BU Research Blog

You can add an extra edge to your EU funding applications by understanding the background to the call or by being part of a network – sometimes it is not just what you know but also who you know….

The European Documentation Centre (Cardiff EDC) provides information on their website so that you can find the policies that may impact upon your research. Linking your research bid to the funder’s policies is always a good idea! You can also sign up to email alerts so that you receive documentation tailored to your information needs direct to your inbox. 

There are a number of email discussion lists on Linked In, including many for Horizon 2020. Some are for finding collaborative partners but also provide general information, an indication of trends and the opportunity for your to network with colleagues in the same field. Lists include Horizon 2020, Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Group, Horizon 2020 Society & Culture – Societal Challenges, Horizon 2020 Information and Communication Technologies – Industrial Leadership and Horizon 2020 Marie-Curie – Excellent Science. Why not make use of these groups?

You may find others in your field making use of the internet and you can join them. For example, a Linked In post took me to a site Health (IT) Space, where I found links relevant to the use of ICT in Health Care. Although you have to use discernment when signing up to any service, it is an example of what fellow researchers are doing. Join them? Emulate them in your field?

You can sign up to relevant email lists on JISCmail. Once such list is EUROtalk but there are many others aimed at the research community in the UK. Please make sure that you check the instructions for signing up (and unsubscribing) carefully.

There are, of course, more formal ways to enhance your presence within the EU. Make use of briefing and training events and consider signing up to be an EU Expert. Participating in this scheme will give you an insight into how the EU funding works, facilitate networking and allow you to make a positive contribution to the funding process.

Last, but not least, is the European Commission website, where you can find out about policies, calls, tenders and priorities. You can follow the EU via Linked In, Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms.

These are just a few of the connections that you can make. Yes, part of bidding is about conveying your research to the funder, but it is also about knowing the funder, their context and how your research fits with their aims and objectives.

To find out more about how the Funding Development Team can help you with your bidding, please get in touch! Keep watching the Research Blog for further help.