Category Archives: Funding

Sustainable Pathways to Low Carbon Energy (SPLiCE) Research Programme: Phase 1

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The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs invites tenders for its sustainable pathways to low carbon energy research programme.

The SPLiCE research programme will fill gaps in knowledge about the sustainability of different mixes of energy supply and demand options needed to deliver 2050 greenhouse gas emissions targets. It will look specifically at the effects of different energy options on the natural environment, society and the economy. This new research will be combined with existing information and synthesised into a comprehensive, accessible and holistic view of the data that will support decision making to build a sustainable future energy system.

Phase 1 will establish a foundation for this programme and will start a process of reviewing and synthesising existing research; prioritise new research for phase 2; produce a specification for a portal to access the synthesised information and assess options for evaluating and comparing impacts and engaging the public.

Listing Deadline: 03/04/2014 16:00
Contract Start Date: 28/04/2014
Contract Duration: 12 months

 

2014 European Innovation Scoreboard Published

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ris-2014-cover

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innovation/policy/regional-innovation/index_en.htm

The 2014 edition of the EU’s Innovation Union Scoreboard has been published. The report suggests that Europe is closing the ‘innovation gap’ with the United States and Japan, but that differences in performance between EU Member States are still high and diminishing only slowly.

At a regional level, the innovation gap is also widening, with the innovation performance having worsened in almost one fifth of EU regions.

The overall ranking by EU country is similar to previous scoreboards with Denmark, Finland, Germany and Sweden characterised as ‘innovation leaders’ investing the most in research and innovation. The UK is in the next group of countries and rated as an ‘innovation follower’.

The report finds that progress in the last year has been driven by the openness and attractiveness of the EU research system, plus business-academia innovation collaboration and the commercialisation of knowledge by licensing and patent revenues. However, growth in public R&D spending was offset by less venture capital investment and innovation investment in companies.

The Innovation Union Scoreboard uses a set of 25 indicators within three broad areas (enablers; firm activities; outputs).

£10k for research in arts and humanities

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The University has had some success with these grants in the past, but there seems for have been fewer applications in recent rounds. We are keen to see the numbers increasing again as this is a great fund to launch new researchers or to get small projects off the ground

Funding Body:  British Academy and Leverhulme Trust

Scheme: Small Research Grants

Overview: Fund is available to support primary research in the humanities and social sciences.

Funds may be used to facilitate initial project planning and development, to support the direct costs of research and to enable the advancement of research through workshops or conferences, or visits by or to partner scholars.

Applications for individual and collaborative projects are equally welcome. International groups of scholars are eligible to apply, provided the lead applicant is a UK-based scholar.

Budget: Grants are tenable for up to 24 months and are worth between £500 and £10,000. Start dates may be between 1 September 2014 and 31 March 2015. The fund does not cover staff time for the principal investigator, but you can employ a researcher to do the leg work on the project and get their time covered. Institutional overheads are not covered.

Deadlines: 15 April 2014 –Bids are submitted online. All bids need final online approval from the External Projects Team as well as faculty approval. Please factor in time for this and let the team know in advance that you are submitting a bid.

Further Information: http://www.britac.ac.uk/funding/guide/srg.cfm

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Innovation Challenge Knowledge Exchange School 2014

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Nesta innovation grants

Saturday May 10th to Wednesday May 14th
The Work Foundation, St.James’, London

Knowledge exchange is increasingly a central part of research projects in all disciplines and is playing an ever greater role in the assessment of academic research. Familiarity with, and experience of, knowledge exchange techniques has become crucial to the development of successful research careers both within the university sector and in the world of commercially focussed research.

This school is for post-graduate research students seeking to raise their awareness of knowledge exchange, team work and approaches to innovation in preparation for post-doctoral work.  It is run by Lancaster University in partnership with The Work Foundation and brings together early-career academic researchers with partners from both private and non-profit sectors to work on real-world innovation challenges. It is based on the successful Enterprise School model; as one of our participants put it after the last School: it ‘can absolutely change your way of thinking, approaching life and progress your career’.

Working with tutors and mentors from Lancaster University and The Work Foundation’s partners alongside independent experts, participants will be introduced to a series of key, applied knowledge exchange skills used widely in the business sector. The programme offers the opportunity to develop experience project based teamwork, and skills that will serve students well during their research as well as helping their post-doctoral career development (be it in academia or in another sector).

Working with Astute Radio (a young Internet media company) and a group of The Work Foundation’s network partners from various sectors, teams will deploy and develop these approaches to work on innovation challenges set by the partners and reflecting real-world issues confronted by these various organisations.

The school is hosted by the Work Foundation in London St.James’ and includes hotel accommodation nearby and all necessary refreshments/meals as part of the package.

Cost: the programme costs £600 per student

 For an application form please email J.a.beech@staffs.ac.uk

 

 

BIOREFINE Cluster Europe

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Staffordshire University’s ARBOR project under the leadership of Dr Sacha Oberweis has joined the BIOREFINE Cluster Europe, an initiative which links 15 national and international projects and involves more than 80 institutions from 14 EU member states. The projects are all focussed in some way on nutrient and energy cycling.

Sacha is a member of the steering group of the cluster which aims to stimulate project interaction as well as interaction of the institutions, organisations and individuals involved.

The cluster was launched from the NEW INTERREG IV.B project BIOREFINE and it’s aim will be to source sustainable biomass, improve energy technology and refine and recuperate products from the bio-energy process sidestreams.

The total budget for the project exceeds 30 million Euros.

In 2014, the projects within the cluster will work to develop tools and actions to enhance their mutual interaction, stakeholder outreach will be enhanced and project development will be increased.

Ultimately, the cluster aims to develop a community of like-minded organisations sharing a common interest in Biorefinery.

For further information please contact Sacha Oberweis on: S.Oberweis@staffs.ac.uk

Background

Accelerating Renewable Energies through valorisation of Biogenic Organic Raw Material (ARBOR).

The ARBOR project has supported the establishment of a European Centre of Excellence for Biomass Trigeneration based at Staffordshire University, which aims to implement innovative approaches from across Europe, working with a range of organisations to increase the adoption of biomass for energy production. Through European partnerships the project exchanges best practice with other research organisations specialising in biomass.

Part of the Beacon Building is now heated by biomass, realised by ARBOR.

Partners include:

  • Inagro vzw Belgium,
  • CRP Henri Tudor Luxembourg,
  • IZES gGmbH, Saarbrücken
  • Wageningen University, Netherlands
  • FlandersBio, Ghent, Belgium
  • VCM vzw, Brugge,
  • POM West-Vlaanderen, Brugge,  Belgium
  • University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin
  • DLV Plant, Wageningen, Netherlands
  • Stoke on Trent City Council,
  • Ghent University, Ghent, Belgiium
  • Provincie Utrecht

ARBOR is an INTERREG  IVB project with a total value of €7,289,415. The project began in 2010 and is due to end in 2015/16.

Funding for Conferences in China on any subject

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This find contributes towards fees and living expenses. Applicants include British postgraduate students (i.e. UK citizens only) giving conference papers in China, or travelling to China to pursue essential doctoral research.

Funding Body: Great Britain-China Educational Trust

Scheme: Student awards

Overview: The Great Britain-China Educational Trust invites applications for its student awards. These support Chinese students studying for a PhD in any subject at a UK university as well as British postgraduate students giving conference papers in China, or travelling to China to pursue essential doctoral research. Chinese students must have started their third year before they are eligible to submit their application. Students may only apply twice for the award.

Budget: The maximum award amount is £3,000. The most common amount awarded is between £1,500 and £2,000.

Deadlines: 19 April 2014

Further Information: http://www.gbcc.org.uk/staward.htm

1313658244_Great-Britain-China-Center

AHRC Research Networking

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Design and innovation

The Research Networking Scheme is intended to support forums for the discussion and exchange of ideas on a specified thematic area, issue or problem. The intention is to facilitate interactions between researchers and stakeholders through, for example, a short-term series of workshops, seminars, networking activities or other events. The aim of these activities is to stimulate new debate across boundaries, for example, disciplinary, conceptual, theoretical, methodological, and/or international. Proposals should explore new areas, be multi-institutional and can include creative or innovative approaches or entrepreneurship. Proposals must justify the approach taken and clearly explain the novelty or added value for bringing the network participants together.

Proposals for full economic costs up to £30,000 for a period of up to two years may be submitted. The exact mechanism for networking and the duration is up to the applicants to decide but must be fully justified in the proposal. An additional threshold of up to £15,000 full economic cost may be sought to cover the costs of any international participants or activities in addition to the £30,000 fEC scheme limit. Proposals will need to be submitted by an eligible Research Organisation but must involve collaboration with at least one other organisation, as well as having significant relevance to beneficiaries in the UK.

There is no specfic closing date for this call.

​Research-Funding-Guide.pdf provides an overview of
the Research Networking Scheme. It details the eligibility criteria, assessment
criteria, information on how to apply, application deadlines, eligible dates and
terms and conditions of awards. You must ensure that you meet all of the
eligibility criteria before submitting an application.

If you are interested in this opportunity please email us at externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk

 

 

The Calouste Gulbenkian Open Fund

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The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation invites grant applications under its programme for art research and development. Applications must address projects or ideas under the foundation’s three main strategic aims:

  • Cultural Understanding

To help improve people’s perceptions of each other by providing opportunities through culture and between cultures.

  • Fulfilling Potential

To assist the most disadvantaged in society to fulfil their potential by building connections and developing opportunities.

  • Environment

To help in the development of a society which benefits from a more sustainable relationship with the natural world and understands the value of its resources.

Not-for -profit organisations based in the UK or Republic of Ireland may apply for funding, and projects must take place in these countries. Projects may involve international partners, or emulate good practice in other countries.

Grants average between £10,000 and £30,000.

There is no closing date.

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is a charitable foundation established in Portugal in 1956 with cultural, educational, social and scientific interests. The Foundation’s Headquarters are in Lisbon with offices in London (the UK Branch) and Paris

For further information go to: http://gulbenkian.org.uk/open-fund/fund.html

A year off to work on design with a business

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This fund gives a design researcher the chance to work in business for 6 months to a year and collaborate on projects. They are interested in three priorities:

  • The role of design in the innovation system
  • The role of design in service innovation
  • Evidence to demonstrate the impact and value of Design

Below is some more information.

Funding Body: AHRC and ESRC

Scheme: Design fellowships

Overview: These enable design researchers in UK universities to become embedded in business or public service organisations and work with them on collaborative projects.

Researchers should be keen to apply or test ideas about service innovation in business, public sector or similar context. They should apply in collaboration with a business or public sector organisation of their own choice.

Fellowships support a period between six months and one year on a full time or part time basis, with costs. Awards must start between 1 August and 31 December 2014.

Budget: AHRC meeting 80 per cent of full economic costs

Deadlines: 24 April 2014

Further Information: http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/Funding-Opportunities/Pages/AHRC-ESRC-Design-Fellowships.aspx

Design and innovation

Pioneers into Practice – funding available

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dgre

The Climate KIC programme is going from strength to strength. It is now Europe’s biggest trans-national project focused on climate change with a budget in 2014 of €76 million.

One big part of the activities is Pioneers into Practice, the unique professional development programme open to practitioners of all ages and backgrounds which provides two one month placement opportunities, three workshops with Dutch specialists in transitions thinking and a place at the annual Innovation Festival, this year in Valencia. With all the costs up to €8,000 covered.

The call for people to both participate in this year’s programme and to be a host is now open. Forms can be obtained from the link below.

This is a great opportunity 

  http://www.innovationbham.com/projects/pioneers-into-practice/2014-programme/