The ITN call is launched on April 4, 2008 with the deadline on September 2, 2008. This Marie Curie action aims at supporting training and and career development at a prestigious organisation and is open to all thematic topics. It aims to improve mostly young researchers career perspectives in both public and private sectors, by broadening their scientific and generic skills, including those related to technology transfer and entrepreneurship.

It is recommended to download the related documents from Cordis, especially the Guide for Applicants that includes evaluation criteria and application procedure.

The action will be implemented by supporting competitively selected networks of organisations from different countries engaged in research training. The networks will be built on a joint research training programme, responding to well identified training needs in defined scientific areas, with appropriate reference to interdisciplinary and newly emerging supra-disciplinary fields.

Support will be provided for:

• Recruitment of researchers (who are still within the first five years of their careers in research) for initial training.
• Recruitment of Senior Visiting Scientists of outstanding stature in international training and collaborative research to strengthen transfer of knowledge.
• Networking activities, organisation of workshops and conferences, involving the participants own research staff and external researchers.

Training will be primarily focused on scientific and technological knowledge through research on individual, personalised projects, complemented by substantial training modules addressing other relevant skills and competences. Examples include research in the field of management and financing of research projects and programmes, intellectual property rights and other exploitation methods of research results, entrepreneurship, ethical aspects, communication and societal outreach.

The action will be primarily for the recruitment of researchers from Member States and associated countries, but also open to researchers from third countries. Researchers are normally required to undertake trans-national mobility (i.e. move from one country to another) when taking up appointment.

Participants

Participants are organisations that are members of a network selected by the Commission which contributes directly to the implementation of the joint research training programme of the network, by recruiting and employng and/or hosting eligible researchers, by providing specialised training modules or by participating in other dedicated actions. Therefore ITNs are typically set-up as multi-site projects.

However single research organisations or twinning of research institutions may also be eligible to participate in this action. In such cases, participants would need to clearly demonstrate that the necessary elements of the research training programme are effectively addressed through well-established, international collaborations with other research institutions without the latter formally being part of the network.

Further information:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/people/initial-training_en.html
CORDIS Call Page