Research Collaboration Opportunity in Europe for ICSSR Awardees
BACKGROUND
An Implementing Arrangement between the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and the European Commission (EC) for Indian researchers in Social Sciences and Humanities hosted by the European Research Council (ERC) awardees in Europe was made through mutual agreement. This arrangement provides opportunities for ICSSR funded early career researchers from India to pursue research collaborations with the European researchers supported through a relevant ERC grant.
Implementing Arrangements are an initiative of the ERC intended to boost opportunities for social scientists supported by international research agencies to travel to Europe to join the research teams of the ERC awardees. The ERC has a series of implementing arrangements with a number of national funding agencies.
OPPORTUNITY
It provides opportunities for the Indian researchers in Social Sciences and Humanities, in particular Principal Investigators of Research Projects, Senior Fellowship Awardees and Post-Doctoral Fellows who are supported by the ICSSR (hereinafter referred to as ‘Indian researchers’) to pursue research collaborations with European researchers already supported through the EU-funded ERC grants. It is expected that collaborations would occur in similar areas of scientific pursuit or on topics of mutual interest.
This international research opportunity is mutually beneficial to the Indian participants and their hosts through cooperative activities during research visits and establishing international research partnerships to enrich future research activities in India and Europe.
European Research Council Executive Agency (ERCEA) has provided a list of ERC-funded Principal Investigators (PIs) and research teams interested in hosting ICSSR awardees. ICSSR awardees should request the detailed list of the ERC funded projects via email from Incharge, International Collaboration Programme Division, ICSSR, New Delhi at adinchargeics@gmail.com and then communicate directly with ERC PIs to ascertain areas of mutual interest and research goals for a visit. ICSSR awardees then must discuss plans for the visit(s) with the ICSSR Division Incharge managing their award prior to submitting a supplemental funding request. If approved by ICSSR, the request is forwarded by ICSSR to ERCEA for review and confirmation with the ERC-funded project.
The European hosts will provide funding to support in-country living expenses during the visits. ICSSR will provide travel funds to and fro for Europe. Activities are subject to availability of funds and all applicable laws, regulations, policies, and programs of the ERC and ICSSR.
ELIGIBILITY
This opportunity is open only to PIs and Fellows of active (ongoing) ICSSR awards like Research Projects, Senior Fellowship Awardees and Post-Doctoral Fellows. Supplemental funding may not be used to support travel for senior personnel, postdocs, or others funded on the award.
FUNDING
Activities under this Implementing Arrangement are intended to be subject to the availability of funds, to the applicable laws and regulations, policies and programmes of each Side.
(1) The ICSSR
Indian researchers can continue to receive ICSSR funding according to the terms and conditions of their respective grant/s. Travel expenses, visa fees and travel insurance related to the research visits could therefore be claimed under the ICSSR International Collaboration Programme grant. However, in accordance with the rules that apply to ICSSR grants, they would be required to obtain approval from their respective institution before commencing a collaborative agreement with their European counterparts.
(2) The ERC
Visiting Indian researchers may be incorporated into the research teams of the ERC-funded Principal Investigators (at the Host Institution of the ERC projects) for the duration of the research visit, so that any relevant expenses can be claimed under the ERC grants, supporting the team and the activity as noted below. Sufficient flexibility exists for the ERC grant to support the visiting researcher with no separate direct funding arrangement between the visiting researcher and the ERC being required. The ERC grant agreement provides that only the costs eligible within its terms can be reimbursed and the maximum amount of the ERC grant may not be increased for this purpose. The involved Indian researchers should be solely involved in seeking and obtaining any payments or reimbursements under the ERC grant, without any involvement of the ICSSR. Subject to the compliance with all the eligibility criteria set out in the ERC grant agreement, eligible cost categories of the Host Institution could include:
- i. For researchers receiving a grant/stipend under ICSSR, subsistence costs on a per diem basis, or any other pertinent modality of the Host Institution, in accordance with the applicable national law and any other rules or regulations applicable to the Host Institution, which may take into account the level of experience of the individual visiting Indian researchers.
- ii. Any other eligible costs incurred by the Host Institution during the visit of the Indian researcher that are directly related to the ERC-funded project.
CONDITIONS
ICSSR awardees may request supplemental funding for a single short-term (up to two months) visit.
The collaboration is intended to enable Indian researchers to participate through short-term visits. Research visits are expected to begin at least six months prior to the end date of the completion and submission of the report of the project.
ICSSR awardees will continue to receive ICSSR funding during the period of the European visit, and their fellowships will be covered in accordance with the award terms and conditions. ICSSR will provide supplemental funding to the ICSSR awardees for the foreign travel expenses (i.e., airfare and directly related expenses such as ground transportation to and from the airport and visa fee) of the grantee for short-term visits.
In-country costs should be provided from the existing ERC funding in accordance with applicable national laws and regulations, commensurate with the level of experience of the ICSSR grantee. These in-country costs may include subsistence on a per diem basis or other appropriate arrangement by the host institution. Other eligible costs incurred during the visit that are directly related to the ERC-funded project may also be allowed and should be agreed with the European host prior to submitting the request.
ICSSR awardees will be expected to report on the research visits in their ICSSR annual and final project reports, as appropriate, and may be asked to participate in follow-up evaluation activities.
HOW TO REQUEST SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING
Research visits will be funded for ICSSR awardees as supplements to their awards. Supplemental funding requests will be prepared in accordance with standard policies and procedures.
Awardees must consult with the ICSSR Division Incharge of the original award or Fellowship prior to submitting a supplemental funding request.
The supplemental funding request consists of:
- Description of the research to be performed during the visit at the host location and how it relates to current research and broad career goals (no more than 3 pages)
- 2-page biographical sketch of the Indian PI (with list of recent publication)
- 2-page biographical sketch of the ERC-funded PI host
- Time-line for the proposed activity
- Budget and budget justification (e.g., estimated airfare, ground transportation to and from airport, visa fees)
- Communication from the affiliating institution of the Indian PI endorsing the visit
- Communication from the ERC-funded PI host indicating:
- 1. how the proposed visit fits within the ERC-funded project;
- 2. facilities and resources to be made available to the ICSSR awardee; and
- 3. expectations that the ERC-funded PI host has for the ICSSR awardee's visit.
- Endorsement of the visit from the ERC-funded host institution.
Supplemental funding requests will be reviewed internally by ICSSR. All supplements are subject to (a) the availability of funds, and (b) review of the quality of the supplemental funding request.
ICSSR may share the supplemental funding request in its entirety with the ERC and the proposed ERC-funded PI host.
WHEN TO SUBMIT
Requests must be received at ICSSR at least 3 months prior to the proposed visit, but no later than December 31, 2024, for consideration using Fiscal Year 2024-25 funds.
CONTACT
For further information, please contact:
Shri M P Madhukar
Deputy Director
Incharge, International Collaboration Programme
Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)
Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, JNU Institutional Area
New Delhi-110067 (India)
Email: adinchargeics@gmail.com
