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Blue Economy call 2018 Info day in Brussels

Funding opportunities

The following event may be of interest for BU academics considering applying for EU grants.

The European Commission invites to join the Info day of the new Blue Economy call. The event will be held in Brussels on Thursday 22 November 2018 from 9:30 to 15:30 (a draft programme of the event has been published).

Blue Economy call 2018: Blue Careers, Blue Labs and Grants for the Blue Economy aims to accelerate the implementation of the EU Maritime Policy and the sustainable development of the blue economy across Europe. The call has a focus on three topics – Blue Labs: innovative solutions for maritime challenges, Blue Careers in Europe, and Grants for the Blue Economy: investing in innovation.

EASME and DG MARE will then provide useful information about the new call and the application process. For more details and registration please refer to the event’s web page.

ERC Consolidator Grant 2019 call published

Funding opportunities

The European Research Council (ERC) has published its 2019 Consolidator Grant call; applicants have to submit their proposals before 4 PM (UK time) 7 February 2019 (104 days left until closure from now).

The fundamental activity of the ERC is to provide attractive, long-term funding to support excellent investigators and their research teams to pursue ground-breaking, high-gain/high-risk research.

ERC Consolidator Grants are designed to support excellent Principal Investigators at the career stage at which they may still be consolidating their own independent research team or programme. Applicant Principal Investigators must demonstrate the ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility of their scientific proposal.

Consolidator Grants may be awarded up to a maximum of EUR 2 000 000 for a period of 5 years. The Principal Investigator shall have been awarded their first PhD over 7 and up to 12 years prior to 1 January 2019. The effective elapsed time since the award of the first PhD can be reduced in certain properly documented circumstances.

A competitive Consolidator Grant Principal Investigator must have already shown research independence and evidence of maturity, for example by having produced several important publications as main author or without the participation of their PhD supervisor.

For more information please refer to Guide for Applicants. There also are great support opportunities available at BU for academics planning to apply for EU and International funding. If you are considering applying for international funding, contact international research facilitator or any member of RKEO Funding Development Team at your faculty to individually discuss your ideas and the ways we could support you.

Call for Presenters: Second Annual FMC Postgraduate Researcher Conference 2018

conferences, PG research

After the success of last year’s conference, we warmly invite you to the Second Annual FMC Postgraduate Researcher Conference 2018 on the 5th December 2018. This all day conference is open to all Postgraduate Researchers from the Faculty of Media and Communication, so whether this is your very first conference, or you are a seasoned presenter, we want to hear from you.

This year’s conference aims to be more diverse and dynamic than ever before, so whatever your research, there’s never been a better opportunity to share your work with us in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

We are accepting 15-minute presentations, 30-minute workshops, or if you are a first year postgraduate researcher, a shorter 3-minute introduction to your research topic. The deadline for applications is the 2nd November 2018, now less than two weeks away; so don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to share your research with us.

Please email your presentation or workshop title enclosed with a 250-word abstract to mbrown@bournemouth.ac.uk by no later than the 2nd November 2018.

Can’t make the 5th December? Don’t miss out.

We appreciate that this may be a busy time for researchers across the faculty, so for the first time we will also be accepting the digital submission of papers. We welcome researchers to submit video uploads of papers, or to present remotely. If you would like more information about digital submission, or delivering a paper remotely please do get in contact with a member of the organizing team.

With a fantastic line-up of papers, workshops, and events don’t miss out on your chance to add your voice to this faculty-wide showcase. We look forward to receiving your submissions very soon.

– Steve

on behalf of the

The conference team

Alexandra P. Alberda

Graphic Medicine and Curatorial Practice

T: @ZandraAlberda

Stephen Allard

Socio-digital Poetics

T: @fictiondissy

Melanie Brown

Copyright Law and Cultural Heritage

mbrown@bournemouth.ac.uk

Recent changes to the Intention to Bid form (ItB)

BU Challenges

The ItB form is a mandatory document for completion by all BU staff as part of the internal approvals process for external RKE (Research and Knowledge Exchange) funding applications.

In line with the BU2025 Strategic Plan and the latest development from the RKE development framework initiatives, the ItB form has recently gone through some additions and modifications in order to incorporate these.

Please see below details of the changes:

1. Prestigious Research Funders PDRA and PGR Studentship scheme

The BU Prestigious Research Funders PDRA and PGR Studentship scheme provides internal investment for additional research staff/students on applications for external research funding from a list of prestigious funders. The scheme was first introduced in 2017, with a recent revision conducted in October 2018. The scheme guidance can be found here. If you are eligible, you can make use of this section on the ItB form to indicate if you wish to utilise this scheme.

2. External Application Reviewers

As part of the RKE Development Framework, academics now have the opportunity to engage with external application reviewers or external trainers with the aim to enhance research funding applications prior to submission. The scheme was first introduced in 2017, with a recent revision conducted in October 2018. The scheme guidance can be found here. If you are eligible, you can make use of this section on the ItB form to indicate if you wish to utilise this scheme. Your request will then be forwarded to the relevant Research Facilitator for consideration and action.

3. BU2025 Strategic Plan

In order to track BU’s progress and development against the BU2025 Strategic Plan, three new sub-sections have now been added to the ItB form so that we can efficiently capture and record information on research projects that meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals; research projects with strong elements of Social Science and/or Humanities; and research projects that align with the BU2025 Strategic Investment Areas.

The newly revised Intention to Bid form can be found here. The ItB form is a mandatory step as part of the internal approvals process for external funding applications and it is important for all sections to be completed when this is returned to your Funding Development Officer.

If you have further queries on how to complete the form or if you need help with completing the form, please do not hesitate to get in touch with your Funding Development Officers.

AHRC funded ‘Romantic Scotland’ Project

The end of October saw the conclusion of the AHRC funded ‘Romantic Scotland’ Project. Working with Historic Environment Scotland (classed as an Independent Research Organisation) and colleagues at Bath, Edinburgh and Xin’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Professor Michael Silk formed part of the research team that sought visitor experiences of Scotland through the Romantic Scotland Exhibition that debuted at Nanjing museum earlier this year. The exhibition saw over 100,000 visitors.

Using an array of methodologies—ranging from development of a tracking up, to a video booth, to a graffiti wall, to ‘postcards’ to Scotland–the research team collated and analysed over 10,000 individual data instances. A resultant stakeholder report was launched at Edinburgh Castle and the Tate (London) in October 2018. Attendees included those from the creative, museum, tourism, and heritage sectors from both the UK and China; we are already gathering evidence with regard to how the research will change policy and practice within these sectors!

The research has provided the focus for visits and workshops in Nanjing organised by Visit Scotland and Scottish Enterprise; has been presented to senior UK and China government ministers at events in Shanghai and London; features on the coverof the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s publication A Decade of Success; has inspired a spin-of  knowledge exchange workshop on heritage tourism hosted by the Suzhou Municipal Administration of Tourism; and has been discussed at a number of UK-based and international conferences, seminars and workshops.

To download the full report, visit:

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/archives-and-research/publications/publication/?publicationId=7a349db2-9cb0-46c5-8da5-a97d00863f89

And for a blog from HES during the week of the launch events (including a fascinating video drawn from the data (a snippet of the 6000 video booth responses) that demonstrates Chinese understandings of Scotland based on the exhibition visit here:

https://blog.historicenvironment.scot/2018/10/romantic-scotland-insights/

 

The Impact of Digital Strategy and Business Transformation

Business Engagement, Industry collaboration, Knowledge Exchange

In April 2017 Dr John Oliver co-hosted a business engagement event on Digital Strategy and Business Transformation with The Hackett Group (London). The Hackett Group are leading management consultants providing expert advice on digital transformation and benchmarking to major corporations and government agencies, including 97% of the Dow Jones Industrials, 89% of the Fortune 100 and 59% of the FTSE 100.

The event formed part of a British Academy/Leverhulme Trust funded research project and was attended by senior business executives from the likes of Ofcom, the Financial Times, Astrazeneca and Bell Pottinger. At the time, the delegates commented that it was an “excellent event” that provided different perspectives on digital transformation and new ideas on how to manage strategic digital transformation within their firms.

After 18 months, a clearer picture has emerged of the impact that the presentation of findings and subsequent discussion has had on business practice. Chris Davenport, a Senior Director at The Hackett Group, recently commented that “the event influenced our strategic approach to the development of a new Digital Strategy and Analytics service for our clients. This new consultancy service has been now been launched and several of our FTSE100 clients (among others Tesco, John Lewis and Unilever) have gained insight from this. Some of these clients have already decided to invest millions of pounds into resources creating many new jobs in Digital services and Analytics departments in their firms and we expect many more to follow”.

The research findings have been published in several practice management journals, whilst the academic papers are in the final stages of peer review.

FHSS student awarded Chiropractor of the Year 2018-19

Centre for Excellence in Learning, PG research, Student Engagement, student research

Congratulations to Amy Miller!   At the British Chiropractic Council’s annual conference 13-14th October, Bournemouth University PhD student Amy Miller was awarded the British Chiropractic Association’s award of ‘Chiropractor of the Year 2018-19’ for her contributions to research and engagement. 

Amy is based in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences  (FHSS).  Her PhD is investigating an inter-professional student-led breastfeeding clinic for student learning, and breastfeeding outcomes and experiences.  Amy is supervised by Associate Professor Sue Way, Senior Lecturer in Midwifery Dr. Alison Taylor and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen all based in the Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health (CMMPH). The British Chiropractic Association’s award for Chiropractor of the Year recognises individuals who have made a significant contribution to the profession.

 

 

There will be no Doctoral College PGR Conference this academic year, but worry not…

Knowledge Exchange, PG research, Student Engagement

The Postgraduate Research Live Exhibition is your opportunity to showcase your research this academic year.

Calling all PGRs (MRes, PhD, Professional Doctorates alike)! Exhibit your research or research journey at this PGR Live Exhibition on Wednesday 5 December, followed by a free festive social for PGRs and Supervisors.

This is your opportunity to display your research to all of BU in creative and innovative ways during this open live exhibition.

Only 1 week left to apply.

Follow this link for full details on how to submit, joint submissions are accepted.

Please contact Natalie Stewart if you have any questions.

Please contact your student representatives about faculty run PGR conferences which may be scheduled for this academic year.

HE Policy Update for the w/e 19th October 2018

Student Engagement

Policy impact – some steps you can take and why it’s a good idea (despite appearances)

We wrote a blog on this topic  – you can read it here.

Choosing a university

The Ofs have published a survey that shows the role of parents and friends in applicant decision making.  There’s a big research paper by CFE Research.  

(more…)

Funding opportunity : NIHR Partnerhip Fellowships

Funding opportunities

As part of the new structure of NIHR Fellowships, the NIHR Academy is partnering with seven of the UK’s leading medical charities for the first time, to offer jointly funded Partnership Fellowships, at both Doctoral and Advanced (post-doctoral) level.

  • Diabetes UK
  • Kidney Research UK
  • Moorfields Eye Charity
  • MS Society
  • Muscular Dystrophy UK
  • Pancreatic Cancer UK
  • Parkinson’s UK

This jointly funded Partnership Fellowships will:

  • Allow researchers the opportunity to maintain and build a relationship with both the NIHR and Charity Partner
  • Enable researchers to engage with and receive valuable input from patient groups, making the most of the public and patient engagement/involvement opportunities available.
  • Provide greater research exposure through a variety of media and communication channels.

Please visit this link to find out more about this funding opportunity.

Funding opportunity : OfS Challenge Competition: Industrial strategy and skills – support for local students and graduates

Funding opportunities, Industry collaboration

The OfS, through the first Challenge Competition, invites higher education providers to develop and implement projects to identify ways of supporting the transition to highly skilled employment and improving outcomes for graduates who seek employment in their home region.

Please see a summary of the awards below:

Deadline : 14 December 2018

Project start date : April 2019; completed by 31 March 2022 (three years)

Award available : Between £100,000 to £300,000 (individual); Up to £500,000 (collaborative bids with strategic partners)

Please see this link for more information about this funding opportunity.

Funding opportunity : Manufacturing the Future: Standard Research Proposals

Funding opportunities

EPSRC logo

The EPSRC Manufacturing the Future theme invites standard research proposals for consideration at a manufacturing-focused prioritisation panel. A standard Manufacturing panel will be held every quarter (subject to sufficient demand). Proposals for any panel should address key research challenges facing manufacturing in the UK today and in the future. This activity is intended to highlight the theme’s long term ambition to increase the number of investigator- led research ideas we support.

The Manufacturing the Future theme has prioritised funding to support investigator-led research ideas in manufacturing, with up to £3 million per panel available (dependent on demand and quality of proposals). Should there be insufficient demand we reserve the right for proposals to be considered at the most appropriate capability theme panel meeting.

The next batching dates are:

  • 16:00 on 11 April 2019
  • 16:00 on 23 July 2019 (To be confirmed)

The batching dates are being published to help the manufacturing community plan and submit standard proposals. They are not deadlines but used by the Manufacturing the Future Theme to assess the level of demand in each quarter.

It is strongly recommended that proposals are submitted before the batching dates to ensure there is enough time for the peer-review process to be completed. Proposals submitted after this date, or those that do not have sufficient reviews in time for the panel, will be assessed by the most appropriate capability theme panel at a later date (i.e. Engineering, ICT, Physical Sciences or Mathematics).

Please see below a summary of this funding call :

Funding available : £3 million

Deadline : Open (However, it is suggested that applications be submitted in accordance with batching dates closing deadlines)

Please see this link for more information about this funding opportunity.

 

BU PGR Aishah Selamat won IoD’s Student of the Year Award 2018

PG research

18th October 2018 was a night to remember for BU PGR Aishah Selamat as she bagged this years’ Institute of Director (IoD) Student of the Year Award across the United Kingdom. The Student of the Year Award is dedicated to recognising the student who has shown director qualities in a project they have worked on in business, employment or academic capacity.

IoD Student of the Year Award 2018 – BU PGR Aishah Selamat

Inspired by her Ph.D. research work, Aishah mooted the idea of DataDenizens.com with the aim of advancing SMEs companies in the European continent to take on a simple analytic solution. According to Judge Junior Bammeke, Joint Institute Secretary and Data Protection Officer, Institute of Directors,

“Within her application and presentation, it was clear to see that Aishah had a very detailed knowledge of her target market, and opportunities for growth.“

On her winning, Aishah shared,

“As the award is dedicated to my parents, I would like to extend this award to Bournemouth University, the Sci Tech Faculty and Creative Technology Department for providing me the opportunity to undergo my Ph.D research with BU. Last but not least, I would like to give my thanks and gratitude to my supervisors, Dr. Simant Prakoonwit, Dr Reza Sahandi and Dr. Wajid Khan for their endless support and guidance. BUproud! “

For more read on IoD’s award coverage:

Top leaders of 2018 revealed at IoD Director of the Year Awards

Journal of Asian Midwives

international, open access, PG research, Publishing, student research, writing

As co-editor of the Journal of Asian Midwives I receive occasional updates from the Aga Khan University (AKU) library in Pakistan on the number of downloads of articles published in the journal.   The journal is fully Open Access and does not charge a submission or processing fees!  All articles in the Journal of Asian Midwives are stored online in the AKU Institutional Repository.  The latest update with data until end of September 2018 informed us that there had been: 18,462 downloads, from 167 countries/regions, across 56 articles.  Nearly 20,000 downloads is not bad for a fairly new journal, which only published its inaugural issue online in 2014.

What is interesting is that the detailed download figures show that Bournemouth University is the highest ranking university of all the downloading organisations.  Listed as fifth on the download list, Bournemouth is behind two commercial organisations, the Pakistan library network and Bangladesh-based Icddr-B.  The latter is one of the largest NGO (Non-Governmental Organisations in the world based on staff numbers.  Of course it helps that Bournemouth academic staff and PhD students have published five scientific articles in the past four editions of the journal [1-5].

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH (Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health)

References:

  1. Ireland, J., van Teijlingen, E., Kemp, J. (2015) Twinning in Nepal: the Royal College of Midwives UK and the Midwifery Society of Nepal working in partnership, Journal of Asian Midwives 2 (1): 26-33.
  2. Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Angell, C. (2016) Birthing centres in Nepal: Recent developments, obstacles and opportunities, Journal of Asian Midwives 3(1): 18-30.
  3. Baral, YR., Lyons, K., van Teijlingen, ER., Skinner, J., (2016) The uptake of skilled birth attendants’ services in rural Nepal: A qualitative study, Journal of Asian Midwives 3(3): 7-25.
  4. Sharma, S., Simkhada, P., Hundley, V., van Teijlingen, E., Stephens J, Silwal, R.C., Angell, C. (2017) Evaluation a Community Maternal Health Programme: Lessons Learnt. Journal of Asian Midwives. 4(1): 3–20.
  5. Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Angell, C. (2017) Determinants of quality of care & access to Basic Emergency Obstetric & Neonatal Care facilities & midwife-led facilities in low & middle-income countries: A Systematic Review, Journal of Asian Midwives 4(2):25-51.