After many emails about predatory journals and conferences, today I received an email about a predatory academic prize. Over the years there have been many BU Research Blogs warning readers about predatory journals, for example in 2014, 2015, 2018, and in 2019, and also about fake conferences (e.g. in 2017). It was inevitable that fake academic prizes would be the next trick. The email announces that for US$ 225 the prize is mine! This development fits in with the many messages I have received about having ‘won’ prizes on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. 
Today’s predatory prize announcement is still very much in its infancy as scammers from the ‘Asia International Research Award 2023’ did not pick the greatest paper written in 2020 by the first author Dr Preeti Mahato, formerly in BU’s Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, and now Lecturer in Global Health at Royal Holloway , University of London. If they had wanted to make the award scam more believable they would have chosen the PloS one paper from her BU PhD work in Nepal [1]. Instead the announcement list a paper with much older data based on secondary analysis [2], not a bad paper, but not a winner either.
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
References
- Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Angell, C., & Hundley, V. (2020). Evaluation of a health promotion intervention associated with birthing centres in rural Nepal. PloS one, 15(5), e0233607.
- Mahato, P. K., Sheppard, Z. A., van Teijlingen, E., & De Souza, N. (2020). Factors associated with contraceptive use in rural Nepal: Gender and decision-making. Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare, 24, 100507.
The Wellcome trust ECR award is for researchers from any discipline with up to 3 years post-doctoral experience doing research that has the potential to improve human life, health and wellbeing. This session is aimed at research leads, Early Career Researchers and mentors.






As part of the RKEDF Impact Essentials programme, booking is now open for the Impact Essentials: creating your impact development plan 2-hour in-person workshops. There are 4 dates to choose from and they will be delivered on both Talbot and Lansdowne campuses, so hopefully there will be a date and time that is convenient for everyone who would like to attend.
This session is aimed at all academics to provide an overview of the Research & Enterprise Database, including how to access the system, the information available to view, budget management via RED, and how to use RED to identify your supporting pre and post award officers.






















UKCGE Recognised Research Supervision Programme: Applications Close 19 October
Dr. Orlanda Harvey interviewed as expert
Dr. Paul Whittington attends Technology and the SEND Reforms Roundtable in the House of Commons
Dr. Paul Whittington joins Bett 2026 DfE Assistive Technology Roundtable
BU Prof Jonathan Parker promoting social work in Malaysia
New interdisciplinary paper accepted for publication
Horizon Europe Cluster 3 (Civil Security for Society) 2026 Calls Now Open
MSCA Doctoral Networks 2026 Call Information Webinar
ESRC Festival of Social Science 2026: Application Deadline Extended to Thursday 25 June 2026
Reminder: Register for the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2026 Information Session
ECR Funding Open Call: Research Culture & Community Grant – Apply now
ERC Advanced Grant 2025 Webinar
Update on UKRO services
European research project exploring use of ‘virtual twins’ to better manage metabolic associated fatty liver disease