Information Note for the Visiting Professors / Visiting Researchers Program
of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs of the Hellenic Republic

[https://www.minedu.gov.gr/news/55202-prosklisi-episkeptes-kathigites]

 

      GENERAL INFORMATION

The Visiting Professors/Visiting Researchers program aims to:

- increase the transfer of knowledge and skills towards Greece,

- enhance the development of cutting-edge research,

- strengthen the quality of instruction and introduce new teaching methods, and 

- mitigate the consequences of "brain drain" and create a new paradigm of “brain gain” for Greece.  

The project’s direct beneficiaries are Greek Higher Education Institutions (ΗEIs) in order to finance Visiting Professors/Visiting Researchers who will provide teaching/research work. The project will also co-finance cooperating companies from Greece or abroad, which will implement a collaborative research project together with a Visiting Professor/Visiting Researcher.  

A Cooperation Agreement (Open Call Appendix VII) will be signed by the HEI, the Visiting Professor/Visiting Researcher, and the cooperating company, detailing the terms of the collaborative research project.

The Visiting Professors/Visiting Researchers program is part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Hellenic Republic entitled “Greece 2.0”, which was approved by the Economic and Financial Affairs Council of the European Union on July 13^th, 2021. The Plan includes 104 investments and 68 reforms with a total budget of over €30 billion and is aimed at positioning Greece in a new economic and social trajectory. The upgrading of skills and the provision of high-quality employment is one of the Plan’s key pillars, which includes investments and reforms targeted towards increasing the competitiveness, quality, and internationalization of Greek Higher Education Institutions and promoting excellence in instruction and research.

 

1. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Visiting Professors/Visiting Researchers may be scientists of any nationality, who:

a) are professors in a foreign university of any rank (assistant, associate, full), or

b) are researchers in a foreign research organization, or

c) meet the minimum qualifications required for the assistant professor rank in a Greek HEI, namely (i) having completed a doctorate degree, (ii) having three years of professional research or teaching experience, and (iii) having original publications in peer-reviewed journals (for the full list of criteria, please consult paragraph 6(a), article 143, law 4957/2022 (Greek Government Gazette A’ 141), or

d) meet the minimum qualifications required for a third-level researcher position, namely (i) having a proven capacity to design and undertake research projects (or part thereof), (ii) allocating research segments to other researchers and having the capacity to supervise and guide them, and (iii) having original publications in peer-reviewed journals (for the full list of criteria, please consult article 18, law 4310/2014 (Greek Government Gazette A’ 258).

For cases (c) and (d), if these scientists are located in Greece, both their residence and their professional activity periods in Greece must not exceed twelve (12) months in the thirty-six (36) month period prior to the submission of the application.
 

Visiting Professors/Visiting Researchers can be employed and located in any country at the time of their application, other than Greece.

Visiting Professors/Visiting Researchers can be of any nationality. Citizens or permanent residents of a European Union member state do not require further visa/residence permits. Non-EU citizens/permanent residents will require a visa/residence permit for the period they will participate in the project.

Each Visiting Professor/Visiting Researcher can participate in only one application. In case of multiple applications, only the first of the submitted proposals will be considered, based on the application code and the time of submission of the funding application.

 

1.2 SELECTION CRITERIA

Visiting Professors/Visiting Researchers will be selected by the General Assembly of the relevant Department of each participating HEI, based on the performance, academic standing, and academic/research profile and output of candidates.

Emphasis will be given to candidates who can introduce new scientific disciplines or approaches to the structure and teaching of curricula in HEIs and/or offer new research fields and research activity in collaboration with collaborating companies.

Applications will be evaluated on the basis of their merit and examined in order of submission.

 

1.3 TERMS AND OBLIGATIONS

All funding applications are submitted by Greek HEIs.

Timetable:

• Visiting Professor programs must run for a period of at least one (1) semester and up to five (5) semesters.
• Visiting Researcher programs must run for at least one (1) year and up to three (3) years.

All programs must be completed by 31/12/2025 at the latest.

The Visiting Professor/Visiting Researcher is responsible for:

1. implementation of teaching assignments and/or research projects,
2. implementation of the collaborative project with the enterprise involved, and
3. communication with all parties involved.

The General Assembly of the relevant department of the HEI is responsible for:

1. selection and invitation of Visiting Professors/Visiting Researchers,
2. agreement on teaching responsibilities for each semester at a time prior to its commencing date
3. agreement on research responsibilities on a yearly basis,
4. renewal/extension of the visitor's term of office,
5. appointment of a Departmental Coordinator responsible for the implementation of the project and the communication with the Implementation Agency.

The Company is responsible for:

1. designating a Communication Manager along with a Scientific Manager,
2. operating legally in Greece or another EU state,
3. providing its facilities and financial support for the project’s implementation support for the entire duration of the project,
4. ensuring that it has no pending previous EU recovery decision for unduly or illegally paid state aid.

 

2. FUNDING INFORMATION

2.1. FUNDING STRUCTURE

The Total Budget for the program is € 85,223,990.72.

• The projects will collectively receive up to € 58,142,250.62 for the period 2022-2025 by the Recovery and Resilience Fund (RRF budget).
• Cooperating companies will provide further private funds for the implementation of the projects, with a sum of up to € 25,515,663.94.
• Contribution from the National IDA - VAT is € 1,566,076.16.

Table 1. Funding Structure of the Total Budget of the projects

SUB1.2. Funding Structure	Amount in euros	%
RRF budget	58,142,250.62	68,2
Private Funds (enterprises)	25,515,663.94	30
National IDA – VAT	1,566,076.16	1.8
Total	85,223,990.72	100

 

Total Budget per Project may not exceed € 344,581.00 for a maximum of 36 months.

• Recovery and Resilience Fund: up to € 239,581.00 (€ 105,000.00 for the Enterprise and € 134,581.00 for the HEI) and 
• Private capital by the Company: up to € 105,000.00

 

a. The Higher Educational Institution (HEI) will be funded as follows:

•     100% of the eligible costs by the RRF (up to the amount of € 134,581.00)  

b. The Visiting Professor / Visiting Researcher will be funded as follows:

• by the Greek HEI in accordance to the rank of the Visiting Professor/Visiting Researcher, and
• further funding may be provided by the company, in accordance with their Cooperation Agreement

c. The Company will be funded as follows:

• 50% of the eligible costs by the RRF (up to the amount of € 105,000.00),
• 50% by the enterprise’s owned capital participation

 

Table 2. Funding Structure of the Total Budget per Project

SUB1.2. Funding Structure	Amount in euros	%
RRF budget (HEIs)	134,581.00	39
RRF budget (enterprises)	105,000.00	30.5
Private Funds (enterprises)	105,000.00	30.5
Total	344,581.00	100

 

2.2 PROJECT EXPENDITURE ANALYSIS

1. HEI Staff Funds: € 112,000.00 / Private Enterprises Own Funds: € 84,000.00 / Private Enterprises RRF Funds: € 84,000.00
2. Relocation Expenses: € 3,700.00
3. Travel Expenses: € 1,700.00
4. Conference Participation Expenses: € 2,700.00
5. Databases, equipment: € 2,500 / Enterprise-RRF: € 11,550 / Enterprise: € 11,550
6. Indirect costs HEI: € 9,420.67 / Enterprise-RRF: € 7,350 / Enterprise: € 7,350
7. Consumables: € 2,560.33 / Enterprise-RRF: € 2,100 / Enterprise: € 2,100

Table 3: SUB1.2 Visiting Professorships/ Visiting Researchers Project Expenditure Analysis

Category Cost	% Cost	HEI / RRF100%	Enterprise 50%	RRF 50% for Enterprise
HEI Staff Funds	83%	112,000.00	84,000.00	84,000.00
Relocation Expenses	3%	3,700.00
Travel Expenses	1%	1,700.00
Databases, Equipment	2%	2,500.00	11,550.00	11,550.00
Conference Participation	2%	2,700.00
Indirect Costs	7%	9,420.67	7,350	7,350
Consumables	2%	2,560.33	2,100	2,100
Total Project Budget	100%	134,581.00	105,000.00	105,000.00

 

 

3. NEXT STEPS for prospective Visiting Professors / Visiting Researchers:

1. Communicate with a Greek HEI and express interest in the program.
2. Communicate with companies currently active in a related research field of interest.
3. Form a teaching or research proposal of common interest to the HEI and the collaborating company.

Please consult the "Visiting Professors/Visiting Researchers" Open Call [https://www.minedu.gov.gr/news/55202-prosklisi-episkeptes-kathigites ] for further details about:

• participation requirements,
• beneficiaries' obligations,
• supporting documents,
• application procedure,
• examination and evaluation processes,
• payment method and procedures, and
• the process of controlling and monitoring the implementation of the projects.

For any further enquiries about the program, please contact: visitingprof.rrf@minedu.gov.gr