Presentations from Info Day on Knowledge Alliances and Sector Skills Alliances Now Available

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Esther KNIGHT

Slides from the information event about Knowledge Alliances and Sector Skills Alliances under the Erasmus+ Programme organised by the European Commission on 12 November 2014 in Brussels are now available on-line.

The Info Day provided support to applicants for Knowledge Alliances and Sector Skills Alliances in developing their proposals for the deadline of 26 February 2015. It gave networking opportunities to over 300 organisations across Europe.

Knowledge Alliances
The European Commission is supporting Europe’s innovation capacity in higher education, business and the broader socio-economic environment. These are multilateral, transnational, result-driven projects open to any discipline, sector and to cross-sectoral cooperation. Projects need to involve at least 6 organisations from 3 different Programme Countries, of which at least 2 need to be higher education institutions and 2 enterprises.

Sector Skills Alliances
Sector Skills Alliances are transnational projects drawing on evidence of trends in a specific economic sector and skills needed in order to perform in one or more professional fields. The consortia are designing and delivering joint vocational training programmes and teaching and training methodologies. The sectors that are eligible under this action in 2015 are:

Manufacturing and Engineering;
Commerce;
Information and communication technology;
Environmental technologies (Eco-innovation);
Cultural and creative sectors;
Health care;
Tourism.

Projects need to involve at least 9 organisations from 3 different Programme Countries. In each country there must be a ‘trio’ composed of: vocational education and training provider(s), organisation(s) with expertise in a particular sector (including research centres) and bodies with regulatory function in education and training systems.

Main funding rules
• Duration: 2 or 3 years;
• Grants: € 700.000 or up to € 1.000.000;
• Grant for implementation support based on staff unit costs (covering all project expenditure) and in duly justified cases for mobility activities.

Further Guidance
More details are available in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide on the Call website. The e-Form and instructions for submission will be published by the EC in December 2014.

http://www.ukro.ac.uk/subscriber/Pages/141113_alliances_infoday_presentations.aspx

H2020 Science in and for Society – New Website

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Esther KNIGHT

The Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission has launched a new thematic website for the “Science with and for Society” part of Horizon 2020.

The site for “Science with and for Society” (SWAFS) has replaced the Science in Society website. The “Science with and for Society” programme is crucial in implementing the Responsible Research and Innovation governance framework.

The new website is easier to navigate and contains more information about all policy areas of the SWAFS programme:

Public Engagement;
Science Education;
Gender Equality;
Research Ethics;
Open Science (Open Access);
Governance.

It is possible to provide the European Commission with feedback on the new portal -which can be found here:

http://ec.europa.eu/research/swafs/index.cfm

Erasmus+ Knowledge Alliances and Sector Skills Alliances Actions – Partner Search Tool

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Esther KNIGHT

The European Commission has launched an on-line partner search tool dedicated to Knowledge Alliances and Sector Skills Alliances Actions of Erasmus+ Programme.

The tool is supporting organisations interested in the current Erasmus+ Knowledge Alliances-Sector Skills Alliances 2015 call for proposals, with the deadline of 26 February 2015, in finding partners for their projects.
The database is searchable by project country, organisation type and project type.

To use the tool, please follow the link below.

http://infodaykassatool.teamwork.fr/

What Works wellbeing

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Esther KNIGHT

The Economic and Social Research Council invites applications for its What Works wellbeing programme. This funds wellbeing themed evidence programmes in support of a new and independent What Works centre for wellbeing. Proposals should address the following themes:

•cross-cutting capability;

•work, learning and wellbeing;

•community wellbeing;

•culture, sport and wellbeing.

Principal investigators must be based at a research organisation for the duration of the award. The inclusion of international co-investigators is welcomed and inter-institutional proposals or partnerships with non-higher education institutions are strongly encouraged.

Funding is worth between £875,000 and £1.06 million per programme over three years.

Find more details here

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/funding-opportunities/32283/what-works-wellbeing.aspx

Closing date 02/12/14

Research Outcomes Harmonisation Project

Posted on October 31, 2014 by BENNETT Margaret

RCUK has requested that research council funded colleagues should be reminded about the Research Outcomes Harmonisation Project and their obligation to submit data on the outcomes of their research.

RCUK have a responsibility to demonstrate the value and impact of research supported through public funding. The seven research councils collect information that researchers provide on outputs, outcomes and impact to report to and engage with both the Government and the public. Responding to a drive from BIS, the RCUK Research Outcomes Harmonisation Project is an initiative designed to increase the uniformity of data collection and to improve analysis, reporting and communications.

From September 2014, all RCUK funded research outcomes must be recorded on Researchfish.

Using software originally developed for the MRC, Researchfish is currently used by 90+ funders to gather information from researchers about the outcomes of their work.

It is an online facility that enables research funders and research organisations to track the impacts of their investments and researchers to log the outputs, outcomes and impacts of their work.

In September, PIs holding awards from the Councils which used the previous system (AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC and NERC) were sent an email with a link to register with Researchfish. New grant holders for MRC and STFC were also sent registration emails. If PIs have lost this email they can request that it be resent by emailing support@researchfish.com.

RCUK are now requesting that outstanding data be submitted as a matter of urgency.

Data should be uploaded to Researchfish by 4pm on 13^th November 2014 at which point the system will not accept any more submissions.

For further information about the Research Outcomes Harmonisation Project go to: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/research/researchoutcomes/project/

Contact researchoutcomes@rcuk.ac.uk if you have any questions about the research outcomes collection process.

To register on Researchfish go to https://www.researchfish.com/

External Projects Team can be contacted on externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk

Bursaries from the BMFMS: British Maternal and Fetal Medicine Society

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Esther KNIGHT

The British Maternal and Fetal Medicine Society invites applications for its bursaries. These support academics and NHS members in pursuing research or professional development. Two types of bursaries are available:

•research or audit bursary which aims to help pump prime pilot research projects or to set up a local or national database, worth up to £5,000;

•travel bursaries which are designed to fund travel to different institutions for academic or professional development, worth up to £1,000.

Applicants must be members of the society for at least six months prior to applying. Applications are accepted from academics, doctors, midwives and scientists of all grades. Closing date 01/11/2014

for further details see :

http://www.bmfms.org.uk/Bursaries/Prizes/c-1-8.htm

InfoDay announced: Knowledge and Sector Skills Alliances – November 12th

Posted on October 7, 2014 by Esther KNIGHT

The Erasmus+ InfoDay: Knowledge Alliances and Sector Skills Alliances will take place in Brussels on 12^th November 2014.

Knowledge Alliances are between higher education institutions and enterprises and aim to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity, employability, knowledge exchange and/or multidisciplinary teaching and learning;

Sector Skills Alliances support the design and delivery of joint vocational training curricula, programmes and teaching and training methodologies, drawing on evidence of trends in a specific economic sector and skills needed in order to perform in one or more professional fields

The aim of the event is to explain the funding opportunities available under Knowledge Alliances and Sector Skills Alliances

Speakers will offer advice and tips on preparing and submitting proposals as well as provide support with the financial aspects of funding.

There will be the chance to follow the meeting online.

More information about the event and the agenda will be available shortly at the web link below.

https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-plus/news/12th-november-2014-erasmus-plus-infoday-knowledge-alliances-and-sector-skills-alliances_en

Find the full programme document here:

http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/documents/erasmus-plus-programme-guide_en.pdf

H2020: ‘Inclusive, Innovative and Reflective Societies’ 2016-2017

Posted on September 30, 2014 by Esther KNIGHT

The European Commission has published a report summarising external advice on the next work programme for the Societal Challenge 6 of the Horizon 2020. It presents the outcomes of consultations undertaken during conferences, participatory workshops and on line questionnaires.

The report is structured around the main topic of the Societal Challenge 6 the Horizon 2020 programme:

Inclusive societies;
Innovative societies;
Reflective societies – Cultural heritage and European identity.

The views of around 3000 stakeholders from the research community, sector, public authorities, industry and non-governmental organisations will contribute to shaping the future priorities and topics of calls for proposals 2016-2017.

This external advice report complements the recommendations from the Advisory Group of the Societal Challenge 6 published in July 2014. Further debate among the Member States about the next work programme will be taking place in the Programme Committee.

The link below gives the full report.

https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/sites/horizon2020/files/External%20advice%20and%20societal%20engagement-SC6-2016-2017.pdf

Ths link takes you to the European commission’s site for this Societal challenge

http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/h2020-section/europe-changing-world-inclusive-innovative-and-reflective-societies

Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Awards

Posted on September 25, 2014 by BENNETT Margaret

Sir Isaac Wolfson FRS (1897-1991) was a businessman who distributed most of his fortune to good causes.

The Royal Society, in partnership with the Wolfson Foundation and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, invites nominations for the Wolfson Research Merit Awards. These enable universities to attract or retain researchers of outstanding achievement and potential. The award covers all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering but excluding medicine.

It provides a salary enhancement for up to five years, usually worth £10,000 to £30,000 per year, in addition to the basic salary.

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.

Closing date: 4 November 2014

For further information go to the Wolfson Foundation.

https://royalsociety.org/grants/schemes/wolfson-research-merit/

Staffordshire University Research and Funding Blog

Category Archives: Health Sciences