How to become a partner or finding partners for a project?

T get funding a project must have a strong partnership. A weak consortium will never be funded so be sure that you are in company with the best partners possible. Do not waste time on lousy partnerships. The partners must:

  • Have a track record and reputation for doing international research in their field
  • Provide the necessary resources
    • Personnel with strong and relevant CVs
    • Have equipment and facilities relevant for their work and the project
  • Have a clear roles in the project and cover all roles needed
    • Scientific
    • Dissemination and use
    • IPR
    • Project management
  • Be complementary. You do not need more partners doing the same

Partners must be able to perform their work themselves by having the technical and financial resources needed to carry out their project work. I.e. if a partner must outsource or subcontract big parts of their job they are not a suitable partner.

If you are invited to join a consortium check that:

  • The right partners are in or that they will join
    • Google the partner and the scientists
    • Check publication track records
    • Check patents applied for by the partners
    • Check previous projects they have participated in
  • The necessary proposal writing resources are available
    • Who is writing the proposal (name, track record and reputation)?
    • There must at least be one dedicate writer editing the proposal
    • That the time to submission is sufficiently long to write the text and build the consortium
    • That Work Packages will be written by the partner doing the work
  • The partner/coordinator has written proposals before and has got funding. If not, be sceptical.
  • Your role and contribution is critical for the project success
  • You will get your fair share of the IPR

It may be flattering to be invited in to a consortium. However consider the above before saying yes. A coordinator that has no funding track record has small chances for success. If the partners are working in your field and you have not heard about them already they are not likely to be at a high international and European level necessary for funding. 

If you want to be the coordinator setting up your own project:

  • Start early
  • Aim at a high international scientific level
  • Use friends and their friend to recruit the partners
  • Use a one pager for recruiting that clearly present the project objectives
  • Select partners that contribute to the objectives and success

 

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