Author Archives: ejd2

Environmental Audit Committee announce new inquiry into well-being

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The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) is a Commons Select Committee Chaired by Joan Walley MP and examines sustainable development and environmental protection across all government departments.  Following the EAC’s recent report on Sustainable Development Indicators, the Committee agreed to undertake a further inquiry on the ‘Measuring Well-being’ initiative, building from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) well-being data analysis in November.

The ONS analysis compared people’s well-being according to gender, age, ethnic group, relationship status, health, disability, employment status and occupation, as well as by nation, region and local authority. This potentially opens up a raft of new data for social science and policy making that reflects well-being and sustainable development.

The EAC inquiry will examine a number of areas including:

  • The Government’s plans to utilise the results of the available well-being research and analysis in policy making, training and sustainable development 
  • How the ONS work might be further expanded or adjusted to reflect well-being research and metrics being developed elsewhere. 

The Committee is taking written evidence for this inquiry until 14 June. Guidance on how to submit evidence is available on the Committee’s website, further information at http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environmental-audit-committee/news/well-being-inquiry/. 

 

UK-China travel grants

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Travel grants of £1500-£2000 are available for travel to China for specific research, conferencing or lecturing reasons from the Universities’ China Committee in London (UCCL).  The grants are for post graduate or research degree students. Return visits from China can also be supported.  Further information is available at http://www.gbcc.org.uk/universities-china-committee-in-london-uccl.aspx.  Please contact externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk if you require help.  The deadline is 1st June 2013.

European Commission Support for Societal Challenges

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ICT for Societal Challenges: new publication on research and innovation projects

The European Commission has recently published a booklet to showcase projects and initiatives it has funded which utilise ICT to address a range of societal challenges.  This booklet provides good case studies of practical applications to issues such as independent living for the elderly, preservation of cultural heritage, energy saving and secure internet.  These challenges are a core component of future EU activity including the Digital Agenda for Europe strategy and Horizon 2020 funding programme, so the projects provide a useful reference point for EU best practice.

This booklet can be viewed at http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/cf/document.cfm?action=display&doc_id=1944. More information on the EU’s Digital Agenda for Europe strategy can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/.

 

The Social Impact of Academic Research

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The Westminster Higher Education Forum are hosting a seminar to discuss the challenges, opportunities and implications resulting from the inclusion of social and cultural impacts in the Research Excellence Framework (REF). In addition to discussing the implications on REF, the challenges of quantifying social research output and potential impact for Open Access policy will also be raised.

Dr David Halpern, Director, Behavioural Insight Team, Cabinet Office; Andrew Miller MP, Chair, House of Commons Science and Technology Committee and Dr Graeme Rosenberg, REF Manager, HEFCE will be delivering keynote addresses at this seminar. The seminar is on the 10th October and is £190 plus VAT to attend. Further details can be found at http://www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk/forums/event.php?eid=616.

Vitae Conference Call for Workshop Proposals and Special Interest Sessions

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The annual Vitae Researcher Development International Conference aims to address the strategic and practical implications for researcher development and doctoral education.  The conference has a number of themes including policy developments, building institutional capacity for research excellence, supporting professional and career development and demonstrating the impact of research development on research, careers and society.

The 2013 conference will include the launch of the UK aggregate analyses of Careers in Research Online Survey and Principal Investigators and Research Leaders Survey. There will also be updates from RCUK update on funding for researcher development and from the European Commission’s work on HR management of researchers.

The conference is being held on 4th-5th September in Manchester. To submit a proposal or to book your place, go to www.vitae.ac.uk/conference2013 where you can find out more detail on workshop themes. The deadline for proposing a workshop is Thursday 6 June 2013. Special Interest Sessions are shorter 30 minute sessions and ideas for these should be submitted by 5th July for inclusion in the conference programme.

Innovation, Internationalisation and Sustainable Growth

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Join ECD and partners in sharing valuable lessons to influence and improve performance in areas of Innovation, Internationalisation and Sustainable Growth.

On 23rd April there is an event at Birmingham Science Park to mark the success of the District+ Programme and support delegates in making the most of ongoing funding and business opportunities in Europe.

Further information is available on the flyer here: Innovation Internationalisation Sustainable Growth.  The following link has registration information: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/event/5865203983#.

If you are interested in this event but unable to attend please contact externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk who can provide feedback.

HEFCE has announced funding allocations for 2013-14

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The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) will allocate £4.47 billion to 129 universities and higher education colleges and 203 further education colleges for the academic year 2013-14.

This funding is allocated for the following key areas and activities:

  • £2.3 billion for teaching
  • £1.6 billion for research
  • £160 million for knowledge exchange
  • £280 million in capital grants
  • £149 million in special funding.

Further details are given in ‘Recurrent grants and student number controls for 2013-14’ (HEFCE 2013/05).  The ring-fenced settlement for science and research means that HEFCE can maintain overall levels for research and knowledge exchange funding until 2014-15.

Fellowship opportunity for researchers

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The British Science Association Media Fellowship Scheme is open for aplpications.  The scheme aims to strengthen connections between scientists and the media by placing researchers in a 3-5 week summer placement with a media host such as the BBC, the Guardian and the Irish Times.

Participants return to their organisations better equipped to handle media enquiries, to turn their research into news and promote their research and institution. They also improve their communication skills that benefit their teaching, journal articles and grant applications.  Further information is available at http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/science-society/media-fellowships

Funding for commercialisation of Intellectual Property

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The Armourers and Brasiers’ Company is, through the Gauntlet Trust, one of the leading supporters of materials science education and research at schools and universities in the UK. They provide direct financial support for the commercialisation of promising research via the provision of an annual Armourers and Brasiers’ Materials Science Venture Prize.
The scheme is focused on an annual prize of £25,000 in the form of an investment into the enterprise and is judged on a competitive basis by a committee of commercial, financial and scientific experts. This prize is intended to enable the winner to fund a significant commercial advancement of the project to a stage where a business may be created to exploit this technology.
The deadline for applications is 31st March 2013, with further details at http://www.armourershall.co.uk/index.php.  Please contact externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk if you are interested.

Fellowship opportunity for researchers

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The British Science Association Media Fellowship scheme is open for applications.  The scheme aims to strengthen connections between scientists and the media by placing researchers in a 3-5 week summer placement with a media host such as the BBC, the Guardian and the Irish Times.

Participants return to their organisations better equipped to handle media enquiries, to turn their research into news and promote their research and institution. They also improve their communication skills that benefit their teaching, journal articles and grant applications.

The deadline for applications is the 11th March. Further information can be found at the following link: http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/science-society/media-fellowships.  Please contact externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk if you are interested in this opportunity.