Commission Consultation on Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Josephine Beech

The European Commission is holding a “public consultation on the efficiency of proceedings and accessibility of measures property rights” relating to the civil enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).

The consultation closes on 30 March 2013.
As a part of its overall strategy on intellectual property, and in line with the Conclusions of the Competitiveness Council of 31 May 2012, the Commission is continuing to consult stakeholders in order to evaluate the overall functioning of the civil enforcement system for intellectual property rights (e.g. patents, trademarks, designs and copyright) in the EU. This survey is a part of the broad strategy of the Commission to improve the legal framework for intellectual property rights and their enforcement in order to allow innovative services and products to create growth and jobs in Europe.

Purpose and Scope of Consultation
The purpose of this survey is to gather specific information about the enforcement of intellectual property rights through contracts, litigation or other means. This information would allow for comprehensive assessment of efficiency and costs of the civil enforcement systems that are put in place for intellectual property rights in the Member States. Additionally, this round of public consultations gives an opportunity to identify complementary work streams where appropriate.

The survey focuses on the period from May 2006 onwards. It is directed at all interested public and private stakeholders. In particular, this survey is seeking information from stakeholders that participated in civil proceedings concerning infringements of intellectual property rights, namely plaintiffs and defendants as well as from other parties involved in such proceedings.

to take part in the consultation please click HERE

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Call for Proposals: Tempus IV

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Josephine Beech

Reform of Higher Education through International University Co-operation

Deadline: 26/03/2013

The European Commission, Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency, has launched a call for proposals in the provision for the fourth phase of the Tempus programme, a reform of higher education through international university co-operation.

The overall objective of the programme is to support the modernisation of higher education in the EU’s surrounding area. The Tempus programme promotes institutional co-operation and focuses on the reform and modernisation of higher education systems in the partner countries. It contributes to an area of co-operation in higher education involving the European Union and partner countries in its wider proximity. In particular, the programme will promote voluntary convergence with EU developments in the field of higher education, deriving from the ‘Europe 2020’ strategy, the strategic framework for European co-operation in education and training (‘ET 2020’) and the Bologna process.

The purpose of this call for proposals is to promote multilateral co-operation among higher education institutions, authorities and organisations from EU Member States and partner countries, with the focus on the reform and modernisation of higher education.

To find out more about this call please click HERE

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European Institute of Innovation and Technology and Knowledge & Innovation Communities

Posted on December 7, 2012 by BENNETT Margaret

Europe, like the rest of the world, is responding to the changing patterns of global competition and it is clear that there is a new imperative to address urgent societal challenges.

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology was set up to address these challenges. The EIT’s main activities are implemented through a distributed network of Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). The KICs integrate partnerships of European education, research and business organisations – the components of the knowledge triangle – and also involve public authorities in these partnerships.

To read more, click on the link: EIT and KICs general info

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How to contact us

Posted on December 7, 2012 by ejd2

You can contact the team via our team e mail externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk. Or please call us on 01785 353774.

If you would like to pop in to see us we have offices in BL178 in Blackheath Lane, on the Stafford campus and B184 in the Brindley Building, Leek Road, Stoke-on-Trent.

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Design across Europe

Posted on December 7, 2012 by ejd2

A group known as the European Design Leadership Board has formulated a series of recommendations for the European Commission on how to incorporate design as a driver of user-centred innovation across Europe in order to contribute to the Europe 2020 Strategy’s goals for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The aim of the report is to enhance design’s long-term contribution to the Europe 2020 goals through increased competitiveness and the pursuit of a better quality of life for EU citizens, with design embedded in Europe’s innovation systems. The recommendations in the report cover aspects including differentiating European design on the global stage, positioning design within the European innovation system and design for both innovative and competitive enterprises and an innovative public sector. On Horizon 2020, the report states that design research must be better embedded in the programme and in particular, that Horizon 2020 work programmes should have sufficient flexibility to enable the formation of multidisciplinary consortia in which design is one essential element. One possible output of projects could therefore be new, meaningful applications with a better design content, better technology usability and better value for users. http://europeandesigninnovation.eu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Design_for_Growth_and_Prosperity_.pdf

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Business Minister Announces £40m boost for High Growth SMEs

Posted on December 7, 2012 by ejd2

A new Enterprise Capital Fund (ECF) has been launched by the Business Minister Michael Fallon to invest in science, technology and engineering-focused SMEs. The Enterprise Capital Fund (ECF) will be providing a new source of investment for growth companies. For more information on this and other ECFs, go to: http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/enterprise-and-business-support/access-to-finance/enterprise-capital-funds

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation Calls for Proposals

Posted on December 7, 2012 by ejd2

September 2012, the JRF launched a new four-year programme to develop an anti-poverty strategy for the UK. The aim is to create a set of costed, evidence-based, anti-poverty strategies for all age groups in each of the four nations of the UK.
For the current calls for proposals, where interventions appear promising, the JRF will incorporate them into the anti-poverty strategies for the UK. Current calls include:

Institutional care and poverty: evidence and policy review – Deadline: 13 February 2013
Disability, mental health, impairments, long-term conditions and poverty: evidence and policy review – Deadline: 13 February 2013
Employment, pay and poverty: evidence and policy review – Deadline: 13 February 2013
Gender and poverty: evidence and policy review – Deadline: 13 February 2013
Personal relationships and poverty: evidence and policy review – Deadline: 6 February 2013
International and historical anti-poverty strategies: evidence and policy review – Deadline: 6 February 2013
Area regeneration and localisation: evidence and policy review – Deadline: 6 February 2013

Further details are at http://www.jrf.org.uk/funding, please contact externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk if you are interested.

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Arts Music Craft Community Engagement

Posted on December 7, 2012 by ejd2

Arts Council England – small grants to support community organisations

Arts Council England are looking to support community organisations to widen participation in the arts. Staffordshire is currently underrepresented in terms of funding and applications are especially welcome from community organisations in the county. Small grants for up to £10,000 are available on a rolling application basis with a six week turn around for decisions. Contact externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk if you are interested.

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British Academy – International Partnership and Mobility Scheme

Posted on December 7, 2012 by ejd2

The British Academy’s International Partnerships and Mobility Scheme is designed to strengthen research in the humanities and social sciences between the UK and other parts of the world. This funding programme provides support for three-year and one-year partnerships between UK scholars and scholars in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia and South-East Asia. The deadline for applications is 6^th February 2013. Funding of up to £10,000 per year is available to support research costs, but salary support for the principal applicant is not available.

If you are interested in this call please contact externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk. Further details are available at http://www.britac.ac.uk/funding/guide/intl/International_Partnership_and_Mobility.cfm

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