Author Archives: Holly Hoar

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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

Twinning to share research

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This research and innovation fund aims to link at least three European institutions and enable them to carry out exchanges to share ideas.

Funding Body: Horizon 2020

Scheme: Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation call for twinning (H2020-TWINN-2015)

Overview: This fund provides the opportunity to link up with another institution in a different EU country which is a high performer in your field. They also require projects to link up with an organisation from a specific list of countries which are not performing as well with Research and Innovation. The countries are listed below.

Projects aim to strengthen a defined field of research in a particular knowledge institution by creating a link between this institution and at least two internationally leading research institutions in other EU member states. Twinning will enhance the science and technology capacity of the linked institutions and help raise staff’s research profiles as well as the one of the institutions involved. Supported measures include: short term staff exchanges; expert visits and short-term on site or virtual training; workshops; conference attendance; organisation of joint summer school activities; dissemination and outreach activities.

Proposals may take the form of coordination and support actions and must involve a minimum of three participants. Applicant institutions from the following countries are eligible: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Macedonia, Liechtenstein, Moldavia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey. Proposals must involve at least two internationally leading research intensive counterparts established in at least two different member states or associated countries other than that of the applicant institution.

Budget: This fund does not include salaries or equipment. The indicative budget for this call in 2015 is €64.12 million. Each successful proposal is expected to receive around €1m, although proposals for other amounts will also be considered.

Deadlines: 2 December 2014

Further Information: http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/calls/h2020-twinn-2015.html#tab2

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Film on Applying for H2020

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This short film talks you through the process of applying for Horizon 2020 funding. Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever with nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020) – in addition to the private investment that this money will attract. It promises more breakthroughs, discoveries and world-firsts by taking great ideas from the lab to the market.

 

Further details on Horizon 2020 funding: http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020

Capacity Building Projects in Higher Education

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The European Commission will be launching the first call for the new Erasmus+ scheme Capacity Building Projects in Higher Education in autumn.

The Capacity Building Projects in Higher Education scheme replaces the former TEMPUS programme. Staffordshire University has considerable success with this scheme and acted as partner and lead organisations on projects.

Capacity-building projects are transnational cooperation projects, based on multilateral partnerships, primarily between higher education institutions from Programme and eligible Partner Countries.

The partner countries from outside the EU can include:

  • the EU’s neighbouring countries,
  • Russia,
  • EU candidate and potential candidate countries,
  • Latin America,
  • Asia,
  • Africa-Caribbean-Pacific countries.

Projects will have to involve at least three universities from three different Programme countries and two universities per Partner country involved.

There are two strands to this scheme, joint projects and structural projects. The joint projects will be of most interest to the university.

Joint projects operate at micro level and target higher education institutions in the eligible Partner Countries specifically.

They aim to modernise and reform higher education institutions through activities such as:

  • Developing new curricula or improving existing ones;
  • Improving governance and management systems;
  • Building relationships between higher education institutions and relevant socio-economic actors.

Time from the call opening to the deadline is often tight. There is not much chance to find partners and write the bid. This is a good time to start thinking about whether you are interested in applying and talking to potential partners to collaborate with.

The grant is intended to support the following costs related to the implementation of the project:

  • Staff costs
  • Travel costs and costs of stay
  • Equipment costs
  • Other direct and indirect costs.

Please could anyone interested in applying let the External Projects Team know so that we can start supporting you with identifying partners? externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk

As the calls are not launched yet there is no additional information on the programme. If you want to keep up to date with what is happening we expect details to be launched on the Erasmus+ website here:

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-plus/actions/key-action-2-cooperation-for-innovation-and-exchange-good-practices/capacity-0_en

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New staff need to know about this blog

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All new research staff should be informed about support available on finding research funding and other services offered by the External Projects Team. We need help from all departments to ensure that this happens because we don’t usually know if new academics are joining the university.

The team have developed a series of documents to tell new staff about the services we offer and what they can find on our blog.

If you are a manager or colleague to a new member of staff please point them in the direction of the find funding section of our blog. This has a series of guides, including:

How to find funding

Request a fund search for your research idea

Using Research Professional –our fund search website

Overview of European Funding

Online funding systems needing External Projects Team approval

Contracts Review Process

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Funding Database

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Research Professionals funding database enables academics to search for research funding in all disciplines from sponsors in the UK and overseas. The database has an easy-to-use interface and powerful searching and customisation tools.

Staffordshire University subscribes to Research Professional. Use is free for all University members. From any computer within the University network, you can start searching directly by going to http://www.researchprofessional.com

Using the Database

The site has a quick start guide which can get you started on the help page. This can show you how to use the database, set up an account and customise your searches. There is also a video introduction.

Searches can be sorted by sponsor, or by discipline (as broad or specific as you choose), or you can run a multiple search combining various criteria at the same time.

To manage your searches more effectively, you need to open a personal account. This allows you to:

  • use the database from any computer – your office or anywhere else if you are travelling
  • create customised email alerts that will bring funding opportunities to your inbox
  • save the results of your searches and re-run them
  • store interesting funding opportunities, add notes and share information with your colleagues

Registration for a personal account is free, and takes about 1 minute to complete. To do this, use a computer within the University network and go to http://www.researchprofessional.com, click on ‘register’ and complete the form.

If you need any help with using the system email externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk

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Joining projects already being developed

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Getting your foot in the door of European funding can be difficult if you do not already have European partners. A good way to resolve this is to look for organisations seeking partners to join their consortium.

The University subscribes to an organisation called UKRO. One of their services includes a partner search portal. To access it you need to set up an account www.ukro.ac.uk using the create profile button. Once you are in, select the partner search tab. This brings up a list of organisations who are leading Horizon 2020 projects and looking or partners. It covers a range of subjects but is worth keeping an eye on.

Other ways you can find partners online can be to join the ERRIN Network www.errin.eu ERRIN aims to strengthen regional Research and Innovation capacities by exchanging information, sharing best practice and supporting European project development.

There are also H2020 focused groups on Linked In. Within this there are themed sub groups relating to the H2020 priorities. People frequently use Linked in to look for partners to join their consortium so it is worth joining a group in your interest area and getting emails sent to you.

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New EU LIFE Programme funds launched

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Funding for Europe’s new LIFE Programme has been launched.These projects address the needs of nature, biodiversity, environment and climate action.

Funding Body: European Environment Programme

Scheme: LIFE 2014-2020

Overview:

The 2014 call under the new LIFE programme, will fund the following types of projects:

Traditional projects
These are projects focusing on development of best practice, demonstration, pilot or information activities, awareness and dissemination projects in the following key fields:

  • Nature and Biodiversity
  • Environment and Resource Efficiency
  • Environmental Governance and Information
  • Climate Change Mitigation
  • Climate Change Adaptation
  • Climate Governance and Information

Preparatory projects
These address specific needs for the development and implementation of Union environmental or climate policy and legislation.

Integrated projects
These are projects implementing on a regional, national or trans-national scale environmental or climate plans or strategies required by specific EU environmental or climate legislation, which could be developed by EU Member States’ authorities. The focus areas are nature water, waste, air and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Technical Assistance projects
These provide, by way of action grants, financial support to help applicants prepare integrated projects.

Capacity Building projects
These provide financial support to activities required to build the capacity of EU Member States, including LIFE national or regional contact points, with a view to enabling these countries to participate more effectively in the LIFE Programme.

LIFE projects have an emphasis on demonstration, best practice and pilot projects rather than the research focus which you find in Horizon 2020. Some of the themes also allow dissemination and awareness projects to be carried out.

More details on the specifications for projects, and on these priority areas, can be found on the European Commission web page indicated below.

Projects do not have to be transnational, but they are encouraged.

Budget: The European commission with fund 60% of project costs. Except in cases where the project focuses on conservation of priority species or habitats, where the funding is 75%.

Capacity building projects for members States are co-financed at 100%

Deadlines: A variety of strands are open, the deadlines are in October 2014.

Further Information: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/life2014/index.htm

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Attract an outstanding scientific researcher

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Funding from the Royal Society to attract or keep an outstanding scientific researcher (including engineering) at the University for up to five years.

Funding Body: Royal Society

Scheme: Wolfson research merit awards

Overview: These enable universities to attract, or keep in the UK, researchers of outstanding achievement and potential. The award covers all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering.

Awards are made to the university and therefore researchers must remain at the university named on the application. Researchers may be of any nationality but must hold or have received a firm offer for a permanent post at a UK university.

Budget: Funding in the form of salary enhancements, usually worth £10,000 to £30,000 per year, will be provided for up to five years. Research expenses will be considered for overseas researchers to support integration into the UK research environment.

Deadlines: 08 July 2014 –This call repeats, we do not have exact dates available, but it is roughly an annual call.

Further Information: http://royalsociety.org/Wolfson-Research-Merit-Awards/

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Contract Review Process

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The University has a Contracts and Compliance officer, Chris Kenning. He provides internal legal support and expertise in the area of research and funding.

He looks into Research Contracts in the University sector, with growing interest in ensuring the distribution of academic research for the enhancement of learning and the protection of the University’s commercially exploitable academic and scientific knowledge to the benefit of the University and staff where applicable.

This document takes you through the Contracts Review Process

If you need further support: C.Kenning@staffs.ac.uk

 

Rights, Equality and Citizenship in Europe

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The European Commission has launched a new funding scheme around rights, equality and citizenship. This blog gives an overview of the scheme. Individual calls will be launched over the coming months.

Funding Body: Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme

Overview:

Specific objectives are to:-

  • Promote non-discrimination
  • Combat racism, xenophobia, homophobia and other forms of intolerance
  • Promote rights of persons with disabilities
  • Promote equality between women and men and gender mainstreaming
  • Prevent violence against children, young people, women and other groups at risk
  • Promote the rights of the child
  • Ensure the highest quality of data protection
  • Promote the rights deriving from Union citizenship
  • Enforce consumer rights

Support is available for training, awareness raising, networking and transnational cooperation.

Activities to be funded include:-

  • Training activities (staff exchanges, workshops, development of training modules etc.)
  • Mutual learning, cooperation activities, exchanges of good practices, peer reviews, development of ICT tools etc.
  • Awareness-raising activities, dissemination, conferences etc.
  • Support to main actors/key stakeholders

Budget: It may not be the same for all strands but many of them look like they will offer to fund 80% of project costs.

Deadlines: Separate calls are planned under each of the Programme objectives, the majority are planned for the second half of 2014, although some are set for the second quarter of the year.

Further Information: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/grants1/programmes-2014-2020/rec/index_en.htm

You can see a breakdown of upcoming calls on the International Unit website: http://www.international.ac.uk/newsletters/european-funding-bulletin-june/summaries-of-2014-work-programmes.aspx

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