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1 Sêr Cymru II: Early Career Fellowships and COFUND Fellowship Scheme Internal Evaluation / Selection Process Second Call Background The Sêr Cymru II programme is a suite of schemes part funded by the European Commission through the Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) COFUND scheme or the Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO) under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The programme will support up more than 150 new posts to work with stellar researchers in universities in Wales. The scheme is part of the Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales, Professor Julie Williams strategy to increase research capacity in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) related subjects. The programme is also open to researchers working in relevant areas of applied social science (applied to the STEMM disciplines). The programme is designed to attract the highest calibre candidates to work in excellent research groups in Welsh Universities. Fellowships will normally be 3 years in length and can involve collaboration with a relevant commercial partner. The quality of the applicant and research proposal must be very high i.e. Royal Society / RCUK Fellowship level and candidates should have an outstanding CV for their career stage. Please see Appendix 2 (p 4 & 5) for additional guidance and the scoring matrix that will be used by the EoI panel. AS A GUIDELINE TO SUPERVISORS, APPLICATIONS ARE INVITED FROM APPLICANTS SCORING 7 OR ABOVE on the criteria in Appendix 2. However, depending on the number and calibre of applications, after ranking, it is possible applicants scoring 7 may not be selected by the panel for support by AU. The closing date for the SECOND CALL for applications is 4 th October 2016, however the Internal AU EoI Deadline is 27 th June There will be one other call, the closing date for which will be announced at the end of Link - Eligibility Requirements for both Ser Cymru and COFUND Fellowships: 1. Applicants must be Experienced Researchers (ERs) at the time of the deadline for submission of proposals i.e. that they are in possession of a doctoral degree (or have at least four years of full time equivalent research experience) plus approximately 3 5 years postdoctoral research experience. 2. For the Ser Cymru II Fellowships, applicants can be of any nationality and NO MOBILITY rules apply. 3. For the COFUND Fellowships, applicants can be of any nationality but must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies etc.) in the UK for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the deadline for submission of proposals (short stays such as holidays are not taken into account) Mobility Requirement VER /04/16 PAGE 1

2 Schematic for SECOND CALL Deadline 4 TH October 2016 AU Internal Evaluation / Selection Process Initial contact between prospective Fellow and AU Academic AU Academic assesses Fellow s Experience and proposed Research Project Fellow and AU Academic complete EoI (see Checklist Appendix 1) EoI submitted to europe@aber.ac.uk EoI Deadline Monday 27 th June 1. Eligibility Review by EU Unit 2. Review by EoI Approval Panel - PVC Research (Chair), DoRs and Director RB&I (See Evaluation Criteria Appendix 2) Panel to convene w/c 4 th July YES APPROVAL TO PROCEED TO FULL APPLICATION Fellow and Supervisor complete FULL SER CYMRU OR COFUND Application Full Application including FEC & RG1 Form, submitted to europe@aber.ac.uk - by TUESDAY 13 TH SEPTEMBER 2016 at the latest Applications reviewed by European Unit RB&I and Research Finance Applications submitted Deadline 4 th October 2016 VER /04/16 PAGE 2

3 Appendix 1 Expression of Interest (EoI) For both Ser Cymru II and COFUND Checklist of documents which should be presented for approval to proceed to full application. 1. Fellow s CV and Track Record (max. 3 pages A4), listing: PhD Certificate date and/or number of years postdoctoral research experience Confirmation of meeting mobility requirement (if applicable) Important Publications and Citations (use appropriate discipline related index, excluding self-citations) Highlight (*) which publications have been without PhD supervisor Invited Conference Presentations Granted patents / Prizes / awards / professional memberships Research grant awards / experience Experience of leadership / mentoring staff PhD students, PDRA etc. 2. AU Academic s Combined Statement of Support and CV CV 1 page A4, highlighting the academic s specific experience in the field of the proposed project Statement of Support 1 page A4 which includes: i. AU supervisor s assessment of the quality of the candidates research experience and publications ii. Strategic fit of the candidate within the department iii. Confirmation that the academic has contacted the fellow s 2 referees (who know Fellow s work and proposed research field) and confirmed his/her suitability for the fellowship 3. Project Proposal (max. 3 pages A4) Title of the project Short Summary (½ page) of the proposed project in layperson s terms. 1 page specialist case; including a brief description of (i) novel aspects of the project and (ii) expected contribution to advancements in the project field ½ page impact case and planned outputs Statement YES/NO of alignment with one of the eight Ser Cymru National Research Network Low Carbon, Energy and Environment Research Clusters ( NB Not an eligibility requirement Statement YES/NO of alignment with Science for Wales Grand Challenge areas - ( ) NB Not an eligibility requirement Statement This proposal is presented for funding through the COFUND or Sêr Cymru II scheme COFUND /Sêr Cymru II Please indicate a preference (if any) and a justification for the preference. 4. Evidence of support from Institute Director or nominee (e.g. attachment) NB Please submit EoI Checklist documents together in ONE PDF file (naming protocol - EoI [Fellow Surname] [Supervisor Surname] e.g. EoI SMITH JONES) to europe@aber.ac.uk. VER /04/16 PAGE 3

4 Appendix 2 EoI Approval Panel Evaluation Criteria Panel (nominated alternates allowable): Pro VC Research Directors of Research STEMM and Applied Social Sciences Professor of Research Excellence and Impact. Director/Deputy Director RB&I Administrative support (RB&I Anne Howells) Evaluation Criteria 1. Quality of the applicant (Royal Society / RCUK Fellowship level and outstanding CV for their career stage) 2. Quality, innovative aspects, and credibility of research idea (scheme evaluation criteria 3. Strategic fit within Department/Institute and to Supervisor s own research (including level of support from the Institute) Score Fellow - taking into account their career stage (time since PhD) 10 The fellow's achievements are outstanding and represent world-leading standards in terms of quality, significance and scientific impact. The applicant is on a clear trajectory to become a world-class research leader. 9 The fellow's achievements are excellent and represent world-class standards in terms of quality, significance and scientific impact. The applicant is likely to become a world-class research leader. 8 The fellow's achievements are very good, contain aspects of excellence, and represent high standards in terms of quality, significance and scientific impact. The applicant demonstrates potential to become a worldclass research leader. 7 The fellow's achievements are of a good quality, internationally competitive, at the forefront of UK research and have a high level of scientific impact. Proposal The proposed work is outstanding and represents world-leading standards in terms of quality, significance and scientific impact The proposed work is excellent and represents world-class standards in terms of quality, significance and scientific impact. The proposed work is very good, contains aspects of excellence, and represents high standards in terms of quality, significance and scientific impact. internationally competitive, at the forefront of UK research and has a high level of scientific impact. 6 The fellow's achievements are of a good quality, on the borderline between nationally and internationally competitive, and have a good level of scientific impact. on the borderline between nationally and internationally competitive, and has a good level of scientific impact. VER /04/16 PAGE 4

5 5 The fellow's achievements are of a good quality, have some scientific merit, but re not at the leading edge. has some scientific merit, but is not at the leading edge. 4 The fellow's achievements are of a good quality, have some scientific merit, but have a number of weaknesses. has some scientific merit, but has a number of weaknesses. 3 The fellow's achievements are of a satisfactory quality. 2 The fellow's achievements are weak in terms of quality, significance and scientific impact, and have only a few strengths. The proposed work is of a satisfactory quality. It would provide some new knowledge, but fails to provide reasonable evidence and justification for the proposal. The proposed work is weak in terms of quality, significance and scientific impact, and has only a few strengths. 1 The fellow's achievements are of an unsatisfactory quality and are unlikely to have advanced the field. The proposed work is of an unsatisfactory quality and is unlikely to advance the field. VER /04/16 PAGE 5