Starting research in Malta

The Marie Curie transfer of knowledge action Universities, research institutions or enterprises in the EU member or associated states can apply to the Commission for funding to reinforce or develop new research competencies through the recruitment of experienced researchers.

These fellowships will be directed at European organisations (universities, research centres, enterprises, etc.) in need of developing new areas of competence, as well as at furthering the development of research capabilities in the less-favoured regions of the EU and in the associated candidate countries.

Marie Curie Transfer of Knowledge Development Scheme (TOK-DEV)

This action aims to support projects presented by a legal entity in need of developing new knowledge, with priority to those situated either in less favoured regions of the member states or in the associated candidate countries to:

host experienced researchers, recruited following an international publication of vacancies, for a period up to two years, and, optionally,

send experienced researchers from among their own staff members to one or more distinct and independent bodies in another member state, associated states or third country (in this last case, only in exceptional circumstances, which must be duly justified) for the acquisition of new knowledge to be transferred and developed by them on their return to their home organisation.

The minimum duration of the recruitment or the secondment of the staff member is two months. When the TOK-DEV organisation opts to send its own staff members to a partner organisation, the project should necessarily include a knowledge acquisition phase (up to one year) in the partner hosting the researcher and the integration of this knowledge in the organisation of origin of the researcher (of the same duration as the initial phase).

The organisations, which will provide this training, will be pre-determined, and designated in the submitted proposal to the Commission, and will be taken into account at the time of the evaluation of the projects. The TOK-DEV organisation of origin will be liable for the commitment of its researcher(s) to return for at least one year after their secondment to further develop the acquired knowledge there or, otherwise, refund the payments already received under this action.

Marie Curie TOK Industry-Academia Strategic Partnership Scheme (TOK-IAP)

This scheme will aim to support projects for the creation and development of strategic partnerships between the academic world and the world of enterprise that will be presented jointly by universities/research centres and companies from at least two member or associated states. These projects aim to allow them to: mutually exchange experienced researchers; develop their knowledge by the integration of researchers in a different work environment; or to acquire new knowledge and benefit from this when the researchers return to their organisation of origin. Such strategic research partnership projects can be co-ordinated either by the industrial or academic partner and can involve one or more partners from the other sector.

For this purpose the partnerships will allow these entities to accommodate experienced researchers from the staff members of the other partner(s) and thus benefit from their experience and knowledge. Within this scheme, the industrial partners must be organisations operating on a commercial basis. i.e. commercial companies gaining the majority of their revenue through competitive means with exposure to commercial markets, and will include incubators, start-ups and spin-offs, venture capital companies, etc. Within the scheme, preference will be given to projects that aim at fostering new, inter-sectorial, lasting research collaborations beyond the term of the proposed contract, or strengthening existing collaborations.

All Marie Curie actions have a 'bottom-up' approach, meaning that all fields of research of interest to the European Community are eligible for funding.

In determining the research topic on which the training and transfer-of-knowledge activities will be based, it is important to emphasise that projects should be of strong interest for Europe and help to provide the best possible benefits in terms of knowledge received and scientific progress for the participating institutions.

Malta success story

Through a successful Marie Curie TOK application that was submitted to the European Commission DG research last May, the communication therapy division (CT) of the institute of health care, University of Malta, will be hosting an experienced researcher from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK for a period of three months. This expert will help in:

¤ setting up a research base within the CT Division;

¤ promoting internationally recognised research training standards;

¤ promoting training of researchers;

¤ setting up joint research projects particularly related to disordered speech in children.

The CT division within the University of Malta is relatively small and young and is the only local training establishment of speech-language pathologists. Through this EU-funded project, the CT division will move closer to achieving its aim of fostering research in human communication disorders related to the local speech and language disordered population. The expertise gained through this TOK project will effectively enable the CT division to conduct large-scale research projects that would reflect on the quality of the speech therapy service offered in Malta.

The project will also allow for an experienced researcher from the CT division to spend a period of three months at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, to acquire new knowledge and gain research experience. On returning to Malta, the researcher will spend a minimum of 12 months collecting and analysing data in connection with the studies planned in the beginning of the project. Another 12 months will be allocated for the dissemination of results.

The next deadline for this action is on May 19.

For further information on all of the Marie Currie Actions contact the European Unit of the University of Malta on 2340-3180, or e-mail andrew.bianco@um.edu.mt.