Final Report Summary - B-MOB (Supporting international mobility and training in Bizkaia)
·· Scope and objectives ··
The B-MOB project concerns a Financial Aid Programme promoted by bizkaia:talent, aiming to support, link, train and enhance the professional career of experienced researchers developing their own research project in strategic research areas, and in association with research organisations based in Bizkaia (Spain). The overall purpose is to promote the development of research activities and economic growth of Bizkaia and of Europe and to contribute to the professional development of researchers. The programme is co-funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme (People – Marie Curie Actions). It is organised around three mobility schemes:
• Mode 1: Support the integration in Bizkaia of experienced researchers. (Incoming mobility and Reintegration).
• Mode 2: Support to the linking of external collaborators who initiates innovative projects in Bizkaia (Incoming mobility and Reintegration - Experienced researchers with more than 10 years of experience).
• Mode 3: Support for the training of qualified people abroad, with a return phase to Bizkaia (Outgoing mobility).
The main project activities are the following, repeated for each yearly call:
- Publication of the call (incl. web development, call documents etc.)
- Call for experts for evaluation
- Evaluation of the received applications
- Selection and award process
- Project management, incl. progress monitoring and reporting
The original project objectives include the award of 11 to 12 grants per year during four years, in total 45 contracts. In particular the objectives for each scheme were established to:
• 28 contracts in Mode 1 (Average duration 27.0 months; 63.0 fellow-years);
• 8 contracts in Mode 2 (Average duration 12.0 months; 8.0 fellow-years); and
• 9 contracts in Mode 3 (Average duration 18.00 months; 13.5 fellow-years).
·· Results of the project ··
From the first call of the project significant deviations have been noted compared to what was foreseen in Annex I with respect to the distribution of the fellowships among the three modes (No. of fellowships and fellow-years funded). The results of each call are detailed below.
The first call in the B-MOB project was launched in March 2012 and resulted in 11 awarded research grants; 5 in Mode 1, 5 in Mode 2 and 1 in Mode 3. The total amount of funding for the call 2012 was 468,688.85 €, corresponding to 19.8 fellow-years.
The second call was launched in April 2013 and resulted in 22 awarded research grants were, 2 in Mode 1, 18 in Mode 2 and 2 in Mode 3. The total amount of funding for the call 2013 was 1,346,296.12 €, corresponding to 32.4 fellow-years.
The third call was launched in April 2014 and resulted in 20 grants awarded; 18 in Mode 2 and 2 in Mode 3. The total amount of funding for the call 2014 was 981,531.91 €, corresponding to 11.9 fellow-years.
In the final call, launched in March 2015, bizkaia:talent finally awarded 17 grants: 7 in Mode 1, 6 in Mode 2 and 4 in Mode 3. The total amount of funding for the call 2015 was 575,300.35 €, corresponding to 10.7 fellow-years.
·· Impact of the project ··
In terms of impact of the programme, the mission of bizkaia:talent is to advance along the road towards scientific excellence in the region and support the development of competitive business opportunities on the world stage. The attraction of talent and the incorporation of international research groups into the system is, in fact, the formula used to convert the Basque Country into a node of reference of the European research community, following the principles set out by the EU for the human resources development in RDI. Transnational mobility of researchers represents an action of crucial importance to generate innovation outputs and facilitate the effective interaction of academic research and industry, contributing to the Basque Country’s reputation as a scientific and technological node of reference.
The B-MOB programme is promoting transnational mobility with the main purpose to attract qualified researchers to the Biscay region, to retain them and/or to transfer knowledge and scientific methodologies to the host organisations. B-MOB allows regional host organisations to attract talented people from abroad, and on the other hand it gives the opportunity for local researchers to obtain advanced training abroad, in internationally recognised research centres. This open approach has been chosen in order to give maximum possible freedom for researchers and host organisations, supporting knowledge sharing within multi-level, cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary research fields. Altogether the programme has played an important role for regional researchers, companies and research organisations to extend their international collaboration and networking activities, and establish themselves in the front positions in specific research areas. This will in the end contribute to further development and strengthening of the RDI sector in the region, as well as in Europe.
More information about the B-MOB programme is available at: http://bt-rea.org/
The B-MOB project concerns a Financial Aid Programme promoted by bizkaia:talent, aiming to support, link, train and enhance the professional career of experienced researchers developing their own research project in strategic research areas, and in association with research organisations based in Bizkaia (Spain). The overall purpose is to promote the development of research activities and economic growth of Bizkaia and of Europe and to contribute to the professional development of researchers. The programme is co-funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme (People – Marie Curie Actions). It is organised around three mobility schemes:
• Mode 1: Support the integration in Bizkaia of experienced researchers. (Incoming mobility and Reintegration).
• Mode 2: Support to the linking of external collaborators who initiates innovative projects in Bizkaia (Incoming mobility and Reintegration - Experienced researchers with more than 10 years of experience).
• Mode 3: Support for the training of qualified people abroad, with a return phase to Bizkaia (Outgoing mobility).
The main project activities are the following, repeated for each yearly call:
- Publication of the call (incl. web development, call documents etc.)
- Call for experts for evaluation
- Evaluation of the received applications
- Selection and award process
- Project management, incl. progress monitoring and reporting
The original project objectives include the award of 11 to 12 grants per year during four years, in total 45 contracts. In particular the objectives for each scheme were established to:
• 28 contracts in Mode 1 (Average duration 27.0 months; 63.0 fellow-years);
• 8 contracts in Mode 2 (Average duration 12.0 months; 8.0 fellow-years); and
• 9 contracts in Mode 3 (Average duration 18.00 months; 13.5 fellow-years).
·· Results of the project ··
From the first call of the project significant deviations have been noted compared to what was foreseen in Annex I with respect to the distribution of the fellowships among the three modes (No. of fellowships and fellow-years funded). The results of each call are detailed below.
The first call in the B-MOB project was launched in March 2012 and resulted in 11 awarded research grants; 5 in Mode 1, 5 in Mode 2 and 1 in Mode 3. The total amount of funding for the call 2012 was 468,688.85 €, corresponding to 19.8 fellow-years.
The second call was launched in April 2013 and resulted in 22 awarded research grants were, 2 in Mode 1, 18 in Mode 2 and 2 in Mode 3. The total amount of funding for the call 2013 was 1,346,296.12 €, corresponding to 32.4 fellow-years.
The third call was launched in April 2014 and resulted in 20 grants awarded; 18 in Mode 2 and 2 in Mode 3. The total amount of funding for the call 2014 was 981,531.91 €, corresponding to 11.9 fellow-years.
In the final call, launched in March 2015, bizkaia:talent finally awarded 17 grants: 7 in Mode 1, 6 in Mode 2 and 4 in Mode 3. The total amount of funding for the call 2015 was 575,300.35 €, corresponding to 10.7 fellow-years.
·· Impact of the project ··
In terms of impact of the programme, the mission of bizkaia:talent is to advance along the road towards scientific excellence in the region and support the development of competitive business opportunities on the world stage. The attraction of talent and the incorporation of international research groups into the system is, in fact, the formula used to convert the Basque Country into a node of reference of the European research community, following the principles set out by the EU for the human resources development in RDI. Transnational mobility of researchers represents an action of crucial importance to generate innovation outputs and facilitate the effective interaction of academic research and industry, contributing to the Basque Country’s reputation as a scientific and technological node of reference.
The B-MOB programme is promoting transnational mobility with the main purpose to attract qualified researchers to the Biscay region, to retain them and/or to transfer knowledge and scientific methodologies to the host organisations. B-MOB allows regional host organisations to attract talented people from abroad, and on the other hand it gives the opportunity for local researchers to obtain advanced training abroad, in internationally recognised research centres. This open approach has been chosen in order to give maximum possible freedom for researchers and host organisations, supporting knowledge sharing within multi-level, cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary research fields. Altogether the programme has played an important role for regional researchers, companies and research organisations to extend their international collaboration and networking activities, and establish themselves in the front positions in specific research areas. This will in the end contribute to further development and strengthening of the RDI sector in the region, as well as in Europe.
More information about the B-MOB programme is available at: http://bt-rea.org/