Tagged / funding

EPSRC study days

Guidance

EPSRC logoThe Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is holding Study Days on 17 May and 14 July at their offices in Swindon. Study Days are one-day events designed to give university researchers and administration staff an overview of the EPSRC and their peer review process.

A Study Day typically involves:

  • Presentations – Introductory presentations from experienced members of EPSRC staff;
  • Mock Panel – Attendees have the chance to participate in a mock prioritisation panel meeting, led by a real panel convenor;
  • Pathways to Impact – An interactive session offering advice on how to complete the Pathways to Impact question on the grant application form;
  • EPSRC activities and opportunities – introductory talks on Transformative Research, People Support and International Engagement
  • Tips on Proposal Writing – First steps in grantsmanship.

This is an excellent opportunity for any academic staff interested in applying to the EPSRC for funding.

Study Days are free to attend. If you are interested in attending please contact Julie Northam in the first instance as the Research Development Unit will administer your booking on your behalf.

For further information please see the EPSRC Study Days webpage.

Support to participate in the ESRC Festival of Social Science

Funding opportunities, Research news

The ESRC Festival of Social Science (05.11.11) welcomes event applications targeting a non-academic audience including young people, third sector, the public, business or government. There are two types of applications available:  i) applying for support of up to £2000 – due 3 June  ii) applying for event to be listed: non-supported – due 17 June. If you have any questions contact one of the festival team .

Sign up for FP7 information & alert service

Funding opportunities, Research news

The UK Research Office (UKRO) promotes effective UK participation in European Union funded research, higher education and training, and related activities. Established in Brussels in 1991, UKRO is jointly sponsored by the UK Research Councils.UK Research Office
UKRO provides information and advice on EU funding opportunities, and EU programmes and policies. You can sign up for the UKRO FP7 information and email alert service. Simply, “create a profile” (a personalised web page, covering the areas that you are interested in) and then select to receive email alerts at whatever interval you would prefer. UKRO has also produced a  guide to help you understand more about this service.

FP7 Partner Searches

Funding opportunities

Partner search: Sport & Health – The Centre for Sport Health and Exercise Research, Staffordshire University, is seeking partners to join a research project in the fields of sports and health.

For Emotion Regulation; Emotion and Cognitive Performance; and Emotion and Motor Performance. Email marc.jones@staffs.ac.uk.

For Physical activity/health and the environment; Green space and physical activity/health; Community health/physical activity promotion; and Primary care-based health/physical activity promotion. Email c.gidlow@staffs.ac.uk

Partner Search: Turkish SME & Wearable Cardiac Diagnosis Tool – The European Care Network is seeking partners to join a research project regarding a wearable cardiac diagnosis tool (in a vest) with clinical decision support system. For further information contact n.yilmaz@euro-care.net

ESRC Demand Management consultation

Research news

ESRC logoThe Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has today published plans for how it will manage the increasing demand for its research funding. Their aim is to have fewer, high-quality applications so the best social science is funded in the most effective way.

They will be introducing an initial programme of measures of improved self-regulation and a change to their existing peer review practices and submission policies.

These measures include:

  • the introduction of an invited-only resubmission policy as of June 2011
  • revised sifting mechanisms (greater use of outline applications and earlier sifting for standard grants)
  • issue more tightly specified calls on managed mode schemes which address the ESRC strategic priorities

After 12 months of these initial measures the ESRC will review their effectiveness, to establish whether further steps need to be taken to manage demand. In case further steps are required the ESRC welcome your views on the potential options, particularly in relation to the following questions:

  • Which main demand management options are worthy of further development and why?
  • How might those options be further developed and refined?
  • Which, if any of the main demand management options, would you not consider for further development and why?
  • Overall, which of the options offers the best opportunities to effectively manage demand whilst ensuring the flow of high-quality research applications? Are there any further options which are not included in this paper whcich should be considered by us as part of our demand management strategy?

The deadline for the submission of responses is 16 June 2011. These should be completed using the form on ‘SurveyMonkey’ at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/demand_management.

We would encourage all academic staff researching in the social sciences to respond to the consultation.

To ensure your research proposal stands the best chance of success use BU’s internal peer review scheme – the Research Proposal Review Service.

EU research and funding workshops

Funding opportunities

 

                                EC 7th Framework Programme (FP7) logo

We are looking to host a series of workshops/ presentations on EU funding and we would like to hear your suggestions for topics.

What information would you find most useful? What would you like to learn more about? What format would you find most helpful?

Please comment below to let us know what you would like to see…

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Academic fury over order to study the Big Society: Researchers ‘over a barrel’ after coalition threat to cut £100m grant from AHRC

Research news

“Academics will study the “big society” as a priority, following a deal with the government to secure funding from cuts. AHRC logoThe Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) will spend a “significant” amount of its funding on the prime minister’s vision for the country, after a government “clarification” of the Haldane principle – a convention that for 90 years has protected the right of academics to decide where research funds should be spent.”

This article from the Guardian can be read in full here.

Read further views on this story on Research Professional.

What do you think of this? Let us know by commenting on this post!

What is a KTP?

Funding opportunities

KTPHave you ever wondered what a KTP is, how it works and how you could get involved? Then wonder no more! Dr Martyn Polkinghorne demystifies the elusive KTPs!

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) are partly Government funded and aim to help businesses absorb and benefit from the knowledge/expertise residing within UK Universities and Colleges. The rationale behind each KTP is the formation of a 3-way partnership between a ‘Business’ partner, a ‘Knowledge’ partner and a ‘Graduate’ partner that leads to genuine and sustainable benefits for all involved.

BU has undertaken Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (including the previous Teaching Company Scheme) for 22 years during which time we have run approximately 90 projects that have brought in over £9 million of enterprise income.

When funding is agreed, a Graduate is employed by the University, but based full-time at the organisation to deliver the project. Approx. 1/2 day of specialist academic effort is provided to support the project and drive it forward. Although normally with a business partner, KTPs can sometimes also be run with social enterprises and public sector bodies.

The project budget pays for the Graduate, the Academic support and related training, travel and equipment. Even with the Government’s funding KTP is not a cheap solution, but for the right project it can provide the external partner with excellent value for money.KTP diagram

The major sponsor of KTP remains the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) which funds approx 50% of all projects. Both the TSB, and the other minor sponsors (Research Councils, Regional Development Agencies, Government Departments, ERDF etc) have strict priorities for the project sectors and organisational types that they wish to support.

Potential projects must address the funding criteria of one of the sponsors and be able to demonstrate high levels of innovation, impact and challenge.

Recently completed KTPs include a fantastic project with Cholderton Rare Breeds Farm Park in which Steven Richards from the School of Tourism helped the company to develop and implement a new marketing strategy which increased visitor numbers to the tourist attraction, and helped to safeguard the future of the organisation. Further examples of KTP case studies can be accessed here.

If you want to find out more about KTPs or discuss an idea for a potential KTP then contact Martyn Polkinghorne.

Further information can be found on the BU KTP webpages or the national KTP website.

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