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EUADS: 1 week left to apply!

Funding opportunities, Training

The EU Academic Development Scheme (EUADS) is a unique scheme developed to kick start your career in EU research, and is open to all BU academic staff.  The scheme will help you work towards making a submission by providing unlimited 1-2-1 support from an expert EU bid writer, group mentoring and unlimited assistance in actually writing your application over a 12 month period.  In addition to the training, the EUADS scheme also includes an individual fund. Each successful participant will have access to grants up to £3ooo to spend on activities supporting bid development, such as:
• Travel with the intent of networking
• Conference attendance with the intent of networking
• Pilot research work
• Fieldwork
• Attendance at external networking events leading to collaborative research proposals
• Meetings with external organisations to establish collaborations
• Preparation of specialist material or data
• Replacement teaching 

You can read more on this scheme in the EUADS Policy Document  and make a submission using the  EUADS Application Form.   

The deadline for applications is Friday 19th December 2014.  Applications and any questions should be submitted to the Funding Development Coordinator, Giles Ashton, gashton@bournemouth.ac.uk

BUDI Orchestra Christmas Concert

Join us as we celebrate this festive season with classics such as ‘White Christmas’ and ‘Jingle Bells’ performed by members of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and local people with dementia and their carers.

When? Friday, 12th December 2014, 11am – 12noon.

Where? The Atrium (by Starbucks), Poole House, Talbot Campus.

We’d love to see you there!

For more information about this event, please contact: lreynolds@bournemouth.ac.uk.

The BUDI Orchestra rehearsing.

The BUDI Orchestra during their final rehearsal.

 

National Contact Points: Kerry Young and Helen Fairclough

Guidance

 

National Contact Points (NCPs) provide impartial advice regarding EU Funding within their specialist area of Horizon 2020.  The advice is free and confidential and tailored to your needs.  This is an excellent service for drawing on the experience and knowledge of someone who deals exclusively with a particular scheme or work programme.  If you are interested in testing out project ideas, checking scheme eligibility, discussing the direction of travel of a particular funding stream or just asking some questions on the practicalities of applications they are a great source of help. 

This week we would like to introduce you to Helen Fairclough and Kerry Young, who are the NCPs for Energy.  Follow the link for further details on NCPs and Horizon 2020.   

Festival of Learning 2015 – What could you do? Limited time but wanting to share?

Festival of Learning

The Festival of Learning 2015 is a fantastic way to engage public audiences in your research.  Sometimes it’s difficult putting together an event that lasts several hours, so how about an hour lecture on your research? 

 

To engage your audience, could your event be interactive or spark a short debate?  Could it be linked to ideologies within a film that an audience could relate to?  Or perhaps a topical discussion that has had national coverage?  If you have an event idea, think about the intended audience and what would appeal to them.

 

A lecture, seminar, interactive laboratory to name a few could all be run within an hour session, why not try it?

 

The next Festival of Learning will be held during 11th – 17th July 2015.  If you would like to hold an event as part of this Festival, please complete a proposal form.  The deadline for proposals is midday on Friday 19th December.

 

If you have an idea for a Festival of Learning event that you would like to discuss or for general enquiries, please contact Naomi Kay on 61342.

Micheal Faraday Prize-For excellence in communicating science to UK Audiences.

Funding opportunities

The Royal Society’s medals, awards and prize lectureships provide an opportunity to celebrate outstanding achievement.

 

Nominations for the Michael Faraday Prize are now open. This prize lecture is given by a scientist or engineer whose expertise in communicating scientific ideas in lay terms is exemplary.

 

Previous winners have included Professor Brian Cox and Professor Frank Close.

 

The winner will receive a medal, a personal prize of £2,500 and will get to deliver a lecture at the Royal Society.

 

Nominate a colleague for this lecture

http://newsletters.royalsociety.org/c/1wsN2iY4pgb1Mw1dXQQtUS

 

To download the nomination form and for further details please see http://newsletters.royalsociety.org/c/1wsN8cZLuyexEmSoM7ZKWT

 

The deadline for nominations is Friday 30 January 2015.

 

To contact us for further information please email awards@royalsociety.org

 

 

For more information on our many other awards available for nomination please visit http://newsletters.royalsociety.org/c/1wsNe71szQi3wdJzAp91YU

 

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UKRO visit to BU – last chance to reserve your place!

Training

UK Research OfficeOur UKRO contact, Maribel Glogowski, will be coming to Bournemouth on December 11th.  We benefit from the services, information and support provided by UKRO throughout the year but this is your opportunity to see and speak to our representative in person.  This year Maribel will be making two presentations open for all to attend.

Both presentations address H2020 but rather than just being another overview we’ve asked Maribel to feedback on H2020 so far and then to zoom in on an area we do a lot of work in but which can be difficult to place in H2020 – Social Science and Humanities.  As H2020 has sought (with varying degrees of success) to ‘embed’ elements of Social Science and Humanities across the whole work programme; collaborations across disciplines have become increasingly standard and as impact has moved (particularly in the EU) to the top of the agenda insights into the role of Social Sciences and Humanities in H2020 are pertinent across all disciplines.

The agenda (BG14: Lansdowne) is as follows:

9.30am-10.45am:

      i. Brief introduction and overview of UKRO

     ii. H2020 in action – what’s happened so far and where’s it going?

10.45am-11.15am: Coffee and networking

11.15am-12.30pm: Social Sciences and Humanities in H2020

Please contact Organisational Development by following the link if you wish to attend.

For those unfamiliar with UKRO (The UK Research Office), it is the European office of the UK Research Councils.  UKRO’s mission is to promote effective UK engagement in EU research, innovation and higher education activities, by:

  • Enabling the UK research community to make informed decisions about participation in EU programmes and to maximise the opportunities available to them;
  • Supporting UK input into European research policy development and implementation through informing and interfacing with the appropriate bodies; and
  • Developing and maintaining a suite of quality services that meet the evolving needs of sponsors and subscribers.

Bournemouth subscribes to the information and assistance services of UKRO. For many years UKRO have been providing us with the latest EU information on funding calls, policy and providing advice on how to make a great application.  UKRO are also the national contact point for the UK in relation to Marie Curie actions and the ERC (European Research Council).

Research Professional upgrade

Funding opportunities, Guidance

Please note that Research Professional are updating their site with a new version of the Rodman Indes, which is the discipline thesaurus that they use.  This may mean that the site is unavailable between 9am and 11am on Wednesday, 10th December.

All of the old discipline terms have been mapped to the new Rodman Index, and all of your pre-existing funding searches will be transitioned to the new terms.

News from the Consumer Research Group: The CR@B is dead … long live the CRG!!

PG research, REF Subjects, Research themes

 

The newly renamed ‘Consumer Research Group’ (formally known as CR@B (Consumer Research @ Bournemouth) … but now rebranded!) held its second meeting last week which again brought together consumer researchers from a wide range of disciplines across the University for lively discussions around the opportunities for cross-disciplinary research (over coffee and mince pies!).  The aim of the meeting was to begin to identify themes around which groups or clusters of consumer researchers could discuss potential collaborations and plan activities for the future.  From the meeting seven themes were initially proposed (see diagram above), and whilst these may initially remain fluid, they offer great opportunity for further discussion.  A notable outcome from this meeting was the variety of consumer research areas being explored at BU, and the number of potential linkages that could be made between different groups, across and between these themes, to develop an even stronger research profile for the CRG.

The next meeting for the ‘Consumer Research Group’ will be 2-4pm on Wednesday 28th January in PG19.  Professor John Fletcher – Pro Vice Chancellor – Research and Innovation – will open the meeting.  

Anyone who is doing consumer research of any description is welcome to join and contribute to the discussions – and as before there will be coffee and cake to help our consumer thinking along.

If you would like to come along please email any of the other contacts below so that we can get a feel for numbers.  If you are unable to make this meeting but are interested in being involved please email us to let us know and we will keep you informed about future events.

Jeff Bray (Tourism; jbray@bournemouth.ac.uk)

Juliet Memery (Business School; jmemery@bournemouth.ac.uk)

Janice Denegri-Knott (Media School; JDKnott@bournemouth.ac.uk)

Siné McDougall (SciTech; smcdougall@bournemouth.ac.uk)

A forthcoming book from the new Faculty of Management receives endorsements from UNDESA, UNEP, UNESCO and the European Commission

Publishing

The concept of the green economy has entered mainstream policy debates and been endorsed by the United Nations, other international institutions and forums, such as the G-20. The Rio+20 UN summit specifically draw attention to the green economy approach in the context of sustainable development. The role of tourism sector will continue to be crucial in the post-2015 sustainable development agenda. However, there are ambiguities about how tourism and allied industries can maximize their contribution to human well-being and ensure environmentally sustainability, embracing issues of political economy, geography and business ethics.

In this context, the forthcoming book “Tourism in the Green Economy” (Routledge, 2015) edited in line with BU research themes has been received externally as one of the many examples of our fusion agenda enriching the world. The book received valuable endorsements from key international organisations advancing sustainable development policy and actions worldwide.

“Building on the outcome of Rio+20, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, through its Division for Sustainable Development, has been working closely with the UN system, in particular, the World Tourism Organization and United Nations Environment Programme to advance sustainable tourism in the context of sustainable development and more specifically in national planning processes. In this regard, initiatives by the academic world to help policy makers and practitioners develop a better understanding of the dynamic and concrete linkages between tourism and sustainable development are therefore of great importance. This publication addresses the potential role that tourism could play towards a green economy. It also provides good practices, policy orientations as well as implications for future research in this area. The publication is therefore a timely and important input for tourism and sustainability stakeholders.” – Nikhil Seth, Director, Division for Sustainable Development, United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations Secretariat.

“This publication offers an objective assessment of the challenges faced by green economy and their application to the tourism sector, as well as opportunities for promoting a global and local sustainable tourism through resource efficiency, green jobs and sustainable consumption and production patterns. Tourism stakeholders will find inspiration in this book, from its multiple case studies, in defining and promoting methods and tools for implementing sustainable tourism while valuing local resources and educating the tourist community.” – Dr Arab Hoballah, Chief of the Sustainable Consumption and Production Branch, UNEP.

“We welcome this publication which covers the topic of tourism and in particular the aspect of sustainable tourism with the aim of providing useful insights on how tourism could adapt to green economy, and how to make tourism more sustainable” – Francesca Tudini, Head of Tourism Policy Unit, European Commission.

“This publication brings new insights into the need to green the rapidly-growing tourism industry. The case studies show the challenges and opportunities common to both developed and developing countries, echoing UNESCO’s efforts to build inclusive green societies and sustainable tourism through Biosphere Reserves, World Heritage (including marine) sites, and Geoparks.” – Dr Wendy Watson-Wright, Executive Secretary, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission; and Assistant Director General a.i., Natural Sciences, UNESCO.

The book provides consensus about what the green economy entails, the important role tourism can play in a green economy, responsible business practices from many countries, on-going and emerging research initiatives that will enable tourism’s transition to a green economy. For more details and full list of chapters, please visit: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415709217/

British Academy Funding Opportunity: BARSEAs 2015

Funding opportunities

 

 

 

The British Academy has launched an exciting new funding opportunity for early career researchers working in Humanities and Social Sciences. 

The British Academy Rising Star Engagement Awards (BARSEAs) provide a means for early career researchers to develop their skills and further career progression through organising events, training and mentoring activities for other early career researchers. Please note though that this is not a funding opportunity to undertake research. 

Applications are invited from early career scholars within 10 years of the award of their doctorate, and ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom. In order to be eligible for this programme, candidates must also be able to demonstrate their academic credentials to be leaders in research through suitable marks of esteem awarded prior to the submission of the application.

 Level of award: up to £15,000.

 BU Internal deadline for submission to RKEO: 14 January 2015

 Deadline for submission of applications: 21 January 2015 at 5pm 

 Deadline for Institutional Approval of applications: 22 January 2015 at 5pm .  Results are expected late February 2015

Awards available for starting date: not earlier than 1 March 2015 and not later than 31 March 2015

For more information on what activities are intended to be supported through this scheme, detailed guidance on what can and cannot be applied for and clarification on eligibility, please see the scheme notes which can be found via e-GAP.

Enquiries related to this scheme can be made to posts@britac.ac.uk but please note that interested parties should register interest through the RKEO Funding Development Team who can provide further details in the first instance.

Latest Major Funding Opportunities

The following funding opportunities have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

Wellcome Trust, GB

Biomedical Vacation Scholarships

These awards provide promising undergraduates with hands-on experience of research during the summer vacation, with the aim of encouraging them to consider a career in research.Scholarship holders in the past have included students of biological sciences (including biology, sports science and pharmacy) and medics, vets, dentists and optometrists. Students focusing on natural sciences or computing degrees are welcome to use this scheme as a taster for research in the biomedical sciences; however, a suitably focused biomedical research report project would be required.

Scholarships are available for between six and eight weeks and currently provide a stipend for the student of £250 per week. Research expenses are not provided.

Closing Date: 13 February 2015

 

 Innovate UK

Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst – Early-stage – Translation – Round 3

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) are to invest £45m in major integrated research and development projects through the Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst. Catalysts provide funding to innovative businesses and researchers working in priority areas with the aim of helping them to quickly turn excellent UK research into new or improved commercial processes and products.

The Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst programme will accelerate commercialisation by supporting the development of new industrial biotechnology products and processes, and enabling their potential scale-up. It will support R&D for the processing and production of materials, chemicals and bioenergy through the sustainable exploitation of biological resources. We are particularly encouraging a collaborative approach. There are five types of award – early stage: translation; early stage: feasibility studies;  industrial research; late stage: pre-experimental feasibility studies; and late stage: experimental development – and, with the exception of translation awards which are academic, can involve a single business or be collaborative. Total project sizes can range from up to £250k for feasibility studies to up to £10m for experimental development.

Competition opens on 11 December 2014.

Registration Deadline noon on 25 February 2015

Competition closes on noon on 4 March 2015.

 

 Leverhulme Trust

Visiting Professorships

Awarded to UK institutions that wish to invite an eminent researcher from overseas to enhance the knowledge and skills of academic staff or the student body within the host institution. The scheme covers maintenance, travel expenses and research costs. Visiting Professorships last for between three and twelve months.

The objective of these awards is to enable distinguished academics based overseas to spend between three and twelve months inclusive at a UK university, primarily in order to enhance the skills of academic staff or the student body within the host institution. It is recognised that Visiting Professors may also wish to use the opportunity to further their own academic interests. The over-riding criteria for selection are first the academic standing and achievements of the visitor in terms of research and teaching, and secondly the ability of the receiving institution to benefit from the imported skills and expertise. Priority will be given to new or recent collaborative ventures.

The sum requested should reflect the individual circumstances of the visitor and the nature and duration of the proposed activities. A maintenance grant up to a level commensurate with the salary of a professor in the relevant field at the receiving institution may be requested. Economy travel costs to and from the UK will also be met. Requests for associated costs, if justified by the programme, may include, for example, travel within the UK, laboratory consumables, and essential technical assistance.

Closing Date: 7th May 2015

 

Welcome Trust

The Hub Award

The Wellcome Trust is committed to supporting work at the interface of health and the wider arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences. To build on our existing programmes, we have launched The Hub at Wellcome Collection, a ground-breaking initiative that provides resources and a stimulating space for researchers and other creative minds to collaborate on an interdisciplinary project linked to the Trust’s vision of improving human and animal health.

As part of our transformation of Wellcome Collection, we have made available a specially designed, flexible space within the building for a research team to be resident for up to two academic years. The Hub Award is the way teams can apply to use this space and request funding for the project.

The closing date for preliminary applications for the second Hub residency is Friday 1 May 2015.

 

Royal Society

Rosalind Franklin Award and Lecture

This award is made to support the promotion of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Award is awarded annually for an outstanding contribution to any area of science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). The award is supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and is named in honour of the biophysicist Rosalind Franklin. The first award was made in 2003. The medal is of silver gilt and is accompanied by a grant of £30,000. The recipient of the award is expected to spend a proportion of the grant on implementing a project to raise the profile of women in STEM in their host institution and/or field of expertise in the UK. There are no restrictions on the age of nominees, though it is anticipated that the award will be made to an individual in mid-career, with a maximum of 20 years post PhD or equivalent.  Please see the terms and conditions of this award. The winner is also called upon to deliver a lecture at the Society.

Closing Date: 30th January 2015

 

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

Annual focus for responsive mode proposals under the welfare of managed animals priority

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council invites applications for its welfare of managed animals strategic priority area. This call encourages high-quality research that seeks to understand and promote the welfare of managed animals in the UK, including farmed, laboratory and companion animals.

Projects should involve the use of animals and demonstrate awareness of, and the potential to inform policy and societal implications. Research should seek to increase the knowledge of the following: the basic behavioural, neurobiological, immune, metabolic, physiological and tissue responses of animals to their environmental conditions; the consequences of human intervention, genetic selection and management, including agricultural intensification, for the normal function of animals; the incidence of disease, pain and mental disorders.

Application Deadline: 8th January 2014

 

Innovate UK 

Circular economy: business models

Innovate UK is to invest up to £800k in feasibility studies into the business case for retaining value in durable goods through reuse, remanufacture or leasing/maintenance. We are seeking projects that explore commercial models for a circular economy of goods in which resources are kept in productive use for longer following primary production – ideally at the same value/use. Projects will be expected to design a pilot to demonstrate how the model could become part of normal business. Feasibility studies (mainly pre-industrial research projects) must be collaborative and business-led. Projects are open to companies of any size. Consortia should include a business that has a relationship with the final customer and can enable the return of products.

The amount of funding you can receive varies according to the type of organisation and type of research being undertaken. Funding levels for feasibility study research will change for competitions opening from 1 January 2015. For further information please refer to http://interact.innovateuk.org/ funding-rules 

We expect projects to last 6 months and to range in size from total costs of £25k to £50k. This competition opens on 2 March 2015. The deadline for registration is at noon on 8 April 2015, and the deadline for applications is at noon on 15 April 2015. A briefing day for potential applicants will be held at the Resource Event in London on 3 March 2015. A webinar detailing the competition scope and application process will be broadcast on 9 March 2015.

 

The Royal Society 

DFID Africa Capacity Building Initiative

This programme is for scientists who want to develop collaborative research consortia between scientists in sub-Saharan Africa and a research institution in the UK. The overall aim of the scheme is to strengthen the research capacity of universities and research institution in sub-Saharan Africa by supporting the development of sustainable research networks.

The objectives are to:

  1. facilitate sustainable multidisciplinary partnerships between research groups in sub-Saharan Africa and the UK.
  2. strengthen research and training capacity in sub-Saharan African Institutions of Higher Education through the skill transfer between partner organisations of the research consortia.
  3. produce a cadre of young, talented researchers through integrated PhD scholarships and shared supervision of post-graduate students between the UK-based and African consortia members.
  4. evaluate the contributions of the Africa Initiative to supporting universities and institutions in Africa to develop sustainable research and research training capacity.

The scheme provides funding towards research expenses, travel and subsistence costs, (PhD) training, and limited funds for equipment. The Programme Grant may provide support of up to £1,243,000 over a five year period.

Closing Date: 19th March 2015

 

The Royal Society

Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Lecture

This prize lecture is given on a subject relating to the history of science, philosophy of science or the social function of science.

The Wilkins, Bernal and Medawar lectures were originally delivered as three separate lectures, each given triennially. Since 2007, they have been combined under the one title of the Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Lecture, and have been given annually.The subject matter for the lecture is some aspect of the social function of science, as per the Bernal Lecture Fund endowed byJohn Desmond Bernal FRS (PDF), the philosophy of science or some other field of interest to Peter Medawar FRS (PDF), and the history of science in recognition ofJohn Wilkins FRS (PDF), the first Secretary of the Society.

If possible the Committee will award the lectureship to an early-to-mid career stage scientist, historian or philosopher. The award is open to citizens of a Commonwealth country or of the Irish Republic or those who have been ordinarily resident and working in a Commonwealth country or in the Irish Republic for a minimum of three years immediately prior to being proposed.The lectureship is accompanied by a medal and a gift of £500.

The call for nominations is now open. Please download the nomination form and return the completed form to awards@royalsociety.org by 6:00pm GMT on 30 January 2015.

 

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

TASCC: TOWARDS AUTONOMY – SMART AND CONNECTED CONTROL

The EPSRC Engineering and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Themes in partnership with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) are inviting outline proposals that explore research in the area of ‘Smart and Connected Control’ around the central challenge of moving towards a fully autonomous car.

This call is being issued as part of the EPSRC–JLR strategic partnership. Funds of up to £10 million are available. We expect to support between four and six research projects, up to five years in duration, subject to the quality of the proposals received. The first stage of this call is an invitation for Outlines, and will be followed by Full Proposals. Applicants will be interviewed at the full proposal stage by an expert panel.As part of this activity there will be a series of workshops to develop ideas and interactions with JLR and other research groups.

As a joint funder JLR will work closely with successful applicants.

Closing date: 29 January 2015 at 16:00

 

Arts & Humanities Research Council

Call for applications to present virtual exhibitions of images on the AHRC website

he AHRC is marking its tenth anniversary in 2015 through a number of activities designed to showcase the achievements of the arts and humanities research community over the last decade, to look forward to the coming decade and to celebrate the role of the arts and humanities in all areas of our national life. Applications are invited from researchers of all disciplines within the arts and humanities to submit ideas with a link to the AHRC’s 10th anniversary for ‘virtual’ exhibitions in the AHRC’s online Image Gallery.

Images are generated and used in the arts and humanities in a wide variety of ways and for a range of purposes – for example, images produced and created through the visual arts, digitised images from museums, libraries and archives, design and architectural blueprints, photographs, cartoons, newspapers, maps, computer-generated (CGI) or computer–enhanced images, virtual reality and visualisation representations, and much else.

A total of £4,000 will be available to each successful applicant or group of applicants to prepare, make available and submit their images for exhibitions. The AHRC welcomes applications from all areas of the arts and humanities and from researchers at all stages of their careers, including doctoral students and early career researchers. Applicants are required to submit sample images along with a proposal for their exhibition; please see the call document (PDF 69KB) for further details (opens in a new window).

Closing Dates: 15/01/2015 at 4pm

 

Innovate UK

Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst – Industrial research – Round 3

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) are to invest £45m in major integrated research and development projects through the Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst. Catalysts provide funding to innovative businesses and researchers working in priority areas with the aim of helping them to quickly turn excellent UK research into new or improved commercial processes and products.

The Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst programme will accelerate commercialisation by supporting the development of new industrial biotechnology products and processes, and enabling their potential scale-up. It will support R&D for the processing and production of materials, chemicals and bioenergy through the sustainable exploitation of biological resources. We are particularly encouraging a collaborative approach.There are five types of award – early stage: translation; early stage: feasibility studies;  industrial research; late stage: pre-experimental feasibility studies; and late stage: experimental development – and, with the exception of translation awards which are academic, can involve a single business or be collaborative. Total project sizes can range from up to £250k for feasibility studies to up to £10m for experimental development.

The competition opens on 11 December 2014. The deadline for registration is noon on 25 February 2015 and the competition close date is noon on 4 March 2015.

Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst – Late-stage – Pre-experimental feasibility studies – Round 3

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) are to invest £45m in major integrated research and development projects through the Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst. Catalysts provide funding to innovative businesses and researchers working in priority areas with the aim of helping them to quickly turn excellent UK research into new or improved commercial processes and products.

The Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst programme will accelerate commercialisation by supporting the development of new industrial biotechnology products and processes, and enabling their potential scale-up. It will support R&D for the processing and production of materials, chemicals and bioenergy through the sustainable exploitation of biological resources. We are particularly encouraging a collaborative approach.There are five types of award – early stage: translation; early stage: feasibility studies;  industrial research; late stage: pre-experimental feasibility studies; and late stage: experimental development – and, with the exception of translation awards which are academic, can involve a single business or be collaborative. Total project sizes can range from up to £250k for feasibility studies to up to £10m for experimental development.

The competition opens on 11 December 2014. The deadline for registration is noon on 13 May 2015 and the competition close date is noon on 20 May 2015.