NIHR – Health services and delivery research programme – researcher-led workstream

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Josephine Beech

The National Institute for Health Research invites proposals for the researcher-led workstream of its health services and delivery research programme. This workstream focuses on research into the quality, appropriateness, effectiveness, equity and patient experience of health services. Research should lead to improvements in health services that will be of greatest benefit to the NHS and to patients. This workstream has a continued interest in applications for research in areas highlighted as a priority in previous NIHR themed calls. Applicants may submit either a standard outline proposal or an evidence synthesis full proposal.

Large scale studies of national importance are particularly encouraged in this call, including primary research projects that:

•address an issue of major strategic importance to the NHS, with the cost in line with the significance of the problem to be investigated;

•are likely to lead to changes in practice that will have a significant impact on a large number of patients across the UK;

•aim to fill a clear evidence gap, and are likely to generate new knowledge of direct relevance to the NHS;

•have the potential for findings to be applied to other conditions or situations outside the immediate area of research;

•bring together a team with strong expertise and track record across the full range of relevant disciplines;

•will be carried out across more than one research site.

NHS organisations, universities and other organisations in England, Scotland and Wales are eligible to apply. NIHR will fund HEIs at a maximum of 80 per cent of full economic cost, and non-HEIs at 100 per cent of full economic cost.

For more information Click HERE

Erasmus + Event

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Josephine Beech

The External Projects Team led a workshop this week in the Ashley Centre, over 25 staff from across the institution attended to hear about the new EU funding programme for education and youth, ERASMUS+. This new programme replaces the old Life Long Learning Programme as well as Erasmus Mundus, Tempus, Asia Link, Youth in Action and Edulink. The team were joined by our Erasmus Co-ordinator Deb Graddon who shared the latest news on our Key Action 1 bid (mobility of staff and student from SU) and Abdel Hamid Soliman who gave a great overview of a current Erasmus Mundus project PEACE.

If you are interested in this programme, there are a number of ways to find out more, you can access all of the current calls for proposals in the Programme Guide or if you would like access to the slides from the day, please email us at externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk

Marie Sklodowska-Curie COFUND Seminar

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Josephine Beech

In its capacity as UK National Contact Point for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, UKRO is pleased to announce a seminar on the Horizon 2020 COFUND scheme. COFUND offers co-funding for new or existing regional, national and international programmes to open up to:

International, intersectoral and interdisciplinary research training; and
Transnational and cross-sectoral mobility of researchers at all stages of their career.

COFUND in Horizon 2020 has a new element to it, as there are now two funding streams: one supporting experienced researchers through a ‘Fellowship programme’ and the second supporting early stage researchers through a ‘Doctoral programme’.
The first COFUND call under Horizon 2020 is due to open on 10 April 2014, with a deadline for proposals on 2 October 2014.

Date and venue

Wednesday, 30 April Queen Mary University of London Mile End Road London, E1 4NS

Seminar format

This seminar aims to provide participants with a better understanding of the COFUND scheme and its requirements, including the new doctoral training option. The seminar will combine discussion on the objectives of COFUND and its fit within the wider postgaduate researcher training landscape in the UK, along with practical information on proposal preparation, submission and finances. The seminar will also feature a case study from previous successful COFUND applicants.
The event will run from 10.30 to 16.00, with a lunch break. Please note that lunch will not be provided.

Registration

Attendance is free of charge but capacity at the venue is limited and places will therefore be allocated on a first come first served basis. Contact the external projects team at externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk if you are interested in attending.

NIHR Funding Event

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Josephine Beech

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funding workshop took place this week in the Ashley Building (see speakers in the picture above). Hosted by the External Projects Team and the Faculty of Health Sciences, this workshop was opened by Prof Tony Stewart, who set the scene and chaired the day.

Over 35 people attended to listen to experts from the NIHR present funding information on a range of health related topics, this was a helpful session, aimed at encouraging colleagues and partners to think about cross collaboration with the NHS and stimultating and reinforcing which streams of NIHR can be accessed.

There was also a useful presentation from the Research Design Service (RDS) for our area, which is based at Keele University. This is led by Roger Beech, the service now supports all applications to the NIHR scheme rather than just the Research for Patient Benefit programme (RFPB). There is also a small bursary avaliable from the RDS service up to a max of £500 to facilitate patient and public involvement (PPI) to enable applicants to put the patient views at the centre, from the pre application planning stage through to application and project implementation.

To access the RDS please email rds@cphc.keele.ac.uk

if you are interested in this stream of funding, you can access an overview of NIHR by clicking HERE

The external projects team has all the slides, so please let us know if you would like a copy by emailing externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk

Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) Programme – NIHR

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Josephine Beech

The EME Programme funds clinical efficacy studies. The studies test if an intervention works as expected in a well-defined population or group of patients. The Programme also provides an opportunity to use clinical studies to understand disease or treatment mechanisms, which may in turn lead to improvements in health and patient care.

EME funds clinical studies to test interventions where proof of concept has already been demonstrated, allowing their progress through early clinical trials and on to larger, later clinical trials. Treatment with drugs or biological compounds, psychological interventions, public health initiatives, diagnostic tests and medical devices are all within the remit of the Programme. Treatments or interventions intended to prevent disease are also included.

To see the latest calls please click HERE

Fund an international academic to work at Staffs Uni

Posted on January 29, 2014 by Holly Hoar

If you know a star academic working abroad that you would like to work at Staffordshire University for two years, this fund from the Royal Society and British Academy should be of interest.

Researchers can work in a broad range of fields including natural and social sciences and humanities.

Funding Body: Royal Society and the British Academy

Scheme: Newton International Fellowship

Overview: The Royal Society and the British Academy invite applications for the Newton international fellowship. This enables early-stage postdoctoral researchers from all over the world to work in the fields of natural and social sciences and the humanities at UK research institutions. Contact between the applicants and their UK sponsor must have been established prior to application.

Applicants must have a PhD and up to seven years of active full time postdoctoral experience. They should be working outside the UK and be competent in oral and written English. UK citizens may not apply.

Budget: The fellowship lasts for two years and provides £24,000 per year for subsistence costs, up to £8,000 per year for research expenses and a one-off payment of up to £2,000 for relocation expenses. In addition, fellows may receive up to £6,000 per year for up to 10 years following the tenure to support networking activities with UK-based researchers.

Deadlines: 10 March 2014 –This is an annual call

Further Information: http://royalsociety.org/grants/schemes/newton-international/

Policy & Research Small Grants Open Call

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Josephine Beech

Nesta have launched a New small grants fund they want to find new ideas and foster collaboration with a wide array of organisations so a open call has been launched where up to ten projects in total will be funded across the year. The maximum budget is 10k and examples of expected projects are:

primarily research-based
developing a paper
a proof of concept
policy idea.

NESTA research themes

Development and application of innovative methods for understanding innovation
Using big data or open data to understand innovation
Mapping and analysing new trends in social, business or technological innovation
Public policies to promote innovation
Adoption of innovation in public services
Innovation in emerging economies

To find out more click on this link – http://www.nesta.org.uk/Small-Grants-Open-Call

Erasmus + Webinars

Posted on January 17, 2014 by Josephine Beech

Ecorys and the British Council have advertised webinars for the new Erasmus + programme of funding. These are taking place in January and February.

All of the details on how to register and when the webinars are taking place can be found Here

The External Projects Team will be listening in to the Webinars, so we will be sending out a blog with all the latest info later this month, in the meantime, if you are interested in accessing the E+ funding please get in touch with us at externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk

In its capacity as UK National Contact Point for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, UKRO is pleased to announce a seminar on the Horizon 2020 COFUND scheme. COFUND offers co-funding for new or existing regional, national and international programmes to open up to:

Date and venue

Seminar format

Registration

The Equity Action final conference took place on the 23rd of January 2014 in Brussels. It brought together international experts on health inequalities, officials and policy makers from Member States and the EU and a range of key stakeholders.

Who was this for?

Key points