Career-FIT · Career Development Fellowships in the National Technology Centre Programme
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2017-01-01 → 2022-12-31
- EU contribution
- €5,310,000
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-COFUND
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Career Development Fellowships in the National Technology Centre Programme
The Career-FIT programme responds to the European Research Area recommendations for mobility of researchers between countries and sectors, aiming to boost research and innovation while adding to the future employability of researchers. In this context the Career-FIT strategy achieves this by placing the Fellows (experienced researchers awarded a Career-FIT fellowship) in Ireland's market-focused, industry collaborative Technology Centres and giving them the opportunity to spend up to 12 months within their 36-months contract at their partner company's, and thereby gain invaluable, first-hand insight in the industry sector. It does this in a manner more closely linked to the agenda of cross-sectoral cooperation in research careers in the Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) than any previous MSCA COFUND Programme. Additionally, key strategic objectives are to address skill shortages and increase the R&D competitiveness of Irish-based enterprises. Ireland's Technology Centres located within the eight Irish universities act as Host Organisations for the Fellows. They form a key pillar of the Irish research ecosystem, addressing Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 4-8, i.e. applied research, development and demonstration. In essence, they operate as public-private partnerships, aimed at enabling research that might not otherwise take place, and facilitate better interaction with industry towards producing tangible economic benefits. The Centres aim to address issues of value to both sides of the academic-industry link. Innovative research groups are created working on projects across disciplinary boundaries with issues that are both relevant for the industrial partners and scientifically challenging. The programme also meets Ireland's Smart Specialisation strategy expectations in so far as the Fellows are placed in Host Organisations across the Republic of Ireland and the partner companies are also well spread geographically.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Career-FIT is a new trans-national scheme that offers an opportunity for experienced researchers to develop their careers n market focused applied research in Ireland's Technology Centres. Covering a wide range of academic and industry areas aligned with Ireland's Smart Specialisation Strategy, the 15 Centres were established to encourage greater efficiency in the interaction between researchers, industry, and the public sector, in research that promotes economic growth by its direct relevance to industry agendas. Each multidisciplinary Centre offers excellent facilities and equipment for Fellow use: experienced scientific staff to support the Fellow’s research, and extensive enterprise relationships on which market focused applied research can be progressed. Following two widely publicised calls that seek to attract the highest quality researchers with their own research proposals, the Career-FIT programme offers 50 fellowships of 36 months’ duration for incoming mobility to the Centre Hosts, with an enterprise secondment option during the Fellowship. Selection is through a transparent process based on demonstrated excellence of the applicant, potential of the research programme, host organisation capacity to provide a developmental environment, and training/career development impact of the Fellowship. Fellows are mentored by an experienced Centre mentor(s) concerned not just for their scientific progress but also their training and development in line with agreed career goals. They will also have support from a Professional Development Advisor and will further benefit from participation in a structured development training programme that targets enhancement of personal effectiveness as well as competencies relating to innovation management. As a new programme offering interdisciplinary, intersectoral and international features, the Career-FIT human resource development objectives will guarantee the development of future research and innovation leaders.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- ENTERPRISE IRELAND · DublinCoordinatorIreland
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union