MISTRALS (Mediterranean Integrated STudies at Regional And Local Scales)

1. THE ENVI-MED REGIONAL PROGRAMME

The ENVI-Med regional programme is a French cooperation initiative for countries in the Mediterranean Basin designed to encourage and strengthen high-level scientific and technological cooperation in the region as well as research networking on sustainable development and understanding the environmental processes of the Mediterranean Basin. In partnership with France, the programme is focused on Mediterranean rim countries, and contributes to the regional integration of their research.

MANAGEMENT

As part of the process created by the internationalization of the interdisciplinary and interorganizational MISTRALS metaprogramme, the French component of which is co-run by the 13 other research bodies – ADEME, BRGM, CEA, CIRAD, CNES, CNRS, IFP, IFREMER, INRA, IRD, IRSN, IRSTEA, Météo-France, with CNRS in charge of the scientific coordination – and in collaboration with their Mediterranean partners. The programme is implemented by the Directorate-General of Global Affairs, Development and Partnerships (DGM) of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), together with the executive bureau of MISTRALS and the CNRS Office for the Mediterranean.

Managed by the MISTRALS programme platform and the French Development Agency (AFD), this programme is run in cooperation with:

• the science and technology departments and cooperation and cultural action departments of French Embassies in Mediterranean rim countries;
• research organizations and higher-education institutions and their representation offices in the Mediterranean;
• scientific and institutional partners or research operators in the Mediterranean.

AIM

The aim of this call for proposals is to trigger and support the internationalization of scientific research in the Mediterranean in synergy with the themes of MISTRALS.

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

The programme aims to encourage discussions and initiate multilateral cooperation by supporting the mobility of researchers as part of joint research projects and seminars, workshops and regional scientific conferences.

ENVI-Med must therefore allow the:

• Presentation of the offer of French partnership in the field of the environmental processes in the Mediterranean Basin, in particular with a view to shared sustainable development;
• Selection and funding of basic and applied research programmes and regionally-oriented scientific meetings between France and at least two Mediterranean countries, including at least one non-EU country;
• Encouragement of future participation in other regional and multilateral programmes in this domain and area (programmes from the European Union, African Union, Union for the Mediterranean, Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (Association of Universities of the Francophonie) etc.

2. TIMEFRAME FOR THE 2nd CALL FOR PROPOSALS

• Launch of the call for proposals: June 15, 2013
• Deadline for submitting applications: September 15, 2013
• Project assessment, selection and notification: December 15, 2013

The application form will be available in English and in French on the MISTRALS website: www.mistrals-home.org

3. INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING AND SENDING THE APPLICATION FORM

PRIORITIES AND THEMES

The call is open to all subjects in the fields of research and development linked to understanding the environmental processes of the Mediterranean Basin.

Priority will be given to projects which contribute to the networking of institutions, laboratories, facilities, stations, observatories and study sites.

The following themes promoted by MISTRALS are particularly encouraged:

• The study of climate change and the interactions between climate, societies and civilizations in the Mediterranean region;
• The Mediterranean water cycle, evolution of climate variability as well as the origin and the forecasting of intense hydro-meteorological events ;
• The evolution of marine bio-geochemistry under the pressure of natural changes and of human-induced, socioeconomic impacts, and their effects on marine biodiversity and ecosystems;
• The study of the atmospheric composition to anticipate its evolution and its effects on regional climate, air quality and marine & continental bio-geochemistry;
• The identification, analysis, and prediction of natural hazards – earthquakes, volcanism, landslides – and of geophysical resources – mainly water;
• Biodiversity monitoring and the study of its vulnerability under climate and human impacts;
• The evolution of urban and rural areas – social, economic, biotechnical dynamics – due to climate change.

These themes are intentionally broad to adjust to the priorities and interests of all the partners. They were defined following an integrative approach seeking scientific collaboration. They are connected to the research themes of MISTRALS, in which numerous scientific communities in the Mediterranean are involved. They also take into account the recommendations of the MISTRALS International Workshop that was held in Malta in 2011, gathering scientists and decision makers of the region, as well as the institutional dialogue that has followed up.

NATURE AND DURATION OF THE PROJECT

Each project must have a research component and can include innovation and/or training components.

Project duration is set for two years.

Financing is allocated on a yearly basis. A top-up payment at the beginning of the second year (the amount of which may be reassessed) shall be subject to the submission of an interim report by the project coordinator and its approval by the programme bodies.

ELIGIBILIGY CRITERIA

Projects from the ENVI-Med programme are aimed at public and private research units and laboratories, attached to higher-education institutions, research organizations or companies. Private sector involvement is encouraged, as is participation from socio-economic and civil society actors.

Each project must be submitted in synergy with a French or foreign participant involved in one of the MISTRALS themes, to which the project relates. This is reported in the application, which should include a signature from this person or a letter attesting this prior agreement.

Each project must link at least one French research team, including teams attached to French research units based abroad, with at least two teams from two different Mediterranean countries, at least one of which must be a non-EU state.

PROJECT FINANCING PLAN

The amount allocated via ENVI-Med must not exceed a total of €20,000 per project. Financing is granted on an annual basis.

The consolidated budgets submitted must set out the projected income (sources and amounts) and the planned expenditure for each year of the project.

The French project holders will contact the international relations directorate of their partner organization or of their laboratory’s host university before submitting their project, and that of the selection committee in order to present their project. This approach consists of anticipating possible co-financing during the selection committee where it will be one of the favourable selection criteria.

Financial contributions from other project partners (French or otherwise) must be declared in the applications to the call. The MAE/MISTRALS funding of ENVI-Med grants complements other funding that the project holders will secure, in collaboration with their partner institutions. The national institutions granting funds for projects they support will thus be fully involved in the evaluation of the projects, hence their selection.

Under the ENVI-Med regional programme, the financial contribution can only be requested for the additional costs relating to the international nature of the projects, i.e. the short-term mobility of researchers, doctoral students or post-doctoral students (travel and accommodation expenses), the organization of international workshops and seminars (mobility and logistics), the transportation of equipment and the relocation of experiments to a study site of common interest. The average estimated cost of the mission allowances and travel expenses must be indicated. All other financing necessary to implement the projects, in particular with respect to equipment (with the exception of small items) and long-term grants must be provided by the laboratories themselves or obtained from other sources.

SELECTION DETAILS AND CRITERA

Once checked the proposals’ eligibility, each application shall be subject to an international scientific assessment from experts in the region brought together in committees supported by MISTRALS.

A selection committee shall then convene to decide upon the accepted projects, based on the conclusions of the scientific assessment, opportunity criteria and budget availability. This committee shall be made up of representatives from the MAE and co-financing organizations and institutes.

In addition to scientific excellence, the main assessment criteria are:

• The teams’ skills;
• The quality of the infrastructure;
• The project’s level of innovation;
• The novel nature of the cooperation;
• The benefits of creating a partnership network to conduct the project;
• The teams’ complementarity;
• The mutual transfer of skills;
• The quality of integration among different countries in terms of furthering their R&D capacities;
• The likely scientific, technological, societal or industrial consequences;
• The effective involvement of doctoral and post-doctoral students and young researchers in mobility and the relative parity among the project participants; diversity within teams is encouraged;
• The quality and efficiency of French and foreign co-financing.

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

Each project shall identify a French leading research unit that is going to receive and administrate the MAE/MISTRALS grant for the other project partners.

The selection committee, the MAE and the executive bureau of MISTRALS decide upon the amount attributed to the accepted (1st year) or reconducted (2nd year) projects following the conclusions of the assessment made by the international selection committee, including French Embassies in partner countries.

The MAE/MISTRALS funding for ENVI-Med is paid by MISTRALS (accounting unit CIRMED, UPS 850), administratively supported by the CNRS (INSU) under the umbrella of the inter-organisms committee, and appointed by the MAE for the financial implementation.

The projects grants are allocated yearly. Therefore, the payment of the MAE/MISTRALS financial contribution for the second year will follow the submission, by the project leader, of a progress and technical report after the first year as well as a provisional spending plan for the second year. The project leader shall also submit a final report including financial assessment within 3 months of the project completion. The MAE and MISTRALS refers then the right to demand a pay back of any unemployed or badly used sum. The implementation and the payment of the contribution calendar for additional sponsors are defined between them and the French leading unit of the project.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Project participants shall commit to observe the best practices relating to intellectual property rules. All parties which submit projects must automatically adhere to these rules.

It is the responsibility of the selected project sponsors to finalize a partnership agreement which includes clauses on intellectual property.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

All tasks performed in the framework of this call shall mention ENVI-Med in their acknowledgements.

Posters and other displays related to the research conducted and tp workshops or seminars shall also include the ENVI-Med, MAE and MISTRALS logos, available for download on MISTRALS website www.mistrals-home.org (ENVI-Med section) or on request by email : envi-med@mistrals-home.org

SUBMITTING THE CANDIDATE APPLICATION FORM / CONTACT

Application forms in French and in English are available for download:

Text of the call for proposals :	pdf
Formulaire de candidature (français) :	pdf	doc
Application form (english) :	pdf	doc

The candidate application forms must be filled out and sent via e-mail to envi-med@mistrals-home.org

Preferably, applications would be in French with an abstract in English. Applications can also be submitted in English, but including a detailed summary in French.