BU Research Blog

Two NERC funding calls have been released.  One is a pre-announcement so please do look out for the announcement if you’re interested in this call.

Pre-announcement: Global Partnerships Seedcorn Fund 2018

NERC is launching a new annual scheme, the Global Partnerships Seedcorn Fund, to support UK environmental science researchers to establish new collaborations with international partners. This scheme replaces NERC’s International Opportunities Fund (IOF).

The Global Partnerships Seedcorn Fund will support UK environmental science researchers to develop new, ‘best with best’ international partnerships and networks, which underpin the development of long-term collaborations.

Key features of the scheme are:

• Standard NERC principal investigator eligibility rules apply. New investigators, who may not already have international research partners, are encouraged to apply.
• A single level of grant up to £100,000 (100% full economic cost) over two years, with a total annual budget of £1 million.
• One or more international project partners are mandatory.
• Proposals will be directly evaluated by an assessment panel of independent academic experts.
• An announcement of opportunity will be published annually in March and close in early May. Funding decisions will be made in July with awards to start from September.

Call for Open Knowledge Exchange (KE) Fellowships 

Proposal deadline: 16:00 on 17 April 2018

Interview dates: 12, 13 & 14 June 2018

NERC wishes to award a number of Open Knowledge Exchange (KE) Fellowships. The NERC Open Knowledge Exchange (KE) Fellowships are intended to enable the sharing and flow of knowledge and expertise between the NERC funded researchers and their user communities with the aim of generating impact from NERC funded research. KE Fellows work between 20% and 80% of their time on a work plan of their own choosing to generate impact from NERC-funded research in their host institution. The KE Fellowships will cover 100% of the Fellow’s salary on a pro-rata basis including superannuation, NI and specific allowances, plus up to £40,000 for travel and other associated costs. They cover direct costs only and do not include overheads. There is no budget limit for salary costs and applications are particularly welcomed from individuals who are working at a senior level within a department or school. The KE Fellow must be employed by their host institution for the duration of their fellowship.

If selected for interview, the applicant will be asked to give a 10 minute presentation followed by 35 minutes of questions from a panel of up to four people. In addition, the applicant’s head of department (or, if the head of department is the applicant, then a more senior individual) is expected to join the interview in person or by telephone to provide a strategic overview of the work. Success rates appear to be the same regardless of whether the supporter appears in person or telephones in.

Further information including supporting documentation can be found here.

If you are interested in applying, please inform your RKEO Funding Development Officer in the first instance.