PF: Can fieldwork for a period of 4 months in another country qualify as a short visit?

If the visits are split and do not exceed one month in duration each, they can classify as “field trips” or “short visits”. They have to be explained in detail and specify what type of data or information will be collected.

It is critical that the researcher calculates the cost of those four months of visits to ensure there is adequate budget to cover their cost, which may not be the case given the existing Research, Training and Networking costs and the rest of the RTN activities (conferences, secondments, publications) planned.

PF: What is the difference between a short visit, secondment, fieldwork and non-academic placement?

Non-Academic placement, the NAP, is an addition of up to six months to the grant, taking place at a non-academic host, after the normal duration of the project, in an Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. There is an additional budget for the NAP and the project duration is therefore up to 30 months for European Fellowships and 42 months for Global Fellowships. There should be a dedicated supervisor.

See pages37-38 of Work Programme 2023-2025, “The request for such a non-academic placement must be an integral part of the proposal, explaining the added value for the project and for the career development of the researcher, and will be subject to evaluation.”

Secondments can take place in any country of the world during any period of an European Fellowship or the outgoing phase of a Global Fellowship up to a total of 1/3 of the duration of the aforementioned periods. It can be composed of single duration or multiple shorter ones. There is no additional budget for secondments. The secondment hosts are also identified in the proposal as are the secondment supervisors.

Short visits and fieldwork (e.g. in archaeology, journalism) are activities performed by the researcher taking place outside the premises of the beneficiary that are considered less permanent in nature than secondments and of shorter duration. The researcher continues to be mentored by the supervisor at the host institution, and there is no additional budget for them.