Category Archives: News

ERC 2016 Starting Grant Results and Advanced Grant Application Numbers

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The ERC has released results of the 2016 ERC Starting Grant call.  Here’s a breakdown of the headline stats:

  • 2,935 proposals were submitted of which 325 were funded giving a success rate of 11%
  • Funding was €485 million (up to €1.5m per grant).
  • Of the awards made,   45% were in Physical Sciences and Engineering, 30% were in Life Sciences, and 25% in Social Sciences.
  • The UK hosts the second highest number of awards, 59 (18%), behind Germany which hosts 61 awards.
  • 70% of awards went to male PIs.

For the 2016 ERC Advanced Grant Call which closed on 1 September 2016 at total of 2,401 proposals were submitted.  The ERC expects to make around 235 awards.  Results will be available in the fist half of 2017.

 

RCUK’s Statement on International Collaboration Post Brexit

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Research Councils UK have released a statement of their position on international collaboration post the EU Referendum (6 July 2016).

The statement is a robust assertion of RCUK’s commitment to enabling and facilitating UK research collaboration across Europe and the rest of the world and its determination to work with Government to ensure that the UK is well placed to maintain its place as a leading research nation. It also states RCUK’s commitment to supporting researchers and students from EU nations currently working in the UK and its advocacy of the value of researcher mobility.

RCUK will continue to work to ensure that UK researchers have access to leading research infrastructure and facilities wherever they are located in the world and confirms that the UK’s participation in major European partnerships that are not part of EU institutions (e.g. CERN, ESO, ESA) will not be affected by the Referendum decision.

In the immediate term, whilst the UK remains a full member of the EU, RCUK encourages researchers to apply for European funding schemes as normal and asserts that the Research Councils will honour existing commitments and obligations through EU funded programmes.

The RCUK’s statement can be found in full at:

http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/media/news/160706/

 

Universities and Science Minister Outlines New Commitments to Science Funding

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gov.uk_logotype_crown-e29852f97b3a3fc0abfd44de1418e260In positive news for UK science research, the Minister for Universities and Science, Jo Johnson, yesterday announced increased funding for science research and outreach. Delivering the annual `Campaign for Science and Engineering’ (CaSE) lecture (27 January), Jo Johnson’s speech highlighted the strength of the UK’s research partnerships with Europe and the rest of the world: about half of all UK research publications now involve international collaborations.

In summary:

  • Doubling the Newton Fund for international research from its current £75 million per year to £150 million per year by 2021, meaning a total investment of £735 million from 2014 to 2021. The fund will enable UK scientists to partner with academics and researchers in developing countries and emerging markets to support their economic development and the UK’s research base. Established in 2014, 181 programmes have been supported through the Newton Fund.  Projects are co-funded by the partner country, helping to unlock further investment
  • A new government partnership with the Wellcome Trust to deliver the £30 million Inspiring Science Capital Fund. The Fund will enable Science Centres and to grow their STEM outreach activities through the creation of new exhibitions, as well as science laboratory and education spaces to better accommodate schools and visiting groups. Applicants will need to demonstrate how the funding would engage underserved and underrepresented audiences.
  • Jo Johnson’s speech also highlighted the strength of the UK’s research partnerships with Europe. The UK received €7 billion under the last Framework Programme (2007 to 2013), making the UK one of the largest beneficiaries of EU research funding. In the current funding round, Horizon 2020, the UK has secured 15.4% of funds, behind only Germany on 16.5%, and with the second largest number of participating organisations.

Further information can be found https://www.gov.uk/government/news/johnson-sets-out-measures-to-make-uk-best-place-in-world-to-do-science

Research funding should go to research, not to publishers – Last chance!

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The League of European Research Universities (LERU) has published a statement – ‘Research funding should go to research, not to publishers’ – calling for the EU Commission to open up discussion around access to research publications. LERU is aiming to get 10,000 signatures to the statement by 16 January. The University is already a signatory, but you can sign the statement as an individual.

Read and sign up to the LERU Statement

Oxford Research Archive for Data – Seal of Approval

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The Oxford Research Archive for Data (ORA-Data) has been awarded the Data Seal of Approval. The Seal represents an international, peer-reviewed standard which certifies a data archive according to sixteen essential criteria for good practice. This provides evidence of compliance with key Research Data Management principles and denotes the archive as a Trusted Digital Repository.

 

For more information please see the ORA website.