Category / Events

Horizon Europe info days 2025

Funding opportunities

This information has been updated in April 2025.

I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who attended the Horizon Europe event in February, particularly those who participated on the panel and shared valuable insights with other colleagues. BU staff can access the presentation on the RKE SharePoint site here.

We are currently awaiting the publication of the 2025 Work Programme, expected in about a month. While the official publication date is not set, some work programmes may be made available through pre-publication a couple of weeks in advance, although this is not guaranteed. According to the latest available information, around 7 April, the European Commission is planning to pre-publish at least the 2025 Horizon Europe Missions Programme with the call topics under the Cancer Mission and around 30 April, the calls and topics on the EU’s Funding and Tenders Portal.

In preparation for this, the European Commission has announced the first Horizon Europe 2025 information days, scheduled to take place in May. These events will be held online, with live streaming available. For more details, please click on the link for each event.

Below is a summary of what we know so far.

Tuesday 6 May 2025, 09:00 – 15:30 (CEST) Horizon Europe info days – Cluster 5: Climate, Energy and Mobility. This Info Day will take place both onsite in the Charlemagne building (Brussels) and online. Please note that onsite participation is limited. Registration for onsite participation closes on 31 March 2025 (or earlier if the capacity of the venue has been reached).

Tuesday 13 May 2025, 09:30 – Wednesday 14 May 2025, 17:00 (CEST) Horizon Europe info days – Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space. Speakers from the European Commission will provide detailed insights into the call topics, evaluation and award processes. The 6 destinations under this cluster are:

  • Climate neutral, circular and digitised production
  • Increased autonomy in key strategic value chains for resilient industry
  • World leading data and computing technologies
  • Digital and emerging technologies for competitiveness and fit for the Green Deal
  • Open strategic autonomy in developing, deploying and using global space-based infrastructures, services, applications and data
  • A human-centred and ethical development of digital and industrial technologies

Thursday 15 May 2025, 09:30 (GMT+02:00) Horizon Europe info days – Cluster 2: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Societies. This cluster aims to aims to meet EU goals and priorities on enhancing democratic governance and citizens participation, on the safeguarding and promotion of cultural heritage, and to respond to and shape multifaceted social, economic, technological and cultural transformations.

The event will provide prospective applicants with an opportunity to learn more about the funding options under the new work programme. The event will be livestreamed, register here.

Thursday 16 May 2025, 09:30 (GMT+02:00) Horizon Europe Cluster 2: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Societies online Brokerage Event.

The brokerage event is organised by the network of National Contact Points for Cluster 2, the Net4Society project.

Tuesday 20 May 2025, 09:00 – 17:00 (CEST) Horizon Europe info days – WIDERA Work Programme 2025. Speakers from the European Commission will present the new call topics.

Tuesday 20 May 2025, 09:00 – Wednesday 21 May 2025, 18:00 (CEST) Horizon Europe info days – Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment. The event will cover:

  • Insights into the policy context
  • A ‘key-to-success’ session focused on guidance and tips for quality proposals
  • Pitches for each of the topics from the Work Programme 2025
  • A dedicated session on co-funded partnerships

You can also sign up to the Info Days and receive updates on the latest news related to the event.

Thursday 22 May 2025, 09:00 – 17:00 (CEST) Horizon Europe info days – Cluster 1: Health. This cluster aims to deliver on the following six destinations:

  • Staying healthy in a rapidly changing society
  • Living and working in a health-promoting environment
  • Tackling diseases and reducing disease burden
  • Ensuring access to innovative, sustainable and high-quality health care
  • Unlocking the full potential of new tools, technologies and digital solutions for a healthy society
  • Maintaining an innovative, sustainable and globally competitive health-related industry

As usual, if you have any EU funding-related questions, feel free to get in touch with me – Research Facilitator International Ainar Blaudums. For general pre-award or non-EU queries, please email the Pre-award Enquiries mailbox or contact my colleagues who support UK applications. There is a lot of useful information on our RDS pre-award SharePoint site.

RKEDF March digest

Training

Book now for RKEDF training in March 2025 

Click on the titles to find further details and book your place 

ECRN: Intellectual Property and Your Research 

Tuesday 4th March 14:00-15:30 – online 

Intellectual Property underpins academic research, as it is through Intellectual Property protection that we can protect, commercialise, and own our research & creative outputs.  As researchers, we are constantly engaged in the works and products of others, all of which are underpinned and protected by Intellectual Property. We are also constantly creating our own outputs that can be protected by Intellectual Property.  This workshop will explain the key areas of Intellectual Property that relate to academic research; how to protect your own Intellectual Property; and how to avoid infringing on the Intellectual Property of others. 

Research Data Management: An introduction 

Wednesday 5th March 12:00 – 13:00 – online 

Attendance is recommended for any academic wishing to maximise the impact of their research data, and to learn how it can be managed through the research life cycle in a way that complies with research best practice and any legal, ethical or commercial requirements.  It aligns with BU’s Research Data Policy, which closely reflects many funder and journal requirements.  

Writing for The Conversation interactive workshop 

Wednesday 5th March 14:00-16:00, in person, Talbot Campus 

Learn how to consider the news potential of your expertise, how to look for story hooks and angles from the news, how to write a quality story pitch to section editors, and other advice.  In this interactive session, you’ll find out more about communicating your research to the public, what The Conversation is looking for, and have the chance to discuss your research with a Conversation editor and pitch potential story ideas. 

BRIAN – drop-in surgery – no booking required

Tuesday 11th March 14:00-16:00, F203, Fusion Building, Talbot Campus 

This is a 2 hour drop in surgery for any questions or issues relating to BRIAN.  No question is a stupid question so pop in and ask.  

ECRN – Imposter Syndrome 

Wednesday 19th March 13:00-14:00, in person, Talbot Campus 

This session is aimed at colleagues dealing with feelings of imposter syndrome in academia. The session will offer a space to discuss this growing issue as well as offer advice, guidance and support on how to manage, avoid and overcome such feelings. At the end of the session attendees will have achieved greater confidence in developing their career and profile.  This workshop aimed at: All staff – Academic, teaching, research, professional services. 

Principal Investigation – Post Award for RKE 

Wednesday 19th March 13:00-14:30, in person, BGB, Lansdowne  

This session is aimed at any researcher who is or plans to be a Principal Investigator for an externally funded research or knowledge exchange project.  By the end of the session, attendees will have a strong foundation of what to expect when being responsible for their awarded projects. Topics covered include: 

  • What is post award? • Roles and responsibilities • Systems
  • Key policies • Starting your awarded project • Making changes to your project and reporting • Hints and tips

KTP Development  

Wednesday 19th March 13:00-14:00, in person, Talbot Campus 

Sometimes organisations can see an opportunity for growth, something that will supercharge their business, but they don’t quite know where or how to start. That’s when a Knowledge Transfer Partnership could help.  We are hosting a series of developmental sessions for staff (and businesses) to debunk myths, provide insights, and forge connections.  This session will focus on Fiduciary Responsibility and Evaluation of Company Accounts, Demonstration of Financial Strength, Suitability of Company Finances & Eligibility for KTP Scheme. 

Links for further RKE information and support are below: 

RKE SharePoint page: RKE – Home 

RKEDF SharePoint for development opportunities: Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework RKEDF – Home 

RKEDF Brightspace: Homepage – Research & Knowledge Exchange Development Framework  

Please help us in avoiding any waste of resources; make sure you can attend or cancel your booking prior to the session. For any further information, please contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk   

BU-Lush Cosmetics Ltd collaboration to Develop Renewable Zero Carbon Emissions Energy Technology

Awarded & submitted bids, conferences, Industry collaboration, innovation, Knowledge Exchange, PG research, REF Subjects, Student Engagement, student research

This is a landmark collaborative initiative between BU’s NanoCorr, Energy and Modelling (NCEM) Research Group led by Professor Zulfiqar Khan and team members including Dr Adil Saeed, Dr Mayank Anand and Aerk Dimri and Lush Cosmetics Ltd a major stakeholder in the conurbation. “Born in Poole, Lush offers a range of quirky and unique handmade bathing and cosmetic products with signature ‘Lush’ scents. The brand boasts an extremely ethical promise to consumers with all products being cruelty free, vegetarian and ethically sourced.” [Source]. “Lush Limited is a British cosmetics retailer which is headquartered in Poole, England. It was founded in 1995 by trichologist Mark Constantine, his wife Mo Constantine and five other founders.” [Source].

 

“We laid the foundation for capitalising on tidal energy sources and providing clean energy solutions for local and regional domestic and commercial applications through Community Interest Company (CIC) / Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), Poole Tidal Energy Partnership (PTEP), more than a decade ago, said Professor Zulfiqar Khan, one of the founding directors of PTEP.

This work led to UK based energy company collaboration in BU’s energy research: capture, conversion and storage through full funding of two PhDs, two Post Docs, one PhD in-kind support, industrial labs resources and funding patent applications, a three quarter of a million pound sterling research portfolio led by Professor Zulfiqar Khan. This has yielded in commercial patents in the US and GB, covering novel nano fluids, energy systems (capture, conversion and storage).

“This recent collaboration with LUSH is a testament of our full commitments to UNSDGs, UK and EU clean energy directives, initiatives which has led to emergence of BU as a global leader in Clean Energy Systems,” Professor Zulfiqar Khan added.

Dr Saeed said, “we provide opportunities for our UG/PGT courses to benefits from our research collaborations to enhance students learning and teaching experience through research informed educational provisions.” Dr Saeed, the Programme Leader of Mechanical Engineering course, said, we currently have three final year projects in energy systems which have been inspired and are linked to BU-LUSH collaborative project.

LUSH Creative Technologist Jim Woodward said, “We look forward to starting this journey with Professor Khan, his colleagues and students at Bournemouth University, researching the potential tidal energy in our beautiful Poole Harbour. We welcome the newly appointed PGR and wish him good luck in this exciting PhD project with us. What a force – Lush a local Poole company working with a fantastic local University.”

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition

PG research

1 week till applications close for the 3MT competition!

Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to develop your presentation skills, share your research and be in with a chance of winning a prize.

We are excited to host the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition at BU for the very first time! Originally developed by the University of Queensland in 2008, 3MT® is an internationally renowned research communication challenge. It challenges doctoral researchers to condense their thesis into a compelling three-minute presentation, communicating its originality and significance to a non-specialist audience.

On Wednesday 26 March we will have four parallel sessions, one for each Faculty, to select the 2 finalists to advance to the final round, which will take place in the afternoon. The winner will take part in the national competition run by Vitae.

More information about the history of 3MT® can be found on the Vitae and 3MT® websites.

Eligibility

Active PhD and Professional Doctorate Research candidates who have successfully passed their Probationary Review (including candidates whose thesis is under submission/examination) by the date of their presentation (26 March 2025) are eligible to participate. Graduates are not eligible.
Please Note: MRes/MPhil students and students on interruption are NOT ELIGIBLE to enter the 3MT Competition.

Competition Rules

Make sure you read the international 3MT® rules before applying.

In order to allow all our P/T and remote PGRs to take part, if unable to attend in-person a pre-recorded video will be accepted, in line with the 3MT® rules.

Prizes

  • 1st prize: £150 voucher
  • 2nd prize: £100 voucher
  • 3rd prize: £50 voucher
  • People’s Choice winner: £50 voucher

Key dates

  • Applications close 28 February 2025 (midnight)
  • 3MT Competition: 26 March (10:00-12:00: First round and 13:00-14:30: Final round – timing TBC)

Why should I take part?

  • Develop your presentation and public speaking skills.
  • Networking opportunities.
  • Raise your own researcher profile.
  • Prizes to be won.
  • The winner will represent Bournemouth University at the National Vitae 3MT competition.

Apply here

Further information available on Brightspace.

Registration to attend will open in March.

Please do contact us if you have any questions: pgrskillsdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

Best wishes,

The RDP Team

C.A.I.R.E.E.S. Conference: Harnessing AI for a sustainable future

PG research

C.A.I.R.E.E.S. Conference – Climate action through AI for Resilient Manufacturing, Energy and Environmental Sustainability

Harnessing AI for a Sustainable Future: Insights from Global Experts

BU is hosting the C.A.I.R.E.E.S. Conference – Climate action through AI (Artificial Intelligence) for Resilient Manufacturing, Energy and Environmental Sustainability – on Thursday 13 and Friday 14 March, in-person and online.

Through this conference, you’ll hear from global experts about how to harness AI for a sustainable future. It will explore how AI can support climate action in manufacturing, energy, and environmental sustainability.

This event, supported by the Doctoral College Research Culture and Community Grant, will bring together experts from academia, industry, and policy to discuss AI’s role in key areas, including energy, pharmaceuticals, green technologies, diplomacy, and life sciences.

The conference is open to all, whether you’re an AI researcher, industry professional, student, policymaker, or simply someone curious about how AI is tackling climate challenges.

Where and when

You can attend the conference in-person on Thursday 13 March, from 11am to 5pm in FG06 (Fusion Building). You can also participate online on Friday 14 March, from 1pm to 6pm.

During the event, attendees will have the chance to take part in a hands-on workshop, featuring a deep learning model applied to a real-world wildlife dataset. This is a great opportunity to explore AI applications in conservation and sustainability.

To book your place for either day, please complete this online form.

Keynote speakers and industry experts

The conference features speakers from the UK, US, Mexico, Ecuador, and beyond, reflecting the global nature of AI-driven sustainability efforts:

  • HM Ambassador Chris Campbell: UK Ambassador to Ecuador
  • Professor Scott Wright: Deputy Dean, Bournemouth University
  • Professor Xiaosong Yang: Deputy Head of NCCA, Bournemouth University
  • Dr Szilvia Rusev: Chair of Bournemouth University’s AI Network
  • Professor Federico Galvanin: – Professor of Chemical Engineering, University College London
  • Professor Clarissa Busch: Professor of Philosophy of AI, Illinois Institute of Technology, USA
  • Marco Quaglio: Industry expert in the pharmaceutical sector (PolyModels Hub Ltd)
  • Brian Cresswell: Specialist in AI-powered wildlife tracking (Lotek UK Ltd)
  • Additional speakers from universities in Mexico and Ecuador (to be announced)

If you have any questions, please contact Kavisha Jayathunge: kjayathunge@bournemouth.ac.uk or Maria Alexandra Sandoval msandoval2@bournemouth.ac.uk.

Writing for The Conversation interactive workshop – Wednesday 5th March

Training

Would you like to build a media profile and take your research to a global audience by writing for The Conversation?

Join Conversation editor Grace Allen for an in-person workshop at Talbot Campus on Wednesday 5th March to find out more about working with The Conversation and share your article ideas.

The Conversation is a news analysis and opinion website with content written by academics, researchers and PhD candidates working with professional journalists.

Since we first partnered with The Conversation, articles by BU authors have had over 11 million reads and been republished by news outlets across the world.

In this interactive session, you’ll find out more about communicating your research to the public, what The Conversation is looking for, and have the chance to discuss your research and pitch potential story ideas.

It runs from 2pm – 4pm in the Fusion Building on Talbot Campus.

Sign up via Eventbrite

Find out more about our partnership and the benefits of working with The Conversation

ZOOM Academic Writing & Publishing Workshop for Bangladesh

international, Publishing, Training, writing

Colleagues are invited to our Bangladesh Midwifery Academic Writing & Publishing Workshop

This online workshop is an introduction to the world of academic writing and publishing.  The workshop organisers, Professors Hundley and van Teijlingen will introduce the basic structure of an academic article, highlight the importance of selecting the most appropriate journal, reading and following the author instructions, understanding the role of the journal editor and that of peer reviewers.  The authors will use the submission requirements of the Journal of Asian Midwives as an example.

The ZOOM event will be held this Tuesday 18 February 14.00-16.00 UK time.  FHSS colleagues who are interested in joining this introductory workshop with midwives and midwifery researchers from Bangladesh can use the following link:

Image preview

 

The Future of Palliative and End of Life Care

Summary from our visiting professor lecture.

The Visiting Professor Lecture, delivered by Professor Bee Wee, CBE, titled “The Future of Palliative and End of Life Care,” was held on 5th February 2025 at Bournemouth University and proved to be a resounding success. The event brought together a diverse and engaged audience, including members of local communities, nursing students, nurse educators, researchers, health professionals, staff and volunteers from Lewis Manning Hospice Care, as well as prominent figures from NHS Dorset Integrated Care Partnership, Dorset Integrated Care Board, and the Burdett Trust for Nursing.

In addition, specialist professionals in palliative and end-of-life care from hospices and NHS Hospital Trusts across Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight attended the event, which provided a unique platform for collaboration and knowledge-sharing among healthcare professionals and students working within this critical field.

Key highlights of the afternoon, apart from the keynote lecture by Professor Bee Wee, included a presentation by Cathy Beresford, who is investigating experiences of care in advanced liver disease for her doctoral research study. An insightful panel discussion, led by Professor Bee Wee, featuring recently graduated nursing students from Bournemouth University—Tina Smith, Julia Copson, and Christina Keeping. These nursing graduates shared their personal experiences as former BU/Lewis Manning Hospice Care Scholarship recipients, offering valuable insights into the practical application of palliative care principles in their new professional roles as registered nurses working in a hospice, specialist palliative care unit, and acute stroke unit in Dorset.

The event also included an introduction to the Centre for Wellbeing and Long-term Health, with presentations by Professor Sam Porter and Dr. Duncan Randall on ongoing research within the centre and various aspects of palliative and end-of-life care.

“We are thrilled with the success of this year’s Lewis Manning Hospice Care Visiting Professor Lecture,” said Dr. Sue Baron, Principal Academic at Bournemouth University. “It was an incredibly enriching experience to bring together so many dedicated professionals and students who are passionate about improving palliative and end-of-life care. Professor Bee Wee’s expertise, coupled with the variety of presentations, made for an uplifting and thought-provoking afternoon.”

The event was a collaboration led by Clare Gallie, CEO of Lewis Manning Hospice Care, and Dr. Sue Baron, Principal Academic in the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences at Bournemouth University. Together, they provided attendees with a unique opportunity to engage with thought leaders in the field of palliative care, network with colleagues, and discuss future advancements in the sector.

Looking ahead, organizers are already planning future initiatives to continue advancing the discussion and research into the future of palliative and end-of-life care.

For more information about the Visiting Professor Lecture Series and ongoing research into palliative care, please visit Centre for Wellbeing and Long-Term Health www.bournemouth.ac.uk/CWLTH

About Lewis Manning Hospice Care Lewis Manning Hospice Care is a charity dedicated to helping people with life-limiting illnesses and their families across East Dorset. They promote acceptance, hope, and peace of mind, helping people to live well through their illness. The organization offers a range of services that prioritize quality of life and compassionate care. Lewis Manning website https://lewis-manning.org.uk/

Contact: Dr. Sue Baron Principal Academic in Nursing & Lead of Lewis Manning Hospice Care/Bournemouth University Nursing Scholarships in Palliative and End of Life Care Department of Nursing Science, Bournemouth University Contact: sbaron@bournemouth.ac.uk / cwlth@bournemouth.ac.uk Centre for Wellbeing and Long-Term Health Website @CWLTH_BU

Research seminar and tech showcase 12.02.25: ICONIC (Intergenerational Co-design Of Novel technologies In Coastal communities) project

Fusion, innovation, PG research, Research themes

The Ageing and Dementia Research Centre are welcoming colleagues from Plymouth University to talk about the ICONIC project (see more details below) and showcase some of the technologies they have created.

 The team are interested in talking to any BU colleagues who work on co-design/digital health or immersive technologies and AI so please do come along (and let Michelle mheward@bournemouth.ac.uk know if would like to give a short presentation about your research).

 12th February 2025

11-1pm (presentations will be first and then tech showcase)

P222, Poole House, Talbot Campus

ICONIC Project

The ICONIC (Intergenerational Co-design Of Novel technologies In Coastal communities) project is exploring how co-design of novel technologies can support digital inclusion in Cornwall and Devon. The project recruited 99 participants to join intergenerational co-design workshops to create technologies that support access to environment, heritage, and community resources. The technologies include a social game, immersive heritage and underwater experiences, and a voice AI system accessed via a telephone call. The research team will be sharing their insights from the co-design process for each technology and discuss the effects of participation on digital inclusion.

  • Dr Rory Baxter is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Health Technology, University of Plymouth, working on the EPSRC funded Intergenerational Codesign Of Novel technologies In Coastal communities (ICONIC) project to address digital exclusion in Cornwall and Devon. The project involves the intergenerational co-design of technologies for supporting access to heritage, environment, and community resources. His previous work includes the ESRC funded GOALD and ERDF funded EPIC projects, which focused on digital health innovation co-design and evaluation to support healthy ageing. Prior to that he completed an EPSRC funded iCASE PhD, exploring human navigation and search behaviour, during which Rory developed VR-based experimental tasks using Unity, which were adapted for online platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Dr Oksana Hagen earned a BSc in Electrical and Computer Engineering from NCTU (Taiwan), MSc in Computer Vision and Robotics through the Erasmus Mundus ViBOT program, and a PhD in Computing at the University of Plymouth. After a brief period in industry, Oksana joined Aldebaran AI Lab (France) under a Marie Curie Fellowship to focus on research in machine learning. She subsequently contributed to social robotics research for AgeIn project at the University of Plymouth. Currently, she is part of the ICONIC project, developing VoiceAI and underwater telepresence applications through co-design. Her research interests include machine learning, robotics and HCI.
  • Dr Marius Varga’s expertise sits at the intersection of game technology and user experience, with a focus on serious games and immersive experiences. Currently, a Research Fellow part of the ICONIC project, using a co-design approach, Marius leads the development of a multiplayer Social Game focused on seagrass conservation and for Extended Reality (XR), he is developing an immersive heritage experience in partnership with National Trust. Marius is also involved in digital health projects such part of Bridging project – focused on using XR training with autistic employees and employers and Glider project – addressing challenges in frailty through robotics, play and immersive technology.
  • Dr Linan Zhang holds an MA in East Asian Studies (Japanese) and an MSc in International Development from the University of Edinburgh. She later earned a PhD with Transtechnology Research at the University of Plymouth, where she developed a philosophical framework to ease the paradigm conflicts in knowledge sharing, drawing inspiration from an international health collaboration, a global health crisis, and the development discourse. She is currently an Associate Lecturer for i-DAT, a Research Fellow in Orbital Science, and the Media and Admin officer for the ICONIC Project at the University of Plymouth. Additionally, she serves as an Associate Editor for Leonardo Review.