Aquaserv_StaffMobilityProgramme_Guidelines_Nov2024

● Staff Mobility programme call AQUASERV launches a call to strengthen links among its partners to facilitate capacity building within the consortium and support the exchange of best practices of service provision. ● The Staff Exchange programme of AQUASERV allows personnel affiliated with the partners of the project´s consortium to visit other AQUASERV partners for a short stay and work with the local staff to learn or share their experience and knowledge and gain new skills. The staff exchange missions should aim at sharing the experience regarding the management and provision of specific services between the partners, so those interested in setting up a new service already provided by other partners or in learning how to improve its quality can learn from those with more experience. ● WHY THIS INITIATIVE? The aim of the Staff Exchange programme of AQUASERV is to create a community of RI managers and technicians within the consortium whose capabilities and professional development are strengthened through close collaboration and knowledge and experience exchange. ● WHO CAN APPLY? The grant is intended for researchers, researchers and other staff involved in technological, technical and administrative departments of any AQUASERV partner. The agreement must be between the partner institutes. Any contracts required are also the responsibility of the partner institutes. The visit must be transnational, meaning that the sending partner institute and the hosting partner institute must be in different countries. Therefore, the following criteria must be fulfilled to be eligible to apply: ● The home institution must be affiliated to one of the AQUASERV partners ● The host institution must belong to the AQUASERV consortium in a different country. 1 ● WHAT IS COVERED? The grant contributes to travel costs, meals, and accommodation up to 2000€ to the home institute. The home institution will cover the visiting staff member’s salary, insurance and other costs, if applicable. The home institution will pay for the travel, accommodation and subsistence in advance according to its internal rules, which will be reimbursed + overheads, after the visit is completed and report submitted. Once a Staff Exchange has been approved, the host institution will designate a contact point to organise the coordination and logistics of the visit. A staff exchange report must be submitted by the secondee to the coordinator within 1 month after the exchange visit, uploaded with the feedback report. ● HOW LONG? Visits ranging from 1 to 3 weeks would be adequate. Longer stays are also possible if the visitor’s home institution provides financial support and is in agreement with the receiving institution. ● HOW? An AQUASERV partner wishing to send a staff member to another AQUASERV partner should first contact the Local Access Manager of the potential host institute. The list of contacts of Local Access Managers of AQUASERV is available from the website. Upon agreement between the 2 parties, the Staff Exchange proposal should be submitted by filling in the online form, including uploading the visiting staff member's CV (short CV not longer than 4 pages, EuroPass format preferred) and a letter from the Host institution stating approval for visit. ● WHEN? This is a continuous open call until the budget runs out before the end of the project in March 2029. A selection committee will evaluate the submitted proposals. Results of the application will be sent to all the applicants within one month from the date of application submission. 2 ● SELECTION PROCESS Selection committee: ● Claudia Delgado, AQUASERV WP5 co-coordinator and member of the Executive Committee ● Maria Huete-Ortega, AQUASERV WP5 co-coordinator and member of the Executive Committee ● Adelino Canário, AQUASERV coordinator and member of the Executive Committee ● Ana Aranda da Silva, AQUASERV project manager and member of the Executive Committee ● Antti Kause, AQUASERV WP6 co-coordinator and member of the Executive Committee ● Marc Vandeputte, AQUASERV WP4 co-coordinator and member of the Executive Committee Proposals will be evaluated based on three criteria: 1. Is the Staff Exchange justified and relevant to the AQUASERV objectives? 2. Potential for Staff Exchange to improve the service offer at the home institute? 3. Will AQUASERV partners benefit from the staff exchange? Each of the 3 criteria above will be scored from 0 (not relevant/not applicable) to 5 (maximum score). Applications that scored at least 10 will be granted. ● COMMUNICATION OF CALL RESULTS Candidates must be informed of the evaluation decision within a month of application submission. ● VISIT PREPARATION ● Candidate must contact access manager and make necessary arrangements for the visit ● Candidate will be contacted by the WP2 Communication officers to collaborate on preparing news digital content on the staff exchange ● DURING THE VISIT Candidate must ensure that the host authorizes image collection 3 Candidate must collect information and images (photographs and/or video) for communication purposes ● AFTER VISIT 1 month after visit, candidates must provide: ● Visit Report ● Feedback Report ● Communication materials Feedback Report link including Visit Report template are sent with the Communication of call results After report is submitted, home institution is reimbursed