COFUND: Is it possible to add Implementing and Associated partners during the project implementation? Does this require an Amendment of the Grant Agreement?

It is possible to add more research institutions in a COFUND programme as Implementing Partners and no Amendement of the Grant Agreement is necessary - just the approval of the Project Officer and Letters of Commitment from these institutions. However, adding Associated Partners to host secondments needs an Amendement of the Grant Agreement.

DN: A successful consortium has a beneficiary which can't deliver PhDs. They have planned their doctoral candidate to graduate at a university. However, this university is not a member of the consortium (neither beneficiary, nor associated partner). What has to be done ?

The university should be added to the project as an associated partner or an associated partner linked to a beneficiary via an amendment.