Expert reviewers

EDCTP relies on external experts to ensure that only proposals of the highest quality are selected for funding. Experts may also be involved in the monitoring and evaluation of EDCTP projects Independent experts are selected on the basis of skills, experience and knowledge appropriate to carry out the tasks assigned to them. 

Independence

Experts are external and independent to EDCTP and, in performing their evaluation(s), are working in a personal capacity rather than as a representative of any organisation or scientific community.

Expertise

Prospective independent experts are expected to have a high level of professional experience in one or more of the following areas:

  • Clinical trials of interventions (drugs, vaccines, diagnostics and microbicides) for poverty-related infectious diseases within the scope of EDCTP2
  • Ethical issues related to clinical trials in developing countries
  • Clinical trials regulatory affairs
  • Pharmaceutical product development
  • Post-registration safety and effectiveness programmes
  • Implementation research including health services optimisation
  • Social and behavioural sciences within the disease scope of EDCTP2
  • Clinical research capacity strengthening and networking
  • Training of clinical researchers.

Selection

Experts from across the globe are selected by the EDCTP Secretariat from the EDCTP database of experts.

In assembling pools of experts, EDCTP seeks to ensure the highest level of scientific and technical expertise in areas appropriate to the evaluation assignment (e.g. call for proposals or project evaluation), taking into consideration other criteria such as:

  • Gender balance
  • Geographical diversity across Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, and reasonable inclusion of nationals of other countries.
  • Regular rotation of experts, consistent with the appropriate balance between continuity and renewal.

Transparency

The identity of the experts assigned to individual proposals is not disclosed; however, the list of all experts used by EDCTP is compiled and published annually.

Assignments

Experts may be contracted to advise on or to assist with the:

  • Evaluation of proposals submitted to EDCTP calls for proposals
  • Monitoring of the implementation of actions (projects) carried out under the EDCTP programme.

Three distinct types of actions are supported under the EDCTP programme:

  • Research & Innovation Actions (RIA)
  • Coordination & Support Actions (CSA)
  • Training & Mobility Actions (TMA).

The actions are implemented according to the rules of participation of the European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon 2020.

Applications

EDCTP is not seeking new experts as the EDCTP2 programme is no longer launching calls for proposals. 

Experts who are selected by EDCTP sign an EDCTP contract for experts prior to their participation in an assignment.

Experts must complete a Declaration of Interests and confirm that they will abide by the EDCTP Code of Conduct and Declaration of Interests Policy as part of the contract signature.

Data privacy

The EDCTP Association is committed to protecting and respecting the privacy of experts. Its Privacy Policy states the reasons for collecting, holding and processing your personal data, the way we protect your personal data, and the rights you have regarding your personal data.

Read more about our policies »

  • Submission of an application to become an EDCTP expert constitutes acceptance of the Privacy Statement.
  • Section 2.4 of the Privacy policy outlines the personal data that EDCTP collects, holds and processes for expert reviewers.
  • Annually, we publish the list of experts contracted for evaluation of proposals and projects on the EDCTP website.