Thai-German S&T Cooperation 3 rd Researcher Mobility Scheme Terms of Reference 1. Background This researcher mobility scheme is in support of the internationalisation of research in both countries and is based on the principle of project-based mobility. The International Bureau of the DLR Project Management Agency, Germany, and the National Science and Technology Development Agency in Thailand (NSTDA) agree to support bilateral research and development projects in fields of common Thai-German interest. The objective of these Terms of References (hereafter ToRs) is to lay down the guiding principles of cooperation, the rights and responsibilities of the participating parties and the organisational issues regarding the implementation of joint calls. 2. Objectives The objective of the joint researcher mobility scheme is to facilitate bilateral cooperation between the scientific communities of Thailand and Germany by supporting the development of joint research projects. This is achieved predominately through funding of bilateral workshops/seminars, exchange visits of scientists, and visits of composite (scientific and industrial) delegations. Its general provision is to organise a regular call for proposals to which bilateral Thai-German teams can respond with joint project proposals. A joint Thai-German team will evaluate these proposals. A fully transparent procedure should ensure that the best bilateral teams are supported. The aim of this joint mobility scheme is, on the one hand, to allow research teams to form new collaborations and, on the other hand, to allow the teams to seek more substantial R&D funding from other national and international funding schemes. In exceptional cases it could also include some minor R&D measures to support the potential R&D co-operations. 3. Implementing agencies The National Science and Development Agency of Thailand (NSTDA) is the implementing agency on the Thai side. The International Bureau (IB) of the DLR Project Management Agency (DLR PT), Bonn is the implementing agency on the German side. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) provide the funding on the German side; the IB of DLR-PT- is the implementing agency of the Ministry s international cooperation activities. On the Thai side funding will come from the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) and from the participating Thai universities. Thai-German Researcher Mobility Scheme 1
4. Duties and responsibilities The partners agree to implement a bilateral research mobility scheme with fully shared responsibilities and duties. This means in particular the joint publication of the call, joint evaluation, and shared funding. The participating institutions commit themselves to work transparently and to openly communicate all relevant information to each other. All decisions with regard to the cooperation and the implementation of the call should be taken by consensus among all the partners. Each partner shall nominate one contact person for all internal communication. In the case of NSTDA this will be Ms Phawika Rueannoi, International Relations Officer, NSTDA. 5. Researcher Mobility scheme basic principles The researcher mobility scheme should work on the basis of the host payment principle. Each side should pay for the travel of its researchers/scientists and for living allowances for visiting researchers/scientists. Financial support would be made available through the respective nodal agencies from the two sides for the exchange visit under the approved projects component only as per the financial terms given in section 8. 6. Researcher Mobility scheme Areas of Cooperation Proposals submitted in the following national priority areas would be preferred: Health Environment (incl. smart cities and biodiversity) 7. Researcher Mobility Scheme structure The scheme will be structured as follows: Up to 12 projects will be funded for a period between one and two years. Minimum participation of 1 Thai and 1 German institution/researcher per project Funding includes the provision of travel costs and allowances following the host payment principle with the details described below. 8. Researcher Mobility Scheme funding Travel funding: The sending side (NSTDA in Thailand or BMBF/DLR-PT in Germany) bears the total cost of travel of the visiting personnel between places of work in Thailand and Germany, including visa fees, airport taxes and overseas medical insurance. Funding by BMBF/DLR-PT to German researchers travelling to Thailand covers the costs for international flights (economy), travelling to the German airport, and visa only. Other travelling costs, e.g. insurances and departure taxes (if applicable) are borne by the sending institute or company. Thai-German Researcher Mobility Scheme 2
Funding by NSTDA to Thai researchers travelling to Germany covers the costs for international flights (economy), travelling to the airport in Bangkok, visa costs, and travel and health insurance. A maximum of 3 round trips per side per project will be funded. Allowances: The receiving side shall provide living expenses, connected with the agreed programme of the visit. In general, the sum of visits should not extend beyond 3 months per side and project. Thai scientists to Germany: Short-term (up to 30 days) 94 Euro per day (1 to 22 days); max. 2,116 Euro for 23 to 30 days (In case of free accommodation per diem would be 26 Euro) Long-term (max. 3 months) 2,116 Euro per month 70 Euro for single days exceeding full months German scientists to Thailand 2,000 THB per day inclusive of accommodation Maximum of 180,000 THB inclusive of accommodation for 90 days or 60,000 THB / Month 9. Researcher Mobility Scheme financial assumptions The following financial assumptions underlie this researcher mobility scheme: The Call will be restricted to NSTDA researchers and researchers based at Thai publicly funded universities SME s are welcome to participate at the invitation of NSTDA or university based researchers but they would be responsible for covering their travel and accommodation costs A maximum of 12 projects will be funded with a minimum participation requirement of at least 1 Thai and 1 German researcher per project. Up to Thai 3 researchers and 3 German researchers per project may be funded) Each participating Thai institution must be prepared to fund a minimum of 2 project proposals involving researchers from their respective institutions, and to be selected by the evaluation committee. The additional projects could be funded on a case-by-case basis depending on the outcome of the evaluation, and available funding from the participating institutions. Travel max 36 trips to Germany by Thai scientists @ 65,000 baht per Round trip = 2.34 million THB. This amount includes the following: o Return economy airfares to Germany from Thailand o Domestic travel in both Germany and Thailand o Travel and health insurance o Airport transfers in both Thailand and Germany Thai-German Researcher Mobility Scheme 3
Maximum of 90 days allowances per side per project i.e. one researcher from Germany or Thailand could travel to the other country for up to a maximum of 90 days, or this could be broken down into smaller travel times, e.g. three Thai researchers travelling to Germany for a maximum of 30 days each, or 3 German scientists coming to Thailand for a maximum of 30 days each On the Thai side, the living allowances (room and board included) for German scientists in Thailand are 2000 THB per day for up to 30 days. For more than 30 days and a maximum of 90 days, the living allowances are 60,000 THB per month. On the Thai side, NSTDA will be responsible for living allowances of German scientists involved in projects where the Thai principal investigator is from NSTDA, and Thai universities will be responsible for the living allowances of German scientists involved in projects where the Thai principal investigator is from a Thai university. The maximum total costs for participating Thai universities for 2 projects over 2 years would be as follows: o Allowances (room and board) 180 days @ 2,000 THB per days = 360,000 THB The maximum total costs for NSTDA over 2 years would be as follows: o Travel max 36 trips to Germany by Thai scientists @ 65,000 THB per trip = 2.34 million THB. This amount includes return economy airfare to Germany from Thailand, domestic travel in both Germany and Thailand, visa costs, travel and health insurance, airport transfers in both Thailand and Germany o Allowances (room and board) for up to 2 projects - 180 days @ 2,000 THB per days = 360,000 THB 10. Researcher Mobility Scheme - publication of the call and schedule The partners shall agree on a joint call text with identical conditions and descriptions. NSTDA and DLR-PT shall each nominate a contact person in the call text, who can provide information to interested applicants. In the case of NSTDA this will be Ms. Phawika Rueannoi, International Relations Officer, NSTDA. Contact details as follows: e-mail: Phawika.Rueannoi@NSTDA.OR.TH tel: (66) 02564-7000 ext. 71535 The participating partners shall publish the call at the same time with the same deadline for submission. All joint proposals have to be submitted by an electronic portal, which is set up by DLR- PT Tentative time line: Both sides will publish the call for proposals in February 2016. The deadline for submissions will be six weeks after opening of the call approx. end of March 2016. Following the evaluation and review process, the announcement for the qualified researchers for this Thai-German Mobility Phase III is expected in May 2016. DLR-PT will inform NSTDA or vice versa promptly in case any adjustment to the time line is necessary. 11. Research Mobility Scheme Evaluation Thai-German Researcher Mobility Scheme 4
Both sides shall evaluate in parallel all submitted proposals based on the following criteria: Relevance to German and Thai national programmes and multinational programmes (e.g. EUprogrammes) Preparation of new projects in applied fields of mutual benefit and justification for collaboration Quality and originality of research approach Qualification of applicant and availability of infrastructure Proposals should include young scientists Expected results and outcomes Afterwards all parties would draft a priority list of proposals to be funded. Based on these priority lists the participating parties shall strive for a consensus on which proposals to fund. The final decision on the selection of projects to be funded should be announced in January 2016. 12. Research Mobility Scheme contracts with successful projects All successful projects would receive a contract for funding from the nodal implementing agencies (The German partner from IB/BMBF and the Thai side from NSTDA or Chiang Mai University, Chulalongkorn University, Kasetsart University, Khon Kaen University, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Mahidol University, Prince of Songkla University, Thammasat University, Suranaree University of Technology, Srinakharinwirot University, Burapha University, Naresuan University, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang). The contracts would specify the objectives of the funded project, the duration, the expected results and the funding details. 13. Who can apply? Scientists/faculty members working in a full time capacity at universities, national R&D laboratories/ institutes, and private R&D institutes can apply under this Mobility Scheme. In Thailand only NSTDA and the 13 Thai publicly funded universities identified above are eligible. Partners from the private sector are encouraged to be part of the overall project proposal but it is expected that the private sector participants should cover their own costs. For German scientists from the private sector, there is some travel support available for small and medium size enterprises (for definition of SME ref. to (EU) Nr. 651/2014) 14. Intellectual Property The project participants shall jointly own any research results or intellectual property generated during the course of a funded project. Thai-German Researcher Mobility Scheme 5