EVALUATION

PHASE 1 – SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION

The evaluation of the applicant’s CV and research proposal will be done by an independent evaluation agency. The following criteria will be assessed:

• Applicant’s CV: Max score 50 (threshold 30).

Academic track record (MSc, PhD studies, academic transcripts, studies abroad, awards, etc), research experience (publications, projects, presentations, mobility, stays, grants, networks…) and any complementary skills and competencies (teaching, lecturing, soft skills, project management, experience in the industry, product development, patents, etc).

• Research project: Max score 40 (threshold 25).

Scientific and technological quality of the project idea (originality, innovative elements, interdisciplinary aspects). Quality and efficiency of the implementation (quality of methodology and experimental design, appropriateness of the work plan, proposal feasibility and contingency measures). Impact and relevance for the context (at three different levels: impact for you as researcher and your development, impact for the research group of your choice, and impact and relevance for the institution, regional and EU context).

• Research context: Max score 10 (threshold 5).

Consistency of the research project with the hosting research group (coherence of the area of specialization of the research group and the applicant’s background and project proposed), complementarities between the candidate experience and the research group and collaborative potential, viability and consistency considering the necessary infrastructure and equipment of the research group to develop the proposed research project.

Upon evaluation by the external agency a list of pre-selected candidates passing the thresholds will be ranked and published. Pre-selected candidates based on their scores will be invited to the interview phase.

PHASE 2 – INTERVIEW

Candidates will be interviewed by the technical committee of the university of their application and evaluated according to the following criteria:

Evaluation criteria	Max. score (threshold)
Attitude: honest, respectful, confident, well-mannered, open-minded, professional.	10 (6)
Leadership: evidence of problem-solving abilities, autonomous thinking and working, examples of own undertakings, speech assertiveness, collaborative.	10 (6)
Applicant’s motivation: urge for application, approach and enthusiasm, inspiration, and eagerness to enrol in the IberusExperience Programme, university and research group.	15 (9)
Communication skills: proper grammar (standard English), good pronunciation and enunciation. Use of formal and informal English adapted to the context of the situation.	15 (9)
Personal Career Development Plan: candidate’s intended training (including that through secondments), expected short- and long-term assets and career prospects.	15 (9)
Fit between applicant and hosting research group: candidate’s potential to fit the group based on questions posted at the interview and external references provided.	20 (12)
Fit between applicant and the IberusExperience programme: project feasibility and impact on the strategic research areas, knowledge, and expectations of the programme.	15 (9)
Total max. score (threshold)	100 (60)

The interview will have an approximate duration of 45 minutes through an online secured platform.

PHASE 3 – ETHICAL REVISION

The Ethical Committee will revise the ethics self-assessments provided by the applicants and evaluate if they may arise any ethical issues. Recommendations will be given to ensure compliance with the national and EU legal framework. Projects may be finally discarded if they involve major unresolved ethical issues.  The following fields of research shall not be financed: a) research activity aiming at human cloning for reproductive purposes, b) research activity intended to modify genetic heritage of human beings which could make such changes heritable, c) research activities intended to create human embryos for research or for stem cell procurement, including by means of somatic cell nuclear transfer, d) research on human stem cells, both adult and embryonic.

In case activities undertaken in non-EU countries raise ethics issues, the beneficiary must confirm that the research conducted outside the EU is legal in at least one EU Member State.

TOTAL SCORE

Candidates passing all phases of the evaluation will be ranked according to their final scores as follows:

Scientific evaluation	Technical evaluation – Interview	Ethical evaluation
60%	40%	Go / non-go

 

A final raking list per university will be published at the programme’s website. Candidates with the highest scores will be selected by following the ranking order until covering the number of the available positions at the corresponding university. Non selected candidates passing both phases of the evaluation process will be part of a waiting list following the ranking order.

Fellowships available at each university

Campus Iberus University	No of fellowships
University of Lleida	4
Public University of Navarre	3
University of La Rioja	2
University of Zaragoza	2