Below are some external funding opportunities that people thinking of working with our emerging research group in Stirling might consider. Clearly, some of the below deadlines are too soon for this year but most of these are recurring calls. Potential PhD students, academic colleagues in other universities, potential postdocs and so on may find below useful. Specific PhD studentships for the group are advertised on this link, and our preliminary website is http://stirlingeconpsych.squarespace.com/ 1. 12th January 2012: Marie Curie ITN: Initial Training Networks (ITN) offer early-stage researchers the opportunity to improve their research skills, join established research teams and enhance their career prospects.Usually, at least three participants join together to propose a coherent programme for an ITN. The participants can be universities, research centres or companies (large or small). Any research field in the humanities or science may qualify for ITN funding – provided that there is an element of mobility across national borders.
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/page/people?callIdentifier=FP7-PEOPLE-2012-ITN
2. 7th February: ESRC Knowledge Exchange Opportunities
This scheme provides researchers with an opportunity to engage with organisations in the private, public and civil society sector(s) on a social science issue. The Knowledge Exchange Opportunities Scheme now covers activities at all stages of the research process; from setting up networks to help inform the first stages of research; to the development of activities designed to apply previous research to policy and practice issues (previously covered by the ESRC Follow on Fund Scheme). Please note this is a collaborative scheme and, as such, all applications must include at least 25% co-funding from partner(s) in the user community (depending on the sector involved). For further details, including how to apply, please visit:
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/collaboration/knowledge-exchange/opportunities/index.aspx
3. 14th February 2012: RSE/Scottish Government Personal Research Fellowships.
These postdoctoral Research Fellowships aim to provide outstanding researchers, who should have the potential to become leaders in their chosen field, with the opportunity to build an independent research career. Applicants will have completed between 2 and 6 years of relevant postdoc academic research and can currently reside anywhere in the world working in any of the physical, computational, engineering, biological, medical, natural and social disciplines (although the research project proposed must align to one or more of the Scottish Government’s National Outcomes - see
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/scotPerforms/outcome).
Applicants must show that they have an outstanding capacity for innovative research with a strong publication record relevant to their proposed field of study. The fellowships are tenable for up to 5 years in a Scottish institution (ideally from 1st Oct 2012) and will include an opportunity for the fellow to work anywhere abroad for up to a year during the fellowship to help establish research collaborations. Funds will cover up to 4.5 years of fellow salary costs, associated overheads, and up to £6K per year research support costs. The host institution must commit to covering the final 6 months of the fellows salary. Further information about the scheme along with the application form can be found at
http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/995_FormsandGuidance.html
4. 21st March 2012: Leverhulme Research Project Grant.
The aim of these awards is to provide financial support for innovative and original research projects of high quality and potential, the choice of theme and the design of the research lying entirely with the applicant (the Principal Investigator). The grants provide support for the salaries of research staff engaged on the project, plus associated costs directly related to the research proposed.
Proposals are favoured which:
* reflect the personal vision of the applicant;
* demonstrate compelling competence in the research design;
* surmount traditional disciplinary academic boundaries;
* involve a degree of challenge and evidence of the applicant’s ability to assess risk.
Value and Duration
The great majority of awards involve a spend of up to £250,000 over a duration of two to three years. If compelling evidence is provided, awards may be made for sums between £250,000 and £500,000 for research over a period of up to five years. The assessment procedures for these large grants are especially stringent, and can involve site visits and discussions with applicants.
Topics
Applications for research on any topic within the entire array of academic disciplines are eligible for support. However, an exception is made for areas of research supported by specialist funding agencies and, in particular, for medicine. In such cases, applicants should consider an application to these alternative funding bodies as being more appropriate. Specific attention is paid to the reasons given by applicants in justifying their choice of the Trust as the most appropriate agency for the support of their project.
http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/funding/RPG/RPG.cfm
5. April 2012: Secondary Data Analysis (ESRC)
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/delivering-priorities-funding/secondary-data-analysis.aspx
The UK has a unique and internationally renowned collection of datasets which will form the foundation of the Initiative (see file attached). This data infrastructure provides a huge opportunity to address some of the most pressing challenges facing society today and into the future. For example, our portfolio of longitudinal studies has already revealed how fundamental and complex causal relationships influence individual life trajectories in a whole variety of ways. They have supported research across a wide terrain, including areas such as obesity, educational attainment, crime, social mobility and welfare and emotional wellbeing. These studies have also provided a strong evidence base to support a battery of government anti-poverty strategies, health campaigns, schooling policies, social welfare reform and other interventions.
The Secondary Data Analysis Initiative will build upon and extend the impact of longitudinal studies and a wide variety of other data resources. Given the richness of data available across the UK’s social and economic data infrastructure, the Initiative will not be thematically driven and proposals are welcome in any area which can generate policy and practitioner impact. Nevertheless there are significant opportunities for proposals to address key issues in our strategic priorities - http://www.esrc.ac.uk/strategic-priorities
Priorities:
· Economic Performance and Sustainable Growth
· Influencing Behaviour and Informing Interventions
· A Vibrant and Fair Society
The Initiative will also aim to penetrate a range of disciplines which move well beyond traditional users of these data, in, for example economics, and some areas of sociology and geography. The expectation is that use will deepen in these disciplines but also will also extend to researchers from wider backgrounds.
6. 19th April 2012. Marie Curie Industry-Academia Partnerships and Pathways.
This action seeks to open and foster dynamic pathways between public research organisations and private commercial enterprises, in particular SMEs, including traditional manufacturing industries, based on longer term co-operation programmes with a high potential for increasing knowledge-sharing and mutual understanding of the different cultural settings and skill requirements of both sectors. Participants under this action are on the one hand, one or more universities/research centres and on the other, one or more enterprises, in particular SMEs, that propose a project based on a joint cooperation programme. Within this scheme, the industrial partners must be organisations operating on a commercial basis, i.e. companies gaining the majority of their revenue through competitive means with exposure to commercial markets, and will include incubators, start-ups and spin-offs, venture capital companies, etc. The different participants should be from at least two different Member or Associated countries, of which at least one must be from a Member State. The participants recruit and/or host eligible researchers and contribute directly to the implementation of longer-term cooperation programmes established between them in line with the objectives of this action.
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/page/people?callIdentifier=FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IAPP
7. 30th April 2012: Leverhulme Research Leadership Awards
The Research Leadership Award scheme provides funds to build a research group under the direction of the grant holder, who must be at least 2 years into their first university post (but not sufficiently long in post for the trajectory of their research contribution to have become established). Awards will be for a sum of between £800,000 and £1 million over a period of up to 5 years and funds can be used to employ a research group of research assistants and research students (but cannot be used to cover applicant salary or overheads). Applications for research in any subject area within the Trust’s normal remit will be eligible for support. See http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/funding/RLA/RLA.cfm) for more details of the scheme.
8. September 2012: Marie Curie Career Integration Grant
Marie Curie Career Integration Grants are intended to improve considerably the prospects for the permanent integration of researchers who are offered a stable research post in Europe after a mobility period in a country different from the country where the researcher has been active during the past years (i.e. the researcher has to be mobile but can come from anywhere in the world – moving within Europe or coming from outside Europe). The duration of these grants is up to 4 years.
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/page/people?callIdentifier=FP7-PEOPLE-2012-CIG
9. International Outgoing Fellowships for Career Development
The specific objectives of the Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowships for CareerDevelopment can be described as follows:
"This action aims to reinforce the international dimension of the career of European researchers by giving them the opportunity to be trained and acquire new knowledge in a high-level organisation active in research, established in an Other Third Country. Subsequently, these researchers will return with the acquired knowledge and experience to an organisation in a Member State or Associated country" (2011 "People" Work Programme) Experienced researchers applying to this action need to identify and develop a research training project that will provide the means to advance significantly in their career. A fundamental concept underlying this action is that of advanced training and life-long learning. In essence, the fellowship should enable the experienced researcher to progress in the development of his/her career and should not represent a temporary solution. The fellowship is expected to be part of a structured, long-term professional development plan that is coherent with past achievements and clearly defines the future aims of the researcher.
http://ec.europa.eu/research/fp7/understanding/marie-curieinbrief/europe-world_en.html
10. Intra-European Fellowships for career development (IEF)
This action provides financial support for advanced training and trans-national mobility, for a period of 12 to 24 months (full-time equivalent), for individual projects presented by experienced researchers active in Member States or associated countries in liaison with a host organisation from another Member State or associated country. Overall, projects are expected to add significantly to the career development of the best and most promising researchers active in Europe, in order to enhance and maximise their contribution to the knowledge-based economy and society. http://ec.europa.eu/research/fp7/understanding/marie-curieinbrief/research-development_en.html
11. Economic and Social Research Council studentships for Scotland
(MSc+PhD or PhD only)
The SGPE is one of the research training pathways that forms part of the ESRC Scottish Doctoral Training Centre. ESRC 1+3 (MSc+PhD) and +3 (PhD only) studentships in Economics are available at the 8 SGPE universities: Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heriot-Watt, Stirling, Strathclyde and St. Andrews. They are intended solely for students either starting a PhD or intending to start a PhD following their MSc. Students wishing to apply for an SGPE "1+3" or a "+3" award must submit a written and credible research proposal for their PhD. Further information on eligibility and details can be found on the DTC and the ESRC Websites.
Applicants interested in PhD study only (+3) should have applied to and have received an offer from their preferred SGPE university by the 3rd of May, 2011.
Applicants interested in MSc+PhD study (1+3) should have applied to and have received an offer from SGPE MSc Programme taught at the the University of Edinburgh by the 3rd of May, 2011. 1+3 applicants should NOT apply for a PhD (in addition to the MSc) at their preferred Unviversity at this stage, but they MUST contact the relevant PhD Coordinator (see instructions below.)
Applicants who wish to be considered for an ESRC award must first register their interest. To do this they need to send two emails; one to the SGPE PhD Director, Liam Delaney at Liam.Delaney@stir.ac.uk (cc'ing sgpe.admissions@ed.ac.uk) and the other to the PhD coordinator at the department at the at which they are interested in pursuing their PhD (see below). These emails must be sent by Friday the 8th of April 2011. The coordinators are the relevant Dapartments are:
Aberdeen: Ioannis Theodossiou
Dundee: Hassan Molana
Edinburgh: Ed Hopkins
Glasgow: Kostas Angelopoulos
Heriot-Watt: David Cobham
St. Andrews: Paola Manzini
Stirling: Ian Lange
Strathclyde: Julia Darby
Applicants who register their interest will receive detailed instructions by email on how to apply.
In brief, these instructions will ask students to (1) identify a research topic, the SGPE University where they intend to pursue their PhD, and a specific supervisor within the SGPE, (2) provide details of their relevant degree and degree courses and (3) write a short research proposal, and (4) provide a letter of support from the relevant University department where PhD study is planned. The deadline for receipt of full applications is 4pm, 3 May 2011.
Successful applicants will hear back by Friday the 20th of May.
12. Carnegie Trust Research Grants
Open to established members of academic staff or retired members of staff of Scottish Universities. The Trust can help established members of academic staff (full-time or part-time) and retired members of staff of a Scottish University to undertake personal research by the provision of small research grants (maximum £2,200). The grants are awarded for travel and accommodation expenses incurred while undertaking the project for up to three months. Applications for grants are considered by the Executive Committee of the Trust in February, June, and November. Closing dates for applications are 15th January, May, or October respectively. Applications for Research Grants of £1000 and under will be considered at any time in the year and a decision notified to the applicant as soon as possible. Applications should be returned electronically and a hard signed copy in the post.
13. Carnegie Larger Grants
Applications for Larger Grants, up to £40,000, may be made for projects which are of potential benefit to the Scottish universities as a whole and which involve active collaboration between two or more Scottish universities with one university acting as the lead applicant. These grants are not intended for research projects of a kind that would be submitted to a research council, and projects that have failed to secure funding from a council are not appropriate. The Trust does not necessarily expect to be the sole funder of a project. Prospective applicants are invited to discuss their proposals with the Trust's Secretary. In 2011-12 there will be only one meeting for Larger Grants which will be held in May 2012 with a closing date for applications of 1st February 2012. Applicants may be asked to interview.
14. Carnegie Professorships
To mark the centenary of the founding of the Trust in 1901, the Executive Committee has established a scheme of visiting professorships, each valued at up to £40,000, intended to benefit not only the host Universities but also the Scottish university community as a whole.
The aim of the scheme is to attract nominees of the highest academic standing who will contribute to academic/scientific developments in the Scottish Universities in their particular fields, whether in teaching or research or in both, in emerging as well as established disciplines or in interdisciplinary fields. The roles they fulfil will depend in part on the discipline. There will also be the possibility of attracting senior scholars of high distinction who, by their very presence, will confer benefits on the Scottish universities.
Nominations are made by invitation and normally from the Principals of the Scottish Universities. The Committee agreed that a period of ‘quarantine’ for universities who are awarded a Professorship would run until the end of the academic year in which a given University’s previous Professorship was held (until July of that year).
Nominations for the tenure of a Chair in 2015 should be submitted by 31 July 2012.
15. Nuffield Foundation
The Foundation currently has four grant programmes that support research and innovation.
Children and Families - helps to ensure that the legal and institutional framework is best adapted to meet the needs of children and families.
Education - supports innovative research and development in specific priority areas.
Law in Society - promotes access to, and understanding of, the civil justice system.
Open Door - for projects that improve social well-being, and meet Trustees' wider interests, but lie outside the three programme areas above.
Grants are mainly for research (usually carried out in universities or independent research institutes) but are also made for practical developments or innovation (often in voluntary sector organisations). As an independent Foundation, we are well placed to deal with sensitive issues, to challenge fashions and tacit assumptions. We support people with creative ideas to identify change or interventions which will have a practical impact for researchers, policy makers and practitioners.
We do not fund the ongoing costs of existing work or services, or research that simply advances knowledge.
16. Medical Research Council Fellowships
(a). Career Development Award
This fellowship competition is held twice a year, however applicants may only apply to one CDA competition in any 12 month period.
Closing date: 28 February 2012
Short listing: September 2012
Interviews: 10 - 11 October 2012
(b). Early Career Fellowships in Economics of Health
http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Fundingopportunities/Fellowships/Earlycareerpostdoctoral/MRC004705
The MRC fellowship provides up to three years early-career support to help individuals begin to establish a research track record in the field and to undertake further training.
The competition is open to applicants with some advanced training in any field of economics who can demonstrate the transferability of their research skills to the field of the economics of health. Applicants must either have a PhD/DPhil or expect to do so by the time of take-up of the award, and must be early career and not have more than three years (full-time equivalent) post-doctoral experience. Applicants should hold a PhD or DPhil in either economics or one that combines training in economics with research in related areas (for example, statistics, and epidemiology).
Closing date: 6 October 2011
Short listing: February 2012
Decision meeting: 14-16 March 20012
Take up dates: April 2012 – September 2012
(c). Methodology Research Fellowships
http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Fundingopportunities/Fellowships/Methodologyresearch/MRC004706
The scheme is open to applicants who wish to pursue development, validation and application of innovative methodologies in one or more of the following disciplines: health economics; biostatistics, bioinformatics; modeling, decision sciences, epidemiology; clinical trials; behavioural sciences; health psychology, qualitative methodologies and mixed methods, medical sociology and medical geography.
Closing date: 6 October 2011
Short listing: February 2012
Interviews: 14-16 March 2012
Take up dates: April 2012 – September 2012
(d). Senior non-Clinical Fellowship
http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Fundingopportunities/Fellowships/Seniornonclinical/MRC001826
A highly prestigious award that provides non-clinical researchers of exceptional ability with exceptional opportunities to develop themselves to be research leaders. Applicants will be proven independent researchers with a track record of excellence in their scientific field, and will demonstrate significant promise as future research leaders. Support is now provided for seven years. Applicants will normally hold a PhD/DPhil and have at least six years' post-doctoral research experience in academia or the wider economy. MRC fellowships are not available to individuals who hold a tenured academic or research position, in the UK or overseas, at the time of application.
Closing date: 28 February 2012
Short listing: September 2012
Interviews: 10 - 11 October 2012
Take up dates: November 2012 - April 2013
17. Medical Research Council Grants
(a). Methodology Research
Methodology research covers a broad area. For the purposes of obtaining funding from the MRC, methodology research includes methods development to underpin the biomedical sciences, experimental medicine, clinical trials, population health sciences, health services research and health policy.
Application deadlines are usually in January, May and September. All proposals are assessed by external experts before they are considered by the MRC research boards at their meetings in June/July, October/November and February/March.
Submissions by 4pm Peer-review Panel meeting
5 October 2011 November - February 6 – 7 March 2012
9 February 2012 March - June 19 – 20 July 2012
14 June 2012 July - October 21 – 22 November 2012
(b). MRC Industry Collaboration Agreement (MICA)
Supporting collaborative research between academia and industry.
Any research proposal involving a collaboration with one or more industrial partners (contributing either in cash or in kind) is handled by MRC as a MICA. MICA is not a scheme in itself, but a mechanism to support the establishment of an agreement between academic and industry research partners, which can be applied to the majority of MRC’s funding schemes and calls (to find out if you can apply a MICA to your proposal, please refer to your specific scheme or call). MICA facilitates collaboration as it allows partners to work out and clearly specify arrangements for relative responsibilities, governance, regulatory approvals, indemnity, intellectual property rights, reporting, and access to data and samples before a project starts. In addition, MICAs help to establish that proposed collaboration arrangements are eligible under EU State-Aid regulations for MRC funding.
The application deadlines are those of the chosen funding scheme.
(c). New Investigator Research Grant
http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Fundingopportunities/Grants/NIRG/MRC001733
New Investigator Research Grants provide support for clinical and non-clinical researchers while they are establishing themselves as independent principal investigators.
Applicants must be based at a UK institution and hold a PhD, DPhil or an MD. They should either be at the start of their first lecturer appointment (they must be aiming for a research board deadline which falls within the first three years of taking up the post) and have a minimum of three years post qualification research experience or be in a senior post-doctoral (non-lecturer) position and have between three and ten years post qualification research experience.
Application deadlines are usually in January, May and September. All proposals are assessed by external experts before they are considered by the MRC research boards at their meetings in May/June, October/November and February/March.
(e). Partnership Grant
The partnership grant aims to provide support for collaborative activities that add value to existing research or helps galvanise researchers in a particular field, or complementary fields, to address important issues that cannot be addressed through other funding arrangements.
Your outline proposal must be submitted through the MRC Je-S system by 4pm on the relevant Partnership Outline deadline date. Your full proposal must be submitted through the MRC Je-S system by 4pm on the relevant Research Board's deadline date.
Deadline for outline submission, Population and Systems Medicine Board: 7 December 2011
18. Scottish Universities Insight Institute
Details of the various knowledge exchange possibilities are here
19. Education Endowment Fund
Fund a range of projects on education policy.
Link here
