ESF PLUS DIRECTIVE STEM SKILLED WORKERS PROGRAM 2021 – 2027

Objective:

The purpose of the funding is to increase the adaptability to change of Saxon small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and, to this end, to improve cooperation between science and industry as well as strengthen the innovative capacity of Saxon companies. The aim is to both directly and indirectly create and secure sustainable jobs in the Free State of Saxony. The funding is intended to improve in particular the employment opportunities for graduates and qualified specialists from universities, research institutions, universities of cooperative education and technical colleges, to strengthen technology and knowledge transfer in Saxon SMEs, to increase the professional mobility between science and industry, and to accelerate the green and digital transformation.

Project areas:

• A. “STEM skilled staff retention”
• B. “STEM skilled staff development”

A. “STEM skilled staff retention” - Transfer assistant

• Funding for individuals who have completed an academic education in economics, natural sciences or engineering, or an education in agricultural, forestry or nutritional sciences at a university or university of cooperative education, as well as relevant professional experience in science or business, with the task of assisting SMEs by providing information and consulting services in the identification and planned transfer of technological knowledge from technology providers for the preparation and realization of product or process innovations or to prepare research results from science for the commercial economy. (Transfer assistant)

Method of funding: The financing is granted as proportional funding.

Recommended term:  The duration of employment should be no less than twelve months up to a maximum of 48 months.

Eligible expenses:

• The following expenses / costs are provisioned as a lump sum:
  • Personnel expenses of up to 90,000 EUR per transfer assistant per year of employment are eligible for funding
  • The funding amounts to 50 percent of eligible personnel expenses for a period of up to 48 months
  • Personnel expenses are funded as a person-related lump sum per month of employment (costs per unit)

Funding recipient:

• Universities, research institutions, the Berufsakademie Sachsen (University of Cooperative Education), chambers, associations, other technology brokers, e.g. technology agencies, technology transfer centers, technology start-up centers as well as transfer offices of university and extramural research institutions with their registered office or place of business in the Free State of Saxony are eligible to apply

Target groups:

• Individuals who have completed an academic education in economics, natural sciences or engineering, or an education in agricultural, forestry or nutritional sciences at a university or university of cooperative education, as well as relevant professional experience in science or business
• Transfer assistants have at least three years of professional experience in business, science or working for a technology broker

Project-specific conditions:

• The place of employment is in the Free State of Saxony; does not replace any other personnel and must be employed in a newly created position.
• The duration of employment should not be less than twelve months.

How to apply

• Applications can be submitted prior to the start of the project on an ongoing basis

B. “STEM skilled staff development” - InnoTeam

• Improving cooperation between science and industry; strengthening the innovative power of Saxon companies and thus contributing both directly and indirectly to the creation and safeguarding of sustainable jobs in the Free State of Saxony
• Improving employment opportunities for graduates and qualified specialists from universities, research institutions, universities of cooperative education and technical colleges, strengthening technology and knowledge transfer in Saxon SMEs, as well as increasing professional mobility between science and industry and accelerating the green and digital transformation
• Increasing the adaptability to change of Saxon small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
• InnoTeams work towards the goal of developing a new product or a new technological process with opportunities for commercial exploitation or of preparing such a development
• The staff in InnoTeams are expected to acquire knowledge and experience of the differing working environments in science and industry by working together on the assigned task (InnoTeam).

Method of funding: The financing is granted as project funding / proportional funding

Recommended term: up to max. 36 months

Eligible expenses:

• The following expenses / costs are provisioned as a lump sum:
  • Personnel expenses as a person-related lump sum per hour or month of service (unit costs) plus residual costs lump sum on personnel expenses to the amount of 40 percent for research institutions, 36 percent for SMEs, 30 percent for large companies and 22 percent for universities
  • Funding for a period of up to 36 months for experimental and industrial development projects amounts to 35 to 75 percent for companies (depending on the size of the company) and 90 percent of the eligible costs for universities and research institutions

Funding recipient:

• SMEs in industry and commerce as well as in the cultural and creative industries with their registered office or place of business in the Free State of Saxony and, in association with SMEs, also universities and research institutions as well as large companies in industry and commerce

Target groups:

• Individuals who have completed an academic education in economics, natural sciences or engineering, or an education in agricultural, forestry or nutritional sciences at a university or university of cooperative education, as well as relevant professional experience in science or business

Project-specific conditions:

• The workplace of the subsidized personnel is located in the Free State of Saxony
• The subsidized personnel does not replace any other personnel
• An InnoTeam is a cooperation of at least one SME and at least one university or research institution. The cooperation must meet the requirements for an effective collaboration as defined in Article 2 no. 90 of the GBER (General Block Exemption Regulation - German: AGVO).
• InnoTeams consist of a minimum of three and a maximum of twelve individuals (core team members)
• Core team members who are part of an InnoTeam have completed an academic education in economics, natural sciences or engineering, or an education in agricultural, forestry or nutritional sciences at a university or university of cooperative education
• At least ten percent of the eligible expenses / costs of all beneficiaries are allocated to participating universities or research institutions. They are entitled to publish their own research results. (This must be specified in the cooperation agreement).
• Participating SMEs generally bear at least 50 percent of the eligible expenses / costs of all beneficiaries, either alone or together with other companies
• One of the cooperation partners assumes the project coordination

How to apply

• Two-stage procedure – prior to submitting an application, a project idea must be submitted

The EPC monitors TU Dresden's projects in accordance with the Notification of the Vice-Rector Research 2/2023 and is therefore to be involved in the preparation of the application at an early stage with regard to calculations and to ensure compliance with the funding regulations. The digital application will be submitted in two steps, starting with the submission of a project idea/project outline via the SAB funding portal, which for TU Dresden will be done via the EPC.

Project outlines and proposals can be submitted at any time.

The following websites are currently only available in German.

SAB Website InnoTeam

Funding module InnoTeam

SAB Website Transfer assistenz

Funding module Transferassistent:in

FRL-MINT-Fachkraefteprogramm-ESF-Plus-2021-2027

SAB website - information on ESF

Notification from the Vice-Rector Research 2/2023