TUBITAK Scholarship Programme for Least Developed Countries

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) aims to give scholarships for graduate students from the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in the fields of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Technological Sciences, Medical Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities in Turkish Universities for improving science and technology capacity of LDCs and building scientific and socio-economic bridge between LDCs and Turkey.

Maximum durations of scholarship are 2 years for MSc/MA students and, 4 years for PhD students. Additionally, fellows attending a language school may be supported up to one year by 75 % of the full stipend. The fellows should start their fellowship in one year after the announcement of the results.

Fall Term:  19 August-27 September 2013

Further information

Preparatory Action "Guardians of the Sea"

Deadline for submission of proposals: 18/10/2013 

 The purpose of this Action is to promote a better balance between the EU fishing fleet and the available fisheries resources and to contribute to the reduction of the EU fishing fleet while at the same time preserving jobs in coastal communities. 

The Action should examine and demonstrate the feasibility and economic viability of maritime activities other than fishing, using a re-assigned fishing vessel, which are carried out by fishermen and captains who have left fishing, thus making the best use of their knowledge, experience and expertise. 

Specific objectives of the project 

 (a) Test in Mediterranean coastal regions, the feasibility of professionally reorienting fishermen using fishing vessels re-assigned to activities other than fishing; 

 (b) Identify and develop technical solutions for sea cleaning, such as for example to solve the problem of collecting small plastic debris and small fragments; 

 (c) Identify the economic conditions and operational costs of vessels operating as a platform for a number of environmental and maritime activities outside fishing and identify ways for future funding; 

 (d) Identify the relevant training needs of fishermen, and where appropriate, vessel owners, and identify ways to cover these needs and fund them; 

 (e) Support the reduction of fishing capacity in line with CFP Reform objectives by providing incentives to both fisherman and vessel owners to leave the sector and opt for professional reorientation. 

 The following types of entities located in a Mediterranean coastal region are eligible to participate in the call: 

- public authorities (national, regional, local administration); 

- public or semi-public bodies; 

- profit or non-profit making private bodies;

- research centres and educational institutions; 

- other interested associations, such as FLAGs within the meaning of Regulation (EC) 1198/2006. 

Budget: € 1.200.000

For further information, please contact us

EUROPEAN UNION ICAPITAL PRIZE

With the European Capital of Innovation Award, the European Commission wants to acknowledge the outstanding achievement of a city in building up an innovation ecosystem, i.e. a system which links the citizens (People) with a built environment (Place) and public organizations and policy-makers (Public) through business (Private). 

 The contest is open until 3 December 2013.

 The award of EUR 500 000 will be given to the winning city to scale up its achievement. 

 An independent panel of experts will judge the applications on the basis of the following criteria: 

• Innovative - Initiatives must be highly innovative in terms of concepts, processes and tools. 
• Inspiring - Proposals should manage to attract talent, funding, investment and inspire citizens' involvement and engagement. 
• Integrated - The proposal should target the entire innovation ecosystem and has to clearly highlight its links with the Europe 2020 goals. 
• Interactive - The implemented action and the proposed scale-up should help facilitating the interactions between the different actors in the innovation ecosystem. 

The experts will examine and select the iCapital which will be announced in spring 2014.

Further information

European funding for judicial training

Deadline for this call for proposals: 02/10/2013 

This call for proposals for action grants aims to select projects dealing with judicial training.

All proposals should aim to generate an added value at EU level as opposed to national or regional level

European judicial training targets primarily judges and prosecutors, because a welltrained and competent judiciary is a key prerequisite for the application of EU law, especially when they cannot always decide in what types of cases to be involved. European judicial training may also target, as a second step, training of judicial court staff, lawyers, bailiffs, mediators and notaries from the EU Member States and/or acceding or candidate countries.

 European judicial training activities can include the assessment of training needs, the development of training content, the organisation of training events, including quality evaluation, impact evaluation and dissemination of results; as well as dissemination of innovative results and adaptation of innovative practice for use in new settings; the organisation of train the trainers activities, the organisation of multilateral exchange programme for judges and prosecutors; support to judicial networks that are associated with or involved in coordinating assessment of training needs in EU law.

The training activities can take place in the context of continuous or initial training (induction-period) of the participants. All activities must involve participants (end-users, which should be members of the target group described above) from several Member States.

The total indicative budget available is EUR 8 200 000. Grants: up to 80% of the eligible costs

For further information, please contact us

Scientific co-operation between Eastern Europe and Switzerland

SCOPES 2013-2016 

DEADLINE: 20 September 2013

 

The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) are launching a new phase of the programme “SCOPES - Scientific co-operation between Eastern Europe and Switzerland”.

 

The programme aims at supporting individual researchers, research teams and research institutions from the target countries in their endeavour to overcome the difficulties of the transition period. From a Swiss perspective, the programme offers the possibility to fund scientific collaborations and promote synergies with the target countries.

Who can apply? Researchers working at research institutions in Switzerland and in countries of Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans and the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union. The main applicant must be employed at a Swiss research institution.

 

In spring 2014, there will be a call for Institutional Partnerships (IPs).

CONTACT US for further information

 

Call for proposals for Joint Research Projects and associated Researcher Excellence Grants

Deadline: 1 October 2013

The European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP) is a metrology-focused European programme of coordinated R&D that facilitates closer integration of national research programmes. The EMRP is jointly supported by the European Commission and the participating countries within the European Association of National Metrology Institutes (EURAMET e.V.). The EMRP will ensure collaboration between National Measurement Institutes, reducing duplication and increasing impact. The overall goal of the EMRP is to accelerate innovation and competitiveness in Europe whilst continuing to provide essential support to underpin the quality of our lives. 

The aim of this call is to advance measurement science and technology in the following areas:

• Metrology for Energy 
• Metrology for Environment

Call Overview 

The core activity of the EMRP consists of funding multi-partner trans-national Joint Research Projects (JRPs) addressing research, technological development, training and dissemination activities. Additionally, the EMRP also funds several Researcher Grant schemes which complement the JRPs in order to increase and diversify capacities in metrology. The JRPs and the EMRP Researcher Grants are independently evaluated and awarded following calls for proposals. The EMRP consists of five (5) Call cycles (2009-2013) – one Call per year. Each Call  includes several Researcher Grant schemes.

For further information, please contact us

European funding for accessible tourism

Design, Implementation, Promotion and Marketing of  Accessible Tourism Itineraries

Deadline: 22 October 2013 

Objectives:

• To foster adaptation of tourism products and services to the needs of people with special access needs 
• To promote equal opportunity and social inclusion of people with special access needs 
• To improve skills and training with relation to accessibility in the tourism supply chain 
• To help mainstreaming accessibility in all segments of the tourism supply chain, while at the same time creating a seamless chain of accessibility in tourism 
• To promote, market and disseminate best practices in accessible tourism 
• To provide adequate support and guidance to SMEs
• To enhance the quality and diversify the offer of accessible tourism experiences in Europe

Expected results:

• New partnerships and better cooperation amongst local authorities/relevant tourism authorities and agencies, tourism operators, in particular SMEs, training providers and disability stakeholders 
• A stronger focus on accessibility in local tourism development agendas and strategies 
• Creation of a "critical mass" of accessible destinations, attractions, sites and tourism-related services, as mainstream products providing quality and value-for-money 
• Better trained staff, better skills, higher satisfaction levels form travellers and a more positive image of the destinations concerned, thus boosting the overall image of Europe as a tourism destination 
• Attracting more tourists, and maintaining viable tourism flows in the low-season. 
• Positive returns for businesses, especially SMEs and micro-SMEs 

Maximum EU Contribution per project : € 125.000

For further information, contact us

New funding programme LIFE 2014\2020

New LIFE programme 2014/2020 will replace LIFE+ 2007/2013

It will be divided into two sub-programmes: 

 The sub-programme for Environment will support efforts in the following areas: 

- "Environment and Resource Efficiency" will focus on more innovative solutions for better implementation of environment policy and integrating environmental objectives in other sectors; 

- "Biodiversity" will develop best practices to halt biodiversity loss and restore ecosystem services, while keeping its primary focus on supporting Natura 2000 sites, especially via integrated projects consistent with Member States Prioritised Action Frameworks (as described in the Commission's new paper on Financing Natura 2000); 

- "Environmental Governance and Information" will promote knowledge sharing, dissemination of best practices, and better compliance, in addition to awareness raising campaigns 

 The sub-programme for Climate Action covers the following areas: 

- "Climate Change Mitigation" will focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions; 

- "Climate Change Adaptation" will focus on increasing resilience to climate change; 

-"Climate Governance and Information" will focus on increasing awareness, communication, cooperation and dissemination on climate mitigation and adaptation actions. 

Grants to finance projects will remain the Programme's main type of intervention. Operating grants for NGOs and other bodies will still be possible, and there will also be scope for contributions to innovative financial instruments.

Analysis of reception, protection and integration policies for unaccompanied minors in the EU

DEADLINE for submission of proposals: 24 October 2013

 The main objective of this Pilot Project is to identify good practices on prevention, reception, protection and integration policies for unaccompanied minors.

The Pilot project will cover the following specific objectives:

(a) Identifying prevention actions and policies vis-à-vis the group to which the Unaccompanied Minors belong (e.g. asylum seekers, victims of trafficking, children who enter illegally into the Union) and/or the country or region of origin

(b) Identifying good practices in measures to support protection programmes for Unaccompanied Minors in third countries.

(c) Identifying best practices on child reception and protection, and in particular on issues such as procedures at first encounter, legal representation, appointment of a guardian, access to and adequacy of reception facilities, initial interviews, education and medical care.

(d) Identifying good practices in specific measures and procedural guarantees for Unaccompanied Minors in the European Union.

(e) Evaluating the various experiences of combating the phenomenon of unaccompanied minors going missing and identifying best practices.

(f) Identifying best practices on restoring family unity and reintegration of Unaccompanied Minors in their countries of origin.

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects is EUR 1.000.0004 .

The minimum grant will be EUR 200.000 and the maximum grant will be EUR 1.000.000. Financial contribution from the European Union cannot exceed 90 % of the total eligible costs of the action.

For further information CONTACT US!

European funding for smart electronic systems

Deadlines: 24 September 2013 for project outlines and 26 November 2013 for full proposals

The EURIPIDES² is a EUREKA cluster supporting cooperative industrial R&D from design to process and manufacturing in the crucial domain of smart electronic systems integration in aerospace, automotive,energy, health care, transport, and in all new domains like smart cities, mobility and security.

These products are more and more part of our life and environment in communication (smart phones), automotive industry (electric cars), aeronautics, secure societies, medical, agro food, water and energy. 

EURIPIDES stimulates and supports innovative projects aiming at the development of new products and services. Led by industry, these projects involve large companies, a growing number of SMEs and academia, from at least two EUREKA countries.

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