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HEFCE launch of the Interactive Data Toolkit: ‘What a difference having a University in your area makes!’

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Please find attached a Web link to the Ineractive Data Toolkit, following the recent launch of the detailed Data Maps by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

The initial discussions of the extremely useful HEFCE data (in the media and elsewhere) appears to be focused on the identification of geographical ‘Cold Spots’ in educational provision generally, for students of all ages.

However, with creative use of the data and an imaginative strategy, Universities acting as ‘Anchor Institutions’ in localities will become educational, cultural and economic ‘Hotspots’. Well that’s the general idea. It is recommended by HEFCE that the Data and Interactive Data Toolkit should be actively used by all interested faculties in the universities. In most Universities that means a considerable number of teams and departments should be using this new Toolkit.

The Link to HEFCE:

http://www.hefce.ac.uk/news/newsarchive/2014/news88533.html

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

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Europe in a changing world

 

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

 

Confidentiality agreements: When the wording ejects even interested bona fide purchasers from ‘the Confidentiality Club’?

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A recent High Court decision, (Richmond Pharmacology v Chester Overseas Ltd (et al.) [2014] EWHC 2692) involving Director duties under sections 172 and 175 of the Companies Act 2006, has also come to a fairly startling underlying conclusion, as to whether disclosure of confidential information to potential interested third party purchasers (even where third parties enter into non-disclosure agreements to preserve the primary confidences) could still amount to breach of confidence on the part of the primary party bound in confidence. The ordinary meaning of an obligation on each party to treat information as ‘strictly confidential all commercially sensitive information’, means exactly what it says on the tin; and that it may not be disclosed to anyone else. As Counsel in the case warned, in such transactions, the right to sell shares or other property to interested third parties would prove ‘entirely illusory’.

Please find attached a link to Mark Anderson’s IP Draughts Blog which explores the strictness of the conclusions in this case, and offers possible solutions in his Comments section.

IP Draughts Blog:

Disclosing business secrets to share purchasers

The decision in Richmond Pharmacology:

http://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/markup.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWHC/Ch/2014/2692.html&query=richmond+and+pharmacology&method=boolean

ESRC – funding for future research leaders

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The Economic and Social Research Council invites proposals for its future research leaders scheme. This scheme supports outstanding early-career researchers to carry out excellent research and to develop all aspects of their research and knowledge exchange skills. Proposals are welcome in any topic that falls within the ESRC’s remit.

The scheme is open to high-quality candidates from anywhere in the world who have a maximum of four years’ postdoctoral experience and the support of an eligible UK research organisation.

Grants will last a maximum of three years with an overall limit of £350,000 at 100 per cent full economic cost of which the ESRC will pay 80 per cent. Up to 40 grants will be funded. Closing date 20 Jan 15

Further details http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/funding-opportunities/15938/carousel-future-research-leaders.aspx

Leverhulme research project grants – appications invited

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The Leverhulme Trust invites proposals for its research project grants. These support innovative and original research projects on a topic of the applicant’s choice. The trust welcomes applications for research in any academic discipline.

Eligible applicants will already be employed by an institution or be an academic who has maintained close links with that institution following retirement. Institutions eligible to apply are universities, other institutions of higher education in the UK, and registered charities in the UK that have equivalent research capacity.

The scheme is also open to institutions or organisations of similar standing in countries where the provision of research funding is seriously limited. The award is paid directly to the institution at which the applicant is employed. Up to three co-applicants from the same institution or different institutions may apply.

Grants may be held for up to five years for a maximum sum of £500,000. Eligible costs include research staff, postgraduate students and the tuition fees and maintenance costs of one or more PhD studentships, as well as research-associated costs such as travel and subsistence, consumables and technical costs or services.

Exclusions

The trust does not support

  •  Research directly relevant to clinicians, medical professionals or the pharmaceutical industry, as well as policy-driven research where the principal objective is to assemble an evidence base for immediate policy initiatives.
  •  Research aimed principally at an immediate commercial application.
  • Principal investigators may not apply from institutions or organisations located in North America or elsewhere in the EU.

Application procedure

http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/funding/RPG/RPG.cfm

Research Project Grants are assessed via a two-stage process. There are no deadlines for Outline Applications, and their assessment is normally completed within three months. An invitation to progress to the second stage – preparation of a Detailed Application – will be sent to those whose Outline Application has been approved.

September’s Wider Outlook is here!

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Wider Outlook – Funding, Policy updates and Research

Editorial

Welcome to September’s Wider Outlook—the team have chosen the theme of working with Horizon 2020 and SMEs for this month. We have identified and created a number of articles related to this topic.

Once again, current funding opportunities remain part of our daily blog, and  individual opportunities are circulated to relevant groups as a bespoke service.

This edition includes:

  • a report back from the UK Research Office (UKRO) annual conference highlighting key issues for the university
  • the background and programme for our annual UKRO conference on November 20th
  • European Commission Regional funds and our internal champion
  • Intellectual Property and H2020
  • What is an SME?

Do continue to use our fantastic Funding Calendar enjoy this edition, and as ever contact us with any comments, ideas or suggestions at  externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk

The External Projects Team: Jose, Holly, Esther, Chris and Margaret

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UK Research Office (UKRO) annual conference, Bristol

The UK research office (UKRO) represents all the UK research councils in Brussels, providing guidance and advice to the UK university sector as they bid for EU research funding.The conference provided thoughts on issues the UK research community could address and improve.The full programme and presentations for the annual conference can be accessed here:

http://www.ukro.ac.uk/aboutukro/conference/Pages/slides_friday.aspx

http://www.ukro.ac.uk/aboutukro/conference/Pages/slides_thursday.aspx

The conference emphasised that H2020 is not business as usual, in that there is a distinct move away from pure research to addressing societal issues and challenges – such as the ageing population, and the financial crisis. This approach brings in formally a wider range of disciplines, for example the social sciences and humanities, SSH. It also brings in a wider range of sectors. In particular the Small and Medium Sized Enterprise sector (SME) who are the focus within H2020 for bringing the outcomes of research to market.

Key themes and challenges for the university sector arising from the conference are as follows:

  • Mainstreaming SSH and innovation
  • Joining up H2020 better to domestic programmes – there is a government science and innovation strategy due in the autumn that is designed to bring the two together
  • Linking H2020 to the structural funds (UK has an allocation of £11bn for to Local Enterprise Partnerships to prioritise –of which there is £800m allocated to innovation – particularly for taking research outcomes to market)
  • Developing links to business –SMEs and making the funds accessible

h2020 business

Particular challenges for universities in relation to working with business are:

      • How to find the right businesses for universities to work with
      • Questions of why businesses don’t collaborate internationally –linked to Intellectual Property; How to deal with IP rights in H2020 –in the past industry have been reluctant to sign up to EC requirements. See our IP article below.
      • Questions of why businesses don’t collaborate internationally linked to finding the right partners
      • Under the first SME call –UK came 3rd in terms of numbers applications (after Spain and Italy) and second in numbers of approvals.

ukro

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Programme for our annual UKRO conference in November

We have planned the date early for the University’s annual European funding event this year, so you can book a place before your diary fills up.

We are especially delighted to welcome both Jane Watkins, National Contact Point for SMEs in Horizon 2020 to the conference alongside Błażej Thomas our UKRO adviser.

‘Be a Part of European Funding’

Thursday 20 November 2014   09:00-16:30

LT114/116 Ashley Building, Leek Road, Stoke on Trent

Morning Programme

09:00-10:30 – SME involvement in H2020 – How researchers can work with businesses and other non-academic sectors under the different Horizon 2020 programmes. Błażej Thomas, UKRO 

10:30-12:00 – Marie Sklodowska Curie funding –  An overview of the fund, what we can achieve with it, and the level of detail required for an application. Błażej Thomas, UKRO

 12:00- 13:00 Networking Lunch

Afternoon Programme

Information and Networking session for Businesses and University Staff

 13:00-14:00 Presenting the Horizon 2020 SME instrument. Jane Watkins, National Contact Point for SMEs in Horizon 2020 

Throughout the afternoon

12:00-16:30 –One to One Sessions with Jane Watkins and Błażej Thomas

Book a one to one session with our European specialists to get inside knowledge on developing your European Project.

Get individual advice on which conferences to attend to meet people, which EU policies you should be focusing on, how to find partners, how to develop your bid and more.

Businesses interested in getting involved with European funded projects are invited to come to the University to find out how the programmes work and talk to academics about how they can collaborate on projects.

The University has lead and partnered on many European projects. It is a great way for businesses to develop their European networks and to get funding to develop a new idea to improve your business.

To book your place for any or all of these sessions email externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk

2013-12-11 14.07.39

The External Projects Team at the 2013 UKRO event

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European regional funds and our internal champion

The European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) are the main funds to support to growth and jobs across the EU. They are allocated regionally, to help develop new services and new products within an area.

The 2014-2020 allocation for the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent area is worth £138.4 million, and it has a 60% intervention rate. It comprises the European Regional Development Fund, ERDF (£83m) and of the European Social Fund, ESF (£55.3m). In addition, £3.13m is available to support investment for rural enterprise.

Priorities have been set out around these 4 themes:

  •  Innovation (ERDF),
  •  SME competitiveness (ERDF),
  • Place and environment (ERDF),
  • Skills, employment and social inclusion (ESF).

4 high value added sectors have been identified within the area: advanced materials, advanced manufacturing and energy, digital and creative industries.

Marie Pandolfo, who is covering Emma Davies’s maternity leave within Enterprise and Commercial Development, acts as the reference point for ERDF.

The University is likely to seek to develop a range of new infrastructures and facilities (Open Innovation platform, incubation space, shared research laboratories), as well as more support for enterprise along with a particular focus on the Creative industries.

If you have any project ideas or requests, please contact

E: marie.pandolfo@staffs.co.uk

T: 01785 353831.

Marie is listing all project ideas in order to get ready for the first call for proposals in the next few months, and to nurture the ESIF framework documents, which are still being discussed.

 

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Open Access

This is a summary of our Open Access briefing note which examines the meaning according to the EU Commission and the Research Councils

For the full note see Note on open access

Open access, as understood by the European Commission, or the Research Councils, is the free and open access to the outputs of publicly-funded research, usually in the form of academic publications.  Open access is required by the funders to promote social and economic benefits as well as aiding the development of new research.

The Research Councils’ general policy is that research and data should also be available to potential users in business, charitable and public sectors, and to the general tax-paying public, on the basis that research funded by the tax payer should be available and accessible to the tax payer.

There is an inevitable tension where the Commission and the Research Councils and other public funders wish to encourage publication of results and research data.  However, on general projects and Horizon 2020, the policy has included the taking into account of legitimate concerns in relation to privacy, commercial interests and rights of access to large data volumes.  There appears to be an attempt to encourage a culture of sharing scientific and other publications, and permit adequate protection of rights of parties in research and research data.

Learn more, In practical terms however – the European Commission’s IP help desk will look at draft agreements and give comments on proposals

http://www.iprhelpdesk.eu/taxonomy/term/149

Learn more, at the IPR webinar September 3rd 11-30 to 13-00.

http://www.iprhelpdesk.eu/node/2301

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What is an SME?

Working with SMEs? -here is the European Commission’s SME definition

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/files/sme_definition/sme_user_guide_en.pdf

horizon2020_0

 

How do the Courts interpret contracts? A recent essay from the UK Supreme Court entitled ‘The impact of pre- and post-contractual conduct on contractual interpretation’

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I was recently asked what might be the best way to negotiate or ‘agree’ a contract, and the attached essay goes a great distance in answering that question. Or at least goes to laying down the current ground rules. The essay is worth reading in the original short form, as a neat summary of the case of Rainy Sky [2011] 1 WLR 2900, and the statements by Lord Hoffmann about prior negotiations in Chartrbrook [2009] UKHL 38 and some points of note being:

1. Look for what the parties meant by the language used, and the test being ‘what a reasonable person would have understood the parties to have meant’ – Lord Clarke in Rainy Sky. (paragraph 2 attached)

2. The contexts the parties can take into account when interpreting an agreement: (i) documentary context, including the other provisions and clauses in the agreement (ii) factual context, and facts known to both parties (iii) the commercial context, including the perhaps unstable concept of ‘commercial common sense’) – Lord Neuberger explores the difficulties of the unstable element of ‘commercial common sense’ throughout the short essay. (paragraph 4)

3. What not to take account of when interpreting a contract: (i) what either party said they meant (ii) what either party believes that they intended (iii) facts known to one party and not the other (iv) what was stated in negotiations including earlier drafts of the contract (v) what the parties said or did after the contract was entered into. Lord Neuberger said that points (i) to (iii) are pointed to the objective question of what it would mean to the hypothetical reasonable person in the position of the parties. (paragraph 5 of the attached)

4. At paragraph 6 there is a short legal history as to how and why the interpretation of written contracts are essentially a question of law residing in the judge – and is likely to change in the future.

5. Contracts arising from discussions and oral statements: Inevitably, what the parties understood or intended their contract to mean would be admissible as an aid to interpretation. This is an important distinction (written and unwritten; and shows where ancillary or collateral documents can come into the Court in evidence for unwritten agreements – but it is important to note that the general rule is exclusionary regarding collateral documents (paragraph 7 in the attached) – for written agreements at least, for unwritten the admission of ancillary documents becomes more blurry.

6. The Court has a power to ‘rectify’ an agreement to ensure that it complies with the parties’ common intention – however this is a remedy available only in relation to documents (a short summary of the effect of the remedy is at paragraph 10)

7. The reasons for excluding pre and post – contractual negotiations: there is a problem of the sheer volume of documents and the fact that very often the evidence is essentially equivocal – and in a written agreement, the Court has to adhere to what words the party chose to set out the terms of their bargain (paragraphs 11 to 23).

The article: The impact of pre and post-contractual conduct on contractual interpretation

Click to access speech-140811.pdf

Rainy Sky:

Click to access UKSC_2010_0127_Judgment.pdf

Press Summary for Rainy Sky:

Click to access UKSC_2010_0127_PressSummary.pdf

Thematic partnerships with Indian Universities

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UKIERI-Study-India-Programme-Logo_0012

 

The British Council’s UK-India education and research initiative and the Department of Science and Technology of India invite applications for their thematic partnerships. These facilitate collaborations between faculties and researchers and enable registered PhD students and postdoctoral researchers in India and the UK to undertake short-term visits to work on research projects. The key subject areas match well with Staffordshire University’s:

•climate change;

•computer science;

•public health and well-being;

•food water energy;

•sustainable cities;

•big data;

•high value manufacturing.

Multidisciplinary research is encouraged. These partnerships are intended for institution-based research teams, in the UK and India, of proven research ability. The project leaders should be faculty members or researchers in an institution or research laboratory in a UK university or institution. EU citizens may apply provided that they hold a permanent position in the UK, and non-EU citizens should have held a permanent position at a UK institution for at least three consecutive years. Indian project leaders should be based in an Indian university or institution and be resident in India.

Funds are available for partnerships of up to 15 months in duration and provide a maximum of £40,000 equivalent in Indian rupees.

Closing date 15th September

http://www.ukieri.org/call-for-bids-2014-15.html

 

RCUK consults on open access

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Research Councils UK has launched a call for evidence to inform a review of how its open-access policy has been implemented.

The review panel, chaired by former University of Leicester vice-chancellor Bob Burgess, wants to hear from anyone who is interested in the open-access policy. The deadline for evidence is 12 September and the panel hopes to report interim findings by the end of 2014.

The review is aimed at helping RCUK to understand how effective the policy has been and what impact it has had on universities, research organisations, publishers and researchers.

See http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/media/news/140717/

The review panel, chaired by former University of Leicester vice-chancellor Bob Burgess, wants to hear from anyone who is interested in the open-access policy. The deadline for evidence is 12 September and the panel hopes to report interim findings by the end of 2014.