Programme activities are carried out by the Estonian Research Council in accordance with Decree No. 481 of the Minister of Education and Research of 30 December 2015. It lays down the conditions for the provision of grants under the ‘Internationalisation of research and support for mobility and the next generation’ or Mobilitas Pluss programme.
The budget for Mobilitas Pluss is 35 373 770 euros, 83.5% of which is covered by the European Regional Development Fund.
The programme aims to:
- improve the international visibility of Estonian research, business and higher education and Estonia’s attractiveness as a destination country for study and research;
- strengthen the international competitiveness of Estonian researchers and research performing organisations, including companies;
- support opportunities for Estonian R&D institutions and companies to collaborate with transnational research organisations and networks, including through synergy with Horizon 2020 actions;
- expand international collaboration and professional development opportunities for the state, R&D institutions, higher education institutions, companies, students and academic staff by improving intersectoral and international mobility and cooperation (opportunities).
Support provided under the Mobilitas Pluss programme:
- Mobilitas Pluss post-doctoral researcher grant – for the implementation of a research project by a researcher coming from abroad to Estonia.
- Returning researcher grant – for the implementation of a research project by a researcher returning to Estonia after completing post-doctoral or comparable research abroad.
- Top researcher grant – for the implementation of a research project by a renowned researcher of international rank coming from abroad to Estonia.
- Training events and study visits for researchers – support for a researcher working at a R&D institution in Estonia to attend training events or study visits abroad.
- Support for applying for an ERC grant– for researchers working in Estonia whose ERC project application has made it to the second stage of evaluation, earning a mark of A or B, but have nevertheless not received affirmative funding decisions. This support may be used to proceed with the research project that was not funded in a closed ERC call for the preparation and submission of a new ERC grant application.
- Horizon 2020 ERA chair support– enables Estonian research and development institutions to cover the research costs of Horizon 2020 ERA chairs.
- Horizon 2020 ERA NET support – enables Estonian R&D institutions to cover the research costs of participating in Horizon 2020 ERA NET projects.
- Horizon 2020 EIT support – covers the travel and staff costs of the participation of Estonian R&D institutions in the work of Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs).
Furthermore, Mobilitas Pluss supports:
- Estonia’s liaison office in Brussels provides information about R&D in Estonia and opportunities to participate in European Union initiatives. Collaboration is pursued with liaison offices in other EU Member States in the IGLO (Informal Group of RTD Liaison Offices) In Brussels, events are organised for Estonian researchers and research administrators, and information is exchanged between Estonian R&D institutions and the institutions in Brussels.
- Marketing of Estonian research abroad ‘Research in Estonia’ – markets Estonian R&D and provides information about Estonia as an attractive destination for research.
Detailed conditions for the provision of grants are set out in Decree No. 481 of the Minister of Education and Research of 30 December 2015, ‘Internationalisation of research and support for mobility and the next generation, Mobilitas Pluss’.