Author Archives: Holly Hoar

Avatar photo

About Holly Hoar

I am the Development Officer (Research & Funding) in Research, Business and Employability Services. The Research team provides information to University staff on external funding, partners, and innovation activities. The team works with researchers and academic staff to help diversify income for Staffordshire University. Our Research and Funding Blog contains information on funding opportunities and the activities of the team. See my staff profile here http://www.staffs.ac.uk/staff/profiles/heh2.jsp

Up Coming Funding Events

Posted on by

Now that people are returning from summer breaks it seems a good time to send a reminder out for the three upcoming funding events being run by the External Projects Team.

Find Funding for your Research                        Wednesday 17 September 10:00-11:00

Workshop on using Research Professional to find the latest research funding in your field.

http://bit.ly/Za8Zmc

British Academy Visit to Staffordshire University     Thursday 2 October 13:00-16:00

Delegates will learn more about the scheme requirements, success rates, what assessors look for and how best to present applications.

http://bit.ly/1t7XlAW

Be a part of European funding    Thursday 20 November various times for each session

Four sessions on various European funding schemes. This year’s visit has a focus on partnering with businesses.

http://bit.ly/1yhFKuR

Visit the links above for full details on each event and how to book.

 

HEIF 2011-15 App Competition

Posted on by

Enterprise and Commercial Development have opened a new Mobile App call under HEIF.

Have you created a process, toolkit or algorithm? Do you have research that you would like to disseminate to the public? Have you considered turning it into an app?

This is an exciting competition that challenges academics and postgraduate research students from all faculties to come up with an idea and design a mobile app with a viable business model. The aim is to support the development and use of apps, encourage entrepreneurship, enhance research and help create impact and public engagement opportunities.

Prize: The three winning entries will receive funding for the development of their app by a professional software developer, hosting and initial marketing.

The guidelines and application form for this call are now available for download from Drop Box at the below link:

Deadline: 31 October 2014

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/huxr60xyvaciatc/AAAf4m8hvwHBwntAZ5TnW89Za?dl=0

mobile-apps

Global Innovation Initiative

Posted on by

This year’s Global Innovation Initiative call has been launched. These are for projects of global significance in partnership with US and Brazil, China, India or Indonesia. Projects must fit one of the themes detailed below.

Funding Body: British Council (UK) and Institute of International Education (US)

Scheme: Global Innovation Initiative

Overview: The Global Innovation Initiative will award grants to university consortia focusing on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-related issues of global significance that foster cutting-edge multinational research and strengthen institutional international partnerships.

Projects must include at least one partner in the US and one selected other country higher education institution partner. Other partners must be from one of the following countries: Brazil, China, India or Indonesia.

Themes

  • Energy, environment and climate change
  • Urban development
  • Agriculture, food security and water
  • Global health

Goals of the Global Innovation Initiative

  • To increase the global mobility of students, researchers, faculty, and higher education administrators from the U.S., the UK, and other countries;
  • To develop a cadre of people in the U.S., UK, and other countries who have the international experience, outlook and knowledge to confront global challenges and operate in a global context;
  • To encourage international collaborations that develop capacity across a range of universities in the U.S., the UK, and other countries;

To forge university and business linkages that support a globally mobile talent pool and a multinational base for the exchange of discovery and innovation.

Budget: Approximately 16 grants will be awarded ranging from $100,000 to $200,000 (U.S. competition) or from £100,000 to £150,000 (UK competition).

Deadlines: 31 October 2014 21:00

Further Information: http://global-innovation-initiative.org/

To get an idea on the types of projects that have been funded see the awardees page of the website.

global_innovation_initiative_grant_competition

Successful Bid to Arts Council

Posted on by

One of Staffordshire Universities Senior Lecturers in Fine Art, Stephen Boyed, has successfully bid for £9,000 of Arts Council England Funding.

After The Gold Rush will develop new artworks to be exhibited at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery along with selected artifacts from the Museum Collections Centre.

The exhibition will consist of five lithographic images juxtaposed with images of conservation practice, and images gathered from Anglo Saxon artifacts from the Staffordshire Hoard.

Stephen is now working hard on preparing the exhibition which is expected to be launched late in 2014.

More details on Stephen Boyed: http://www.stephenboyd.eu/homepage.html

Enterprise Clinics – Protect and Realise your Innovative Ideas

Posted on by

Innovation Clinic Sessions are returning!

brain

Do you think that your research or research within your faculty has the potential to have a commercial impact?

If so please book an appointment!

Please distribute the attached poster widely to your colleagues, and also to students undertaking research degrees (Masters and Doctorates).

It is important that individuals are rewarded for the development of any intellectual property that arises from work carried out within the University, patents and spin-out companies are ways to accomplish this. Creative industries are also important to producing a balanced commercial output, and can be protected using copyright.

Sessions will be held on Thursdays in August and September, with appointments from 1pm.

Please encourage your colleagues to come along, so that by patenting inventions and delivering spin-out companies the University can continue to provide accountability for public investment in research and further improve the reputation of individuals and the institution.

Innovation Clinic Plasma -PDF with dates and locations

If you have any questions please contact Adam Hope adam.hope@staffs.ac.uk +44  (0)1785 353667

 

 

British Academy Visit to Staffordshire University

Posted on by

The British Academy provides funding for research in the humanities and social sciences. They have agreed to come to Staffordshire University to provide information on the variety of research funding opportunities they offer.

Delegates will learn more about the scheme requirements, success rates, what assessors look for and how best to present applications. Plus there will be some new funds opening in the next few months so this is a chance to find out about the new schemes.

This event is being held on Thursday 2 October 13:00-16:00 in LT114/116 Ashley Building, Leek Road, Stoke-on-Trent

Academics from a number of regional Universities will also be invited and a networking session will be held. Collaborative research projects are of great interest to funders, so this is a good opportunity to talk to other academics and find out how you can work together.  A member of staff from the British Academy will be on hand during the networking session to provide information on the viability of your project ideas.

There are limited numbers of spaces, and we expect them to go quickly, so book your place now!

To book a place email externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk

Please include the following
Name:
Institution:
Faculty:
Job title:
Email address
Add details of projects you are looking to develop and need partners to collaborate on. We will share this with all delegates before the event.

Event Schedule
The event will start at 1pm.
13:00 -14:30 –British Academy Presentation
14:00-14:30 –Q and A session
14:30 – 14:45 –break
14:45-15:45 –Networking to develop collaborative British Academy projects
15:45-16:00 –Close

More details on the British Academy: http://www.britac.ac.uk/funding/index.cfm

See our other events: http://blogs.staffs.ac.uk/research/category/events/up-coming-events/

index

How could you strengthen the quality of your European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) bids?

Posted on by

Post by Marie Pandolfo –EDC’s new Project Development Manager

The development of a robust full application is an important element of any project, essential for the approval of funding and as an evolving tool to measure, control and evaluate delivery.
Before you start reading the full article, one key element you must know is that a bid is the very last step of a project development process. A successful bid never comes from a project which is still being thought through and discussed. This is especially true for European funds, as the key appraisal points do not permit any approximate answers.
Here are some key recommendations for developing and submitting a successful ERDF application form:

To understand the context of the current European policies for going in the right direction towards a successful bid.
The recent economic crisis had no precedent in our generation: the EU GDP felt by 4% in 2009, 23 million people were unemployed. The European Union is implementing a strategy to come out stronger from the crisis: Europe 2020, in order to face the challenge of recovery.
The Cohesion Policy is the key investment framework to deliver Europe 2020 objectives. It is currently being reformed for 2014-2020. It makes available €351.8 billion in Europe’s regions, cities and the real economy (€10 billion for the UK).
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is one of the five main funds of the Cohesion policy. It is intended to help to redress the main regional imbalances in the Union, by supporting two major goals:
– the Jobs & Growth goal [ESIF]: investments on research and innovation, information and communication technologies, small and medium-sized enterprises and promoting a low-carbon economy.
– The European Territorial Cooperation goal [INTERREG A, B or C]: cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation.
Both goals have their own regulation, which are currently being developed and their Operational Programmes should be released in coming months.

To know the 10 key appraisal points of an ERDF application form.
1. VISION: a clear statement of the project aspirations backed by clear targets and outputs.
2. EVIDENCE AND ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION: the current situation, the trends and the possible futures. The drivers and the causes of the project. An existing market failure.
3. EFFICIENT PROJECT MANAGEMENT: a sound management for the delivery of the results and any activities.
4. EFFECTIVENESS: a significant impact on the target group(s). Innovative products or services that will directly benefit the citizens. Value for money.
5. RELEVANCE: a specific problem is tackled and measurable outputs are demonstrated. Analyse the needs and the demand for the project and show evidence that beneficiaries will use the service/product.
6. STAKEHOLDERS: appreciation of their views and concerns, their involvement and effective collaboration.
7. SUSTAINABILITY: a clear exit strategy, with a lasting effect.
8. CONTRIBUTION TO CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES: gender balance, equity, environmental and social concerns in the project design and delivery.
9. PUBLICITY REQUIREMENTS: compliance with the European publicity requirements. Presenting a communication strategy to disseminate the results of the project is an asset.
10. CLEAR ADDITIONALITY: The need of the ERDF support and the leverage of external funds from other national or local public funders and private match funders.

To submit a bid which emphasizes the following characteristics:
The managing authorities of the ESIF and INTERREG Operational Programmes are expecting successful projects to:
– Meet the essential criteria of the relevant Operational Programme and its priority objectives.
– Include an interdisciplinary team that involves external, public and private groups. Putting a bid together with external partner organisations is proved to be an asset.
– Show an effective governance structure including any contractual requirements between the lead partner and any delivery partners.
– Have a clear, unmet and proven need and target a specific group(s).
– Have a realistic timescale and objectives and is achievable within the given timeframe.
– Be costed correctly with all expenditure planned within the project timescale.
– Show a clear ERDF additionality: Why should the project be funded by the ERDF? What is preventing the private sector from solving this problem / exploiting this opportunity?
– Demonstrate value for money in terms of outputs and results returned on the investment.
– Include a clear strategy for monitoring any outcomes/impacts/outputs, as well as an exit strategy.

If you want to know more about the ERDF or if you have a project idea, please contact the Enterprise and Commercial Department (ECD) for support on your project development as well as your bid submission.