Briefing Events for Researchers Considering Applying for ERC Starting Grants

Following the launch of the latest Call for Starting Grants, on 30 July 2009, the UK Research Office (UKRO) is organising a series of information events for researchers who are based in the UK or moving to the UK and who are interested in applying for European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grants.

Each session is geared to providing participants with an overview of the ERC in FP7, focusing on the Starting Grant Scheme and the most recent call, and also to giving attendees a deeper understanding of the proposals format and the key issues in planning, writing and costing a Starting Grant proposal.

The sessions will be held in the following locations:

• University of Sheffield, 3 Sept 2009;
• Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, 7 Sept 2009;
• Royal Veterinary College, University of London, 14 Sept 2009;
• University of Cambridge, 21 Sept 2009;
• Brunel University, London, 22 Sept 2009.

Two identical sessions will be held at each venue, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. It is only necessary to attend one session. Both sessions will provide an overview of the ERC and will focus on the application process for the ERC Starting Grants. There will be opportunities to ask questions during each session.

There is no charge to attend and places can be booked on-line at http://www.ukro.bbsrc.ac.uk/erc/events_ukro/

Background Information
The Ideas programme is one of the specific programmes of FP7. Implemented by the European Research Council (ERC) independently of the rest of FP7, individual projects of scientific excellence proposed by truly creative scientists, engineers and scholars can be funded. Activities of “frontier research” can be across disciplines, including engineering, social science and the humanities.

Two funding streams support researchers, namely the ERC Starting Independent Researcher Grant (referred to as the Starting Grant) and the ERC Advanced Investigator Grant (referred to as the Advanced Grant). Application follows calls for proposals.

The ERC Starting Grants aim to provide critical and adequate support to the independent careers of excellent researchers, whatever their nationality, located in or moving to the EU Member States and Associated Countries, who are at the stage of starting or consolidating their own independent research team or, depending on the field, their independent research programme.

The ERC Advanced Grants aim to encourage and support excellent, innovative investigator-initiated research projects by leading advanced investigators across the EU Member States and Associated Countries. This funding stream complements the Starting Grant scheme by targeting researchers who have already established themselves as being independent research leaders in their own right.

EU funding call for Reinterpreting Europe's cultural heritage

Funding scheme: FP7 Collaborative project (small or medium-scale focused research project) - Activity 8.5: The Citizen in the European Union - Area 8.5.2 Diversities and commonalities in Europe - SSH.2010.5.2-2 Reinterpreting Europe's cultural heritage: towards the 21st century library and museum?

National museums and galleries emerged in the context of the consolidation of the nationstate in Europe from the 18th century onwards. At the beginning of the 21st century, the intellectual underpinnings of many of these institutions are being questioned, while at the same time, new forms of interaction with the publics are formed. The purpose is to develop a new role for national museums and libraries that allows them, in an innovative way, to adequately reflect past trends and processes that are not constrained by national borders, engage the interest of new social groups and audiences, while simultaneously acting as agents of social cohesion and stability in Europe.

Research could look at the impact of museums, galleries and libraries (including virtual libraries) on identities and values through time and in Europe today, including research on memorialisation and the institutionalisation of cultural memory, as well as on how to best coordinate the activities and collections of museums galleries and libraries across Europe for the benefit of a European and global audience.

Research should also look at how contemporary research in the social sciences and the humanities can be applied in the re-evaluation and re-interpretation of collections and archives in museums, galleries and libraries; this will imply linkages between researchers and archivists in the museum, gallery and library sectors and the academic sector. The increased role of Information and Communication Technologies in museum and gallery displays or in virtual libraries, as well as scenarios for the organisation and content of post-national museums could be looked at.

For these collaborative projects there needs to be at least 3 partners located in 3 different member states. The maximum requested EU contribution under this scheme is EUR 2.7m.

Deadline: 2 February 2010 at 17.00.00 Brussels local time

For more information see: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=UserSite.CooperationDetailsCallPage&call_id=254 or contact Arts-REST

European Science Foundation Research Networking Programmes - 2009 Call for Proposals

The European Science Foundation (ESF) are inviting Proposals for new Research Networking Programmes. An ESF Research Networking Programme is a networking activity bringing together nationally funded research activities for four to five years, to address a major scientific issue or a science-driven topic of research infrastructure, at the European level with the aim of advancing the frontiers of science.

Key objectives include:

• creating interdisciplinary fora;
• sharing knowledge and expertise;
• developing new techniques;
• training young scientists.

A successful Programme proposal must show high scientific quality and also demonstrate added value by being carried out at a European level rather than by individual research groups at the national level.

Proposals may be submitted in any or across several of the following broad scientific fields:

• Biomedical Sciences
• Life, Earth and Environmental
• Physical and Engineering Sciences
• Humanities
• Social Sciences

Science driven issues of Research Infrastructures in any of the above fields

Deadline 22 October 2009, 16.00hrs CET

For more information see: http://www.esf.org/activities/research-networking-programmes/rnp-call-for-proposals.html#c15761

Open Call for proposals for ESF Research Conferences to be held in 2011

The European Science Foundation (ESF) invites scientists to submit proposals for high-level research conferences to take place in 2011 within the framework of its Research Conferences Scheme in the following scientific domains:

• Molecular Biology+
• Brain, Technology and Cognition
• Mathematics
• Physics/Biophysics and Environmental Sciences
• Social Sciences and Humanities

Submission deadline: 15 September 2009, midnight CET

In the area of Social Sciences and Humanities, the topics should be at the forefront of scientific research and may be interdisciplinary when appropriate. The ESF will fund up to 4 3-day-long Social Sciences and Humanities conferences to be held in 2011 in Linköping, Sweden.

The ESF Research Conferences Scheme provides the opportunity for leading scientists and younger researchers to meet for discussions on the most recent developments in their fields of research. It acts as a catalyst for creating new synergistic contacts throughout Europe and the rest of the world. ESF Research Conferences are open to scientists world-wide, whether from academia or industry.

Format:

• 90-150 participants (including up to 25 speakers and convenors)
• A duration of 4 full conference days (3 full conference days for conferences in social sciences and humanities)

Core activities:

• lectures by invited speakers
• short talks by young scientists
• poster sessions and extensive discussion periods
• Forward Look Plenary Discussion about future developments in the field
• no parallel sessions
• Joint meals and social activities to encourage further contact and networking

For more information see: http://www.esf.org/activities/esf-conferences/call-for-proposals/framework-call-for-proposals.html and http://www.esf.org/activities/esf-conferences.html

Conference to assess state of crime

An assessment of the current knowledge of crime, crime prevention and deviance in Europe will be debated at CRIMPREV’s final conference at The Open University from 17-19 June 2009. The international project was launched at the end of 2006 with EU funding to investigate perceptions of crime; criminalisation; deviant behaviour; interactions between different forms of organised crime; public policies of prevention; and to establish good practice guidelines across Europe.

The International Centre for Comparative Criminological Research (ICCCR) at The Open University played a significant role in CRIMPREV since its inception. Clive Emsley, Director ICCCR and Professor of History, said: “It is an honour for us to be hosting this conference. The ICCCR is particularly strong in providing historical perspectives in the area of juvenile justice and policing".

The conference will be debating the conclusions of six work packages in preparation for the final report. A short keynote by Professor Emsley will pinpoint some of the problems of understanding crime in contemporary society, notably with governments that cherry-pick research to suit ill-considered policies.

Professor Emsley believes this conference is timely to address sub-standard government spending on crime prevention. “The economic downturn poses a significant threat to the funding of crime research. Whilst the government want quick results, criminologists can’t offer guarantees that their work will begin to solve the crime problem. A conference like this will however bring us a step closer to understanding the problems and offering potential solutions.”

The conference will be webcast live. For more info see: http://www.open.ac.uk/icccr/events.shtml

Please contact Sarah Batt (a.s.c.batt@open.ac.uk) for further information concerning this conference.

Notes:
1. CRIMPREV is an international project funded by the EU through the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) - issues connected with the resolution of conflicts and restoration of peace and justice.

The CRIMPREV consortium is made up of 31 universities and research institutes spread across Europe from 10 European countries. The consortium will continue as a federation of institutions under the umbrella of the Groupe Européen de Recherche sur les Normativités (GERN) based in Paris. This federated body now constitutes an important Europe-wide crime control lobby with a presence at the EU table.

2. The International Centre for Comparative Criminological Research (ICCCR) is an Open University centre of research excellence. It was established in December 2003. It is a unique multi disciplinary and cross faculty initiative drawing on expertise from Social Sciences (social policy & criminology, psychology and sociology), Arts (history), and Health and Social Care (youth justice).

It incorporates the European Centre for the Study of Policing based in Arts and the Rethinking Criminology and Forensic Psychology Research Groups based in Social Sciences.

The ICCCR unites contemporary practice-based research and critical policy analysis in crime, policing and criminal justice with an awareness of historical, psychological and social contexts.

ICCCR has developed three substantive (but inter-related) areas of expertise:

• policing
• justice, rights and regulation
• prisons/penology

Coherence between these subject areas is maintained through a shared interest in comparative methodologies (historical and/or cross-cultural) and in a concern for processes of governance and regulation. Its research is aimed at academic, policy and practitioner audiences, and is disseminated via regular conferences, seminars and publications.

EU Launches Call for Proposals to Promote International University Cooperation (UK)

The European Commission has launched a new call for proposals under its new Tempus IV Programme (2007 – 13). The aim of Tempus IV is to support projects that facilitate cooperation in the field of higher education among Member States of the European Union (EU) and partner countries in the surrounding area. Tempus support two types of actions:

• Joint Projects, which are based on multilateral partnerships between higher education institutions in the EU and the partner countries. They can develop, modernise and disseminate new curricula, teaching methods or materials, boost a quality assurance culture, and modernise the management and governance of higher education institutions.
• Structural Measures, which contribute to the development and reform of higher education institutions and systems in partner countries, to enhance their quality and relevance, and increase their convergence with EU developments.

Institutions and organisations which may participate in the Tempus Programme range from higher education institutions and organisations through to non-academic institutions and organisations such as non-governmental organisations, companies, industries and public authorities. The total amount of funding available for this call for proposals is €53 million and the financial contribution from the Commission cannot exceed 90% of the total eligible direct costs.

Application form is available from the website – must be submitted electronically.

Deadline: 28th April 2009.

For more information see: http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/tempus/call09_en.html
and http://ec.europa.eu/tempus

Fellowship Program Research in Germany for PhD Student - Travel and living costs

The Gottlieb Daimler und Karl Benz-Foundation offer awards of up to £2,300 to enable PhD students working towards a dissertation to undertake a research stay in a German host institution.

A period of study or traineeship at a foreign research institution is likely to represent an important milestone in the career of a young researcher. With its fellowship program the foundation offers both German and foreign PhD students the chance to get acquainted with a different scholastic system and to pave the way, through successful academic cooperation, for long-lasting relationships.

The program is open to all disciplines, subjects and countries. Germans wishing to pursue a research stay abroad and foreign students intending to work in Germany in connection with their PhD may apply. The support provided by the Foundation is for a maximum period of 2 years.

Applicants should not be older than 30, and must have been awarded their most recent academic degree (Master’s degree or Diploma degree) within the last year at the time of the application deadline.

Fellowships are granted for the sole purpose of covering living costs in the host country. The Foundation does not fund tuition fees, materials, supporting staff, stays in the candidate’s home country or outside of the host institution, or travel costs within the research project. Max award £2,300.

Closing date: 1st October 2009 (Two deadlines each year 1 March and 1 October)

For more information see: http://www.daimler-benz-stiftung.de/home/fellowship/en/start.html

EU funding for training and career development of researchers

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Research has published three calls for proposals under the 'People' programme of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

Intended to provide support for training and career development of researchers, the calls include:

• Intra-European Fellowships (IEF);
• International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF);
• International Incoming Fellowships (IIF).

The Intra-European Fellowship scheme targets experienced researchers seeking to enhance their individual competence and acquire new skills at an interdisciplinary level.

International Outgoing Fellowships aim to reinforce the international dimension of European researchers by giving them the opportunity to work in a high-level research organisation in a third country.

By contrast, the International Incoming Fellowship scheme is addressed at top-class researchers active in third countries, who would like to work on research projects and share their knowledge with colleagues in Europe. Ultimately, the goal is to develop mutually beneficial research cooperation between Europe and third countries.

To see the full details of the call, please consult the following web address: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/calls/

The deadline for all 3 calls is 18th August 2009

The ESF is inviting Proposals for new EUROCORES Themes

The European Science Foundation (ESF) European Collaborative Research (EUROCORES) Programmes offer a flexible framework for researchers from Europe to work on questions which are best addressed in larger scale collaborative research programmes. The EUROCORES Programmes allow excellent researchers from different participating countries to collaborate in research projects ‘at the bench’. They also allow, when appropriate, colleagues from non-European countries, for example the US, to participate. The Programmes encourage and foresee networking and collaboration of researchers to achieve synthesis of scientific results across the programme, to link to related programmes, and to disseminate results.

EUROCORES Themes are "bottom-up" proposals for the creation of new collaborative research programmes dealing with broad and complex topics which are best addressed through multinational cooperation. Through its annual call for theme proposals, ESF solicits new ideas from the scientific community with a view to creating large-scale European Collaborative Research (EUROCORES) programmes in and across all scientific domains. In 2008, 6 out of 38 EUROCORES Theme Proposals were invited to be developed into EUROCORES programmes.

Theme Proposals must be submitted online.

Deadline for submission: 29 May 2009 (noon CET).

More information on website: http://www.esf.org/index.php?id=50

ESF Exploratory Workshop call open - deadline 30 April 2009

Each year, the European Science Foundation (ESF) supports approximately 50 Exploratory Workshops across all scientific domains.

These small, interactive group sessions are aimed at opening up new directions in research to explore new fields with a potential impact on developments in science. The workshops, which usually last 1-3 days, have a wide participation from across Europe and involve mature scientists as well as young, independent researchers and scholars with leadership potential. The relatively small scale (in terms of people involved) provides an ideal platform for focus on the topic and for all participants to contribute to discussions and plan follow-up collaborative work. Interdisciplinary topics are greatly encouraged.

Awards will be up to a maximum value of 15000 EUR.

Exploratory workshop awards are for events with a maximum number of 30 participants (including speakers and convenors).

ESF funds are intended to cover the costs of workshop activities and travel, accommodation and subsistence for participants.

For workshops to be held in 2010 - Deadline on 30 April 2009 (16:00 CET).

For details of how to apply see ESF website: http://www.esf.org/activities/exploratory-workshops/ew-call-for-proposals/ew-call-for-proposals-submission-details-and-procedure.html

HERA Joint Research Programme (HERA JRP) Call Is Now Open: Deadline 7 April 2009, 14:00 CET

The HERA Joint Research Programme (HERA JRP) partners have launched a joint call for trans-national Collaborative Research Projects (CRPs) in two humanities research areas: “Cultural Dynamics: Inheritance and Identity” and “Humanities as a Source of Creativity and Innovation”. By launching the first HERA JRP call for proposals, 13 national funding partners want to create collaborative, trans-national research opportunities that will derive new insights from humanities research in order to address major social, cultural, and political challenges facing Europe. In consultation with their national researcher communities, they have jointly defined and developed common research priorities, and created a new trans-national funding mechanism.

The beneficiaries of this Call are eligible scholars located in Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden and United Kingdom, irrespective of their nationality. Successful proposals will require the building of consortia of three or more partners based in three or more different HERA JRP countries. The total amount of funding available for both HERA JRP themes is 12,4 – 16,4 M€.

Deadline 7 April 2009, 14:00 CET

For more information see: http://www.heranet.info/Default.aspx?ID=356

If you are thinking of applying for this funding, you should already have established contacts with European partners to collaborate with.

Edited from http://www.heranet.info/ 03/02/2009

Up to 3.5m Euros funding for "Frontier Research"

ERC Advanced Investigators Grant 2009 (ERC-2009-AdG_20090415 for Social Sciences and Humanities)

The objective of the Advanced Grant is to encourage and support excellent, innovative investigator-initiated research projects by leading advanced investigators across the EU Member States and Associated Countries.

European Research Council (ERC) grants support projects which are carried out by individual research teams headed by a single Principal Investigator (PI) of any nationality and, if necessary, include additional team members. These teams may be of national or trans-national character.

The PI is expected to devote at least 30% of his/her workload to the ERC funded project, while spending at least 50% of his/her total workload in Europe (EU Member
State or Associated Country).

ERC grants aim to support "Frontier Research", in other words the pursuit of questions at or beyond the frontiers of knowledge, without regard for established disciplinary boundaries. Applications can be made in any field of research - including the social sciences and humanities - with particular emphasis on the frontier of science, scholarship and engineering. In particular, proposals of an interdisciplinary nature which cross the boundaries between different fields of research, pioneering proposals addressing new and emerging fields of research or proposals introducing unconventional, innovative approaches and scientific inventions are encouraged, as long as the expected impact on science, scholarship or engineering is significant.

Depending on the specific project and field, the level of these grants may be up to EUR 3.500.000 for a period of 5 years (pro rata for projects of shorter duration). Normally, however, grants will be limited to a maximum of EUR 2.500.000 unless the application involves specific features requiring a higher level of support: a 'Co-Investigator project'; requirement to purchase major research equipment, or a PI who is coming from a third country to establish a research team and activity at a host institution in a EU Member State or Associated Country.

An ERC grant can cover up to 100% of the total eligible direct costs of the research plus a contribution towards indirect costs, which cannot exceed 20% of the total eligible direct costs.

This information has been extracted from the "ERC Grant Schemes Guide for Applicants December 2008".

Deadline: 15 April 2009 at 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)

Full details of the ERC-2009-AdG_20090415 call are available on the Cordis website at:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=UserSite.IdeasDetailsCallPage&call_id=187

The competition for this funding will be fierce and the assessment is strongly weighted to the quality of the PI alone. In order for an application to stand the best chance of success, we recommend a long lead time for the application preparation, and internal peer review to strengthen the presentation of the proposal.

European funding opportunity for staff exchanges and networking

Marie Curie Action - international research staff exchange scheme - FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IRSES

The European Commission has launched a call for proposals for Marie Curie Action - international research staff exchange scheme under its Framework 7 programme (FP7). The aim of this scheme is to strengthen research partnerships through staff exchanges and networking activities between European research organisations and organisations from other countries.

This action will provide support to research organisations to establish or reinforce long-term research cooperation through a coordinated joint programme of exchange of researchers for short periods.

Financial support will be provided for a period of 24 to 48 months to joint programmes aiming at transnational mobility of researchers, technical and management staff. The duration of exchange for each researcher or technical/ management staff will be for a maximum duration of 12 months. The staff to be exchanged should be seconded, so as to guarantee full reintegration and the positive recognition of the mobility experience, thus maximising the benefit of the action for long term cooperation.

Deadline: 5pm Brussels local time, 27 March 2009

Full details of the FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IRSES call are available on the Cordis website at:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=UserSite.PeopleDetailsCallPage&call_id=174

EU funding applications generally involve a lot of work and are highly competitive. You need to allow plenty of time (we advise 3 months) to prepare your application and to receive advice about how to strengthen it, to give it the best chance of success. Before considering making an application, please read the eligibility criteria in the full call (not just the summary) carefully and make sure that you meet all the criteria. Please make sure that you give as much notice as you possibly can to the administrators who will need to support you with financial information.

European funding for researcher training and development

Marie Curie Action - European reintegration grants - FP7-PEOPLE-ERG-2009

The European Commission has launched a call for proposals for Marie Curie Action European reintegration grants under its Framework 7 programme (FP7). The total budget for this programme is 31 million Euros.

This call is limited in its eligibility, in that it is aimed at supporting training and career development of researchers who have previously had funding from FP7 or a previous framework programme of at least 18 months full-time equivalent.

Eligible researchers must, at the time of the relevant deadline, either be in possession of a doctoral degree, irrespective of the time taken to acquire it, or have at least four years of full-time equivalent research experience. Researchers must also be nationals, or assimilated nationals, of a member state or associated country.

Deadline: applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with cut-off dates of 5pm Brussels local time 2 April and 8 October 2009; the call remains open until a subsequent call is published but no longer than 5pm, Brussels local time 31 December 2009.

Full details of the call are available on the Cordis website at:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=UserSite.PeopleDetailsCallPage&call_id=168

If you are considering applying for any EU grant to enable you to join the Open University Faculty of Arts as a researcher, you must have a 'sponsor' academic from the Faculty supporting your application. EU funding applications generally involve a lot of work and are highly competitive. You need to allow plenty of time (we advise 3 months) to prepare your application and to receive advice about how to strengthen it, to give it the best chance of success. So you should have contact with a willing sponsor who is familiar with your work at least 3 months ahead of the deadline. Before considering making an approach, please read the eligibility criteria in the full call (not just the summary) carefully and make sure that you meet all the criteria.

Internal deadline 8th October - call for CO-REACH Social Science Collaborative Research between Europe & China

Below is a link to the call for CO-REACH Social Science Collaborative Research between Europe & China. This is a two stage bidding process and the deadline for the first stage is the 28th October 2008. The REST team presently have a considerable number of bids to be submitted in October so we ask that you let us know, by emailing Arts-REST, by 8th October 2008, if you would like to submitted a bid to this programme.

http://www.britac.ac.uk/intl/co_reach_ssprogramme.cfm

Regards
The REST team