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Amsterdam is European Capital of Innovation 2016

Business Engagement, innovation, international, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer

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Following the announcement of a shortlist of nine cities (including Glasgow and Oxford in the UK) in January, Amsterdam has emerged as the winner of the 2016 European Capital of Innovation Award.

The city was chosen for its “holistic vision of innovation related to four areas of urban life: governance, economics, social inclusion, and quality of life” by a panel of independent experts – “for embracing a bottom-up approach based on smart growth, startups, livability and digital social innovation.”

An interesting read and some interesting videos and presentations from  the winners and runners up and those short listed.

Useful information for those following research into such topics as  smart cities, innovation , ecosystems.

In full.

Press release.

 

What does Innovate UK’s latest delivery plan mean to industry ?

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, innovation, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer

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Innovate UK   have just published the 2016/17 Delivery Plan. In it, you will discover some important changes in the way  they intend to support business innovation.

Key areas of the delivery plan include:

  • a new sector focus – that is easier for industry, investors and government to work with
  • changing the frequency and nature of our sector funding competitions – so that they are broader in scope than previously and form a single stream of innovation funding
  • forming a single ‘open’ funding programme –  for applications from any technology or sector
  • enhancing the role of our innovation networks – in providing guidance and support to innovative businesses both nationally and regionally

To find out more read more on their blog: A whistle-stop tour of our delivery plan or check  out the website

 

You can now publish open access for free with Springer Open Choice journals!

open access, Publishing

Open-Access-logo

RKEO and the library have signed a new Jisc agreement with Springer that covers all Article Processing Charges (APCs) for articles published in Springer Open Choice (hybrid) journals (see http://www.springer.com/gp/open-access/springer-open-choice/for-uk-authors-intro/731990). This means that with effect from 15th October 2015 you do not need to pay Springer an APC to make your article open access in a Springer Open Choice journal as we have already paid for it as part of this new agreement.

To make sure that your article is covered by this new agreement, when your article has been accepted for publication, Springer will ask you to confirm the following:

  • My article has been accepted by an Open Choice eligible journal
  • I am the corresponding author (please use your institutional email address not your personal one)
  • I am affiliated with an eligible UK institution (select your institutions name)
  • My article matches one of these types: OriginalPaper, ReviewPaper, BriefCommunication or ContinuingEducation

Springer will then verify these details with us and then your article will be made available in open access with a CC BY licence.

Please click here, for a list of all eligible journal titles. Please note that 30 Open Choice journals are not included in this agreement as they do not offer CC BY licensing.

In addition to covering the costs of all APCs, the new agreement we have entered into will also mean you will continue to have ongoing access to all subscription content in Springer journals.

This new agreement means that you can publish articles with Springer and automatically comply with funder mandates. In should also make things more efficient for you, for us and for the publisher.

If you have any questions about the agreement or the process, please contact Pengpeng Hatch.

BRIAN Byte – Existing publications awaiting deposit

BRIAN, Publishing

When you log onto BRIAN and see this message, it means that you currently have publications which are not compliant with the HEFCE post-REF2014 Open Access policy.

BRIAN byte 1

To ensure that these publications become eligible for the next REF, you will need to upload the final accepted manuscript (post peer review) against these publication records.

Click on ‘view’ and you will be taken to the page listing all publications awaiting full text upload.

Click on the ‘deposit’ button and you will be taken to this page.

BRIAN byte 2

Locate your final accepted manuscript (post peer review) and click upload. The article will then go through review by the BURO team and you have complied!

For further queries, please email BRIAN@bournemouth.ac.uk and a member of the team will get in touch as soon as they are able to.

 

Research Blog Survey

Here at RKEO we are always trying to improve the services and information we provide to our audience and the research blog has been our main tool for communicating news to our audience. The research blog has been running since its first post back in March 2011, which makes it a strong 5 years old!

With this historic achievement of age it doesn’t  mean that there isn’t room for improvement. If you have the time it would be greatly appreciated if you could fill out this quick survey about the research blog. This will allow us to improve the site and in turn provide a better service for you!

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Latest Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

The following funding opportunities have been announced. Please follow the links for more information.money and cogs

Economic and Social Research Council

The Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy (CCCEP), part of the ESRC, has announced an Innovation Fund to encourage innovative ideas on climate policy from practitioner and researcher communities.  Applications may address climate change mitigation or adaption within any stage of the policy process.  Up to £50k is available and the CCCEP is looking to make five awards.  Closing Date 30/6/16

Innovate UK

Innovate UK has announced round 4 early stage (technical feasibility), mid stage (technology development) and  late stage (pre-commercial technology validation) Energy Catalyst awards.  The aim is to develop and prove techologies that will help to solve elements of issues related to low carbon, security of supply and affordability.  The deadline for registration is noon 8/6/16; expressions of interest must be submitted by noon 15/6/16.

Natural Environment Research Council

As part of the Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) Regional Opportunities Fund (ROF), applications are invited for up to £50k to help ESPA projects enhance the impact of their research. Closing Date 13/5/16

CASE studentships (Collaborative awards in science and engineering) have been announced. These studentships can be conducted in collaboration with non-academic partners. Closing Date 7/7/16

Wellcome Trust

The Wellcome Trust has made available Research Awards for Health Professionals who wish to transition to a period of research in any area of human or animal health.  The scheme can also be used to enrol onto a PhD for those who have little or no social science experience. Awards will not normally exceed £250k.  Individuals holding permanent academic posts are not eligible for these fellowships. Preliminary application Closing Dates 6/7/16

There are also Research Fellowships lasting up to three years for humanities and social science scholars not in an established post who wish to undertake research in human and animal health.  The fellowships provide research and salary expenses.  Preliminary application Closing Date 6/7/16

University Awards are available to recruit and support humanities and social science research staff working in any area of human and animal health for up to five years.  Preliminary application Closing Date 6/7/16

Investigator Awards in the Humanities and Social Science are available to exceptional researchers exploring any aspect of human and animal health.  Awards are for up to five years with ranged funds available for £100k-£200k per annum.  Preliminary application Closing Date 8/7/16

Development Awards (Broadcast, Games and Film) awards up to £10k for one year support the development of TV, radio games or film projects that engage with biomedical science and its impact on our lives. Closing Date Open

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

Please note that some funding bodies specify a time for submission as well as a date. Please confirm this with your RKEO Funding Development Officer

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.

RKEO Drop-in session – 20th April

Guidance

flyingA couple of months ago, RKEO introduced monthly drop-in sessions for academics to turn up and ask us anything, knowing that members of RKEO would be on hand to help. Unfortunately, despite lots of advertising, no one has taken up the opportunity to attend the first two drop-in sessions. Therefore, operating a three strikes and we’re out policy, if no one attends the next drop-in session then we will cancel those organised for the rest of this year.

The next drop-in session is scheduled for 20th April, between 2-4pm in the Talbot Atrium cafe.

The following RKEO staff will be available for the session:

Ehren Milner – Funding Development Officer for Management

Eva Papadopoulou – Funding Development Officer for Media and Communication

Kerri Jones – Funding Development Officer for SciTech

Philip Leahy-Harland – Project Delivery Officer for Management

Nimisha Prajapati and Sara Mundy – Project Delivery Officers for SciTech

Jenny Roddis – Research Facilitator for HSS and SciTech

You don’t need to be from these faculties as staff will help with any queries you have and if they’re not able to answer your query then and there, they’ll ensure you receive a timely response from RKEO. Basically, come along and have a chat. These are also great opportunities for us to gather feedback from you on the service that we deliver to you. Come and find out about upcoming calls such as the British Academy’s small grants scheme, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships, and how we can support you in your research career.

RKEO look forward to seeing you.

Horizon 2020 Secure Societies Societal Challenge (SEREN3), Brussels

Funding opportunities

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My journey to the Horizon 2020 event in Brussels (secure society) started when my colleague Ehren brought the event to my attention and suggested it is one I should attend. In between doing other things I committed to go and decided to take one of my research students who works in a related area to mine. The earlier Brussels attacks didn’t change my mind, or her’s, and in fact made it so more important that we should attend the event given its nature – secure society. Despite all her best efforts, including taking an 18 hour bus journey to Manchester and back to apply for her visa, her visa didn’t arrive on time, and here it I was on my way to Brussels, taking the 3.00 am bus to Waterloo and then the Eurostar from St Pancras to Brussels. Quiet streets of London early at 5 am meant I met a couple of unwanted friendly rats who accompanied me from Victoria coach station to Victoria underground station, where I saw some more  of them fighting on the rail. Travel to Brussels was quick and I got in to the city centre at 11.00 am and headed for the meeting venue where it started at 1.30 pm.

The meeting in the afternoon was excellent, they had a number of speakers from the Deputy Head of Horizon, to the call coordinator, legal, finance, ethic support etc. Each one went to into great detail and explained all one needs to know about applying for the Horizon bids in general.  The meeting was extremely well organised and it was disappointing to see such a large number of participants failing to attend, ironic that the strand was for a secure society and yet we are failing to take our part. I left the meeting at 6.00 pm and managed to look around ‘military Brussels’, witnessing some of the lost freedom in the capital of Europe, taken by those who used the liberal democracy of Europe to attack it from within.

The Wednesday morning sessions could not have been better, the EU Horizon 2020 professionals, went through each bid call, one by one, and explained all the criteria and the do’s and don’ts when bidding. There were a number of opportunities to ask questions regarding the bids and the time available for the presentations for attendees to pitch to secure suitable partners. They laid on a wonderful lunch which was served to us and in the afternoon there were further opportunities for one-to-one speed dating with other attendees.

Attendance at the meeting in the Sheraton hotel was free, and one of the best organised meetings I have ever attended. I left Brussels having learned a great a deal in terms of EU bidding activities, details regarding my selected bids and a number of business cards from colleagues across Europe and beyond. It was a brilliant opportunity to put faces to names and more importantly to listen to professionals talk – all in all it was an absolute eye opener and invaluable training for bidding! Thank you Ehren and Jacqui for making this happen, Thank you Seren3brussels2016 for such a wonderful training sessions and great hospitality!

I will go again…

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Committee inquiries: open calls for evidence

Below is a list of committee inquiries with current open calls for evidence. Please contact Emma Bambury-Whitton if you would like to discuss submitting evidence.

Commons Select Committee inquiries

Lords Select Committee inquiries

 

HE Policy Update

Monday

Tier 2 visas

The government has responded to the Migration Advisory Committee review of Tier 2 migration. The government has announced it will exempt PhD positions and those switching from a Tier 4 student visa to a Tier 2 visa from the immigration skills charge.  You can view the response to a written question by The Minister of State for Immigration here.

UK universities overseas

Universities that deliver transnational programmes in countries with dubious human rights records have been warned that they are putting more than their reputations at risk. Human rights warning for universities operating overseas. Human rights warning for universities operating overseas. (THE).  

Tuesday

University cooperation

A report by the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education has revealed that negative views of universities based on their perceived “lower prestige” might also be harming efforts to bring together universities, business and government to boost local economic growth. Status anxiety ‘harms university cooperation’. (THE).

Wednesday

Prevent

Research Professional reports that universities risk ignoring laws about protecting freedom of speech in their attempt to protect students against being radicalised. Cultural cold wars (Research Professional).

Thursday

REF

The extent to which the next REF should focus on overall university performance has emerged as a key battleground between the Russell Group and University Alliance. The Russell Group have argued for more emphasis on critical mass at the institutional level, whereas University Alliance have argued that aggregation of assessment at institutional level would destroy dynamism. Universities clash over future of REF. (THE).  

Friday

Student Loans

The private company that took over 250,000 loans from the Student Loan Company has left graduates in turmoil after it wrongly sent letters demanding early repayments. Student loans firm Erudio leaves graduates fuming over latest error (The Guardian).

EU Students

Students from other European Union countries attending UK universities generate £3.7 billion for the UK economy and support more than 34,000 jobs across the country, according to analysis from Universities UK. You can view the report here.

Innovate UK

Innovate UK is to reorganise its funding programmes to address concerns that they are too complex and to make it easier for the agency to work with universities, businesses and the research councils. Innovate UK embraces simplification. (Research Professional).

HRA Approval for NHS Research

Research Ethics

HRA Approval is the new process for the NHS in England that simplifies the approvals process for research, making it easier for research studies to be set up. It replaces the need for local checks of legal compliance and related matters by each participating organisation in England. This allows participating organisations to focus their resources on assessing, arranging and confirming their capacity and capability to deliver the study.

Laura Purandare, Research Monitor RBCH, has kindly agreed to run a seminar on 4th May at 2pm in BG14 to explain the changes.

The session will cover:

  • What HRA approval is
  • The implementation of changes
  • The difference it proposes to make to health research in England
  • What it means for our researchers
  • Key resources

The session will last approximately an hour, and Laura will be available for questions following the session. We hope to see you there.