Marie Curie COFUND: Evaluation Report

In January 2011 the European Commission (DG EAC) appointed ECORYS to carry out an interim evaluation of particular Marie Curie Actions under the FP7  PEOPLE programme – Activity 2 (Lifelong Training and Career Development) and Activity 4 (International Dimension). The particular focus of this interim evaluation was to conduct a first assessment of the new co-funding mechanism (COFUND) introduced into Activity 2, to explore how it is working, how it compares with the longer established Individual Fellowships modality and what differences there are.

Marie Curie Actions (MCA) are divided into five Activities. In Activity 2 these are being delivered through two modalities: Individual Fellowships and the co-funding mechanism (COFUND).

The aim of COFUND within Activity 2 is to increase transnational mobility and career development opportunities, by using the EU contribution to leverage national, regional and international funds. It seeks to open up existing and/or create new regional, national and international fellowship programmes and link them to the mobility objectives of the Marie Curie Actions. It does this by co-financing a series of regional, national or international programmes that support three types of mobility: Outgoing, Incoming and Reintegration grants. Organisations applying for the COFUND scheme have to be located in the EU27 or in FP7 Associated Countries.