Category / Funding opportunities

Reminder – Student Research Assistantship – academic applications still open

Funding opportunities, Fusion Investment Fund, student research

The Student Research Assistantship (SRA) scheme is still open for academic applications.

Academics are invited to submit applications for the semester-based round of the SRA programme.

The programme is funded by the Fusion Investment Fund and will still have two programme rounds, semester-based and summer programme.  The scheme has been re-focused to support departments in their co-creation targets whilst supporting students to undertake paid work under the guidance of an experienced academic in a research position that is directly related to their career path and/or academic discipline.

Semester-based programme

This placement is for successful students to work for 15 hours a week for a total of eight weeks between 16th January 2017 and 7th April 2017. This programme will have the capacity for approximately 45 placements.

The SRA programme is coordinated via RKEO and the Faculties.

Academics will apply for the funding via an application form. A Faculty based panel will review all staff applications and decide which applications to continue to the student recruitment stage of the scheme.  The application deadline for this round is 24th October 2016.

Each academic application will be marked against the following criteria:

  • Student-centred
  • Co-creation and co-production
  • Fusion
  • External engagement
  • Impact
  • Cross-Faculty

Approved academic applications will be advertised as SRA positions to students with student applications being received, processed and managed centrally within RKEO and distributed to the relevant academics after the closing date. The academics will be responsible for shortlisting, interviewing and providing interview feedback to their own candidates. Successful students will need to complete monthly timesheets, signed by their supervisor for payment.

These SRA vacancies will be available to taught BU students only, where SRA applicants must be able to work in the UK, be enrolled during the time of their assistantship and also have an average grade of over 70%.  Staff can have multiple SRAs.

If you have any queries, please contact Rachel Clarke, KE Adviser (KTP and Student Projects) –  sra@bournemouth.ac.uk

Latest Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

money

The following is a snap-shot of funding opportunities that have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

British Academy

Tackling the UK international challenges

The purpose of each project will be to bring new research ideas and methods to bear on existing international challenges and to deliver specific policy-relevant outputs.

Maximum Award: £50000 for 1 year Deadline: 2 November 2016

Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board

Soft fruits crop sector panel funding

The objectives of the soft fruit sector strategy link are:

  • To improve productivity and cost management (resource management, climate change, soils and water, managing market volatility);
  • To prevent and manage disease (NB: in this context disease covers all crop protection).

Maximum Award: Unknown Deadline: 6 November 2016

EPSRC

Healthcare technologies challenge awards

A future call, planned for mid-late October, designed to create a cohort of the most promising future leaders in Computational, Engineering, Mathematical and Physical Sciences research who will develop new research capabilities across the EPSRC portfolio to address unmet healthcare needs.

Maximum Award: Total budget for call is £10million for 7 – 10 awards Deadline: 31 January 2017

Alzheimer’s Research UK

Dementia consortium

The Dementia Consortium will provide funding, resources and expertise to both increase the number of, and capitalise upon, new drug targets emerging from across the academic sector that hold promise of bringing patient benefit.

Maximum Award: £100000 – £250000 over 2 years Deadline: 15 November 2016

Department of Health, including NIHR

Programme grants for applied research

These support projects that aim to provide evidence to improve health outcomes in England through promotion of health, prevention of ill health and optimal disease management, with particular emphasis on conditions causing significant disease burden.

Maximum Award: Unknown Deadline: 29 November 2016

Wellcome Trust

Seed Awards in Science

Seed Awards in Science help researchers develop new ideas to make them competitive for larger awards (from us or other organisations).

Maximum Award: £100000 over 2 years Deadline: 13 March 2017

AHRC

Leadership Fellow Scheme – Standard route

The AHRC’s Leadership Fellows scheme provides time for research leaders, or potential future research leaders, to undertake focused individual research alongside collaborative activities which have the potential to generate a transformative impact on their subject area and beyond.

Maximum Award: £50000 – £250000 Deadline: Open

If you are interested in submitting to any of the above calls you must contact your  RKEO Funding Development Officer with adequate notice before the deadline.

For more funding opportunities that are most relevant to you, you can set up your own personalised alerts on Research Professional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s/Faculty’s Funding Development Officer in  RKEO or view the recent blog post here.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on Research Professional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

AHRC & BBC Radio 3 – applications for New Generation Thinkers 2017

Funding opportunities

Are you an Early Career Researcher? Would you like the opportunity to develop the skills to tell the story of your research to new audiences?

Apply now for the AHRC and BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinkers 2017 Programme.

Sam GoodmanBU’s Dr Sam Goodman is one of AHRC’s New Generation Thinkers, having won the award last year. He features in this film from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), which shines a light on the AHRC/ BBC Radio 3, New Generation Thinkers scheme.

This pioneering scheme aims to develop a new generation of academics who can bring the best of university research and scholarly ideas to a broad audience – through BBC broadcasting. Each year, up to sixty successful applicants have a chance to develop their programme-making ideas with experienced BBC producers at a series of dedicated workshops and, of these up to ten will become Radio 3’s resident New Generation Thinkers. They will benefit from a unique opportunity to develop their own programmes for BBC Radio 3, the chance to regularly appear on air and work closely with the AHRC communications team.

ahrc-ngtBBC Radio 3 and its programmes Free Thinking, the Verb, the Essay and the Sunday Feature have provided a platform for debate and commentary from scholars across the world. You could now join them on air.

Applicants do not have to be funded by the AHRC to apply; the scheme is open to all early career researchers based in a UK Research Organisation (either Higher Education Institution or Independent Research Organisation [IRO]).

They welcome applications from researchers working in all areas of the arts and humanities. This year they are again extending the call for researchers who work in areas of social sciences and medical science whose work intersects with the arts and humanities. Do you know a researcher who could benefit from this opportunity? Why not forward them this email and encourage them to apply or share a link on social media using the hashtag #newgenerationthinkers.

Closing Date: 26/10/2016

Applicants should be available to attend workshops:

  • Wednesday 11th January 2017, Salford
  • Monday 16th January 2017, London
  • Wednesday 18th January 2017, London

If invited to attend the workshops you will be offered a date at one of the three locations. Candidates will be invited to the workshops the week commencing the 12th December 2016.

Applicants that are successful at the workshops should be free to attend:

  • Wednesday 8th March 2017, for media training in London
  • The dates of the Gateshead Free Thinking Festival between Friday 17th March to Sunday 19th March as the winners will be announced during this period.

How to apply

Applications should be submitted using the Research Councils’ Joint electronic Submission (Je-S) System at the latest by 4.00pm Wednesday 26th October 2016, and must go through the host organisation approval process prior to this closing date. Therefore, please contact your RKEO Funding Development Officer at least three weeks before applying.

Full details of the call can be found in the New Generation Thinkers 2017 Call Document (PDF, 265KB)

For complete terms and conditions please see the Conditions of Entry for New Generation Thinkers

EPSRC ICT ECR workshops

Funding opportunities, Guidance

EPSRC_logoHow many acronyms can you fit in one title?  The EPSRC are holding two two-day workshops for early career researchers in the areas of information and communication technologies:

The workshops will provide an update to EPSRC and ICT Theme strategies and policies, and guidance on applying for grants. The workshops will be attended by a number of EPSRC staff but also by experienced academics from across the ICT portfolio who will provide guidance and mentoring throughout the two days. The events will include a number of facilitated sessions covering topics such as impact from research, career development and a number of new ICT Theme priorities. They will also include opportunities for networking with other ECR colleagues and the previously mentioned mentors.

Target Audience

The event will be of greatest interest to ICT researchers that have completed a PhD (or equivalent qualification) within the previous ten years, are eligible to hold an EPSRC grant and hold few or no grants as Principal Investigator.

However, they do not wish to be prescriptive based on years of post-doctoral experience and welcome applications from prospective participants with a different pattern of academic experience, early career researchers based in industry and postdoctoral research assistants who are hoping to take lectureship positions in the near future. The internal assessment process will take into account the need for a balance of attendees across career stages.

Applying to Attend and Selection Procedure

Those wishing to attend the workshop should complete the short Expression of Interest (EoI) form on this page. This will be used to select participants based on their justification of attendance as described in their EoI submission. In addition, EPSRC will also ensure a balanced representation of organisation, research area, expertise and career stages.

Places are limited and the number of participants from a given organisation may have to be restricted in the event of multiple applications. EPSRC are committed to a policy of equal opportunities. Selection will primarily be based on justification of attendance. However, EPSRC is hoping to improve attendance by underrepresented groups at workshops and will consider this when selecting attendees.

Resources

If you are interested in applying to attend a workshop, please can you let the RKEO Funding Development Team know as we would be interested in receiving feedback on the workshop content.

Latest Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

coins money

The following is a snap-shot of funding opportunities that have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

Cancer Research UK

Tobacco advisory group project grants

TAG is looking for project grant applications for policy research and policy advocacy activities in tobacco control. Maximum Award: £20000 – 50000 per year for 1 or 2 years Deadline: 1 December 2016

Academy of Medical Sciences

Springboard – health of the public 20140 grant scheme

The Academy’s ‘Health of the Public in 2040’ initiative aims to identify the main health challenges the UK population will face by 2040 and recognises that, in order to solve many of these issues, a multidisciplinary approach will be required.

Maximum Award: £25000 – £50000 Deadline: 12 December 2016

Medical Research Foundation

Child & young adult mental health

A key aim of this call is to encourage researchers already working in associated areas or on other relevant clinical research to re-prioritise these topics and enable the exploitation of existing resources and cohorts to develop hypotheses exploring the underlying biology and psychology of either of these diverse mental health conditions.

Maximum Award: £300000 Deadline: 31 January 2017

Director-General for Communications Networks, Content & Technology, EU

Pilot project for developing use of new technologies and digital tools in education

The aim of this pilot project is to identify existing digital learning solutions that can support teachers in the classroom and parents at home with pupils having attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and/or concentration problems, and to provide good practice examples where technology has been successfully used in daily classroom activities to help pupils with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and concentration problems.

Maximum Award: Unknown, total budget for call is €400000 for 2 years Deadline: 14 November 2016

Directorate-General for Educatio & Culture, EU

European co-operation projects

These support the capacity of the European cultural and creative sectors to operate transnationally and internationally, and to promote the transnational circulation and mobility of cultural and creative works.

Maximum Award: €200000 for small projects and €2 million for large projects Deadline: 23 November 2016

If you are interested in submitting to any of the above calls you must contact your  RKEO Funding Development Officer with adequate notice before the deadline.

For more funding opportunities that are most relevant to you, you can set up your own personalised alerts on Research Professional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s/Faculty’s Funding Development Officer in  RKEO or view the recent blog post here.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on Research Professional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

Research Professional – all you need to know

Funding opportunities

Research-Professional-logoEvery BU academic has a Research Professional account which delivers weekly emails detailing funding opportunities in their broad subject area. To really make the most of your Research Professional account, you should tailor it further by establishing additional alerts based on your specific area of expertise. The Funding Development Team Officers can assist you with this, if required.

Research Professional have created several guides to help introduce users to ResearchProfessional. These can be downloaded here.

Quick Start Guide: Explains to users their first steps with the website, from creating an account to searching for content and setting up email alerts, all in the space of a single page.

User Guide: More detailed information covering all the key aspects of using ResearchProfessional.

Administrator Guide: A detailed description of the administrator functionality.

In addition to the above, there are a set of 2-3 minute videos online, designed to take a user through all the key features of ResearchProfessional. To access the videos, please use the following link: http://www.youtube.com/researchprofessional

Research Professional are running a series of online training broadcasts aimed at introducing users to the basics of creating and configuring their accounts on ResearchProfessional. They are holding monthly sessions, covering everything you need to get started with ResearchProfessional. The broadcast sessions will run for no more than 60 minutes, with the opportunity to ask questions via text chat. Each session will cover:

  • Self registration and logging in
  • Building searches
  • Setting personalised alerts
  • Saving and bookmarking items
  • Subscribing to news alerts
  • Configuring your personal profile

Each session will run between 10.00am and 11.00am (UK) on the fourth Tuesday of each month. You can register here for your preferred date:

25th October 2016

22nd November 2016

These are free and comprehensive training sessions and so this is a good opportunity to get to grips with how Research Professional can work for you.

UK Research Office training opportunties

Funding opportunities, Info Days

UKRO logoUKRO hold provides regular training events in their capacity as the UK National Contact Point for the European Research Council (ERC) and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions​ (MSCA).

Forthcoming events:

26th October 2016: ERC Consolidator Grants Information and Proposal Writing Event to be held at the University of Glasgow

Are you a researcher interested in applying for the 2017 ERC Consolidator Grants call?

The session is aimed at researchers based in, or moving to, the UK who are planning to submit a proposal to the ERC Consolidator Grants call. The 2017 Consolidator Grants call is expected to open on 20 October 2016 and close on 9 February 2017. Applicants are expected to be active researchers and to have a track record of excellent research. The scheme is designed to support Principal Investigators (PIs) at the stage at which they may still be consolidating their own independent research team or programme. To be eligible for the 2017 call, the PI must be 7-12 years from the date of award of their PhD on 1 January 2017, which is extendable in certain strict cases.

Another repeating event is being planned for a London location in November 2016.

 

12th October 2016: MSCA Innovative Training Networks (ITN) to be held at the University of West London

The ITN scheme supports joint research training and/or doctoral programmes, implemented by European partnerships of universities, research institutions, industry (incl. SMEs) and other non-academic organisations. The research training programmes are intended to provide doctoral students with excellent research skills, coupled with experience outside academia, hence developing their innovation capacities and employability prospects. The event aim to provide participants with an in-depth overview of the ITN scheme. Participants should gain a clear understanding of the proposal format for each scheme and the key issues relating to planning, writing and submitting proposals. There will also be ample opportunity to ask questions. Attendance will be free of charge, thanks to the support from the University of West London.

To attend staff should register, via BU’s subscription, on the UKRO website. Please ensure that you have approval within your Faculty to attend. You should also register with UKRO so that you receive announcements concerning EU funding direct to your own inbox – make sure that you hear first!

If you are considering applying, please contact Emily Cieciura, REKO’s Research Facilitator: EU & International, in the first instance.

AHRC GCRF Pre-call announcement

Funding opportunities

ahrcAs part of the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is intending to announce a call in October 2016 for large-scale, collaborative grants for international development. Funding will support multi-disciplinary, internationally collaborative programmes rooted in the arts and humanities that take an area-based approach to addressing global development challenges.

The intention is to make funding of £1.5-2 million and up to 3 years duration available per project through the ‘Network Plus’ funding model. This model provides opportunities to bring together arts and humanities area-based expertise across disciplines and research organisations to address a set of integrated development challenges in particular places, societies and development contexts. The AHRC anticipates funding up to 5 projects.

The application process is expected to be in two stages with the deadline for Expressions of Interest likely to be in January 2017. There will then be further engagement with those invited through to full submission stage, expected to be in early summer 2017.

In support of the anticipated launch of this call the AHRC is holding a Town Meeting / Networking event at The Studio in Birmingham on 4th November 2016. Further details of the event and how to apply for a place can be found on our Events pages.  RKEO strongly urges interested parties to attend the town meeting.  If you are interested in applying for this great opportunity then please contact Ehren Milner, RKEO Research Facilitator to see how he can support you.

Further information about the call will be announced on the AHRC website in due course.

Fair Access Project Fund

Funding opportunities

BU’s Fair Access Agreement includes a project fund to support Fair Access and Widening Participation projects. Faculties and Professional Services are invited to bid for funding for targeted projects which focus on one or more of the below listed BU’s Fair Access priorities. Please note that projects are expected to commence in January 2017.

Priorities

Projects must address one or more of the below priorities to bid for funds.

  1. Intersectional issues relating to race, alongside other WP Indicator Groups and Protected Characteristics in respect to access, student success and attainment.
  2. Innovative initiatives which contribute to the engagement of disadvantaged students outside of BU’s traditional target outreach geographic areas.
  3. Initiatives leading to successful employment or progression to post graduate study of undergraduate WP students. This can include working directly with employers.
  4. Initiatives improving the access, success or progression of white working class boys.

Projects that do not directly address a listed priority will be unsuccessful.

How to apply? To apply for funding, please complete the Project Proposal Grant Application form and email it to Lukasz Naglik by Friday 18 November 2016.

Please also contact Lukasz if you would like to discuss this opportunity further or if you would like to find out about current Fair Access and Widening Participation projects.

 

Alternative paths to access finance for small and medium scale enterprises in the UK

conferences, Funding opportunities

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) form a crucial part of United Kingdom’s (UK) economy. However, limited/or lack of access to finance continue to hinder the growth of SMEs in the country. This situation has been the compelling factor behind Bournemouth University’s seminars series on “Access to Finance for SMEs”, of which the last was held at Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, London on 13 September, 2016. This final part of the seminar series was aimed at identifying alternative sources of finance for SMEs in the UK.

professor-stella-fearnley-first-from-left-with-the-keynote-speaker-sir-john-bourn-middle-and-the-principal-investigator-professor-jens-h%d3%a7lscher-first-from-right

Professor Stella Fearnley (first from left) with the keynote speaker Sir John Bourn (middle) and the Principal Investigator professor Jens Hӧlscher (first from right)

Experts at the seminar identified the following as the reasons why there is limited/or lack of access to finance for SMEs in the UK:

  • Lenders face difficulties in accurately assessing the viability of SMEs with limited track records because of information asymmetries between borrowers and lenders. This makes it difficult for lenders to secure the appropriate information they require to make an informed decisions on SME loan applications,
  • New SMEs often end up defaulting in debt repayment,
  • There is regional bias when it comes to SME access to finance in the country. For instance, London and the South-East often obtain disproportionately more funding than SMEs in other parts of the UK.

Are there alternative sources of funding for SMEs?

Consensus was broad-based among participants that alternative sources of finance for SMEs is growing in the UK —it grew by 75% to £1.26bn in 2015—despite the fact that only 3% of SMEs are aware of these other sources. Some of the alternative funding sources that were suggested include:

  • Equity finance

This is a method of raising capital through the sale of shares in an enterprise. A presenter at the seminar showed that equity funding has improved significantly in the UK, with seed stage flows growing 48% p.a. since 2012. Other participants also observed that SMEs are often skeptical of equity finance for fear of loss of control. But the fact remains that most of them use equity finance without even realising it. For instance, SMEs often rely on angels and venture capital to raise funds for their businesses.

  • Angels and venture capital

This form of equity finance may be undertaken directly by individuals or industrial companies; and indirectly through financial institutions or government agencies. Venture capitalists on the other hand usually invest in SMEs with high return prospects. Though SMEs’ awareness about venture capital in the UK continue to increase, only 22% of them know of a specific fund to approach.

  • Business Angels

They are private individuals who invest in new SMEs with good growth prospects, in exchange for a share of the company’s equity. Business angels often invest in business start-ups and also provide assistance in the form of consultancy (sometimes free) to the SMEs.

  • Family and friends

This source of finance has long been an important route for start-ups. However, there is always the need to maintain professionalism and a formal environment for business growth which may stand against the business owner’s informal relationship with the financiers. The big mistake many companies make is that they fail to formalise the funding arrangement with friends and family.

  • Crowdfunding

This is a method of raising finance by asking a large number of people to individually contribute a small amount of money to fund a project or venture, typically via the Internet. Though it is becoming the new ‘buzz’ going around in the investment game, existing SMEs, individuals, and startups are increasingly looking to raise funds through this method. One of the participants indicated that it is cheaper, faster and easier to access finance through this source. Another participant at the seminar showed that crowdfunding in 2015 amounted to 2.5 billion pounds in the UK.

Road map to SME access to finance

On the various alternative sources of SME funding identified, seminar participants were of the view that there is the need to critically examine each of them since it will unpack their appropriateness to different economies. You can check gold price today from the reliable sources and buy them from such sources. You will get immediate cash when you sell gold Adelaide in the market through the local jewellers or traders.

Apart from individual publications, there were also proposal for pathways to impact which will include one or two edited books and potentially a Special Issue of the International Small Business Journal, the leading UK and European Entrepreneurship journal, as deliverables.

AHRC & BBC Radio 3 – applications for New Generation Thinkers 2017

Funding opportunities

ngtAre you an Early Career Researcher? Would you like the opportunity to develop the skills to tell the story of your research to new audiences?

Apply now for the AHRC and BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinkers 2017 Programme.

This pioneering scheme aims to develop a new generation of academics who can bring the best of university research and scholarly ideas to a broad audience – through BBC broadcasting. Each year, up to sixty successful applicants have a chance to develop their programme-making ideas with experienced BBC producers at a series of dedicated workshops and, of these up to ten will become Radio 3’s resident New Generation Thinkers. They will benefit from a unique opportunity to develop their own programmes for BBC Radio 3, the chance to regularly appear on air and work closely with the AHRC communications team.

BBC Radio 3 and its programmes Free Thinking, the Verb, the Essay and the Sunday Feature have provided a platform for debate and commentary from scholars across the world. You could now join them on air.

Applicants do not have to be funded by the AHRC to apply; the scheme is open to all early career researchers based in a UK Research Organisation (either Higher Education Institution or Independent Research Organisation [IRO]).

They welcome applications from researchers working in all areas of the arts and humanities. This year they are again extending the call for researchers who work in areas of social sciences and medical science whose work intersects with the arts and humanities. Do you know a researcher who could benefit from this opportunity? Why not forward them this email and encourage them to apply or share a link on social media using the hashtag #newgenerationthinkers.

Closing Date: 26/10/2016

Applicants should be available to attend workshops:

  • Wednesday 11th January 2017, Salford
  • Monday 16th January 2017, London
  • Wednesday 18th January 2017, London

If invited to attend the workshops you will be offered a date at one of the three locations.  Candidates will be invited to the workshops the week commencing the 12th December 2016.

Applicants that are successful at the workshops should be free to attend:

  • Wednesday 8th March 2017, for media training in London
  • The dates of the Gateshead Free Thinking Festival between Friday 17th March to Sunday 19th March as the winners will be announced during this period.

How to apply

Applications should be submitted using the Research Councils’ Joint electronic Submission (Je-S) System at the latest by 4.00pm Wednesday 26th October 2016, and must go through the host organisation approval process prior to this closing date.  Therefore, please contact your RKEO Funding Development Officer at least three weeks before applying.

Full details of the call can be found in the New Generation Thinkers 2017 Call Document (PDF, 265KB)

For complete terms and conditions please see the Conditions of Entry for New Generation Thinkers