Global Health EDCTP3 JU training fellowship with return phase
HORIZON JU Coordination and Support Actions
Basic Information
- Identifier
- HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2024-02-01-two-stage
- Programme
- Coordination and Support actions supporting the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking
- Programme Period
- 2021 - 2027
- Status
- Closed (31094503)
- Opening Date
- January 18, 2024
- Deadline
- April 4, 2024
- Deadline Model
- two-stage
- Budget
- €3,500,000
- Min Grant Amount
- €3,500,000
- Max Grant Amount
- €3,500,000
- Expected Number of Grants
- 1
- Keywords
- HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2024-02-01-two-stageHORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2024-02-two-stageClinical researchClinical trialsDiarrhoeal diseasesEmerging EpidemicsGlobal healthHIV/AIDSInfectious diseasesMalariaNeglected Infectious DiseasesPublic healthRespiratory systemsTuberculosisVaccines
Description
Expected Impacts
Activities funded under the 2024 work programme of the Global Health EDCTP3 JU calls for proposals should contribute to:
- Achieve SDG3 ‘Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’ in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries;
- Enable the implementation of the short- and medium-term actions foreseen by the AU EU Innovation Agenda (adopted in July 2023) in the area of public health and the EU Global Health Strategy (November 2022);
- Improve equitable access to a full range of essential health services from health promotion to disease prevention and affordable quality treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care to fight communicable diseases;
- Expand partnerships based on equal footing, co-ownership, mutual interest and strategic priorities;
- Enhance sustainable global scientific collaboration in health research and international cooperation across sub-Saharan Africa.
- Improve opportunities for training of researchers and healthcare professionals in sub-Saharan Africa.
Project results are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:
- Foster the culture of pharmaceutical innovation and entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa;
- Increase the number of skilled clinical researchers and innovators in sub-Saharan Africa;
- Promote the career development and retention of skilled personnel in sub-Saharan Africa;
- Strengthen sub-Saharan African countries clinical human capital base in Research and Innovation (R&I);
- Enhance talent retention, knowledge circulation and uptake across the research and innovation landscape in sub-Saharan Africa;
- Establish sustainable and mutually beneficial collaboration between clinical research organisations, academia, and Industry Partners across sub-Saharan Africa and Europe.
Background:
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has a disproportionally low number of skilled researchers and innovators working on interventions against infectious diseases that are highly prevalent in SSA. To establish a sustainable and robust ecosystem of clinical research and innovators in sub-Saharan Africa synergy between funders, academia, and industry is planned to advance relevant skills. This Global Health EDCTP3 training fellowship programme will target early and mid-career African global health scientists seeking international academic credentials and other professional enrichment.
By providing this funding for return-home R&D studies, after a period training enriched with industry mentorship, the fellowship programme will enable the alumnae fellows to position themselves as pivotal leaders in improving global health and R&D equity.
Where relevant, it will be important for proposals to consider and support the existing and emerging partnerships between the EU/Team Europe and the AU and their key agencies, notably the Team Europe Initiatives on MAV+, One Health, Public Health Institutes, and the collaboration with the Africa CDC and the AMA. Moreover, collaborations with the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) and the African Intellectual Property Organisation (AIPO) should also be fostered as well as strengthened promoting the development and assessment of innovative tools.
It will also be important that the projects arising from this call will contribute to the implementation of the short-term and medium-term actions of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda around Public Health.
Scope:
Proposals submitted to this topic should implement a master’s level training programme in a discipline relevant for the Global Health EDCTP3 JU, providing transferable R&D skills, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, incl. commercialisation of results, Intellectual Property Rights, communication, public engagement, and citizen science. The training provided by the academic institutions is expected to be complemented by training modules provided by pharmaceutical companies. It is expected that pharmaceutical companies will join the consortium as beneficiaries and/or associated partners at a later stage. The companies are expected to bring cash or in-kind contributions to the training programme for the fellows
The training will address the research and development value chain from pre-clinical to clinical research including pharmaceuticals and vaccines.
Proposals must demonstrate all of the following:
- A high-quality training programme related to R&D on diseases in the scope of the Global Health EDCTP3 JU at master level in global health/clinical research;
- An open, fair and transparent procedure for selecting the fellows coming from different geographical regions of SSA, based on quality and with appropriate gender balance;
- Design of a programme where training for each fellow includes a first phase (or outgoing phase) of minimum 12 and maximum 24 months enrolment into an academic organization, and a second phase (or return phase) of at least 12 months in the country of origin of the fellow;
- A robust training and mentorship mechanisms to support the fellows through their first training phase and second home return phase;
- Linkages with other Global Health EDCTP3 JU actions should be foreseen as relevant (e.g. Global Health EDCTP3 Training Networks or Global Health EDCTP3 Genomic Epidemiology Networks).
Proposals should be made by institutions with a proven track record in the provision of high-quality research training and established regional and global collaborations. These may include research organisations, institutions of higher learning such as universities.
The proposals must explain how many fellows they plan to recruit, what the cost of the training in the first phase will be and how much funding will be provided to the fellows for the return phase.
Based on the described skills and curricula offered by the successful consortium, future fellows will apply to the available training opportunities in line with their own professional development plans.
Proposals should also clearly outline how future fellows will be mentored in the development and implementation of the second phase (return phase) at the home institution in SSA.
In-kind and financial contributions from private (profit and non-profit) entities, clinical research organisations and others interested in this scheme are encouraged. Financial contributions can be made with or without direct participation in the project implementation.
Especially, consortium members established in countries that are not eligible for the Global Health EDCTP3 JU funding, will have to cover the costs related to their tasks within the project without JU funding.
Financial contributions from third parties (e.g., foundations) interested in this scheme are encouraged to contribute to increase the budget, diversity, and impact.
Eligibility & Conditions
General conditions
2. Eligible countries: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Replacing relevant sections in General Annex B to the Horizon Europe work programmes on eligibility (“Entities eligible for funding”)
To become a beneficiary, legal entities must be eligible for funding.
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
- The Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden;
- The Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States: Aruba (NL), Bonaire (NL), Curação (NL), French Polynesia (FR), French Southern and Antarctic Territories (FR), Greenland (DK), New Caledonia (FR), Saba (NL), Saint Barthélemy (FR), Sint Eustatius (NL), Sint Maarten (NL), St. Pierre and Miquelon (FR), Wallis and Futuna Islands (FR);
- Countries associated to Horizon Europe [1]: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo [2], Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand (associated to Pillar II 'Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness' as from the Work Programmes 2023 onwards, including for the institutionalised European partnerships), North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
Until association agreements start producing legal effects either through provisional application or their entry into force, transitional arrangements apply. The transitional arrangements apply, at the time of the adoption of this Work Programme, with regard to the following countries and legal entities established in these countries, with which association negotiations are being processed or where association is imminent):
1. Canada
2. Morocco
- The following countries which are constituent states of the EDCTP Association [3]: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Consortium composition
Unless otherwise provided for in the specific call conditions, for all actions, due to the policy objectives of the Global Health EDCTP3 JU, legal entities forming a consortium are eligible to participate in actions under the programme provided that the consortium includes:
- At least three legal entities independent from each other and established in different countries, where legal entities are eligible to receive funding;
- At least one independent legal entity established in a Member State or an associated country; and
- At least one independent legal entity established in a sub-Saharan African (SSA) country that is a member of the EDCTP Association.
This condition applies to both Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA).
Specific cases:
Affiliated entities — Affiliated entities (i.e. entities with a legal or capital link to a beneficiary[4] which participate in the action with similar rights and obligations to the beneficiaries, but which do not sign the grant agreement and therefore do not become beneficiaries themselves) are allowed, if they are eligible for participation and funding.
Associated partners — Entities not eligible for funding (and therefore not able to participate as beneficiaries) may participate as associated partners, unless specified otherwise in the specific call conditions.
International organisations – International European research organisations are eligible to receive funding. Other international organisations are not eligible to receive funding unless their participation is considered essential for implementing the action by the granting authority. International organisations with headquarters in a Member State or associated country are eligible to receive funding when provided for in the specific call conditions.
Specific rules regarding legal entities that may be the coordinator of an indirect action
In accordance with Article 110(2) of the Council Regulation 2021/2085 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe[5], where entities established in a third country without an agreement to protect the financial interests of the Union participate with funding in an indirect action, the financial coordinator of the indirect action must be established in a Member State or associated country. Of the SSA countries members of the EDCTP Association, only South Africa concluded such an agreement at the moment.[6]
Scientific project leader
If the coordinator is not established in a country in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the designation of a scientific project leader established in a SSA country member of the EDCTP Association with the roles as described below is mandatory. A work package on ‘scientific project leadership’ must be included in the proposals and budget needs to be provided for this activity.
The scientific project leader oversees the project scientific governance and leadership. For this purpose, proposals must include a work package where the details of scientific project leadership are laid down. The scientific project leader should indicatively perform the following tasks:
- During the call for proposals and selection process, coordinate meetings on and drafting of the full project proposal;
- Work with the coordinator and other beneficiaries on the drafting and negotiation of the consortium agreement and other legal agreements among the beneficiaries;
- Act as the key contact point for the Global Health EDCTP3 JU regarding all scientific action governance issues, steer and provide oversight in the development of the scientific actions, without prejudice to the tasks entrusted directly to the coordinator as per the Model Grant Agreement;
- Support and collaborate with the coordinator on its monitoring activities and the adoption of appropriate internal measures, to ensure that beneficiaries are fulfilling their obligations regarding budget, timeline, deliverables, and scientific quality;
- Review the action’s deliverables and reports before their submission by the coordinator;
- Lead the work packages(s) related to the tasks of scientific project leadership.
Annex 1 to the grant agreement and the consortium agreement should address the relationship of the scientific project leader with the coordinator regarding their respective tasks, for example sharing of the information received from or sent to the Global Health EDCTP3 JU on all issues of interest for the proper scientific management of the action.
[1] The list is correct at the time of adoption of this work programme. Please see the Horizon Europe List of Participating Countries on the Funding & Tenders Portal for up-to-date information on the current list and on the position for Associated Countries.
[2] This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
[3] The list is correct at the time of adoption of this work programme. For an update, please check the EDCTP Association website www.edctp.org
[4] See Article 187 EU Financial Regulation 2018/1046.
[5] Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014. OJ L 427, 30.11.2021, p. 17–119;
3. Other eligibility conditions: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes
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Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes
Replacing the scores and weighting section in General Annex D to the Horizon Europe work programmes as regards Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) second stage of two-stage evaluations.
Scores and weighting
Evaluation scores will be awarded for the criteria, and not for the different aspects listed in the table. For full applications, each criterion will be scored out of 5. The threshold for individual criteria 1 (Excellence) and 2 (Impact) will be 4 and for criteria 3 (Quality and efficiency of the implementation) will be 3. The overall threshold, applying to the sum of the three individual scores, will be 12.
Proposals that pass the individual threshold and the overall threshold will be considered for funding, within the limits of the available call budget. Other proposals will be rejected.
Nota bene, for the first stage of the two-stage evaluation, the scores and weighting as indicated in Annex D of the General Annexes of the Horizon Europe work programme 2023/2024 apply. Furthermore, the scores and weighting for Coordination and Support Actions apply.
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Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual
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Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes
Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties. The maximum amount to be granted to each third party is EUR 300,000. The support to third parties can only be provided in the form of grants. These grants are the fellowships to be awarded. For multi-annual fellowships, the amount of up to EUR 300,000 is needed.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants: described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes
Specific conditions
7. Specific conditions: described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]
Documents
Call documents:
Standard application form — call-specific application form is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE CSA)
Standard application form (HE CSA Stage 1)
Standard evaluation form — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE CSA)
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA and CSA Stage 1)
MGA
Call-specific instructions
Additional documents:
GH EDCTP3 - WP 2024 Annex1A - Calls for Proposals
GH EDCTP3 - WP 2024 Annex1B - IKAA
HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 4. Health
HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 13. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme and Rules for Participation Regulation 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Support & Resources
Online Manual is your guide on the procedures from proposal submission to managing your grant.
Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe.
Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – find the answers to most frequently asked questions on submission of proposals, evaluation and grant management.
Research Enquiry Service – ask questions about any aspect of European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular.
National Contact Points (NCPs) – get guidance, practical information and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe. There are also NCPs in many non-EU and non-associated countries (‘third-countries’).
Enterprise Europe Network – contact your EEN national contact for advice to businesses with special focus on SMEs. The support includes guidance on the EU research funding.
IT Helpdesk – contact the Funding & Tenders Portal IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc.
European IPR Helpdesk assists you on intellectual property issues.
CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk – the European Standards Organisations advise you how to tackle standardisation in your project proposal.
The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment – consult the general principles and requirements specifying the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers, employers and funders of researchers.
Partner Search Services help you find a partner organisation for your proposal.
Latest Updates
EVALUATION RESULTS
Published: 17/01/2024
Deadline: 01/10/2024 (2nd stage)
Available budget: EUR 3 500 000
The results of the evaluation for each topic are as follows:
Topic HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2024-02-01-two-stage | |
Number of proposals submitted (including proposals transferred from or to other calls) | 4 |
Number of inadmissible proposals | 0 |
Number of ineligible proposals | 0 |
Number of above-threshold proposals | 3 |
Total budget requested for above-threshold proposals | 10,494,294.00 € |
Number of proposals retained for funding | 1 |
Number of proposals in the reserve list | 2 |
Funding threshold | 13.5 |
Ranking Distribution | |
Number of proposals with scores lower or equal to 15 and higher or equal to 14 | 0 |
Number of proposals with scores lower than 14 and higher or equal to 13 | 1 |
Number of proposals with scores lower than 13 and higher or equal to 10 | 2 |
Summary of observer report:
"The evaluations were deemed, by the Independent Observers to be fair, impartial and equitable. No issues of confidentiality were seen to arise at any point. Additionally, no issues of non-conformity were observed to occur. The evaluations were found to have followed all the applicable rules. The eligibility of the proposals submitted was determined by the Global Health EDCTP3 team prior to experts being assigned to them. Any issues of proposals being / not being “in scope” were discussed by the experts during the consensus meetings.
The overall quality of the evaluations was judged to be very good by both observers. Importantly, no case was seen in which a proposal was evaluated such that it could be considered for funding despite not being of the necessary high quality."
We recently informed the applicants about the evaluation results for their proposals.
For questions, please contact [email protected]
The 2nd stage deadline has been postponed to 01/10/2024
EVALUATION RESULTS (STAGE 1)
Published: 17/01/24
Deadline: 04/04/24
Available budget: EUR 3 500 000
In accordance with the call conditions, the evaluation of the first-stage proposals was made looking only at the criteria 'Excellence' and 'Impact'. The threshold for both criteria was 4. The overall threshold (applying to the sum of the two individual scores) was set for each topic/type of action with separate call-budget-split at a level that allowed the total requested budget of proposals admitted to stage 2 be as close as possible to 3 times the available budget (and not below 2.5 times the budget):
- HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2024-02-01-two-stage: 8 points
| HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2024-02-01-two-stage | |
| Number of proposals submitted (including proposals transferred from or to other calls) | 10 |
| Number of inadmissible proposals | 0 |
| Number of ineligible proposals | 5 |
| Number of above-threshold proposals | 4 |
| Total budget requested for above-threshold proposals | 13.993.328 |
We recently informed the applicants about the evaluation results for their proposals.
For questions, please contact [email protected]
Call HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2024-02-two-stage closed on April 4th, 2024.
10 proposals have been submitted.
Evaluation results are expected to be communicated in July 2024.