Blog

How to tackle common challenges during grant preparation of MSCA Doctoral Networks

After the results of the 2022 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks (DN) call were published, many are now at the grant preparation stage. While this process is well-structured, many consortia may still experience some challenges. We discuss some possible challenges during the DN grant preparation and how to address these.

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The Implementation Plan: your guide through the complexities of Horizon Europe projects

Managing a Horizon Europe (HORIZON) funded project can be at times demanding and daunting. Our Implementation Plan guides consortia through the key administrative and management processes of their Horizon Europe project. Let’s dive into the details of this resource and explore why we believe it's an essential tool for any EU-funded project.

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Exploitation requirements in Horizon Europe – How to make use of your project results

We discuss the new requirements regarding project exploitation and periodic reporting in Horizon Europe. We explore how R&I projects can meet the requirements outlined in the EU valorisation policy and how accelopment's innovation management system, accelINNO®, can support these efforts. Stay informed by subscribing to our blog updates!

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Upcoming Horizon Europe “Climate, Energy and Mobility” calls – opportunities for you?

The draft Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023-2024 for Climate, Energy and Mobility (Cluster 5) is published. Our infographic provides an overview on the available funding and shows the different submission deadlines. Find the most suitable call topic for your research and innovation project!

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Green Deal funding available for climate actions

The Green Deal offers multiple pathways to funding, some are well-known and others not. We can help you navigate the complex funding landscape of the Green Deal to identify the funding instruments and calls that fit your project idea.

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Swiss and UK project partners? What to expect when preparing your Horizon Europe proposal

Researchers and companies from Switzerland and the UK can participate in most Horizon Europe instruments. However, there are some country-specific rules to consider during the proposal preparation. These include a different partner status in the EU portal, affect the budgeting and have several implications on the contents of the proposal document.

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Writing your Plan for Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication – Do’s and Don’ts for PDEC

Ensuring that projects have become an integral part of any Horizon Europe project. This is reflected in the Plan for Dissemination and Exploitation including Communication Activities (PDEC). In this blog post, we share our most important learnings on the topic, including the do’s and dont’s of writing this mandatory deliverable.

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Dissemination in Horizon Europe projects: publications, conferences and more

In a project funded under Horizon Europe, participants are required to plan and carry out their dissemination activities carefully and extensively. At accelopment we are excited to support your proposal and help you spread your research results as widely as possible to maximise the impact of your project.

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Making EU project management efficient with accelCOCKPIT®

Project coordinators and partners often think that EU project management in Horizon Europe refers to only scientific coordination. However, it also covers the operational management of the grant and it bringstogether up to 15 partners. The project coordinator has a truly challenging job in aligning the work towards a joint project goal and accelCOCKPIT® is designed to make this task a seamless process.

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Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) doctoral candidates explained

Horizon Europe brought many changes to the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) scheme. As the term Early Stage Researcher (ESR) is no longer used and the rules have changed, we summarise the key conditions for the recruitment of doctoral candidates in a MSCA Doctoral Network (DN).

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From group photos to Zoom screenshots: Communication goes digital

As so many others had to during the global pandemic, the EU-funded projects we are involved in adapted, learnt, and grew their knowledge and experience in digital communication. Find some best practice examples you might want to implement in your own project, supplemented with the corresponding digital work culture.

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Get ready for your DN grant preparation – what you need to know

For many of the successful MSCA Doctoral Networks (DN) it will be the first time preparing a Horizon Europe grant. While much of the process is similar or unchanged to previous years, it is worth checking that you are aware of the latest terminology and some key principles to ensure a smooth grant preparation process.

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Invited to prepare the Horizon EU Grant Agreement? Your journey is beginning!

Our project managers have been involved in several Horizon EU projects already and gathered extensive insights into the Grant Agreement Preparation process. With the hope of easing the process for other successful EU project coordinators and partners, summarised below are our team’s latest tips to navigate through a hopefully smooth GAP process.

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Innovation management in H2020 and Horizon Europe projects – More than just IP protection

The European Commission recently published the Innovation Scoreboard 2021. The report reveals that several global competitors are exceeding the EU’s performance in innovation. Among other measures to excel in innovation, the implementation of innovation management techniques is considered as a powerful tool to maximise the impact of innovation expenditures.

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From Horizon 2020 to Horizon Europe – what is new in the DESCA Model Consortium Agreement?

If your project gets funded, the EC requires you to establish a Consortium Agreement to ensure the (IP) rights and obligations, for all partners, that are not defined in the EC Grant Agreement. Using the DESCA template remains the gold standard.

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Happy New Eurostars – apply to the first call of 2022

Eurostars is an essential component of Horizon Europe, with 37 countries from within and outside Europe participating in the Eurostars programme. Each of these “Eurostars countries” has its own funding coverage policy for SMEs and other types of participants.

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Safety nets for Swiss and UK applicants to Horizon Europe

As negotiations on the association of the UK and Switzerland to Horizon Europe remain suspended, the UK and Swiss governments are committed to support successful UK- and Swiss-based applicants.

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Essential tips for your FET Open/ Pathfinder Open proposal (re-)submission

The first, highly competitive, EIC Pathfinder Open call revealed important novelties for applicants. As in FET-Open, the programme is still targeted at breakthrough, innovative solutions, but with changes ranging from the formalities of the main proposal document to the strict requirement of a multidisciplinary approach.

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Diving into the MSCA Doctoral Networks with our transferable skills training modules

Transferable skills training are a key componenet for MSCA-ITNs and Doctoral Networks. Take our “master quiz” to test your knowledge in some transferable skills aspects and get a taste of what to expect from our online transferable skills training modules.

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The art of writing convincing proposals – an essential skill for the 21st century

Grant writing has become an essential activity in academia and beyond. The art of convincing funding bodies through persuasive and compelling proposals is all the more important for early-stage researchers (ESRs) willing to progress in their career, be it in an academic or industry setting.

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The Global Challenges of Horizon Europe and how they compare to Horizon 2020

From pillars, challenges, clusters, destinations, missions, calls, and call topics to Research and Innovation Actions, Innovation Actions, and Coordination and Support Actions – Horizon Europe, the new Framework Programme for Research and Innovation has it all. The terminology and structure is new and needs some elucidation.

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From Innovative Training Networks to Doctoral Networks – what to expect

We are all eagerly waiting for the details about the Doctoral Networks under Horizon Europe. The new MSCA Work Programme will be published by the European Commission in mid-May. So, while we are waiting, let's have a look at what we know already.

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Safeguarding the planet through research and innovation projects

The projects that bring forward technologies and innovations for a more sustainable future impress us time and again. They help bringing the European Green Deal to reality. Earth Day puts the spotlight on them.

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Why knowledge on funding opportunities can enhance your ESRs’ career perspective

Identifying the right funding opportunity at the right time has become a critical skill in both academic and industry settings. Especially for less experienced, early-stage researchers, it remains challenging to keep track of suitable funding opportunities to pursue their career.

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The EIC Pathfinder Open – more than just a continuation of H2020 FET Open

The EIC Pathfinder, known as the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) in H2020, has moved from the basic science-driven pillar in H2020 to the more market-driven “Innovative Europe” pillar in Horizon Europe. In addition to some important differences in the structure of the proposal, the focus of the EIC shifts to projects with a strong impact on Europe's economy and society.

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Why science communication is an important (transferable) skill for researchers

Science communication is a valuable transferable skill, one that is becoming more and more important with the increase of digital communication channels and platforms. Learn about how we can help Early Stage Researchers in mastering it for a successful career.

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Gender equality – a priority in Horizon Europe and for your ESRs

Alongside the benefits of working in gender balanced teams, the inclusion of sex and gender aspects in research and innovation leads to research outputs and innovations that are of higher quality, more societally relevant and of added business value.

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Research project management – key for successful ITNs and research careers

With the scarcity of research funding and the increasing competition in academia, properly managing research projects has become all the more important. Having a realistic project plan in terms of scope, time and costs is a critical criterion to acquire funding.

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Fund your Green Deal project from impressive EUR 983 million call

The European Commission has just published the first Green Deal call of EUR 983,000,000.

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accelopment goes international to get ready for Horizon Europe

Since 2008, accelopment AG has been located in Zurich, Switzerland. Now we happy to announce that we have crossed the boarder and you can no longer only find us in Zurich but also in Heidelberg, Germany!

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Be the next Eurostars applicant – where to start and how to succeed

Since 2014, 991 projects have been successfully funded through the Eurostars programme and you could be number 992!

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What about gender equality in research? Introducing a new blog series

What impact does COVID-19 have on gender equality in research and innovation?

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Reporting the impact of COVID-19 on your H2020 project to the EC.

Learn how to assess the impact of COVID-19 on our research projects and communicate it to the EC.

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Tips to manage your H2020 project during the coronavirus pandemic

Keep managing efficiently your H2020 project with our tips.

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Strategic Grant Planning – finding the needle in the haystack

Identifying the right funding scheme for your research can sometimes be compared to finding a needle in a haystack. We can support you in making the process more efficient.

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Make the best of your ITN – project management and communication

Project management and communication are key to successful ITNs. Learn why.

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H2020 Project Wins FCH JU Awards 2019

SOSLeM - a project supported by accelopment - wan the FCH JU Awards 2019.

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FET Open project wins the Innovation Radar Prize 2019 for Innovative Science

The FET Open project Lumiblast wins the Innovation Radar Prize 2019 for Innovative Science and we are proud to be part of this project for the past three years.

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Strategic Grant Planning – How we supported a multinational corporation

Dr Filiep Vanpoucke, researcher at Cochlear and project coordinator of MOSAICS, speaks about his experience with ITNs and accelopment.

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The latest update on Brexit and Horizon 2020

accelopment's update on the status of funding in Europe after Brexit.

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Strategic Grant Planning – The STACCATO EID Coordinator tells his story

Dr Colin Clarke, Principal Investigator at NIBRT and project coordinator of STACCATO, speaks about his experience with ITNs and accelopment.

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ITN review – Experiences from the new check meetings

ITN review meetings focus on a transparent application process, equal opportunities with regard to gender and origin, active involvement of ESRs, as well support and communication.

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ITN review – Check meetings and how to prepare

With the introduction of the new ITN review meeting, Project Coordinator need to be aware of some important changes. We provide a checklist to support you.

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Strategic Grant Planning – A Eurostars coordinator tells of his experience

Konstantin Lutze, CTO of HSE AG and Eurostars project coordinator, tells about his experience with the SME Instrument programme and accelopment.

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The roles and requirements of Partner Organisations in ITNs

Besides beneficieries, ITNs offer the possibility to include Partner Organisations in the project. The following article looks at the most common roles and linked requirements.

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Do’s and Don’ts in communication, dissemination and exploitation of H2020 projects

Based on the lastest report of the IPR Helpdesk and our own experience, we have come up with the most important Do’s and Don’ts to maximize the impact of your project.

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Preparing a Horizon 2020 Health proposal in 6 weeks? Challenge accepted!

Preparing a first stage proposal is possible in a short amount of time if planning is accurate. We provide the relevant steps for success.

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Mastering corner traps when setting up your Eurostars project budget

The question of how the project will be funded is a complex topic that needs to be addressed thoroughly since funding rules differ between the eligible countries and types of organisations.

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Improve your ITN proposal writing skills with hands-on training and practical examples

Various seminars offer advise on the preparation of ITNs. We highlight, what makes us different, how we approach things and who should attend.

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Strategic Grant Planning – Funding Programmes for Research and Innovation that meet your needs

To support researchers, academics and companies in their quest for funding, accelopment has been offering the Strategic Grant Planning (SGP) with the goal of identifying the best possible funding opportunities for your project idea and setting up a realistic action and time plan for the preparation of successful applications.

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Cash flow in Horizon 2020 projects

Learn about the cash flow in Horizon 2020 projects, the risks for participating SMEs and how to avoid them.

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10 years accelopment: From zero to one hundred

A look back at the last 10 years.

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Early Stage Researcher (ESR) explained

The definition of an ESR is rather short: “ESRs shall, at the time of recruitment by the host organisation, be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers and have not been awarded a doctoral degree.”

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