Guidelines For Applicants and Host Organisations v2.3

GUIDELINES
FOR APPLICANTS
(AND HOST ORGANISATIONS)

PATHWAYS by KIC InnoEnergy
Guidelines for Applicants (and Host Organisations)
PATHWAYS is part of KIC InnoEnergy The European Company for Innovation, Business, Creation and Education in Sustainable Energy
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Version
Change Description
Release date
1.0
Initial document
Feb 27th 2014
1.1
Layout and terminology coherency
July 24th 2014
2.3
Uniform delivery
Sept 15th 2014

Disclaimer
The PATHWAYS programme reserves the right to change the structure and contents of the Guideline
documents, the Application Forms and any other materials linked to the admission process, at any
time. When submitting, please check that the applicable document versions are the same as those
used in writing the Project Proposal. The Selection Committee will use the document versions
applicable on the submission date when evaluating the Proposals.

This project has received funding from the European Unions Seventh Framework
Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant
agreement n 291796.

Copyright KIC InnoEnergy SE 2014. All rights reserved.
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INFORMATION FOR THE APPLICANT

1. BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE PROGRAMME ......................................... 5
2. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA ....................................................................... 5
2.1. Transnational Mobility .................................................................................... 5
2.2. Research Experience ....................................................................................... 6
3. ACTIVITIES IN THE PROPOSED FELLOWSHIP PROJECT ............................... 8

4. SELECTION CRITERIA ....................................................................... 9
4.1. Scoring and Thresholds ................................................................................... 9
4.2. Evaluation of the Proposal Contents ............................................................. 10
5. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION ...................................... 12

6. ETHICAL ISSUES ........................................................................... 13
6.1. Ethical Issues Review .................................................................................... 13
6.2. Ethical Issues Table ....................................................................................... 14
7. SELECTION PROCEDURE ................................................................. 15

7.1. Preliminary Check for Eligibility .................................................................... 15
7.2. Setting up the panel of Independent, International Experts .......................... 15
7.3. Individual Evaluation of the Fellowship Proposals ......................................... 15
7.4. Consensus Meeting ....................................................................................... 16
7.5. PATHWAYS Makes a Selection Decision ........................................................ 16
7.6. Features of the Selection Process .................................................................. 16
7.7. Efficient, streamlined process ....................................................................... 16
7.8. Fairness, Transparency and Confidentiality ................................................... 16
7.9. Indicative Timetable ..................................................................................... 17
8. CONTRACTS ................................................................................ 17
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TEMPLATE FOR THE PROPOSAL

1. OVERVIEW ................................................................................. 18
1.1. Project Acronym and Title ............................................................................. 18
1.2. Participants .................................................................................................. 18
1.3. Publishable Summary / Abstract ................................................................... 19
1.4. Hosts and Applicants Drivers, Project Constraints and Structure ................. 19
1.5. Topics addressed .......................................................................................... 19
1.6. Planned starting date .................................................................................... 20
2. INNOVATION CONTEXT AND IMPACTS ............................................... 21

2.1. Innovation context ....................................................................................... 21
2.2. Innovative value and originality .................................................................... 21
2.3. Expected outputs and their Impacts for the Host Organisation ..................... 21
2.4. SMART Objective(s) ...................................................................................... 22
3. PROJECT TASKS AND TIMING .......................................................... 23

3.1. Research Methodology ................................................................................. 23
3.2. Timeliness and Relevance of the proposed Project ........................................ 23
3.3. Workplan, Deliverables and Final Report ...................................................... 24
3.4. Identified Risks ............................................................................................. 24
4. WORK DESCRIPTION ..................................................................... 25

4.1. Workpackage 1 R&D Activities ................................................................... 25
4.2. Workpackage 2 Disruptive Activities .......................................................... 25
4.3. Deliverables and Final Report ....................................................................... 26
5. EXPECTED IMPACTS FOR THE APPLICANT ........................................... 26

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INFORMATION FOR THE APPLICANT

These Guidelines provide guidance for potential Applicants and Host Organisations (amongst the KIC
InnoEnergy Partners and Supported Startups) applying for funding from the PATHWAYS fellowship
programme. Host Organisations are advised to contact KIC InnoEnergy SE for more comprehensive
information on PATHWAYS and its funding rules, and if necessary for assistance in preparing a Project
Proposal.
1.
BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE PROGRAMME
The PATHWAYS fellowship programme1 is crafted and operated by KIC InnoEnergy and offers 2-year
fellowships to young Researchers and Engineers hosted by the KIC Partners2 and KIC-supported
Startups3.
A general presentation and broader Overview document are available online:
https://pathways.kic-innoenergy.com/overview/general_presentation
https://pathways.kic-innoenergy.com/admissions/guidelines
PATHWAYS will award 123 Fellowships in the 2014-2017 period. The selected fellowship applications
are funded for 24 months. Fellowships awarded by the Programme are full-time, continuous
positions. The fellowships must end by November 30th 2017.
Fellowship applications are submitted by the Applicants (future Fellows) in liaison with a KIC Partner
or KIC-supported Startup (future Host Organisation) which are represented by a Supervisor.
The Host Organisations may be any of the KIC InnoEnergy Partners (currently more than 190 KIC
Partners including industry partners, universities, research centres) and Startups supported by KIC
InnoEnergy.
2.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The minimum conditions for eligibility are based on Transnational Mobility and Research Experience.
The easiest way for an Applicant to determine his/her eligibility is to Register online4 and fill in the
detailed Profile. Eligibility is indicated in the Profile immediately, once the required information has
been provided. If the Applicant has not yet identified his/her Host Organisation, this is also the best
way to be identified by one of the Europe-wide KIC InnoEnergy Partners or Supported Startups.
2.1.
Transnational Mobility
Eligible Applicants have spent less than one cumulative year, over the last three years, in the country
where he/she will be hosted within a KIC Partner or a KIC-supported Startup.
Specifically: At the application submission date (reference date), Applicants must not have resided
or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the prospective Host
Organisation for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the reference date.
Compulsory national service and/or short stays such as holidays are not taken into account. Mobility

1
http://pathwayspathways.kic-innoenergy.com
http://pathwayspathways.kic-innoenergy.com/activities/kic_supported_startups
3
http://pathways.kic-innoenergy.com/activities/kic_partners
4
http://pathways.kic-innoenergy.com/admissions/researcher_registration
2
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from one location to another while staying in the same multinational Host Organisation (including its
affiliated entities5) is not permitted.
"Affiliated entity" means any legal entity that is under the direct or indirect control of a Host
Organisation, or under the same direct or indirect control as the Host Organisation, control taking any
of the following forms:
a. the direct or indirect holding of more than 50% of the nominal value of the issued share capital in
the legal entity concerned, or of a majority of the voting rights of the shareholders or associates of
that entity;
b. the direct or indirect holding, in fact or in law, of decision-making powers in the legal entity
concerned.

Here are a few sample situations showing eligibility based on Transnational Mobility:
A Belgian engineer has lived in Maastricht (Belgium), worked in Aachen (Germany) for
3.5 years, looking to join a KIC Partner in Leuven (Belgium) Eligible for funding

Has not lived/worked in Belgium over the last 3 years.
A Spanish PhD has worked in Ukraine for 10 years, then was hired by a KIC Partner in Krakw
8 months ago Eligible for funding in Krakw
Has lived/worked in Poland for < 12 months in the last 3 years.
A French engineer working in Lyon for 5 years, then Stockholm for 14 months,
- wants to join a KIC Partner in Uppsala Not eligible
In Stockholm for > 12 months
- wants to join a KIC Partner in Marseille Not eligible
In Lyon for > 12 months
- wants to join a KIC Partner in Porto Eligible
Was not in Portugal
A PhD working for ABB in Vsters (Sweden) since 2001,

- looking to work for ABB in Mannheim (Germany)
Not Eligible
- looking to work for a different KIC Partner in Mannheim Eligible
Same Host
Different Host
2.2.
Research Experience
Researchers, as well as Engineers or Managers (whom well refer to as Applicants for simplicity),
holding a PhD or having at least four years full-time equivalent Research experience (as defined
below) after a Master degree (or any other degree allowing them to start a PhD) are eligible for the
Programme.
PATHWAYS uses the Frascati6 definition for Research, which is quite large:
"Professionals engaged in the conception or creation of new knowledge, products,
processes, methods and systems, and in the management of the projects concerned."
More specifically, this Recommendation relates to all persons professionally engaged in
R&D at any career stage, regardless of their classification. This includes any activities
related to "basic research", "strategic research", "applied research", experimental
development and "transfer of knowledge" including innovation and advisory, supervisory
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/funding/reference_docs.html#fp7
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/rights/definitions
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and teaching capacities, the management of knowledge and intellectual property rights,
the exploitation of research results or scientific journalism.
The Programme is open to Applicants with science or engineering backgrounds as well as to those
with soft-science backgrounds (management, economics, etc.).
Furthermore, considering the specific personality profiles sought, career breaks or unconventional
career tracks could be considered positively.
The Programme targets mainly junior Applicants (with less than 10 years of full-time equivalent
research experience) but more senior Applicants will also be considered.
Specifically: The selected Applicants must, at the time of the recruitment by the Host Organisation (a
KIC InnoEnergy Partner or a KIC-supported Startup) be in possession of a doctoral degree or have at
least four years of full-time equivalent research experience.
Full-time equivalent research experience is measured from the date when an Applicant obtained the
degree which would formally entitle him/ her to embark on a doctorate, either in the country in which
the degree was obtained or in the country in which the research is/was carried out.

Here are a few sample situations showing eligibility based on Research Experience:
A Belgian PhD has been working in production in Italy for 8 years, looking for a Research
position with a KIC Partner near Namur Eligible for funding
A PhD is sufficient research experience.
A Swedish doctoral student will finish their thesis on neutron characterisation

in 4 months, useful for a KIC Partner in Warsaw
Eligible for funding (write Fellowship Project now, start Fellowship immediately after
PhD)
The reference date is the start of the Fellowship.
A Canadian PhD wants a position with a French KIC Partner Eligible for funding
A PhD is sufficient research experience.
A Spanish doctoral student has been working on a PhD in Mainz for 4.5 years, looking to
finish the PhD with a KIC Partner near Bilbao Eligible for funding
Even if the PhD has not yet been completed, here the Applicant has > 4 years experience.
An engineer with 5 years experience in production only Not eligible

Production does not count as Research experience.
Engineer with > 4 years experience in innovation management Eligible for funding
Innovation Management counts as Research experience.
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3.
ACTIVITIES IN THE PROPOSED FELLOWSHIP PROJECT
The selected Applicants will carry out their Projects within the premises of their Host Organisations.
The Projects should be tailored to the needs of the Applicants to allow them to reach realistic and
well-defined objectives in terms of gaining new experience or career advancement such as
strengthening or attaining a leading independent position in his/her ecosystem.

The 2-year PATHWAYS fellowship programme includes a unique blend of complementary activities,
which may overlap:
75% time on R&D Activities cover technical topics for Applicants from a hard-science
background (or business/innovation management topics for Applicants from a soft-science
background). These topics should match the Applicants main focus of competency, and the
Host Organisations main area of need.
25% time on Disruptive Activities, composed of:

o Business-oriented Disruptive Activities, in which the R&D Activities are extended
towards Business;
o The Training Programme on Technology Transfer, Innovation and Business which is
organised by PATHWAYS and include Summer or Winter Schools, Workshops etc. and
which intends to give Fellows the opportunity to acquire and/or to develop the necessary
skills and competencies to carry out the Disruptive Activities.
Successful proposals will have found the right combination of R&D and Disruptive Activities. The
possible combinations are nearly limitless.

Some examples include:
R&D Activities: Prototype installation to remove mercury from coal combustion gases for
high-efficiency fuel and power production.

Disruptive Activities: Transfer this technology to KIC industrial partners.
R&D Activities: Develop cost & energy effective storage systems for energy balanced
buildings and districts.
Disruptive Activities: Contribute to the market approach; develop business models including
marketing strategies for the resulting products and services.
R&D Activities: Adapt manufacturing processes to improve the lifetimes of flexible CIGS and
OPV solar panels in flexible thin film photovoltaic devices.

Disruptive Activities: Analyse the competitive environment and market impacts of these
improvements, and make recommendations for the strategic positioning of the product.
More generally, the Disruptive Activities can be any actions that would be needed to effectively bring
the outcomes of the R&D Activities to the marketplace.
The examples above are within technology-focused R&D Activities. In case of a soft science-based
R&D, the focus of the Disruptive Activities will be the opposite: how the technological/operational
constraints will affect the R&D Activities.
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4.
SELECTION CRITERIA
The Fellowship Proposals will be evaluated against a fixed set of criteria, each composed of
sub-criteria:
Research & Innovation
(R&I) Quality
Training
Scientific/technological Place of the

quality (also including InnoEnergy
social sciences)
Training
Programme in the
Research methodology
perspective of the
used (or proposed in
career
social sciences
development
research)
objective of the
Originality and
Applicant
innovative nature of
Relevance of the
the project, and
Disruptive
relationship to the
Activities vis--vis
state of the art of
the learning by
research in the field
doing objectives of
and to innovation
PATHWAYS.
management
Relevance and
Timeliness and
quality of any
relevance of The
additional
project.
identified training
(scientific as well as
of complementary
skills).
4.1.
Researchers
Profile
Impact
Research experience
Potential of
acquiring
Research results
competencies
including patents,
during the
publications,
Fellowship to
conferences,
improve the
teaching etc., taking
prospects of
into account the level
reaching and/or
of experience
reinforcing a
Independent thinking position of
and leadership
professional
qualities, initiatives,
maturity,
creativity
diversity and
independence as
Match between the
well as potential
Applicant's profile
of developing
and the Project
entrepreneurship
Potential for reaching spirit or business
a position of
development.
professional
maturity.
Potential to acquire
new knowledge.
Motivation
Sustained
personal
motivation for
developing
technological
innovations in
the energy
field.
Ability to have
an impact on
the
professional
world
Relational skills
(e.g.:
autonomy and
initiative)
Intellectual
skills (e.g.:
creativity,
curiosity).
Scoring and Thresholds
The Evaluators will examine the proposals for each sub-criteria, and discuss these in the Evaluation
meeting to reach a consensus. The Evaluation Summary Report will give Evaluation scores for each of
the 5 criteria, but not the sub-criteria. The Experts will score the Proposal on each criterion on a scale
from 0 to 5. Half point scores may be given.
0 The Proposal fails to address the criterion under examination or cannot be judged due to missing
or incomplete information.
1 Poor
The criterion is addressed in an inadequate manner, or there are serious inherent

weaknesses.
2 Fair
While the Proposal broadly addresses the criterion, there are significant weaknesses.
3 Good
The Proposal addresses the criterion well, although improvements would be

necessary.
4 Very Good The Proposal addresses the criterion very well, although certain improvements are
still possible.
5 Excellent
The Proposal successfully addresses all relevant aspects of the criterion in question.
Any shortcomings are minor.
The score obtained for each criterion must be at least equal to a given threshold. Failing to reach the
threshold for any of the criteria will cause the Proposal to be rejected.
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The scores obtained for each criterion are multiplied by a coefficient of 20 and summed to obtain the
final score for the Proposal.
Evaluation Criteria
Thresholds
Research and Innovation

Training
Quality
Researcher
Impact
Motivation
3
3
4
3
3
Coefficient
20
20
20
20
20
In addition to the individual thresholds for each of the 5 criteria, the final score must reach a global
threshold of 70% (350 points).
4.2.
Evaluation of the Proposal Contents
Research and Innovation Quality takes into account the global Project description and in particular
the following elements in the Fellowship Proposal:
Relevance between the content of the Project and the experience of the Host Organisation;
Contribution towards advancing beyond current results in the field;
Extension of R&D Activities towards Business (Disruptive Activities and Training);
Matching between the Applicants career path and the PATHWAYS programmes objectives;
Existing levels of the state of the art, technological/business development results;
Research methodology to be employed.
Training takes into account the Disruptive Activities and in particular the following elements in the
Fellowship Proposal:
Readiness and anticipated receptivity of the Applicant for the overall PATHWAYS approach.
Potential of the Disruptive activities for advancing the Applicants holistic outlook on technical
and business aspects.
Training objectives and content.
Researcher takes into account the Applicants profile and in particular the following elements in the
Fellowship Proposal:
Profile and previous R&D experience of the Applicant;
Existing Research results (including patents, publications, conferences, teaching etc.);
Applicants independent thinking and leadership qualities, initiatives, creativity;
Match between the Applicant's profile and the proposed Project;
Potential for reaching a position of professional maturity;
Potential to acquire new knowledge.
Impact takes into account the expected project definition and expected impacts for the Host
Organisation and for the Fellow, and in particular the following elements in the Fellowship Proposal:
R&D Activities and Disruptive Activities deliverables and their impacts on the Host
Organisation in the medium and long-term.
Overall quality of the project approach, definition and anticipated results.
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Competencies, skills, and widened perspective expected to be acquired by the Applicant

during the Fellowship
Motivation takes into account the Profile, Motivation Questionnaire and his/her short presentation
video
Personal motivation for developing technological innovations in the sustainable energy field;
Applicants ability and interest in having an impact on the professional world and its
relational skills (e.g.: autonomy and initiative) and Intellectual skills (e.g.: creativity,
curiosity).
If any Ethical Issues are identified in the proposal, the Evaluators will be asked to comment on these.
If needed, an Ethical Issues review will be held (see also the Information for Applicants, section 6
Ethical Issues).
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5.
PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION
The PATHWAYS programme is open in a continuous call. There is a one-stage application process for
all Project Proposals. Applicants start by identifying their Host Organisation and Supervisor, and may
prepare only one Fellowship at a time. Unsuccessful Applicants may not
re-apply at a later time. The evaluation of the proposals is expected to take approximately 2 months.
A proposed Project consists of:
Applicants Profile;

The Applicants Profile provided
online serves initially to allow him/her
to be identified and selected by
potential Host Organisations. After
the Host has been identified, it is
recommended to tailor the Profile to
highlight specific aspects related to
the proposed Project.
Project Proposal;
A detailed template is explained in
this document, and a Fellowship
Project template is provided as a
companion document to these
Guidelines. The Applicants and the
Host Organisation define the Project
plan
(objectives,
tasks
and
deliverables), including the Disruptive
Activities and deliverables to the Host
Organisation.
Proposals must reflect:
o The PATHWAYS scope and
philosophy.
o The Applicants expectations in
terms of personal and career
development;
o The coherency between the Applicants expectations and the R&D strategy of the Host
Organisations with respect to their activities within KIC InnoEnergy;
KIC InnoEnergy will publish without restriction an abstract view of the Project definition,
including in particular the following: a) Project Acronym and b) Title; c) Publishable Summary /
Abstract; d) keywords, e) Host Organisation name, f) Applicant name and g) Applicants photo.
The Applicants photo is not part of the evaluation process and will not be visible to the
Selection Committee.
Questionnaire on Motivation;
The Applicant will also be evaluated on a personal and motivational level, via a 90-minute
online Questionnaire, composed of 16 questions. The questions are presented sequentially
and may only be answered once.
Applicants short presentation video;

We ask that the Applicant makes a 2 to 3 minute video to introduce themselves to the
Evaluation Committee, describing the Applicants area of specialization, the value of his/her
work, personality traits, and thoughts on what this program will bring to the Applicant.
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Hosts Letter of Commitment;
The Host Organisations are required to sign a Letter of Commitment stipulating that in the
event PATHWAYS selects the Proposal, the Host Organisation commits to hiring and employing
the Applicants for a minimum of two years, to carry out the proposed Project. The Letter of
Commitment also includes a declaration regarding the Ethical Issues table, and the declaration
that the Applicants information is correct.
Proposals may be prepared in any official language of the European Union. If your Proposal is not in
English, a translation of the full Proposal into English would be of assistance to the Experts. An
English translation of the abstract must be included in the Proposal.
The Proposals must be submitted electronically by the Applicants in the Fellowship submission
environment7, using the login and password obtained during Registration. Proposals submitted by
any other means will be regarded as not submitted, and will not be evaluated.
All data uploaded is stored securely on a server to which only the Applicants and the Host
Organisations have been granted an access, until the final submission.
6.
ETHICAL ISSUES
6.1.
Ethical Issues Review
Considering the technological perimeter of the PATHWAYS programme in sustainable energy, the
proposals submitted generally are not expected to have any ethical issues. Nevertheless it could
happen that technological developments fall under the Ethical issues table below.
After the proposed Project is submitted, the ethical issues will be addressed as follows:
Experts will be asked to comment on Ethical issues for each proposed Project;
If any issues are raised, an Ethical Issues review may be conducted before accepting the
proposal. In some cases, a signed statement may need to be completed provided by the Host
Organisation and/or the Applicant, including the following points:
a. Certification that there is an ethical review board for research at the Host Organisation.
b. The research conducted at the laboratory of the Host Organisation is in compliance
with ethical rules applicable in the Hosts country.
c. All necessary steps will be undertaken to ensure that the individual Project will be
conducted in compliance with these rules, including the fundamental ethics
principles stated in article 15.2 of the EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT and COUNCIL DECISION
1982/2006/EC of 18 December 2006 concerning the Seventh Framework Programme
of the European Community for research, technological development and
demonstration activities (2007- 2013).
Documentation for the ethical approval of individual proposals will be made available to the
Research Executive Agency (REA), on request.
The ethical issues table below is part of the proposal submitted.
If YES is indicated for any issue, the pages in the Fellowship Project where this ethical issue is
described must be identified in the appropriate column.
If none of the issues apply to the Proposal,

only the YES box in the last row should be checked.
http://pathways.kic-innoenergy.com/admissions/researcher_registration
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6.2.
Ethical Issues Table
This table is taken from the Marie Curie Actions, Guide for Applicants (Ethics) 2012 8.
Page
Number
YES
Research on Human Embryo/ Foetus

Does the Proposal involve human Embryos?
Does the Proposal involve human Foetal Tissues/Cells?
Does the Proposal involve Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs)?
Does the proposed research on human Embryonic Stem Cells involve cells
in culture?
Does the proposed research on Human Embryonic Stem Cells involve the
derivation of cells from Embryos?
Informed Consent
Does the Proposal involve children?
Does the Proposal involve patients?
Does the Proposal involve persons not able to give consent?
Does the Proposal involve adult healthy volunteers?
Does the Proposal involve Human Genetic Material?
Does the Proposal involve Human biological samples?
Does the Proposal involve Human data collection?
Privacy

Does the Proposal involve processing of genetic information or personal data
(eg. health, sexual lifestyle, ethnicity, political opinion, religious or
philosophical convinction)?
Research on Animals
Does the Proposal involve research on animals?
Are those animals transgenic small laboratory animals?
Are those animals transgenic farm animals?

Are those animals cloning farm animals?
Are those animals non-human primates?
Research Involving Developing Countries

(if none)
I CONFIRM THAT NONE OF THE ABOVE ISSUES APPLY TO MY PROPOSAL
Does the Proposal involve tracking the location or observation of people?
Does the proposed research involve the use of local resources (genetic,
animal, plant, etc)?
Is the proposed research of benefit to local communities (e.g. capacity
building, access to healthcare, education, etc)?
http://pathways.kic-innoenergy.com/admissions/guidelines
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7.
SELECTION PROCEDURE
7.1.
Preliminary Check for Eligibility
On receipt by the KIC InnoEnergy, Fellowship Proposals are registered and acknowledged. The
Evaluation Committee Chair also checks the eligibility criteria for each Proposal before the Evaluation
begins. Fellowship Proposals that do not fulfill the eligibility criteria will not be evaluated. The
preliminary check focuses on the following:
Completeness of the Project Proposal;
Applicants eligibility held (see also the Information for Applicants, section 2 Eligibility
Criteria);
Coherency of the proposed Project with the scope and philosophy of the PATHWAYS
fellowship programme.
7.2.
Setting up the panel of Independent, International Experts
The Evaluation Committee Chair sets up a panel of independent, international Experts specifically
suited to each proposed Project. The Evaluation Committee is composed of at least 3 international
independent Experts, who are chosen to ensure:
A high level of technical expertise, and knowledge of market expectations;
An appropriate range of skills in:

o Technology Transfer, Innovation and Business;
o Management and Human resources.
In addition, the panel of Experts is balanced in terms of gender, nationality, sector (private/public),
and discipline (hard/soft sciences).
In constituting the panel of Experts, the Evaluation Committee Chair takes into account their abilities
to deal with the Technological and Business dimensions of the proposed Project. Experts must also
have the appropriate language skills required for the Projects to be evaluated. The Evaluation
Committee Chair staff allocates proposed Projects to individual Experts avoiding any conflict of
interest.
7.3.
Individual Evaluation of the Fellowship Proposals
The Experts will be briefed by the Evaluation Committee Chair on the following:
the evaluation procedure;
the Experts responsibilities,
Any other relevant material (including the scope and philosophy of the PATHWAYS
programme).
The Experts will assess the following component parts of the proposed Project:
The Applicants Profile;
The Project Proposal;
The Questionnaire on Motivation;
Applicants short presentation video.
With the Questionnaire on Motivation, the Applicants will demonstrate a sustained personal
motivation for developing technological innovations in the energy field.
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Each appointed Expert evaluates the proposed Project and completes an Individual Evaluation Report
(IER), to be provided before the Evaluation Committees consensus meeting (via teleconference or
videoconference).
7.4.
Consensus Meeting
Based on the compilation of the Individual Evaluation Reports (IERs), the Evaluation Committee will
agree on an Evaluation Summary Report (ESR) reflecting the consensus reached by the Committee,
guided by the Evaluation Committee Chair.
7.5.
PATHWAYS Makes a Selection Decision
The Programme Director checks that the evaluation process has been correctly carried out and based
on the ESR, and he/she takes the final selection decision.
In some limited cases, when the motivation criteria is barely met, the Programme Director may
request an interview via videoconference with the Applicant to check if the specificities of the
Programme are well understood and fit with the Applicants career plans.
The Applicant and the Host Organisation receive the selection decision supported by the Evaluation
Summary Report, simultaneously.
If the Fellowship application has been evaluated positively, the Host Organisation should then start
the employment contract signatures as soon as possible according to their own standard procedures.
If there is a clear violation of the procedures set out in the PATHWAYS Guidelines documents (not
just because you are unhappy with the selection decision), the Applicant may call upon the
Ombudsman to review the Evaluation. The Ombudsman may only be invoked from two months after
the Fellowship submission, and until the end of the Fellowship. The role of the Ombudsman is
defined in the Guidelines for the Ombudsman.
7.6.
Features of the Selection Process
The process to seek co-funding support from the PATHWAYS Programme is undertaken using a
competitive application process. PATHWAYS fellowship programme will award 123 Fellowships in
2014-2017. The evaluation of applications is based on the multi-disciplinary context of PATHWAYS.
Excellence will be the utmost criterion, but motivation for working in a techno-innovation driven
specific environment will be evaluated as well.
7.7.
Efficient, streamlined process
The selection decision is entirely based on the evaluation of the Fellowship Application carried out by
an international panel of independent Experts.
The evaluation and selection processes strives to provide responses to Applicants within 2 months.
7.8.
Fairness, Transparency and Confidentiality
The Experts are free from any conflict of interest and uphold the confidentiality of the Project
Proposals submitted.
The Evaluation Committee Chair ensures that the process is fair, and in line with the PATHWAYS
spirit.
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Feedback is provided to the Applicant throughout the evaluation and selection process and until the
selection decision is made. Once the Fellowship Application has been submitted, the Applicant can
follow its evolution in the evaluation process, e.g. whether their Project is being evaluated by the
Experts, or if the IER has been submitted to the Evaluation Committee Chair, or whether the
consensus meeting has been held.
7.9.
Indicative Timetable
Deadline for submitting

Fellowship Proposals
The PATHWAYS programme implements a continuous

call until the 123rd Fellowship is accepted and
November 2015 at the latest. There is a one-stage
application process for all Fellowship Proposals.
Evaluation of Fellowship Proposals
Should be no later than 2 months following the

submission of the Fellowship Proposal
Notification to Applicants and Hosts

Contracts signature

As soon as possible after a positive notification has

been sent to the Applicant and the Host Organisation.
8.
CONTRACTS
The Host Organisations signs a Hosting Agreement with KIC SE, clearly specifying the roles and the
obligations of the Host Organisations and KIC SE.
The Applicants selected will be employed directly by their Host Organisations and sign a minimum
2-year employment contract according to the Hosts standard procedures.
The financial support for the Fellowship takes the form of a lump sum comprising the following
components:
A monthly living allowance (including all social security and social benefits costs) which
amount is calculated according to a specific coefficient applicable to the country where the
Fellow will stay to carry out his/her Project.
A monthly mobility allowance (to compensate for the Fellows relocation) which amount is
calculated according to the country where the Fellow will stay to carry out his/her Project.
A contribution to the core Training expenses of the Fellow (to cover the Fellows core
Training costs such as attendance to conferences and workshops etc).
o
The core Training costs are fully covered by the programme;
The core Training is mandatory and failure to attend core Training courses will lead to
financial penalties on Host Organisations;
Once the Fellowship is completed, neither KIC SE nor the programme will have
any financial commitment to the Host Organisation or the Fellow.
In case the Fellowship Project is not selected, no compensation will be awarded to the Applicant nor
to the Host Organisation.
The Applicant and the Host Organisation must be able to demonstrate at any time that no financing
received from the EIT or any other EU source (e.g.: KIC InnoEnergy Highway or Innovation Projects)
is used in the context of the Fellowship Project.
17/26
TEMPLATE FOR THE PROPOSAL

This template for the technical description of the proposed Fellowship Project. Be sure to use the
.docx template file available in the Guidelines section of the PATHWAYS website (Template for
Fellowship Project proposals).
The template is structured to highlight those aspects that will be assessed with respect to the
Evaluation Criteria and optimise the efforts of the Applicant and Host Organisation, while simplifying
the evaluation by the Experts in the Evaluation Committee.
This template must be followed strictly. Do not change any aspect of the formatting. Annexes are not
allowed. When submitting, check that you are using the latest version of the template, and that your
proposal is complete. Incomplete proposals will be rejected outright. After clicking the Submit
button online, you will no longer have the opportunity to submit an updated proposal.
The template will help you present the important aspects of your Project in a way that will enable
the Experts to make an effective assessment with respect to the Evaluation Criteria (see also the
Information for Applicants, section 4 Evaluation Criteria).
1.
OVERVIEW
This is the short title or acronym of the Fellowship Project and it will be used to identify it efficiently
in this call and throughout the lifetime of your Project, if selected. The same acronym should appear
on each page of part B of your proposed Project. Use the standard English alphabet and numbers
only (no symbols or special characters).
The Project Title must be understandable for non-specialists in your field and get the evaluators
attention and interest.
1.1.
Project Acronym and Title
The Project Acronym or short title is the most commonly used name for the project. It sets the spirit
will be used to identify it efficiently in this call and throughout the lifetime of the Project, if selected.
Use the standard English alphabet and numbers only (no symbols or special characters).
The Project Title must be understandable for non-specialists in your field and get the evaluators
attention and interest.
1.2.
Participants
The basic information about the Applicant and the Host Organisation in the Fellowship :
Applicants name
Country where the fellowship will be carried out
Host Organisation
Supervisor within the Host Organisation
Involvement with KIC InnoEnergy
Main contacts within KIC InnoEnergy
18/26
1.3.
Publishable Summary / Abstract
(length: 2000 - 3000 characters, about 1 page)

Describe the Project idea and objectives, how they will be achieved, and the purpose they will serve.
Be sure that this section does not contain any confidential information or details - these should only
appear in the other sections of the proposal.
This should summarise the R&D Activities and how they will be extended towards Business via the
Disruptive Activities. It should briefly describe the innovative value and originality of the expected
results, and the impacts on the Host Organisation. It should also briefly cover the Applicants
background and interest for the PATHWAYS fellowship programme (2-3 lines) and highlight the
expected impact on his/her career path.
This summary will be used as the short description of the Project in the evaluation process. It will
also serve as a presentation of the Fellowship if it is accepted.
Any overall comments regarding the entire Fellowship Proposal should be placed in the comments
section here.
In some cases, it may be useful for the PATHWAYS team to share your proposal with our partners
and contacts, eg to find possible collaborations if you so request it.
Simply remove either the Yes or no statement here.
1.4.
Hosts and Applicants Drivers, Project Constraints and Structure
(length: 2000 - 3000 characters, about 1 page)

This section completes the Publishable Summary/Abstract and may include confidential information.
Explain the relationship and interdependencies between the R&D Activities and the Disruptive
Activities (Business-oriented Disruptive Activities and Training) and in particular:
1.5.
The Applicants internal drivers and his/her long-term career goals;
The Hosts internal drivers and its objectives to pursue the Fellowship;
The influence of the Hosts specific context on the proposed Project definition.
Topics addressed
KIC InnoEnergy Thematic Fields: KIC InnoEnergy carries out actions based on its roadmap9, which
describes a perimeter of KIC InnoEnergy Thematic Fields (previously called Technology Areas).
These are used to characterise the Fellowship Proposals and play a role in the evaluation process.
Select the Thematic Fields in the KIC InnoEnergy Roadmap that are relevant to your proposed
Project.
Keywords: In addition to the KIC InnoEnergy Roadmap topics, enter the keywords that you consider
sufficient to characterise the scope of your proposed Project. Providing the right set of keywords
(neither too many nor too few) will have positive impacts on the Evaluation Committee. The
Evaluation Committee chair will find it easier to set up the Evaluation Committee with a good set of
keywords, and the Experts often start familiarising themselves with a Project via the keywords.

9
http://pathways.kic-innoenergy.com/activities/roadmap
19/26

If the proposed Project is accepted, the keywords will help publicise the Fellowship. In a longer
perspective, this may provide better visibility on the job market for PATHWAYS alumni.
1.6.
Planned Starting Date & Duration
In some cases, the starting date of the Fellowship must be chosen carefully, since it is used to
calculate the Applicants research experience needed for eligibility.
The duration of the Fellowship may be anywhere from 18, 24, 30 or 36 months and is not
interruptible.
The Fellowship must plan to start at the earliest one month after the proposals submission date,
and in all cases must end by November 31st 2017.
20/26
2.
INNOVATION CONTEXT AND IMPACTS
2.1.
Innovation context
(length: 500 - 1000 characters, about 1/3 page)

Explain the level of experience of the Host Organisation/Supervisor that is relevant with the Project
tasks. Describe the starting point from an innovation point of view.
If relevant, document the Host Organisations track record of work (main international collaborations
through projects, publications, patents and any other relevant results). If applicable, the most
relevant bibliographical references should be provided.
Choose the most relevant aspects of the innovation context, for example:
o Describe the concrete, high-level results obtained or expected from previous work, and
how these will be taken up in the proposed Project;
o If the proposed Fellowship Project overlaps previous, ongoing work, explain precisely how
this will impact the proposed Project.
o If the Host is a Startup, describe the level of maturity and development of the Startup, as
it relates to the proposed Project;
o State clearly whether the proposed Projects results are primarily focusing on the market
or on technology development;
o Provide factual, quantifiable and measurable information about the expected results.
o If there are any gray innovation areas to investigated before starting, be sure to identify
these and describe the potential risks they may pose to the project.
2.2.
Innovative value and originality
(length: 500-1000 characters, about 1/3 page)

Describe your Projects innovative value and highlight its originality. In particular, explain the
breakthroughs expected from the technological and business approach to be implemented. The
innovative value may arise from the R&D Activities, the Disruptive Activities or a combination of
both.
Describe the expected positioning to be attained at the end of the Project (technology/business
maturity with respect to the product/service market launch). If applicable, feel free to use the
Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 10 approach to explain the level you expect to attain.
2.3.
Expected outputs and their Impacts for the Host Organisation

Describe the expected outputs produced by the R&D Activities and Disruptive Activities and their
impact on the Host Organisation.
Explain how the expected outputs identified will impact the Host Organisation in the medium- and
long-term (e.g.: reaching and/or reinforcing its position, competitiveness, and/or opportunities for
collaboration and synergies), during and after the end of the Fellowship).

10
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_readiness_level
21/26
2.4.
SMART Objective(s)
(length: 1-3 lines for each SMART feature, max 1 page / objective covered)
Describe the main objectives of the Project, using the SMART criteria11. If appropriate, feel free to
cover more than one objective in this section.
The objectives must be measurable, in line with the type of Fellowship sought, feasible, and
understandable even by non-specialists. If there are several objectives, one must be the core
objective of the Project and the others should be the sub-objectives that help to define the
perimeter of the core objective.
Describe each objectives and its contents and show in 1-2 lines how it is SMART:
Specific
What exactly do you plan to do, and for whom?
Measurable
Is it quantifiable and will it be possible to measure it?
Attainable
Can it be done within the Fellowships timeframe,

using available support and resources?
Relevant
Will it have an impact on the desired goal or strategy?
Time-bound
When will the objective be accomplished?

11
http://topachievement.com/smart.html
http://www.iom.edu/About-IOM/Making-a-Difference/Community-
Outreach/~/media/Files/About%20the%20IOM/SmartBites/Planning/P1%20SMART%20Objectives.ashx
http://www.hr.virginia.edu/uploads/documents/media/Writing_SMART_Goals.pdf

22/26
3.
PROJECT TASKS AND TIMING
3.1.
Research Methodology

Explain the methodological approach that will be employed for achieving the Project tasks and
deliverables and justify it in relation to the overall Project objectives.
Explain how your approach is compatible with the Host Organisations operational context.
Describe any relevant techniques, methods or analyses that will be applied, while working on the
R&D Activities and the Disruptive Activities.
Explain how this methodological approach is compatible with the existing structures and
expectations within the Host Organisations operational context.

3.2.
Timeliness and Relevance of the proposed Project

Describe the appropriateness of the proposed Project with respect to the existing results (state of
the art, technological development, business, etc.) and the external factors (e.g.: availability of given
technologies, standards, market conditions) that ensure the timeliness and relevance of your Project
Proposal.
Explain why it is important to pursue the Fellowship now. What would the Host be missing in case
the proposed Project would not be selected now? (e.g.: missed opportunity for taking over new
market shares or for developing a new product etc.).
23/26
3.3.
Workplan, Deliverables and Final Report
Provide a GANTT description of the proposed Projects workplan, including R&D Activities, Disruptive
Activities, the Deliverables for the Host, and the Final Report (due at the end of month 23).
The overall structure may not be modified: only the number of tasks, their names and duration may
be changed. Colour the blue cells in black (or place an X) to indicate the planned duration for each
task.

YEAR 1
Tasks
WP1
T1.1
YEAR 2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

name of the task
T1.2
name of the task
T1.3
name of the task
T1.4
name of the task
T1.n
name of the task
R&D Activities
Disruptive Activities
WP2
T2.1
name of the task
T2.2
name of the task
T2.n-1
name of the task
T2.n
Training
D.1
name of the deliverable
D.2
D.n
Deliverables
Final Report
Only the Final Report is provided to the PATHWAYS programme. The other deliverables are internal
and provided only to the Host.
3.4.
Identified Risks
(length: 500 - 1000 characters)

Identify the steps in your Project that may present a risk for the Fellowship results at all levels (not
limited to the R&D and Disruptive Activities). Be sure to include internal risks (if some internal
objectives or tasks are not achieved) and external risks (e.g.: availability of some resources). Describe
the contingency plans foreseen.

24/26
4.
WORK DESCRIPTION
4.1.
Workpackage 1 R&D Activities
(length: 2500-6000 characters)

For each R&D Activity, describe:
Objectives and contents:

Describe the activitys objectives and contents (what it will consist of).
End-of-task criteria:
Describe the measurable, objective criteria for determining whether the task is finished. This
is equivalent to defining an internal milestone at the end of each task.
4.2.
Workpackage 2 Disruptive Activities
(length: 2500-6000 characters)

The WP2 Disruptive Activities extend the WP1 R&D Activities towards Business. The possible
combinations of R&D Activities and Disruptive Activities is nearly limitless. They can include but are
not limited to:
R&D Activities: Prototype installation to remove mercury from coal combustion gases for
high-efficiency fuel and power production.

Disruptive Activities: Transfer this technology to KIC industrial partners.
R&D Activities: Develop cost & energy effective storage systems for energy balanced
buildings and districts.
Disruptive Activities: Contribute to the market approach; develop business models including
marketing strategies for the resulting products and services.
R&D Activities: Adapt manufacturing processes to improve the lifetimes of flexible CIGS and
OPV solar panels in flexible thin film photovoltaic devices.

Disruptive Activities: Analyse the competitive environment and market impacts of these
improvements, and make recommendations for the strategic positioning of the product.
More generally, the Disruptive Activities can be any actions that would be needed to effectively bring
the outcomes of the R&D Activities to the marketplace.
The examples above are within technology-focused R&D Activities. In case of a soft science-based
R&D, the focus of the Disruptive Activities will be the opposite: how the technological/operational
constraints will affect the R&D Activities.
As with the R&D Activities, for each Disruptive Activity, describe the Objectives and Contents and the
corresponding End-of-task criteria.
25/26
4.3.
Deliverables and Final Report

The main Deliverables are for the Hosts exclusive use and should be the outputs of the
R&D Activities and the Disruptive Activities. There isnt a one-to-one relationship between Activities
and Deliverables. A Deliverable may be the output from one or several Activities, and may combine
R&D and Disruptive Activities if needed. However, there should be Deliverables from both R&D and
Disruptive Activities.
Only the Final Report is to be sent to KIC InnoEnergy, at the end of the Fellowships 23rd month.
For each Deliverable, describe:
Type of deliverable: State whether it is a document, prototype, experimental data,

certification, process definition, etc.
Objectives and contents: Describe the Deliverables objectives and use, and whether it is
mainly related to tasks in WP1, WP2, or both. Describe the indicative criteria for determining
whether the Deliverable is acceptable.

For the Final Report, describe its Objectives and contents, and the main points that you will expect to
cover. This description is indicative for the evaluators, and will not be taken as a commitment.
5. EXPECTED IMPACTS FOR THE APPLICANT

Describe your overall expectations from the Fellowship in terms of: career opportunities, skills
acquired and repositioning.
Provide details on how you expect your career path to be impacted by the Fellowship in specifically
the R&D Activities within the Hosts context, the Training, and the Disruptive Activities.
Explain the types of new opportunities you expect the Fellowship to create for you in the medium
and long-term.
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GUIDELINES

Guidelines for Applicants (and Host Organisations)

Feb 27th 2014

Layout and terminology coherency

July 24th 2014

Guidelines for Applicants (and Host Organisations)

INFORMATION FOR THE APPLICANT

3. ACTIVITIES IN THE PROPOSED FELLOWSHIP PROJECT ............................... 8

5. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION ...................................... 12

7. SELECTION PROCEDURE ................................................................. 15

PATHWAYS by KIC InnoEnergy

Guidelines for Applicants (and Host Organisations)

TEMPLATE FOR THE PROPOSAL

2. INNOVATION CONTEXT AND IMPACTS ............................................... 21

3. PROJECT TASKS AND TIMING .......................................................... 23

4. WORK DESCRIPTION ..................................................................... 25

5. EXPECTED IMPACTS FOR THE APPLICANT ........................................... 26

PATHWAYS by KIC InnoEnergy

Guidelines for Applicants (and Host Organisations)

INFORMATION FOR THE APPLICANT

BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE PROGRAMME

PATHWAYS by KIC InnoEnergy

Guidelines for Applicants (and Host Organisations)

A PhD working for ABB in Vsters (Sweden) since 2001,

PATHWAYS by KIC InnoEnergy

Guidelines for Applicants (and Host Organisations)

A Swedish doctoral student will finish their thesis on neutron characterisation

An engineer with 5 years experience in production only Not eligible

PATHWAYS by KIC InnoEnergy

Guidelines for Applicants (and Host Organisations)

ACTIVITIES IN THE PROPOSED FELLOWSHIP PROJECT

25% time on Disruptive Activities, composed of:

PATHWAYS by KIC InnoEnergy

Guidelines for Applicants (and Host Organisations)

Scientific/technological Place of the

Scoring and Thresholds

The criterion is addressed in an inadequate manner, or there are serious inherent

The Proposal addresses the criterion well, although improvements would be

Guidelines for Applicants (and Host Organisations)

Research and Innovation

Evaluation of the Proposal Contents

Contribution towards advancing beyond current results in the field;

Extension of R&D Activities towards Business (Disruptive Activities and Training);

Existing levels of the state of the art, technological/business development results;

Research methodology to be employed.

Training objectives and content.

Profile and previous R&D experience of the Applicant;

Existing Research results (including patents, publications, conferences, teaching etc.);

Applicants independent thinking and leadership qualities, initiatives, creativity;

Match between the Applicant's profile and the proposed Project;

Potential for reaching a position of professional maturity;

Potential to acquire new knowledge.

Overall quality of the project approach, definition and anticipated results.

PATHWAYS by KIC InnoEnergy

Guidelines for Applicants (and Host Organisations)

Competencies, skills, and widened perspective expected to be acquired by the Applicant

PATHWAYS by KIC InnoEnergy

Guidelines for Applicants (and Host Organisations)

PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION

Applicants short presentation video;

PATHWAYS by KIC InnoEnergy

Guidelines for Applicants (and Host Organisations)

Ethical Issues Review