External Projects Team: Enterprise and Commercial Development |
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Lead contact Prof Tarik Al-shemmeri, T.T.Al-Shemmeri@staffs.ac.uk Funding body/ amount received ARBOR budget is €7.361.958 ARBOR has received European Regional Development Funding through INTERREG IVB Project Partners
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Capacity Building Projects in Higher Education
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:
AHRC looks for ways to welcome artists into the fold
The Arts and Humanities Research Council is considering how to put research arising from the practice of arts on an equal footing with conventional research, its chief executive has said.
Rick Rylance argued at the annual forum of the Digital R&D Fund for the Arts on 3 July that there was now “dramatically” less resistance to research in practice than there was 10 years ago. He also said that it was difficult to use measures of quality for arts-based research of “equivalent value” to those used for other research areas.
AHRC council member Deborah Bull, a former ballet dancer and now director of cultural partnerships at King’s College London, will be investigating how the council could become more welcoming to the arts. “I’m trying to stimulate a debate,” she says. One aspect to study is the extent of institutional links between research institutes and arts organisations.
Bull argues that, although artists and academics work together, there are rarely formal agreements in place between organisations. “Personal links are good but if you want sustainability you need institutional links,” she says.
The council already funds collaborative research by academics working with archivists and museum and gallery staff. But there is less AHRC-funded research in the performing arts, partly because researchers and artists work towards different outputs and at different speeds.
Much art is about the experience of the moment, whereas most research is about recording or analysing something after an event. Rylance said there was an increasing need for research to occur in real time. “This is an extraordinarily febrile, full-of-potential moment to define a new field,” he said, adding that he wanted the definition of research to become more “elastic” and that research itself must become “more and more flexible”.
For this to work, traditional structures such as peer review may need to be reformed, according to Karen Cham, director of Digital Media Kingston, a cross-faculty studio producing research and art at Kingston University. “The clue is in the title: you’re either in the peer group or not. But innovation is never part of the peer group; you’re always on the periphery.” Rylance sympathises with Cham’s view: “Peer review tends to be conservative rather than adventurous, so we’re looking at that.”
Elizabeth Lomas, a research fellow at Northumbria University, has a £42,000 grant from the AHRC to consider broadly how arts and cultural organisations define and value R&D. There is no definition of R&D within the arts and humanities that has equivalent status to that in the Frascati Manual, which was adopted by the OECD in 1962. The definition in the manual splits R&D into pure, applied and experimental work. “The question for the arts is whether we conceptualise research like that too,” says Lomas. Her project will be completed in 2016.
This article also appeared in Research Fortnight –
New staff need to know about this blog
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:
Request a fund search for your research idea
Using Research Professional –our fund search website
Online funding systems needing External Projects Team approval
UnLTD Social Enterprise Awards – Small Funds Avaliable to Students & Staff
Staffordshire University have recieved a small allocation of money from the HEFCE supported UnLTD Social Enterprise awards scheme which has been matched with HEIF (Higher Education Innovation Funding) which is managed by Enterprise and Commercial Development. This small awards scheme aims to facilitate students or staff in trying new ideas that have or create social value, this can be an idea about starting a social enterprise venture, to supporting social enterprises that are already in existence.The awards start at up to £500 and dependent on your idea there may be additonal money you can access. Applcations will be accepted up until the 31st July 2014. In terms of the application process, there is a short application form to fill in, you will be required to keep reciepts and meet with us to ensure you are on track.
If you have an idea, or know of someone that does, if they are a student or a member of staff and they have an idea or a venture that they would like to discuss please contact Peter Twilley on 01782 294968 to find out more or email Peter at P.L.Twilley@staffs.ac.uk
Intellectual Property Act 2014 section 22A: Freedom of information exemptions for Research
Reply
In relation to what is generally referred to as ‘Pre-publication research’please note that the Intellectual Property Act 2014 (which is enacted but not yet in force – coming into force on 15 July 2014), by section 22A, has created a novel exemption from the Freedom of Information Act 2000, for pre-publication research. The exemption obtained in the course of, or derived from a ‘programme of research’ will amount to exempted information if the following conditions are met:
(a) the programme is continuing, with a view to publication by a public authority (cf. Universities are public authorities pursuant to Schedule 1 Part IV clause 53 of the 2000 Act), of a report of the Research…and
(b) disclosure of the information under the 2000 Act before the date of publication would or be likely to prejudice: (i) the programme (ii) the interests of any individual participating in the programme (iii) the interests of the Authority (cf. the University) which holds the information, or (iv) the interests of the Authority mentioned in paragraph (a) if it is a different authority from that which holds the information.
Commentators have remarked that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining exemption must be balanced against and outweigh the public interest in disclosing the information, and that each case would be decided on its own merits. The writer knows of no provisions referring to this balancing exercise, however it is generally recognised that the new exemption would allow Universities as Researchers to consider and validate their research work before putting it into the public domain.
Section 22A(2) is a new provision whereby the Authority (cf. the University) would not be obliged to ‘confirm or deny’ whether they hold exempt information, if by doing so this prejudices the above factors listed (i) to (iv) above.
When the writer comes across further elucidating commentary on the new section 22A Research exemption they will be posted further in this blog.
The link to the new Intellectual Property Act 2014 (adding the new section 22A to the Freedom of Information Act 2000) can be found at:
Free seminars on Creative Europe support
Join the British Council for free information events for cultural and creative sector organisations who are interested in funding under the Creative Europe Culture sub-programme, particularly those developing a ‘Cooperation Project’ for the deadline on 1 October 2014.
London Monday 14 July, 2-5pm Register now
Newcastle Wednesday 16 July, 2-5pm Register now
Leicester Thursday 17 July, 2-5pm Register now
Plymouth Friday 18 July, 2-5pm Register now
Light refreshments are provided. Booking is limited to two places per organisation. Please forward this information to colleagues who may benefit.
Funding Database
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
Staffs Fest – External Projects lead a Bid Writing Workshop
The External projects team have led on a Bid Writing Masterclass for colleagues across the University as part of the Staffs Fest programme. Staff from all faculties were represented as the session dealt with bidding from defining a project right through to evaluation of a bid, see picture above and below.
Slides are avaliable, if you want some more information please email Jose Beech External Grants Manager @ j.a.beech@staff.ac.uk
July’s Wider Outlook is here!
Wider Outlook – Funding, Policy updates and Research
Editorial
Welcome to July’s Wider Outlook—the team have chosen the theme of Research Matters and interdisciplinarity for this month’s theme. There is no shortage of encouragement to engage in interdisciplinary research and the need to do this is widely recognised – in order to begin to answer the big research questions – but how do you make a start and what are the institutional and other barriers? Who does it well – and how could we approach research differently?
Horizon 2020 recognises this too – and has posed research questions around challenges, societal challenges, climate change, health and food security. Explicitly highlighting the multidisciplinary dimensions to these ‘wicked problems’ by including the Social Sciences and Humanities as key collaborators.
We have identified a number of articles related to this topic -and for the first time we have not included funding opportunities in Wider Outlook – to keep current these are now blogged daily, or sent out to small relevant groups as a bespoke service,
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
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RCUK’s plans for 2015-16
Collaboration and efficiencies top RCUK’s 2015-16 plans; Research Councils UK will develop an innovation strategy, improve researcher training and career development and review its support of interdisciplinary research, according to its 2015-16 delivery plan.
The plan, published on 16 June, splits RCUK’s aims into two themes: delivering excellence with impact and enhancing efficiency.
Delivering excellence with impact
To address the first, RCUK says it will produce an innovation strategy that takes into account increasing collaboration and the UK science and innovation strategy, to be delivered in the autumn.
RCUK will also refresh its shared strategic objectives with the Technology Strategy Board, and improve work with partners such as the National Centre for Universities and Business. More interdisciplinary training will be provided for researchers, and RCUK says it will develop more robust evidence on the impact of training on the wider economy, as well as establishing an improved professional development agenda.
In addition to the review of the support of interdisciplinary research, which has been prompted by recommendations in the triennial review of the research councils, RCUK says it will continue working on cross-cutting areas, such as big data.
RCUK also sets out its international collaboration plans, working with government to deliver the £375-million Newton Fund, and helping UK researchers benefit from Horizon 2020.
Enhancing efficiency
On the efficiency side, RCUK confirms its plan to appoint an executive director to improve harmonisation in internal operations and says that it will continue making efficiency savings up to 2016.
At the same time, each research council has published its own delivery plan for 2015-16, which sets out the areas of investment for that time as well as committing to further collaborative working, efficiency savings and improving training for researchers. Most of these plans are continuations of earlier delivery or strategic plans. – See more at:
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/about/aboutrcuk/deliveryplan/
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Report calls for better inclusion of Social Science and Humanities in H2020
Horizon 2020 should include more opportunities for interdisciplinary research to ensure that societal challenges and humanities have sufficient space in the programme.
A report by Net4Society group, an advisory group on social and economic sciences funded by the European Commission, found that 37 per cent of the topics in the first Horizon 2020 work programmes include elements of social sciences and humanities. It is important for this work to be properly supported and made more visible in the wider approach to solving the Horizon 2020 societal challenges, the group said.
All Horizon 2020 advisory groups should contain members with a background in social sciences and humanities to ensure that these disciplines are included when projects are implemented, says the report.
When the original proposal for Horizon 2020 was issued in 2012, no provisions had been made for the inclusion of social science and humanities. After prolonged lobbying by social sciences and humanities researchers, the Commission decided to split the programme’s sixth challenge into two, creating a special budget for SSH work.
– See more at:
http://www.net4society.eu/_media/NET4SOCIETY_Opportunities_SSHresearchers_2014_2015_final.pdf
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Academics Anonymous: breaking down barriers between disciplines
Big problems require thinkers who can transcend the traditional boundaries between subjects. In an era where the speed of progress in e.g. biosciences is accelerating, it’s true that specialisation is necessary just to keep up with the data being produced. In fact, a whole new specialism, bioinformatics, has emerged to do just that. But the rebuttal to this is that we desperately need generalists to unify the specialist niches.
The really big problems of climate change, for example, can only be addressed by unifying thought from meteorologists, oceanographers, glaciologists, social scientists, behavioural scientists, political research, economists and so on. Some ideas:
• Hire and judge people on the quality and impact of their research, not on the journal they have published in.
• Anonymise job and grant applications.
• Allow interdisciplinary grants as standard that are reviewed by people from multiple disciplines.
• Provide funding for pump-priming new collaboration attempts and risky “what-if” projects.
• Bring experts from other institutions and industries into universities to provide specialised training to students while allowing academics to guide students in critical thinking and core skills.
• Give students free choice of modules so they can graduate as generalists.
For more see:
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Interdisciplinary research is the future at Sussex University
An extract of a recent interview with Michael Farthing vice-chancellor of Sussex University
“Development studies are still very strong in this university, and we are very concerned about the inequalities that could be driven further by climate change, by migration. We now have a medical school, so we’re fully engaged with health issues, not just local but global,” says Farthing. “There is a sense that the things we do here have got to be important, they’ve got to have impact, they’ve got to be relevant to the world outside.”
While some universities are still struggling with the idea of interdisciplinarity, it has been part of Sussex’s make-up from the start, and the return to a flatter, school-based structure will, Farthing believes, help it to flourish. The university’s neuroscience centre, for example, includes specialists in the fields of medicine, psychology, life sciences and informatics and engineering, while the Sackler centre for the study of consciousness science, built on philanthropic donations, brings together, among others, psychiatrists and computer scientists. A new interdisciplinary centre for Middle East studies is in progress.
In 1961, Sussex was a small university, alive with promise and opportunity. Farthing is aware that the expansion has, to some extent, changed the character of the university. But growth, he argues, has enabled the university to increase the breadth and depth of its research and to offer a wider range of courses. He is clear that he doesn’t want to lose “those very distinctive features” of the university, such as its commitment to interdisciplinarity. “Everybody here lives, breathes, eats, sleeps, drinks interdisciplinarity. And that is as alive as it was 50 years ago,” he says.
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Horizon 2020 – European Parliament input
Much of the credit for Horizon 2020 being simpler and more cohesive than its predecessors can got to the European Parliament, says Fiona Hall MEP.
Research is becoming more complex and interdisciplinary, and companies, institutions and governments are finding it difficult to fund increasingly costly projects. Modern research requires a high level of coordination and cooperation, freedom of movement for talent and ideas, and the ability to leverage large sums of money.
This is the main rationale for having an EU-level research policy. A bloc of 28 countries, representing more than 500 million people and a large resource pool, is well placed to respond to the challenges involved in research and innovation.
EU programmes provide an additional stream of financing to complement national efforts at a time when national budgets are under pressure. According to the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, for example, almost one-fifth of all funding for UK higher education institutions now comes from the EU.
UK researchers are disproportionately successful at obtaining EU funds, having received more than 15 per cent of the total funding from Framework 7 (second only to Germany) and been involved in more projects than any other country. But in general, across member states, money from Framework 7 has helped to bridge the funding gap and enable many projects and international collaborations that would otherwise not have happened.
For full article see:
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Ethics in Horizon 2020
Ethics research must be conducted in all parts of Horizon 2020 to ensure research and innovation is undertaken responsibly, according to the League of European Research Universities (Leru).
Leru states that the intention to solve societal challenges under Horizon 2020, such as health and food production, relies on assumptions about human values that must incorporate ethics. Ethics research can help to address questions such as what makes a good society, and how responsible governments and businesses should behave. According to Leru, ethics should play a central role in Horizon 2020 research. This could include improving research design to incorporate ethical issues at an early stage, as well as using ethics research to ensure scientific research is trusted and accepted by the public. It will also be important to ensure ethics is incorporated in conjunction with other disciplines, rather than remaining isolated within the programme, says Leru. The paper, published on 25 April, was written by ethics scientists to continue Leru’s efforts to ensure the social sciences and humanities are fully incorporated within Horizon 2020.
In previous framework programmes, ethics research was incorporated at too late a stage in research projects, which meant it was mostly used to formulate constraints on scientific developments or assess problems with public acceptance, says the position paper.