Update: all Research Infrastructure resources available within SERA Transnational Access framework have been allocated.
A user group is eligible for TA support under the grant when the user group leader and the majority of users work in EU member countries or EU associated countries, different from where the chosen installation is located. This condition is not mandatory when the access provider is an international organization, such as the JRC, an ERIC (European Research Infrastructure Consortium) or other similar legal entities representing different countries. Access for user groups with a majority of users not working in a EU or associated country is limited to 20% of the total amount of units of access provided under the grant.
To apply for Transnational Access, the candidate User Group Leader must create a User Account and submit the proposal by filling the TA_proposal_form. Remember to save the filled form and open it again for double check before the submission. The automated online procedure does not allow multiple submissions.
The proposal must include:
• brief description of the proposed research;
• user organizations (main user, partner users) including CVs of principal investigator and of other researchers as appropriate;
• scientific basis and state-of-art;
• key points and foreseen advances;
• preferred Transnational Access facility for the execution of the proposed project. Applicants requiring access to shake table can also provide an alternative facility of the same typology (2nd choice). No alternative is foreseen for user team requiring access to NORSAR, Euroseistest, Europroteas, bearing tester, reaction wall and centrifuge;
• ttotal number of researchers in Transnational Access;
• ttarget schedule.
A PowerPoint presentation with a concise description of the proposal and sketches with rough dimensions and proposed scale of envisaged specimens must be submitted in addition to the TA_proposal_form (free template, max 5 slides).
The submitted proposals will be graded by the TA User Selection Panel according to the following criteria and corresponding weights:
| Criterion for Selection | Weight |
| Fundamental Scientific and Technical value and interest | 11 |
| Originality and innovation | 10 |
| Quality of proposing team | 10 |
| Importance for public safety | 7 |
| Importance for European standardisation | 7 |
| Importance for European integration and cohesion | 6 |
| Importance for sustainable growth | 5 |
| Importance for European competitiveness | 7 |
| Importance and relevance to TA facility’s own scientific interest | 8 |
| Synergies and complementarities with other TA tests (not applicable for NORSAR) | 5 |
| Previous use of TA facility by any in the user team | 7 |
| Cost and feasibility according to TA facility | YES/NO |
| Availability of similar infrastructures in any of the users’ countries | YES/NO |
Acceptance depends also on the access days available at each facility. Successful user teams will sign a contract agreement with the TA facility, defining the testing program, the test specimen(s), the testing campaign duration and the consequent access days, the foreseen test setup and instrumentation, logistics, schedule, etc. The contract defines the rights and obligations of the TA facility and of the users, including provisions for early termination.
Dissemination of the outcomes of the research is mandatory for the users, first through public research reports and then in journal or conference papers, in collaboration and coordination with the TA facility staff for a joint collaboration.
Before the submission of the proposal (through the TA Proposal Submission section), each users group leader is strongly encouraged to directly contact the TA-RI referent (list available at the TA Facilities section) of the supposedly most suitable facility, to preliminary discuss the main technical and scientific aspects of the proposed research project.