 speed datings or hackathons, min. of 30 new partnerships | |
Business breakfasts, round tables, trade fairs and industry days organised by partners (current events) | min. of 20 events | |
Secondments in the industry (19 Associated partners from industry) | 19 secondments expected | |
Policy makers, including the Region and municipalities | Presentations of research results to regional authorities and municipalities facilitated by SIC (current events) | min. of 10 meetings, 30 new partnerships, feedback from 5 policy makers |
Presentations of research results to Local Action Groups and NGOs facilitated by SIC (current events) | min. of 10 meetings | |
All target groups | MERIT Innovation Days (2 days of series of intersectoral/interdisciplinary/international meetings, seminars, conferences, thematic innovation platforms for different target audiences) organised by SIC (new events) | min of 4 days of events, min. of 400 stakeholders reached from different sectors (academic, private, public), their feedback, 30 new collaborations |
Table 14: Plans and procedures for communication towards different target audiences
Target groups | Measures | KPIs per programme |
General public including families with children, seniors | European Researchers’ Night, National Researchers’ Night, Czech science festivals Week of Science and Technology, the largest annual events in innovation: The Innovation week and Future port Prague. | min. of 25 events, 15 institutions involved, 30 fellows involved |
Open days, Open Doors, excursions and guided tours, public visit of the fellow’s host institution, other societal engagement, communication and science popularisation for the general public, schools and families such as Science Coffee (current events). | min. of 60 events, min. of 20 events with fellows’ participation | |
Press releases, articles on the websites of SIC, the partners, the Czech Academy of Sciences, the MERIT website and existing general public communication platforms such as “Innovation in the heart” (for Central Bohemia R&D). Social media posts on FB, LinkedIN, YouTube. | min. of 100 press releases, 200 media posts, 50 different websites and social media accounts to be tackled | |
Multimedia outputs - videos, podcasts, interviews related to fellows’ projects and life in the Czech Republic distributed through social media (Facebook, LinkedIN, YouTube) | min. of 30 new multimedia outputs | |
Secondments in high schools (3 Associated partners are local high schools) | 3 secondments expected |
Schools, students | Excursions and guided tours, students visit to the research organisations e.g., LASER DAYs for schools organised by HiLASE and ELI Beamlines (current events) | min. of 50 visits, 1.500 students reached |
Competitions for students organised by some Implementing partners (e.g., ELI Beamlines Talent Academy or Science Trek of the Institute of Botany) (current events) | min. of 40 events, expected 5.000 participants | |
Scientists go to schools (current events within several Implementing partners) | min. of 10 fellows involved | |
Interactive and itinerant VR exhibition presenting research results to schools (current event carried out by SIC since 2020) | min. of 5 Implementing partners involved, 10 new schools reached | |
Women/ female students | Engagement of partners and fellows in the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 February (promoted in the Czech Republic by the Academy of Sciences). | 15 institutions involved, 30 fellows involved |
Visits in schools - female fellows’ testimonies for Czech female students to encourage them in their scientific career path and for other female researchers to encourage them to apply for prestigious grants | min. of 10 visits, 300 students reached | |
Promotion of grants and conferences focused on women scientists such as L’Oréal- UNESCO For Women in Science Programme | min. of 3 events | |
All | Citizen Science practices (see 1.2.1.3) | min. of 5 events, expected min. of 1.000 citizens involved |
2.3.2 Strategy for the management of intellectual property, foreseen protection measures
General IPR issues will be managed in the Bilateral Agreements which will be concluded between the Beneficiary and the partners before the start of the implementation and the signature of the Grant Agreement. The standard EU IPR conditions will be used. Below is an extract of the most important ones.
• IPR Ownership: Each Implementing partner remains the sole owner of its IPR over its background. Since fellows will be employed by Czech research organisations, the research results created by them during the fellowship will be owned by the Implementing partners (as according to Czech legislation). IPR will be also included in the work contract between the fellows and the Implementing partners hosting them. In the case of research results generated during secondments in the premises of Associated partners, compatible solutions (e.g., transfers, joint ownership) will be negotiated beforehand in secondment agreements between the Implementing and Associated partners. SIC will indicate the owners of the results generated within MERIT (results ownership list) in the Final report (D1.4).
• Access Rights to Background and Results IPR: Each Implementing/Associated partner shall make its background and results available on a royalty-free basis to other project partners to the extent that this background and these results are needed for the execution of their work within the project, unless access to the background is subject to legal restrictions or limits. The background and results shall be made available to the other project partners for exploitation purposes (if it is needed to use their own results) under fair and reasonable conditions. If possibilities to commercialise or exploit the results arise, all the partners for whom intellectual property is concerned will be contacted and will be involved in the negotiations. The MERIT Steering Committee will monitor the progress of the fellows’ projects every 6 months and, jointly with the fellows and their supervisors, will decide which research results are suitable for protection (if protection is possible and justified) or exploitation.
• The fellows will benefit from support and highly professional assistance related to IPR from institutional technology transfer officers, lawyers and the supervisors, who will assist the fellows to protect the research results suitable for protection (recommendations on which type of IP is suitable, how to proceed for patent application, etc.). All Implementing partners have their own institutional Technology Transfer Offices or joint Technology Transfer Centres (such as the Czech Academy of Sciences). In addition, SIC will prepare a Handbook, which will contain practical information, the legal framework and guidelines related to IPRs and this will be shared with all MERIT fellows, along with dedicated training in IPR management as part of the transferable skills training.
3. Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation
Figure 6: Gantt chart – Programme Timeline
30 fellowships offered | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Xxx. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Xxx. Feb. Mar. Apr. | May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Xxx. Feb. Mar. | Apr. May Jun. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 19 | 20 | 21 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 28 | 29 | 30 | ||||
1st call (15 fellowships) | call | selection | relocation | Fellowships 1st call: training, research project, secondment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd call (15 fellowships) | call | selection | relocation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reserve call (if necessary) | call | selection | relocation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WP1 | Management | M1 | D1.1 | D1.2 | D1.3 | M2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
WP2 | Evaluation/Selection | M7 | M8 | M9 | D2.1 | M10 | D2.2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
WP2 | Dissemination/Expl. | M3 | D3.1 | M4 | D3.3 | D3.2 | M5 | D3.4 | D3.5,7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
WP4 | Training | M11 | D4.1 | M12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WP5 | Ethics | M13 | D5.1 | D5.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WP6 | Diversity | M14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2025 | 2026 | 2027 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jul. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Xxx. Feb. Mar. Apr. | May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Xxx. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sept. | Oct. Nov. Dec. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | ||
1st call (15 fellowships) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd call (15 fellowships) | Fellowships 2nd call: training, research project, secondment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reserve call (if necessary) | Fellowships reserve call (if applicable): training, research project, secondment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WP1 | Management | D1.4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WP2 | Evaluation/Selection | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WP2 | Dissemination/Expl. | D3.6,8/M6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WP4 | Training | D4.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WP5 | Ethics | D5.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WP6 | Diversity | M15 | D6.1. D6.2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3.2 Quality and capacity of the host institution(s) and participating organisations
3.2.1 Appropriateness of the infrastructure and capacity of each participating organisation
Figure 7: Management plan scheme
Technical and human resources
● The infrastructure, facilities and equipment of the Implementing and Associated partners provide a perfect environment for the development of research projects within the research areas set up by the Programme (as described in 1.2.1). The technical resources available and infrastructure-related facilities at organisations hosting fellows (e.g., the Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, the most multifunctional laser infrastructure of all existing laser facilities, the European ALMA Regional Centre, Testbed for Industry 4.0, experimental research reactors, wind tunnels etc.) are described in detail in part B2 - part 5.
● SIC, as the Beneficiary, has established a strong implementation team (Management Board). All members are experienced full-time employees of SIC who will ensure the adequate and smooth implementation of MERIT. XXX also established several committees composed of international experts, including experts in Open Science and gender aspects of R&I, who have committed to contribute with their expertise to the successful implementation of MERIT and they will conclude a work contract with SIC for this purpose.
● In the management scheme, the Implementing partners are represented in the Interview Panel (by their directors and HRs), in the Supervisory Board, in support teams for fellows and by the Project Managers appointed by each Implementing partner (their names are listed among key persons of the Implementing partners in part B2, 5 – Partner Organisations). The Associated partners are represented in the Supervisory Board and in support teams for fellows.
● The roles and commitments, lengths of fellowships and secondments, financial contribution of the Central Bohemia Region and Implementing partners, cash-flow, as well as the types and amounts of allowances provided to the researchers were agreed upon based on the general consensus between SIC and the Managers/Directors of the Implementing and Associated partners and will be detailed and regulated in the Bilateral Agreements (BA) which will be concluded between SIC and the Implementing and signed before the signature of the Grant Agreement. The CA will also include information about the maximum number of fellows which individual Implementing partners will be able to recruit with regard to their HR and technical capacities.
During the application process (see Table 2):
● The MERIT online system (including video tutorial on how to apply) will be available. The Helpdesk and email, phone, online consultations will be offered by the members of the Management Board of SIC (contact details will be available on the MERIT website). The MERIT website will include online documents such as the Guide for Applicants and relevant templates: the template for the research proposal, template for secondments, Ethic Issue table and redress template. All applicants will get feedback on the successful submission of their application through the MERIT online system.
● Information about conditions of the fellowships, eligibility criteria and mandatory parts will be provided, including FAQ (see Table 2).
● Profiles of potential supervisors and co-supervisors will be part of the MERIT website, as well as the virtual presentation of Implementing and Associated partners and information about their institutional environment, infrastructure, equipment and research options (see Table 2).
During the recruitment process (see Table 2):
● Communication of results: all applicants will get feedback on the outcomes of the evaluation and reasons for unsuccessful applications. The final results of the selection process will be published on the MERIT website. The applicants recommended for funding will be contacted personally (by email or phone) by the Programme Manager and instructed on how to proceed to commence the fellowship (see Table 2).
● An independent redress process will be ensured by the Redress Committee.
● Visa, migration and relocation support will be offered by EURAXESS and the Welcome Office of SIC and the Implementing partners (see section 1.1.5.1).
During the fellowships (see sections 1.3 and 2.3):
● The MERIT website will include any necessary online documents and templates: Career Development Plan and progress report templates, Open Access guidelines and templates (Horizon Europe Data Management Plan template) and the practical Handbook for the MERIT fellows (developed by SIC) for the purpose of communication and dissemination, Open Science, IP, technology transfers, etc.
● Supervisors, HR and PR departments, technology transfer officers and Project Managers from Implementing/Associated partners will be supporting the selected researchers.
● Training in research and transferable skills (related to Open Science, IP, the Gender dimension, etc.) and coaching/mentoring will be offered to all the fellows (see 1.3.1 and 1.4.1).
● The Programme Manager will communicate on important events relevant for all fellows (international conferences, International Researcher Meetups, other networking or communication/dissemination events).
● Xxxxxxx will get assistance/support/advice from the Programme Manager and the Ombudsperson of MERIT, which they will be free to contact with regard to any work or personal issues.
3.2.3 Consortium composition and exploitation of participating organisations' complementarities
The consortium includes 15 Implementing partners, represented by 14 academic and 1 non-academic research institutions located in the Czech Republic, and 36 Associated partners identified at the proposal stage. Approx. 61% of the Associated partners represent the non-academic sector (19 partners from the industry and 3 public high schools), while the rest of the Associated partners are academic institutions, but located in other countries.
As the Beneficiary and the coordinator of the Programme, SIC selected the Implementing partners (15 regional research organisations out of 33) having fulfilled the following criteria: 1) They possess top-class infrastructure and equipment and their research programmes comply to at least 1 of the research areas of MERIT; 2) They allocated key persons for MERIT: the Project Manager, members of the support teams (from HR, TTOs etc.) and an adequate number of supervisors (of mixed gender) of high expertise in relevant fields and dedicated to become scientific
mentors of MERIT fellows; 3) They are able to provide multidisciplinary, intersectoral and international mobility
experience for fellows; 4) Their HR policy complies with the EU HR principles.
The Associated partners were invited by SIC or by the Implementing partners themselves, having fulfilled the following criteria: 1) There is a potential for a relevant and feasible secondment (in their premises) in cooperation with some of the Implementing partners; 2) They allocated key persons for MERIT: members of the support teams (from HR etc.) and an adequate number of dedicated supervisors (of mixed gender) of high expertise in relevant fields; 3) Their HR policy complies with the EU HR principles.
SIC will ensure training in transferable skills given its extensive experience with organising this type of training sessions for researchers and promoting important topics, such as Open Sciences, Gender aspects of R&I among regional R&D stakeholders.
The Implementing partners and the majority of Associated partners will ensure the research programme and training in research skills, since they possess state-of-the-art research infrastructures and equipment and will provide experienced supervisors (see 1.4). On the other hand, those Associated partners that do not possess research infrastructures, such as the local high schools, will engage researchers in teaching activities for students from 11 to 19 years old or host the Citizen Science workshops.
Additionally, SIC approached several international and national experts on gender in science and Open Science experts (including experts from some of the Associated partners). Some of them are engaged as members of the Equality and Diversity Committee (see Table 4) who will be part of the evaluation and selection process. Moreover, these experts will lead some of the training sessions for the fellows to develop transferable skills (e.g. Open Science/Open Access, Citizen Science workshop, Public engagement, Gender dimension in research) and briefing in unconscious bias for other experts involved in the evaluation and selection process.
3.2.4 Commitment of the beneficiary and Implementing/Associated partners to the Programme The total budget of the Programme is €5,985,000 which is split among three financial contributors: European Commission: €3,582,000 corresponding to 59.85% of the budget.
SIC: €1,310,400 corresponding to 21.89% of the budget. The amount will be allocated from the regional budget of Central Bohemia based on the approval of the Regional Assembly on 9 December 2021.
Implementing partners: €1,092,600 corresponding to 18.26% of the budget (€1214 person/month). The amount will be allocated from the research organisations’ budgets and based on the approval of each Implementing partner individually.
Table 19: Roles and commitments of the Beneficiary and Implementing/Associated partners
Beneficiary: Central Bohemian Innovation Centre | • Programme coordination, management and fulfilment of all WPs • Training in transferable skills, organisations of networking events, meetings etc. • Secondments in the public sector will be possible at the premises of the Beneficiary • Financial contribution of €1,310,400 from the Programme budget |
Implementing partners: 15 research organisations located in the Central Bohemia Region. | • Recruiting, supervising, training and hosting fellows • Development of research skills of fellows and contribution to the development of transferable skills • Involved in the dissemination and communication of the Programme and its calls and in the dissemination and communication activities of fellows • Providing financial contribution of €1214 person/month in the event of a researcher's recruitment (in total €1,092,600 from the Programme budget) |
Associated partners: 36 mostly non-academic partners located in the Czech Republic or abroad10 | • Training, supervising and hosting fellows without recruiting (for secondments) • Contribution to the development of research and transferable skills of fellows • Involved in the dissemination and communication of the Programme and its calls and in the dissemination and communication activities of fellows • They will not contribute financially. |
10 These Associated partners already joined the project consortium of MERIT. Others can be identified during the Programme implementation
Recruitment monitoring table
Call number | Call timing | Expected number of fellows in place following the call | Expected number of recruitment months Period 1: M1- M24 | Expected number of recruitment months Period 2: M25- M37 | Expected number of recruitment months Period 3: M38- M60 |
1 | M6 | 15 | 120 | 195 | 135 |
2 | M14 | 15 | 0 | 195 | 255 |
TOTAL | 30 | 120 | 390 | 390 |
The MERIT programme sets up the following application areas: Biotechnologies/Biomedicine, Laser technologies, Space technologies, Sustainable energy/Materials and Digitalization/Artificial Intelligence as a cross-cutting area. Based on these areas, the 15 Implementing partners offer numerous research programmes. Fellows will be able to formulate their own research topics based on the research areas and programmes mentioned above. Although not knowing in advance which ethics issues might arise from the selected project proposals, it is possible that some activities can involve human embryos/foetuses, human cells/tissues, personal data, animals, environment & health and safety or artificial intelligence.
To mention just a few examples. From the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, some activities may involve animal mouse models. All experiments using animals will be performed according to protocols approved by the Animal Care and Use Ethics Committee of the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences. From the Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, some activities may involve animals. For this, commercially available cell lines are propagated and cryopreserved in labelled and designated labware; a database is used to keep track of the cells. Mice are typically obtained from commercial sources, and are housed in a designated animal facility according to the national and institutional legislative. Experiments are carried-out according to protocols approved by the institutional and national authorities. Production and use of GMO cell lines and animals also follows the institutional and national guidelines. From the National Institute of Mental Health, some activities may involve humans or animals. In this case, the clinical research study protocol is approved by the local research ethics committee and all participants will provide a written informed consent. The preclinical research using lab animals is approved and supervised by the Animal Care and Use Committees. Animal care and the experimental procedures are conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the European Community Council directives 86/609/EEC. The Institute possesses NIH Statement of Compliance with Standards for Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals #A5820-01 valid till 1/31/2014.
The Programme will involve treatment with personal data. Candidates’ personal data will be properly protected. A GDPR form will be a compulsory part of candidates’ applications. The Beneficiary and each Implementing partner (recruting reseachers) has a Data Protection Officer or a GDPR specialist who will ensure that the applicants’ personal data will be processed in compliance with the applicable data protection rules.
Actions carried out under MERIT will comply with ethical principles and relevant Union, national and international law, including the Charter and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights, and the Fundamental Freedoms and its Supplementary Protocols.
All research activities performed under the MERIT fellowship programme will comply with the EU legislation on ethics as well as the Czech legislation and rules on ethics in research. In case the research activities are undertaken in another country, the ethical principles and practice of that country will also be ensured. In case the research activity takes place in a country with weak regulation of ethical principles, the ethical principles and practice of the Czech Republic will have to be followed. Projects which do not comply with these principles will not be funded under MERIT.
Compliance with ethical principles at the institutional level
In general, compliance with ethical principles will be part of the Consortium Agreement concluded between the Beneficiary, Implementing and Associated partners. By signing the Consortium Agreement, these partner organisations will assume responsibility for ensuring that the research activities performed under MERIT comply with the EU legislation on ethics as well as Czech legislation and rules on ethics in research and if relevant,
ethical principles and practice of other countries where the research will also be undertaken. The Implementing partners which will recruit researchers will secure all needed ethical approvals from national and/or local committees.
Applicants’ personal data will be properly protected. A GDPR form will be a compulsory part of candidates’ applications. On 12 March 2019, the Czech Republic approved legislation incorporating the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The Czech national implementation consists of two acts reflecting both the GDPR and the data protection Directive (EU) 2016/680 for Police and Criminal justice authorities. The first one is the Act on Personal Data Processing (PDPA), replacing the previous data protection legislation from the year 2000. The second is the accompanying act adjusting other 39 related legal acts such as the Criminal Procedure Code, the Anti Money Laundering Act, the Freedom of Information Act and others. The newly adopted acts bring an end to the uncertainty in the area of the data protection in the Czech Republic caused by the lack of implementation legislation.
In order to protect personal data of applicants, the Beneficiary and each Implementing partner (recruiting researchers) has a Data Protection Officer or a GDPR specialist (see their complete list in the Table below) who will ensure that the applicants’ personal data will be processed in compliance with the applicable data protection
Implementing partners assume the responsibility for ensuring that the research activities performed under MERIT comply with ethical principles of Horizon Europe as well as the Czech legislation, and if relevant, ethical principles and practice of other countries where the research will also be undertaken. Projects which do not comply with ethical principles will be terminated.
Compliance with ethical principles at the Programme level
Ethics Committee of MERIT will be established in month 5 of the project (milestone M5.1). The committee will be composed of 7 independent ethics experts to resolve any potential ethical issue of research proposals submitted by the MERIT applicants. Members of the Committee will be formed from the most important ethics committees in the Czech Republic: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, responsible for controlling research on Human Embryonic Stem Cells and related activities; Ministry of the Environment - approvals concerning genetic modifications; State institute for drug control - informed consent and use of biological samples and data; State Office for Nuclear Safety, relevant state institutions for animal research and ethics committees; Commission for the Scientific Integrity of the Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS). All MERIT applications will go through the Ethics Appraisal Procedure described below within the 1st and 2nd call to identify any potential ethical issues. Ethics screening will be executed by individual members and the ethics review by all members of the committee of proposals recommended for funding, if necessary.
Compliance with ethical principles at the application phase, evaluation and selection phase
The process to assess and address the ethical dimension of activities funded under MERIT will follow the Horizon Europe rules (Ethics Appraisal Procedure). Key sources of EU and international law are the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the European Convention on Human Rights and its Supplementary Protocols. Another important source is the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Such sources will be available on the MERIT website.
Ethics Appraisal Procedure
Activity | Who/ | When? | How? |
Ethical Issue Table | Applicant | Application phase (mandatory) | Ethical Issue Table (Horizon Europe template) |
Ethics Self- assessment | Applicant | Application phase (if applicable) | Using EU Grants: How to complete your ethics self-assessment |
Ethics screening | Ethics expert (a member from MERIT Ethics Committee) | Evaluation stage | All application materials |
Ethics review | MERIT Ethics Committee | Evaluation stage | Review additional material, interview if required |
Commission Ethics Assessment | EC Ethics Committee | Grant preparation/ negotiation phase | The Steering Committee file a request to the Commission |
Source: Ethics Appraisal Procedure, Horizon 2020 Manual and updates from Horizon Europe
Based on the above, any project proposal with potential ethical issues will go through the ethics process describe below.
During proposal submission (performed by applicants):
• Ethics Issues Table is an integral part of the application. In line with the Horizon Europe template, applicants will be asked in their research proposal summary form to declare whether their proposed research activity deals with the research areas in the Ethical Issues Table focusing on: human embryos/foetuses, humans, human cells/tissues, personal data, animals, third countries, environment & health and safety, artificial intelligence, other ethics issues or misuse. In case any potential ethical issue is identified, they will be requested to complete an Ethics Self-Assessment form. During this process, applicants will be required to follow the EU Grants: How to complete your ethics self-assessment.
• Ethics Self-Assessment. If applicable, an overview of local/national licenses/approvals for the proposed research is necessary. A list of the relevant local, national and international standards and regulations must be described along with the respective approvals/guideline, as well as how the approvals from the relevant authorities will be delivered for ethical clearance once the project will have been accepted for funding.
During proposal evaluation (performed individual ethics experts):
•
• Ethics screening. Ethics experts will conduct an ethics screening for all proposals recommended for funding, to identify all proposals that require ethical approval at the national level. Due to the complexity of some research proposals, the ethics experts and/or qualified staff may also recommend an ethics review rather than formulating direct requirements. Proposals involving the use of Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs) automatically proceed to the Ethics Assessment. All successful proposals (ranked list and reserve list) will be screened or reviewed for ethics.
• To ensure applicant's understanding of the ethics expectations and regulations in the EU (especially by non- EU applicants), ethical issues and regulations will be discussed during the interview process.
During ethics review (performed by the Ethics Committee):
• Ethics review. Proposals recommended for ethics review will be sent to the MERIT Ethics Committee. The panel should reach a consensual conclusion and make recommendations for ethical issues monitoring during the project implementation. Their findings and recommendations will be presented to the Steering Committee (SC). Based on these recommendations the SC may recommend changes to the project to comply with the required ethical principles or decide about the proposal not receiving funding.
• Commission Ethics Assessment. For proposals that will raise a serious concern or complex ethical issues the SC will file a request with the Commission as set out in Article 19, point 3 of the Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1290/2013 and (EU) No 1291/2013 and provide all application material and findings of the ethics experts and ethics committee. Such proposals will be processed according to the decision/recommendation of the assessment carried out by the Commission.
Compliance with ethical principles at the implementation phase (during the fellowships)
All Implementing and Associated partners possess security certifications related to the types of activities carried out by their employees. All experiments will be carried-out according to protocols approved by the institutional and national authorities. In the beginning of each fellowship, fellows will attend mandatory security training applying to the type of activity they will execute and will be familiarized with the security protocol of their workplace.
The Ethics Committee of MERIT will monitor ethical issues during the project implementation of ongoing research projects (applicable only for those projects where ethical issues were identified). MERIT fellows will be required to submit annual progress reports to the Steering Committee (SC) which will monitor the progress of the research projects. For these reports, the fellows will be asked to provide information about how the research projects comply with ethical principles and applicable international, EU and national law and how the issue of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is handled in their research project implementation. The SC has the right to decide about suspension or cancellation of a fellowship in case non-ethical research is discovered during the research project implementation, despite the efforts in the evaluation and selection phase. The SC is entitled to terminate such fellowships immediately.
If activities undertaken in non-EU countries (e.g, US) raise ethics issues, the beneficiary will confirm that the research conducted outside the EU is legal in at least one EU Member State.
Due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the persons responsible for ethics will carry out a risk assessment for possible secondments or other travel to Ukraine. The aim of the assessment is not to exclude Ukraine from participation, but to facilitate safe participation of researchers who wish to travel to Ukraine.
Beneficiary´s obligations regarding selected research proposals involving the use of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) or human embryos (hE):
Notwithstanding the stipulations under Article 14 and Annex V of the Grant Agreement, the beneficiary shall inform the Research Executive Agency (REA) in writing of any research project selected for funding that may involve the use of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) or human embryos (hE). Such research may not start without approval of the European ethics review and of the relevant Programme Committee completed by the communication of the explicit approval in writing from REA to the beneficiary. If the beneficiary branches any of its obligations regarding selected research proposals involving the use of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) or human embryos (hE), the grant may be reduced (see Article 28 of the Grant Agreement) or terminated (see Article 32 of the Grant Agreement) without prejudice to any of the other measures described in Chapter 5 of the Grant Agreement
5. Partner Organisations Table 5.1
Partner organisation name | Partner organisation short name | Country | Implementing Partner | Associated Partner | Academic (Y/N) | Role | |||
Hosting researchers WITH recruiting (Y/N) | Hosting researchers WITHOUT recruiting (Y/N) | Providing other training or career development opportunities (Y/N) | Financial contribution in EUR (if applicable) | ||||||
Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences | IBT | Czech Republic | ✓ | Y | Y | N | Y | 1,214 person/month | |
Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences | IMIC | Czech Republic | ✓ | Y | Y | N | Y | 1,214 person/month | |
The Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences | IPHYS | Czech Republic | ✓ | Y | Y | N | Y | 1,214 person/month | |
Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences | IAPG | Czech Republic | ✓ | Y | Y | N | Y | 1,214 person/month | |
Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences | IBOT | Czech Republic | ✓ | Y | Y | N | Y | 1,214 person/month | |
National Institute of Mental Health | NIMH | Czech Republic | ✓ | Y | Y | N | Y | 1,214/ person/month | |
Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences / ELI Beamlines | ELI Beamlines | Czech Republic | ✓ | Y | Y | N | Y | 1,214/ person/month | |
Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences / HiLASE | IP-ASCR | Czech Republic | ✓ | Y | Y | N | Y | 1,214/ person/month | |
Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences | ASU | Czech Republic | ✓ | Y | Y | N | Y | 1,214/ person/month | |
Centrum výzkumu Řež (Řež Research Centre) | CVŘ | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | Y | N | Y | 1,214/ person/month | |
Czech Technical University in Prague, University Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings | UCEEB | Czech Republic | ✓ | Y | Y | N | Y | 1,214/ person/month | |
Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics, and Cybernetics | CIIRC | Czech Republic | ✓ | Y | Y | N | Y | 1,214/ person/month | |
Czech University of Life Sciences Prague | CZU | Czech Republic | ✓ | Y | Y | N | Y | 1,214/ person/month | |
Institute of Thermomechanics of the Czech Academy of Sciences | IT | Czech Republic | ✓ | Y | Y | N | Y | 1,214/ person/month | |
Research Institute of Geodesy, Topography and Cartography | VUGTK | Czech Republic | ✓ | Y | Y | N | Y | 1,214/ person/month | |
Xxxxx Elektrotechnika s.r.o. | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
VALEO AUTOKLIMATIZACE K.S. | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
Deloitte Advisory s.r.o. | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
CRYTUR spol. s.r.o. | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
SHM s.r.o. | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
CARDAM s.r.o. | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
Santiago chemikalie s.r.o. | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
NEXARS | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
Beznoska | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
ESSENCE LINE, s.r.o. | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
DEVINN s.r.o. | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y |
Czech Green Building Council | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
prg.ai, z.s. | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
EuroGV | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
AffiPro | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
Magicware s.r.o. | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
Hydronaut Project a.s. | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
Gymnázium J. S. Machara, Brandýs nad Labem | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
Vyšší odborná škola, Střední průmyslová škola a Jazyková škola s právem státní jazykové zkoušky, Kutná Hora | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
Střední průmyslová škola Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, příspěvková organizace | Czech Republic | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
BOSC (Baltic Open Solution Center) | BOSC | Latvia | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | ||
DE.TEC.TOR | Italy | ✓ | N | N | Y | Y | |||
Instituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare | INFN | Italy | ✓ | Y | N | Y | Y | ||
UW (University of Washington) | UW | USA | ✓ | Y | N | Y | Y | ||
NCSU (North State Carolina University) | NCSU | USA | ✓ | Y | N | Y | Y | ||
ITESM (Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey) | Mexico | ✓ | Y | N | Y | Y | |||
MUI (Medical University Innsbruck) | MUI | Austria | ✓ | Y | N | Y | Y | ||
TUD (Technische Universität Dresden) | TUD | Germany | ✓ | Y | N | Y | Y | ||
TUB (Technische Universität Berlin), Zentrum für Astronomie und Astrophysik | TUB/ZAA | Germany | ✓ | Y | N | Y | Y |
Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences | UPWr | Poland | ✓ | Y | N | Y | Y | ||
IMP-PAN (Instytut Maszyn Przeplywowych Im. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxx Polskiej Akademii Nauk) | IMP-PAN | Poland | ✓ | Y | N | Y | Y | ||
LTU (Lulea Tekniska Universitet) | LTU | Sweden | ✓ | Y | N | Y | Y | ||
Queen's University Belfast, Centre for Plasma Physics | CPP | United Kingdom | ✓ | Y | N | Y | Y | ||
TUKE (Technical University of Košice) | TUKE | Slovak Republic | ✓ | Y | N | Y | Y | ||
Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture | Ukraine | ✓ | Y | N | Y | Y | |||
Global Change Research Institute CAS | Czech Republic | ✓ | Y | N | Y | Y |
Letter of Intent
for the attention of:
Xxx. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Ph.X., Director for Research and Innovation, Head of Team Sustainable Building, at Czech Technical University in Prague
Call for proposals HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021: Central Bohemia Mobility Program for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT)
Dear Xxxxx/Sir,
I undersigned Xxxxx Xxxxx, in my quality of Partner on behalf of Deloitte Advisory s.r.o., declare our readiness to set up all necessary provisions to participate as Associated partner in the proposal Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT) submitted within the call HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021, should the proposal be funded.
I also confirm that Deloitte Advisory s.r.o. intends to participate and contribute to the Postdoctoral research training programme as planned. In particular, Deloitte Advisory s.r.o. expects to be involved in:
Hosting researchers without recruiting (secondment), training and supervising researchers in a defined research project that aligns with our priorities. The specifics of such cooperation will be described in a separate secondment agreement between our organisation and one of Implementing partners of the MERIT program. The duration of the secondment will be agreed according to the needs of the research project and shall not exceed 30% of the fellowship period.
Dissemination of the program MERIT and its calls in order to guarantee equal opportunities and to reach diversity among candidates.
This document does not establish any legal obligations between the parties and any performance described above may be subject to additional approvals on our side.
Place, date: In Prague, on 28.01.2022
Legal Representative Name: Xxxxx Xxxxx, acting based on a power of attorney
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (“DTTL”), its global network of member firms, and their related entities (collectively, the “Deloitte organization”). DTTL (also referred to as “Deloitte Global”) and each of its member firms and related entities are legally separate and independent entities, which cannot obligate or bind each other in respect of third parties. DTTL and each DTTL member firm and related entity is liable only for its own acts and omissions,
and not those of each other. DTTL does not provide services to clients. Please see xxx.xxxxxxxx.xxx/xxxxx to learn more.
Letter of Commitment
Call for proposals HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021: Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT)
Dear Xxxxx/Sir,
I undersigned Xxx. Xxxx Xxxxx XXX, in my quality of CEO of SHM, s.r.o., commit to set up all necessary provisions to participate as Associated partner in the proposal Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT) submitted within the call HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021, should the proposal be funded.
On behalf of SHM, s.r.o., I also confirm that we will participate and contribute to the Postdoctoral research training programme as planned. In particular, SHM, s.r.o. will be involved in:
• Hosting researchers without recruiting (secondment), training and supervising researchers in a defined research project that aligns with our priorities. The specifics of such cooperation will be described in a separate secondment agreement between our organisation and one of Implementing partners of the MERIT programme. The duration of the secondment will be agreed according to the needs of the research project and shall not exceed 30% of the fellowship period.
• Dissemination of the programme MERIT and its calls in order to guarantee equal opportunities and to reach diversity among candidates.
This document does not establish any legal obligations between the parties. I hereby declare that I am entitled to commit
05
Date, Name, Signature
SHM, s.r.o., Xxxxxxxxxx 3020/3 787 01 Šumperk IČ: 479 76 519 / DIČ: CZ47976519
T x000 000 000 000 / E xxx@xxx-xx.xx / W xxx-xx.xx Zápis v obchodním rejstříku při KS v Ostravě, oddíl C, vložka 5832
Letter of Commitment
Call for proposals HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021: Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT)
Dear Xxxxx/Sir,
I undersigned Xxxxxx Xxxxxx in my quality of CEO, commit to set up all necessary provisions to participate as Associated partner in the proposal Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT) submitted within the call HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021, should the proposal be funded.
On behalf of CARDAM s.r.o., I also confirm that we will participate and contribute to the Postdoctoral research training programme as planned. In particular, [name of the entity] will be involved in:
• Hosting researchers without recruiting (secondment), training and supervising researchers in a defined research project that aligns with our priorities. The specifics of such cooperation will be described in a separate secondment agreement between our organisation and one of Implementing partners of the MERIT programme. The duration of the secondment will be agreed according to the needs of the research project and shall not exceed 30% of the fellowship period.
• Dissemination of the programme MERIT and its calls in order to guarantee equal opportunities and to reach diversity among candidates.
This document does not establish any legal obligations between the parties.
Legal Representative Name:
<.. image(Obsah obrázku text Popis byl vytvořen automaticky) removed ..>
I hereby declare that I am entitled to commit into this process the entity I represent. Place, date: Dolní Břežany, 1.12.2021
Letter of Commitment
Call for proposals HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021: Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT)
Dear Xxxxx/Sir,
I undersigned Xxxx Xxxxxxx, in my quality of the Executive Manager, commit to set up all necessary provisions to participate as Associated partner in the proposal Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT) submitted within the call HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021, should the proposal be funded.
On behalf of ESSENCE LINE, I also confirm that we will participate and contribute to the Postdoctoral research training programme as planned. In particular, ESSENCE LINE will be involved in:
• Hosting researchers without recruiting (secondment), training and supervising researchers in a defined research project that aligns with our priorities. The specifics of such cooperation will be described in a separate secondment agreement between our organisation and one of Implementing partners of the MERIT programme. The duration of the secondment will be agreed according to the needs of the research project and shall not exceed 30% of the fellowship period.
• Dissemination of the programme MERIT and its calls in order to guarantee equal opportunities and to reach diversity among candidates.
This document does not establish any legal obligations between the parties.
I hereby declare that I am entitled to commit into this process the entity I represent.
Place, date: 30.12.2021
Legal Representative Name:
Letter of Commitment
Call for proposals HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021: Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT)
Dear Xxxxx/Sir,
I undersigned Xxxxx Xxxxxx, in my quality of CEO, commit to set up all necessary provisions to participate as Associated partner in the proposal Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT) submitted within the call HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021, should the proposal be funded.
On behalf of DEVINN s.r.o., I also confirm that we will participate and contribute to the Postdoctoral research training programme as planned. In particular, DEVINN s.r.o. will be involved in:
• Hosting researchers without recruiting (secondment), training and supervising researchers in a defined research project that aligns with our priorities. The specifics of such cooperation will be described in a separate secondment agreement between our organisation and one of Implementing partners of the MERIT programme. The duration of the secondment will be agreed according to the needs of the research project and shall not exceed 30% of the fellowship period.
• Dissemination of the programme MERIT and its calls in order to guarantee equal opportunities and to reach diversity among candidates.
This document does not establish any legal obligations between the parties.
I hereby declare that I am entitled to commit into this process the entity I represent.
Place, date: Mladá Boleslav, 24th November 2021 Legal Representative Name:
Legal Representative Signat
LETTER OF COMMITMENT
Call for proposals HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021: Central Bohemia Mobility Pro- gramme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT)
Dear Xxxxx/Sir,
I undersigned Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, in my quality of Executive Director of the Czech Green Building Council, z.s.,commit to set up all necessary provisions to participate as Associated partner in the proposal Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT) submitted within the call HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021, should the pro- posal be funded.
On behalf of Czech Green Building Council, z.s., I also confirm that we will participate and contrib- ute to the Postdoctoral research training programme as planned. In particular, Czech Green Build- ing Council, z.s. will be involved in:
• Hosting researchers without recruiting (secondment), training and supervising re- searchers in a defined research project that aligns with our priorities. The specifics of such cooperation will be described in a separate secondment agreement between our organisation and one of Implementing partners of the MERIT programme. The duration of the secondment will be agreed according to the needs of the research project and shall not exceed 30% of the fellowship period.
• Dissemination of the programme MERIT and its calls in order to guarantee equal op- portunities and to reach diversity among candidates.
This document does not establish any legal obligations between the parties.
I hereby declare that I am entitled to commit into this process the entity I represent.
Place, date: Prague, 26th January 2022
Legal Representative Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Legal Representative Signature:
Česká rada pro šetrné budovy, z.s. | Czech Green Building Council
Xxxxxxxx 00, 000 00 Xxxxx 0, Xxxxx republika | xxx.xxxxx.xxx | IČ: 2283 5661
Letter of Commitment
Call for proposals HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021: Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT)
Dear Xxxxx/Sir,
I undersigned, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, in my quality of Managing Director at prg.ai, commit to set up all necessary provisions to participate as Associated partner in the proposal Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT) submitted within the call HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021, should the proposal be funded.
On behalf of prg.ai, I also confirm that we will participate and contribute to the Postdoctoral research training programme as planned. In particular, prg.ai will be involved in:
● Hosting researchers without recruiting (secondment), training and supervising researchers in a defined research project that aligns with our priorities. The specifics of such cooperation will be described in a separate secondment agreement between our organisation and one of Implementing partners of the MERIT programme. The duration of the secondment will be agreed according to the needs of the research project and shall not exceed 30% of the fellowship period.
● Dissemination of the programme MERIT and its calls in order to guarantee equal opportunities and to reach diversity among candidates.
This document does not establish any legal obligations between the parties.
I hereby declare that I am entitled to commit into this process the entity I represent.
Prague, 25th November 2021
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Managing Director prg.ai
Xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx 0/0 Xxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
x000 000 000 000
Hydronaut Project a.s.
Pod Velkým hájem 1647/13, Radotín, 153 00 Praha 5 Czech Republic
Letter of Commitment
Call for proposals HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021:
Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT)
Dear Xxxxx/Sir,
I undersigned Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx in my quality of Statutory director of Hydronaut a.s. commit to set up all necessary provisions to participate as Associated partner in the proposal Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT) submitted within the call HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021, should the proposal be funded.
On behalf of Hydronaut a.s. I also confirm that we will participate and contribute to the Postdoctoral research training programme as planned. In particular, Hydronaut a.s. will be involved in:
• Hosting researchers without recruiting (secondment), training and supervising
researchers in a defined research project that aligns with our priorities. The specifics of such cooperation will be described in a separate secondment agreement between our organisation and one of Implementing partners of the MERIT programme. The duration of the secondment will be agreed according to the needs of the research project and shall not exceed 30% of the fellowship period.
• Dissemination of the programme MERIT and its calls in order to guarantee equal
opportunities and to reach diversity among candidates.
This document does not establish any legal obligations between the parties. I hereby declarethat I am entitled to commit into this process the entity I represent.
a.s.
Prague, 16.1.2022
LETTER OF COMMITMENT
Call for proposals HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021: Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT)
Dear Xxxxx/Sir,
I undersigned Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, in my quality of legal representative of DE.TEC.TOR. Devices and Technologies Torino commit to set up all necessary provisions to participate as Associated partner in the proposal Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT) submitted within the call HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021, should the proposal be funded.
On behalf of DE.TEC.TOR. Devices and Technologies Torino, I also confirm that we will participate and contribute to the Postdoctoral research training programme as planned. In particular, our company will be involved in:
• Hosting researchers without recruiting (secondment) training and supervising researchers in a defined research project that aligns with our priorities. The specifics of such cooperation will be described in a separate secondment agreement between our organization and one of Implementing partners of the MERIT programme. The duration of the secondment will be agreed according to the needs of the research project and shall not exceed 30% of the fellowship period.
• Dissemination of the programme MERIT and its calls in order to guarantee equal opportunities and to reach diversity among candidates.
This document does not establish any legal obligations between the parties. I hereby declare that I am entitled to commit into this process the entit
Turin, 26.01.2022
Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx 00X, 00000 Xxxxxx x00 00000000000 xxxx@xxxxxxxx-xxxxx.xxx xxx.xxxxxxxx-xxxxx.xxx
ISO 9001 #9120.DETC - ISO 13485 #9124.DTC2
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Saegebarth Endowed Professor of Chemistry
Letter of Commitment
Call for proposals HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021: Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT)
Dear Xxxxx/Sir,
I undersigned Xxxx. Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, in my quality of PI and research group leader at Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA, commit to set up all necessary provisions to participate as Associated partner in the proposal Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT) submitted within the call HORIZON-MSCA- COFUND-2021, should the proposal be funded.
On behalf of my research group at Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA I also confirm that we will participate and contribute to the Postdoctoral research training programme as planned. In particular, my group will be involved in:
• Hosting researchers without recruiting (secondment), training and supervising researchers in a defined research project that aligns with our priorities. The specifics of such cooperation will be described in a separate secondment agreement between our organisation and one of Implementing partners of the MERIT programme. The duration of the secondment will be agreed according to the needs of the research project and shall not exceed 30% of the fellowship period.
• Dissemination of the programme MERIT and its calls in order to guarantee equal opportunities and to reach diversity among candidates.
This document does not establish any legal obligations between the parties.
I hereby declare that I am entitled to commit into this process the entity I represent.
Seattle, WA, January 5, 2022 Legal Representative Na Legal Representative Sig
Box 351700 · Seattle, WA 98195-1700 | 206.685.2041 | xxxxxxx@xx.xxx | xxxx://xxxxx.xxxxxxxxxx.xxx/xxxx/xxxxxx/xxxxxxx/xxxxxxx.xxxx
TU Berlin | Sekretariat ER 3-2 | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 00X x 00000 Xxxxxx
HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021
Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excel- lence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT)
Berlin, 7.1. 2022
Letter of Commitment
Dear Xxxxx/Sir,
I undersigned Prof. Xx. Xxxx-Xxxxxxxxx Xx¨ ller of the Zentrum fu¨ r Astronomie und Astrophysik, Technische Universita¨ t Berlin, commit to set up all necessary provisions to participate as Associated partner in the proposal Central Bohemia Mobility Pro- gramme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT) submitted within the call HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021, should the proposal be funded.
On behalf of Zentrum fu¨ r Astronomie und Astrophysik, Technische Universita¨ t Berlin, I also confirm that we will participate and contribute to the Postdoctoral research trai- ning programme as planned. In particular, Zentrum fu¨ r Astronomie und Astrophysik, Technische Universita¨ t Berlin will be involved in:
•
Hosting researchers without recruiting (secondment), training and supervising researchers in a defined research project that aligns with our priorities. The specifics of such cooperation will be described in a separate secondment agreement between our organisation and one of Implementing partners of the MERIT programme. The duration of the secondment will be agreed according to the needs of the research project and shall not exceed 30% of the fellowship period.
•
Dissemination of the programme MERIT and its calls in order to guarantee equal opportunities and to reach diversity among candidates.
This document does not establish any legal obligations between the parties. I hereby
ntity I represent.
Seite 1/1
xxx-xxxxx.xxxxxx.xx-xxxxxx.xx
Fakulta¨ t II | Mathematik und Naturwissenschaften
Zentrum fu¨ r Astronomie und Astrophysik
Prof. Xx. Xxxx-Xxxxxxxxx Xx¨ ller
Raum ER 000 Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 00X 00000 Xxxxxx
Telefon x00 (0)00 000-00000
xxxx-xxxxxxxxx.xxxxxxx@xx-xxxxxx.xx
Sekretariat Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Raum ER 375
Telefon x00 (0)00 000-00000
Telefax x00 (0)00 000-00000
VICE-RECTOR FOR INTERNATIONALIZATION
W0000000.014.19.2021
Wrocław, 21.12.2021 r.
Letter of Commitment
Call for proposals HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021: Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT)
Dear Xxxxx/Sir,
I undersigned Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx-Soyta, in my quality of Vice Rector for Internationalization, commit to set up all necessary provisions to participate as Associated partner in the proposal Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT) submitted within the call HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021, should the proposal be funded.
On behalf of Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, I also confirm that we will participate and contribute to the Postdoctoral research training programme as planned. In particular, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences will be involved in:
• Hosting researchers without recruiting (secondment), training and supervising researchers in a defined research project that aligns with our priorities. The specifics of such cooperation will be described in a separate secondment agreement between our organisation and one of Implementing partners of the MERIT programme. The duration of the secondment will be agreed according to the needs of the research project and shall not exceed 30% of the fellowship period.
• Dissemination of the programme MERIT and its calls in order to guarantee equal opportunities and to reach diversity among candidates.
This document does not establish any legal obligations between the parties. I hereby declare that I am entitled to commi
Place, date:
Legal Representative Name: Legal Representative Signature:
WROCŁAW UNIVERSITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND LIFE VICE-RECTOR FOR INTERNATIONALIZATION
00 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 50-375 Wrocław
tel. x00 00000 0000
e-mail: xxxx.soyta@ xxxx.xxx.xx • xxx.xxxx.xxx.xx
Centre for Plasma Physics
School of Mathematics and Physics Queen’s University Belfast
Phone: x00-00-00000000
Belfast, 21/1/2022
LETTER OF COMMITMENT
Call for proposals HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021: Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT)
Dear Xxxxx/Sir,
I undersigned ..Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, in my quality of Head of the Centre for Plasma Physics at Queen’s University Belfast, commit to set up all necessary provisions to participate as Associated partner in the proposal Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT) submitted within the call HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2021, should the proposal be funded.
On behalf of Queen’s University Belfast, I also confirm that we will participate and contribute to the Postdoctoral research training programme as planned. In particular, Queen’s University Belfast will be involved in:
• Hosting researchers without recruiting (secondment), training and supervising researchers in a defined research project that aligns with our priorities. The specifics of such cooperation will be described in a separate secondment agreement between our organisation and one of Implementing partners of the MERIT programme. The duration of the secondment will be agreed according to the needs of the research project and shall not exceed 30% of the fellowship period.
• Dissemination of the programme MERIT and its calls in order to guarantee equal opportunities and to reach diversity among candidates.
This document does not establish any legal obligations between the parties.
I hereby declare that I am entitled to commit into this process the entity I represent.
Place, date: Belfast, 25/1/2022 Legal Representative Name: Legal Representative Signat
Příloha č. 2 - Vzor Souhrnné zprávy o realizaci a Žádosti o platbu
Průběžná souhrnná zpráva o realizaci
Obsahová část
Aplikační oblast MERIT | |
Název Hostující organizace | |
Zařazení (název laboratoře, oddělení, výzkumné skupiny či projektu) | |
Jméno supervizora | |
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx výzkumníka/výzkumnice | |
Název řešeného projektu Vybraného výzkumníka | |
Počet měsíců strávených v hostitelské organizace za uplynulé období | |
Výše příspěvku na rodinu / měsíc |
Stručný popis řešeného projektu | 5 – 10 větami prosím popište řešený projekt tak, aby byl srozumitelný i pro nevědeckou komunitu. |
Aktuální stav řešeného projektu | Dosažené výsledky a způsob jejich komunikace/diseminace nebo exploatace. Problémy či odchylky od původního plánu. |
Informace o stavu secondmentu | Kde je secondment domluven? V případě, že secondment proběhl nebo probíhá, uveďte stručnou aktuální informaci. |
Stručná informace o absolvovaných kurzech | Včetně vzdělávání poskytované SICem |
Stručná informace o zveřejnění vědeckých publikací nebo vědeckých dat formou Open Access | Vztahuje se k publikacím a datům generovaným daným výzkumníkem |
Přílohy obsahové části:
- Aktuální plán kariérního rozvoje výzkumníka
- Aktuální Data management plán výzkumníka (je-li relevantní)
- Aktuální plán komunikačních a diseminačních aktivit
Datum a podpis supervizora |
Datum a podpis vybraného výzkumníka |
MERIT Průběžná Žádost o platbu | |||
Název partnera: | |||
Zařazení( název laboratoře, oddělení, výzkumné skupiny či projetku): | |||
Jméno supervizora: | |||
Xxxxx vybraného výzkumníka/výzkumnice: | |||
Název řešeného projektu vybraného výzkumníka/výzkumnice: | |||
Počet měsíců strávených v hostitelské organizaci za uplynulé období: | |||
CELKEM K VÝPLATĚ 45 015,00 Kč | |||
I. Měsíční částka Nárokovaná částka Počet měsíců Celkem EUR Celkem Kč COFUND příspěvek 3 980,00 € 3 383,00 € ‐ € ‐ Kč Příspěvek na mobilitu 200,00 € ‐ € ‐ € ‐ Kč Příspěvek na rodinu (s dětmi) 500,00 € 336,00 € ‐ € ‐ Kč Příspěvek na rodinu (bez dětí) 250,00 € 86,00 € ‐ € ‐ Kč CELKEM I ‐ Kč II. Cestovné celkem ‐ Kč Vzdělávání celkem ‐ Kč Výzkum celkem ‐ Kč | |||
Rozpis výdajů v kategorii cestovné, výzkum a vzdělávání (částky uvádějte včetně DPH) Položka Částka v EUR Částka v Kč | |||
Cestovné Vzdělávání Výzkum Celkem | ‐ Kč | ||
‐ Kč | |||
‐ Kč | |||
‐ Kč | |||
‐ Kč | |||
‐ Kč | |||
‐ Kč | |||
‐ Kč | |||
‐ Kč | |||
‐ Kč | |||
‐ Kč | |||
‐ Kč | |||
‐ Kč | |||
‐ Kč | |||
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‐ € | ‐ Kč | ||
V Praze dne | |||
Příloha č. 3 - Pokyny k Pracovní smlouvě s Vybraným výzkumníkem
Pokyny k Pracovní smlouvě s Vybraným výzkumníkem
Partner v postavení Hostující organizace má za účelem realizace Projektu povinnost s Vybraným výzkumníkem uzavřít Pracovní Smlouvu, která plně pokrývá zdravotní a sociální zabezpečení. Pracovní smlouva musí být uzavřena v českém jazyce, s poskytnutým překladem v anglickém jazyce. Charakter projektů MSCA vyžaduje, aby byl Vybraný výzkumník zaměstnán na plný úvazek; ve výjimečných odůvodněných případech (a pokud to schválí Koordinátor) může dojít k zaměstnání na zkrácený úvazek, např. z důvodů rodinné situace Vybraného výzkumníka (výchova nezaopatřeného dítěte atd.), nikoliv však z důvodu zapojení do více Projektů.
Pracovní smlouva definuje práva a povinnosti Vybraného výzkumníka a jeho finanční odměnu. Na vyžádání poskytne Koordinátor Hostující organizaci vzor Pracovní smlouvy, který může být pro účely projektu MERIT využit. Hostující organizace může použít vzor Pracovní smlouvy, který je zvyklá v rámci své běžné praxe používat. Koordinátor však explicitně stanovuje povinné náležitosti, které musí být v Pracovní smlouvě uvedeny, a to:
1. Jméno školitele/školitelky pro výzkumné aktivity
2. Datum zahájení a délka trvání výkonu práce.
3. Druh práce, který bude Vybraný výzkumník jakožto zaměstnanec Hostující organizace vykonávat – název pozice a název řešeného Projektu.
4. Místo výkonu práce.
5. Rozvržení pracovní doby.
6. Informace o tom, zda se sjednává zkušební doba a na jakou dobu.
7. Výši měsíčních příspěvků náležejících Vybranému výzkumníkovi dle čl. 5 Smlouvy o účasti na programu MERIT. V případě, že jsou příspěvky vypláceny v jiné měně než v EUR, je nutné uvést také směnný kurz, který byl aplikován při přepočtu z EUR na národní měnu (CZK). Pracovní smlouva by měla celý tento proces transparentně popsat.
8. Xxxxxxx Vybraného výzkumníka, zejména:
a. věnovat se výhradně Projektu. Doplňkové aktivity jsou možné pouze za předpokladu, že neohrozí realizaci Projektu a jsou předem naplánovány v plánu projektových aktivit;
b. nepobírat (za aktivity vykonávané v rámci Projektu) jiné příjmy než ty, které mu vyplácí Hostující organizace;
c. informovat Hostující organizaci neprodleně o jakýchkoliv událostech nebo okolnostech, které by mohly ovlivnit implementaci Projektu, Grantové dohody a Programu;
d. zachovávat mlčenlivost v souvislosti s daty, informacemi nebo materiály, které byly během realizace Projektu označeny jako „důvěrné“;
e. uvádět skutečnost, že Projekt byl financován ze zdrojů EU a Středočeského kraje (zejména při publikačních a komunikačních aktivitách či v žádostech o ochranu výsledků) a ve stejných případech uvádět také logo a prohlášení dle čl. 17 Grantové dohody. Jakákoliv publicita Projektu musí zahrnovat následující prohlášení: „Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Central Bohemian Region. Neither the European Union nor the Central Bohemian Region can be held responsible for them.”
f. závazky týkající se indikátorů programu MERIT dle Xxxxxxxx dohody. Vybraný výzkumník se zúčastní minimálně 2 akcí typu odborná konference souvisejících s šířením nebo využíváním výsledků výzkumu ročně a v rámci celého Projektu se zavazuje k vytvoření nebo spoluvytvoření minimálně jedné publikace. Dále
se zúčastní minimálně 2 aktivit souvisejících s komunikací nebo propagací výsledků výzkumu ročně.
9. Ustanovení týkající se práv duševního vlastnictví mezi Hostující organizací a Vybraným výzkumníkem v průběhu realizace Projektu i po jeho skončení. Pracovní smlouva nebo její součásti musí obsahovat následující ustanovení:
a. Zaměstnavatel se zavazuje nakládat či zajistit nakládání s výsledky duševní činnosti v souladu s pravidly Horizon Europe.
b. Smluvní strany berou na vědomí, že zaměstnavatel je vlastníkem práv k výsledkům duševní činnosti (předmětům duševního vlastnictví) existujícím před vznikem pracovního poměru (background IPR). Zaměstnavatel poskytne zaměstnanci za účelem plnění Projektu zaměstnance u zaměstnavatele přístup k background IPR. Poskytnutím přístupu k background IPR nedochází ke změně vlastnictví k background IPR, která nadále zůstávají ve vlastnictví zaměstnavatele.
10. Ustanovení týkající se otevřeného přístupu. Pracovní smlouva nebo její součásti musí obsahovat následující ustanovení:
a. Zaměstnanec bere na vědomí, že v případě, že vytvoří při trvání pracovněprávního poměru publikaci, bude tato publikována v režimu otevřeného přístupu v souladu s pravidly Programu Horizon Europe. Zaměstnanec se zavazuje informovat zaměstnavatele o vytvoření jakékoliv publikace v rámci trvání pracovněprávního poměru.
b. Otevřený přístup je u projektů spolufinancovaných programem Horizon Europe povinný v případě tvorby recenzovaných vědeckých publikací. Hlavním požadavkem je okamžitý otevřený přístup prostřednictvím důvěryhodného úložiště, bez ohledu na to, zda je publikace v režimu otevřeného přístupu, či nikoli. I v případě, že je publikace zveřejněna v časopise s otevřeným přístupem a je dostupná na webových stránkách vydavatele, musí být zajištěn okamžitý otevřený přístup k uložené publikaci prostřednictvím repozitáře, a to pod nejnovější dostupnou verzí mezinárodní veřejné licence Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) nebo licence s rovnocennými právy. Kromě toho musí být metadata uložené publikace nejpozději při zveřejnění otevřena pod licencí CC 0 nebo rovnocennou licencí v souladu se zásadami FAIR a musí obsahovat informace o licenčních podmínkách. "Dohledatelnost", "Přístupnost", "Interoperabilita" a "Opakovaná použitelnost".
c. Zaměstnanec dále bere na vědomí, že digitální výzkumná data vytvořená v rámci Projektu musí být spravována v souladu se zásadami FAIR. Z tohoto hlediska Program Horizon Europe vyžaduje, aby byl vypracován a pravidelně aktualizován plán správy dat (Data Management Plan, dále jen "DMP") trvání u všech projektů, které vytvářejí, znovu využívají nebo zpracovávají data.
11. Pracovní smlouva nebo její součásti dále musí obsahovat následující ustanovení:
a. Zaměstnanec je povinen vyplnit a odevzdat na konci školení hodnotící dotazník a následně po dvou letech navazující dotazník pro účely REA.
b. Smluvní strany jsou si vědomy Doporučení Komise ze dne 11. března 2005 o Evropské chartě pro výzkumné pracovníky a o Kodexu chování pro přijímání výzkumných pracovníků a seznámily se s jeho obsahem.
Vzhledem k tomu, že cílem projektů MSCA je také podpora mezisektorové spolupráce nebo mezinárodní mobility výzkumných pracovníků, dojde v průběhu realizace Projektu k Dočasnému vyslání Vybraného výzkumníka (Secondment) do partnerské instituce v České republice či zahraničí jakožto Přidružené organizace. Platí, že po celou dobu Dočasného vyslání zůstává Vybraný výzkumník zaměstnán Hostující organizací, která mu vyplácí
náležející příspěvky. Režim Dočasného vyslání s sebou přináší řadu aspektů a povinností, které je potřeba řešit (např. oblast sociálního zabezpečení).
Pokud je Vybraný výzkumník vyslán do třetí země a ČR s touto třetí zemí uzavřela tzv. bilaterální smlouvu o sociálním zabezpečení, řídí se příslušnost k právním předpisům sociálního zabezpečení touto bilaterální smlouvou. U bilaterálních smluv je nutné brát v potaz skutečnost, že na rozdíl od koordinačních nařízení aplikovaných v EU/EHP či Švýcarsku bilaterální smlouvy ne vždy pokrývají veškeré oblasti sociálního zabezpečení. Pokud bilaterální smlouva nepokrývá oblast zdravotního pojištění, je nutné, aby měl Vybraný výzkumník po dobu svého Dočasného vyslání sjednáno komerční zdravotní pojištění. Při vyslání do zahraničí obecně není zrušena povinnost odvádět příspěvek na zdravotní pojištění v ČR. Výjimka: Při Dočasném vyslání přesahujícím 6 měsíců může Vybraný výzkumník zažádat o vynětí ze zdravotního pojištění za předpokladu, že je v zahraničí zdravotně pojištěn a učinil o této skutečnosti písemné prohlášení u příslušné zdravotní pojišťovny. Po návratu ze zahraničí je Vybraný výzkumník při opětovném přihlášení povinen pojišťovně předložit doklad o tom, že byl po celou dobu Dočasného vyslání v zahraničí zdravotně pojištěn. Pokud takový doklad nepředloží, je povinen zdravotní pojišťovně pojištění zpětně doplatit (viz § 8 odst. 4 zákona č. 48/1997 Sb., o veřejném zdravotním pojištění, ve znění pozdějších předpisů).
Příloha č. 4 - Vzor Dodatku o hostování
DODATEK O HOSTOVÁNÍ KE SMLOUVĚ O ÚČASTI NA PROGRAMU MERIT |
mezi Středočeské inovační centrum, spolek a [NÁZEV] |
Tento DODATEK O HOSTOVÁNÍ KE SMLOUVĚ O ÚČASTI NA PROGRAMU MERIT
uzavřené dne [DOPLNIT] (dále jen „Dodatek o hostování“) uzavřely následující smluvní strany:
(1) Středočeské inovační centrum, spolek
se sídlem Strakonická 3367, Smíchov, 150 00 Praha 5
IČO: 042 28 235
zastoupený Mgr. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx, statutárním ředitelem (dále jen „Koordinátor“)
(2) [NÁZEV]
se sídlem [DOPLNIT] IČO:
zastoupená [DOPLNIT]
č.ú. [DOPLNIT] vedený u [DOPLNIT] (dále jen „Partner“)
(Koordinátor a Partner společně jako „Strany“)
PREAMBULE
(A) Strany uzavřely Smlouvu o účasti na programu MERIT (dále jen „Smlouva“), na jejímž základě je realizována jejich spolupráce při realizaci Programu a upraveny podmínky vzniku práva na poskytnutí Podpory.
(B) Realizace Projektu postoupila do další fáze, pročež Koordinátor vyzval Partnera k uzavření tohoto Dodatku o hostování.
(C) Partner v postavení Implementující organizace má zájem nabýt účinností tohoto Dodatku o hostování postavení Hostující organizace, se všemi právy a povinnostmi příslušejícími k tomuto postavení.
Strany v souladu s článkem 9 Smlouvy přistupují k uzavření Dodatku o hostování o následujícím znění:
1. Definice a výkladová pravidla
1.1. Není-li v tomto Dodatku o hostování uvedeno jinak, uplatní se v plném rozsahu definice a výkladová pravidla převzatá Stranami v článku 1 Smlouvy.
2. Předmět a prohlášení stran
2.1. Strany prohlašují, že
2.1.1. Výzkumník předložil Projekt, jehož specifikace tvoří přílohu č. 1 Dodatku o hostování;
2.1.2. Projekt předložený Výzkumníkem splňuje požadavky Programu;
2.1.3. Výzkumník má zájem realizovat Projekt u Partnera;
2.1.4. Výzkumník byl vybrán v rámci výběrového procesu Programu a jeho výběr, včetně přiřazení k Partnerovi, byl oficiálně schválen Řídicím výborem (Steering Committee) – Protokol o výběru Výzkumníka a jeho přiřazení k Partnerovi tvoří přílohu č. 2 Dodatku o hostování.