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

Funding Opportunity for Pursuing Transdisciplinary Approaches to the Big Questions

The Metanexus Institute announces grants in support of transdisciplinary exploration of fundamental questions of life, the cosmos, and humanity. Metanexus invites proposals from networked teams of five or more investigators who:

• Intend to examine questions that range beyond those normally studied within established academic disciplines;
• Span an adventurous diversity of such disciplines;
• May engage religious and spiritual points of view;
• Seek to forge new and enduring links among different fields of study; and
• Aspire to have a transformational impact upon human knowledge and education.

To foster this transformation, MGNI will support open and dynamic transdisciplinary exploration and research with the aim of discovering new scientific, philosophical, and spiritual insights. The grants are intended to provide seed money for the formation and maintenance of networked groups of investigators from diverse academic backgrounds with the aim of building intellectual community.

Awards of $30,000 (£18,000) will be made through the Metanexus Global Network Initiative (MGNI) Basic Grant. Winning proposals will demonstrate academic rigor in program content, imagination and creativity in program planning, and cost-effectiveness in program execution.

For Further information visit: http://www.blogger.com/www.metanexus.net/globalnetwork

Museums Blog - A directory of museum-related blogs

Museum Blogs is a directory of museum and museum-related blogs and aggregator. Like its companion site Museum Podcasts, the purpose of this site is to raise awareness and increase the authority of sites focusing on museum issues. At the time of writing there were 331 blogs included on the site.

The Directory
A moderated directory provides a central website for listings to museum and museum-related blogs.

The Blog
All of the posts are from the RSS feeds of the blogs included in the directory.

Policies
This site is run as a public service and encourages community participation. The site does not accept advertising.

Link:

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