Invitation for Researchers and Research Managers and Administrators (RMAs) to apply for a study visit hosted in the National Research Council of Italy (CNR)
NCP_WIDERA.NET, an EU-funded project of the network of National Contact Points for Widening Participation and Strengthening of the European Research Area – WIDERA of Horizon Europe (Project no. 101055286), foresees three-day study visits to leading research-based organisations from Spain, Germany, Italy and Finland addressed to promising Researchers from Widening countries**.
The rationale of Study Visits
The main aim of Study Visits is to provide promising Researchers with diverse professional experience (less and more experienced) from Widening countries the opportunity to access excellent practices and networks, by visiting leading research-based organisations with a view of taking valuable lessons learnt “home” to their host institutions for better support of their communities.
Research management can take many shapes: research policy advisers, research managers, financial support staff, data stewards, research infrastructure operators, knowledge transfer officers, business developers, knowledge brokers, innovation managers, according to WIDERA WP 2021-2022, page 75.
Member states: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia
Associated countries to Horizon Europe: Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo 2, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Morocco, Tunisia, Ukraine, Faroe Islands
Outermost regions of Portugal and Spain, and France.
Study Visit to the National Research Council of Italy (CNR)
NCP_WIDERA.NET has the pleasure of inviting Researchers to apply for a Study Visit as follows:
Host organization: National Research Council of Italy (CNR)
Hosting units: CNR| Institute on Membrane Technology
Location: Rende, Italia
Date: 18-20 March 2025
No of participants: up to 19
Desired experience from the candidate Researchers and RMA:
- Researchers who work in the field of membrane science and technology
- RMAs: Research managers, project managers, financial support staff, administrators business developers, innovation managers, auditors, experts in funded projects.
CNR-ITM main research activities aim to promote knowledge, innovation, and high-level training in the field of membranes’ applications in:
- water treatment,
- gas separation,
- energy,
- bioartificial organs,
- biotechnology,
- food, and agriculture
- additionally, membrane fabrication
Networking: CNR-ITM has established collaborations with various Research Institutes, Universities, and Companies located in
- Italy,
- Europe,
- Middle East,
- North Africa,
- China,
- South Korea,
- Japan,
- India,
- United States, and
- Australia
Ιnformation about the CNR-ITM Grants Office
The dedicated grants office has long-standing experience in managing EU grants since the 7th Framework Programme. It offerssupport for attracting competitive grants and managing the entire life cycle of projects.
Indicative support provided to the researchers by the CNR-ITM office:
- Identification of suitable funding opportunities including educating on particular modalities for participation and eligibility requirements
- Grant Agreement Preparation
- Project Management if CNR-ITM is the coordinator, including logistics and financial reporting
- Financial audit management for national, regional and EU programmes
- Furthermore, the Grants Office uses digital tools for its project management activities and maintains an active inventory of proposals in order to measure its success rate.
Why apply?
Researchers from the participating Widening countries will have the chance to network, exchange views and acquire valuable take aways from the Director of the CNR-ITM and specialists active in membrane preparation, characterization and modeling of their applications in gas, food, water treatment and desalination as well as recovery of added-value products.
RMAs from the participating Widening countries will exchange views with a number of specialists on the pre and post award of competitive proposals and most notably with the Director of the grants office.
The programme
Indicative aspects of the programme include;
For researchers:
visit to CNR-ITM laboratories and infrastructures for a knowledge exchange on research approaches and techniques in different application fields and demonstrating the potentiality of
- Membrane Science and Technology in Energy,
- Gas Separation, Water treatment,
- Food and Membrane Fabrication
- Training on membrane fabrication
For RMAs
They will be introduced to the management activities carried out by CNR-ITM Grant Office, they will be offered guidance on proposal writing with focus on the three evaluation criteria, overview of Horizon Europe and important aspects of legal, financial and administrative aspects of EU grants. Furthermore, they will be shown how to best utilise digital tools offered by the EC such as the F&T portal and by various complementary support networks.
The three-day programme will be complemented by reflection sessions and a networking event “NR-ITM Seminar Day”
Eligibility and evaluation process
Country eligibility
Interested persons with affiliation to research-based organisations from the following eligible Widening countries may apply.
Eligible Widening countries: (This may be subject to change, as we will be collecting interest from widening countries)
- Cyprus
- Estonia
- Georgia
- Kosovo
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Poland
- Tunisia
- Turkey
Participants of the Study Visits will be eligible for reimbursement based on actual costs exclusively by their country’s NCP organisation responsible for the WIDERA programme appearing in the list below (reimbursing organisation). The reimbursing organisation will also appear in the acceptance note that successful applicants will receive.
Eligible costs: Travel and accommodation
For more details contact the reimbursing organisation from your country.
Maximum reimbursable amount: 1.000 euros per applicant
Participants will be reimbursed after the completion of their trip and following submission of a report to their country’s reimbursing organisation.
A report template can be found here and at the bottom of this page.
Evaluation criteria
Interested researchers andwill need to fill out an application form requesting the following information:
The list of participants will be underpinned by gender aspects to the extent possible.
| Criteria for Researchers | ||
|---|---|---|
| ⚫ | Select 1-3 research topics from the list that are relevant to your field of work | |
| ⚫ | Indicative 1-5 publications | |
| ⚫ | Grants raised at national or international level in last 2 years, if any (indicate number and funder) | |
| ⚫ | Briefly describe the role you have in Research Development and Innovation projects. | |
| ⚫ | What is your opinion of the added value of international cooperation? | |
| ⚫ | Brief description of supervisional activity (thesis/dissertation) or leadership activity undertaken | |
| ⚫ | Good command of the English language at least of B2 level or equivalent | |
| ⚫ | CV – EUROPASS | |
| ⚫ | Endorsement letter from your institution |
| Criteria for RMAs | ||
|---|---|---|
| ⚫ | Which of the activity area(s) of CNR-ITM are close to your work? | |
| ⚫ | Number and type of grants raised at the national/international level, if any | |
| ⚫ | Brief description of indicative national/international project(s) you have participated in, if any | |
| ⚫ | Indicative number of proposals submitted (if any) in the recent years of your career, number of successful proposals (if any) | |
| ⚫ | Brief description of valorisation experience (collaboration with industry, patents, spin-offs, licensing), if any | |
| ⚫ | Good command of English, at least of B2 level or equivalent | |
| ⚫ | CV – EUROPASS | |
| ⚫ | Endorsement letter from your institution |
- Remote evaluation: The reimbursing partners from each eligible country participating to the study will evaluate remotely their country’s incoming applications
- Consensus: The partners will discuss and reach out a consensus
- Consultation with host organisation
- Acceptance/rejection letters to participants
How to apply
Interested persons coming from the listed Widening countries may complete the application forms available at the bottom of this page and send to the relevant contact person(s) in their country:
Organisation:
Research Innovation Foundation (RIF)
Contact person:
Marcia Trilidou: trillidou@research.org.cy
Kalypso Sepou: kalypso@research.org.cy
Number of candidates eligible for funding: 2
Organisation:
Estonian Research Council
Contact persons:
Kristin Kraav: kristin.kraav@etag.ee
Siiri Kolka: siiri.kolka@etag.ee
Number of candidates eligible for funding: 3
Organisation:
Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia
Contact person:
Nino Rodonaia: nrodonaia@mes.gov.ge
Number of candidates eligible for funding: 2
Organisation:
Minstry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation
Contact persons:
Qamile Sinanaj Rexhaj: qamile.sinanaj@rks-gov.net
Number of candidates eligible for funding: 1
Organisation:
Lithuanian Research Council
Contact persons:
Aurelija Povilaikė: aurelija.povilaike@lmt.lt,
Ieva Budrienė: ieva.budriene@lmt.lt
Number of candidates eligible for funding: 1
Organisation:
National Agency for Research and Development
Contact person:
Viorica Boaghi: viorica.boaghi@ancd.gov.md
Igor Chiosa: igorchiosa9@gmail.com
Number of candidates eligible for funding: 1
Organisation:
Ministry of Science and Technological Development
Contact person:
Anđela Radulović: andjela.grujicic@mpni.gov.me,
Marica Melovic: marica.melovic@mpni.gov.me
Number of candidates eligible for funding: 2
The National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR)
Contact:
widera@ncbr.gov.pl
Number of candidates eligible for funding: 1
Download national rules and forms for Polish applicants (.zip)
Organisation:
Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MHESR)
Contact person:
Amani Charrad: amani.charrad@gmail.com
Number of candidates eligible for funding: 2
Organisation:
Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkiye (TUBITAK)
Contact person:
Derya Donertas: derya.donertas@tubitak.gov.tr
Number of candidates eligible for funding: 2
If you need more information, please contact the above mentioned contact person(s).
Alternatively, you may contact the Task Leader of the study visits of the NCP_WIDERA.NET project:
Organisation: PRAXI Network/Foundation for Research & Technology – Hellas (Greece)
• Vassiliki Kalodimou: National Contact Point for WIDERA, e-mail: vkalodimou@praxinetwork.gr, widera@praxinetwork.gr
• Maria Mikroni: National Contact Point for WIDERA: e-mail: mikroni@praxinetwork.gr, widera@praxinetwork.gr
The partners of NCP_WIDERA.NET project are compliant with all legal procedures for the processing of personal data as defined by the Regulation EU/2016/679 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and the applicable national laws.
Please be advised that for the purposes of sound implementation of this Study Visit and based on findings from the previous activity, the selected applicants’ data on the application form as well as personal data, will need to be shared as follows:
1. With the Turku UAS: Purpose: a) gain timely and due information on the applicants’ profiles and interest, to better adjust the agenda. Moreover, there will be a preparatory, virtual meeting between the selected applicants and the Host, b) personal data such as ID or passports maybe needed for granting access to the Host’s premises. In Study Visits, there is the habit of group photo and picture taking for social media use. Concerned participants have the right to object for themselves.
2. With the National Contact Points (NCPs), members of the NCP_WIDERA.Net project who will be escorting the group. NCPs joining along to help with the delivery of the study visit, will need access to the successful applicants’ telephone numbers for better coordination.
3. Among the successful applicants: Networking needs have been observed amongst the participants to Study Visits. Therefore, NCP_WIDERA.NET will actively promote networking of participants. Concerned participants have the right to object for themselves.
We would like to inform you that you have the right to access, correct, update or even delete your personal data in accordance with the EU Regulation and applicable national laws. We also inform you that you have the right to lodge a complaint with the national data protection authority of your reimbursing partner. You have the right to withdraw your participation in the survey and consent to the processing of your personal data at any time. You may contact the Data Protection Officer (DPO) of the reimbursing organisation in your country.