Joint QMUL / Warwick Awards for Collaborative Research Projects
Introduction
As part of the new strategic alliance between Queen Mary University of London (QMUL)
and the University of Warwick we are very pleased to announce two new awards that aim
to encourage collaborative research between our two institutions. Applications can be
made to one or both of the following awards:
A. EPSRC funded Sharing Facilities Awards: These will support short-term projects
between QMUL and Warwick researchers (working within EPSRC remit areas) who
would like to use each other’s facilities.
B. Joint Institutional Pump-Priming Awards: These will support new collaborative
research projects between QMUL and Warwick researchers (working in any
discipline) that will lead to joint research grant applications to external funding bodies.
Eligibility
Projects need to be joint and genuinely collaborative with at least one Principal
Investigator from each institution. Applicants should normally be in a full-time academic
post or be the holder of a personal research fellowship (awarded competitively) at each
respective institution. Applications are welcome for both cross-disciplinary research
projects and research projects that request funding from both awards (e.g. from A to
share facilities and B for research pump-priming).
EPSRC funded Sharing Facilities Awards
Applications must involve at least one Principal Investigator working within EPSRC remit
areas (http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/research/landscapes/Pages/default.aspx).
Joint Institutional Pump-Priming Awards
Applications are welcome from all disciplines, including: Medicine, Dentistry, Humanities
& Social Sciences as well as Science & Engineering.
Eligible Costs
Normally, funds from QMUL will be used to pay for QMUL expenses; funds from Warwick
will be dedicated to Warwick expenses. However, the division of expenses does not have
to be even in any single application.
All applications must include a completed budget section and all costs should be justified
in the Case for Support. To obtain the required Costings please contact QMUL’s Joint
Research Management Office ([email protected]) and Warwick’s Research
Support Services ([email protected]).
EPSRC funded Sharing Facilities Awards
These awards will be used to support short-term projects (2-5 months duration) between
QMUL and Warwick researchers who would like to use each other’s current facilities.
Funding is restricted and awards will be capped to a maximum, for exceptional
applications, of £20,000 (non FEC and calculated at 100% of direct costs). Eligible costs
can include equipment, computing facilities, laboratory facilities, consumables, technical
staff and research staff costs, as well as travel, subsistence and other directly incurred
research costs.
Academic staff costs and capital expenditure (e.g. individual items in excess of £10,000)
are not eligible under this award. Funds must be spent by 31st March 2013 – no
extensions can be granted.
Joint Institutional Pump-Priming Awards
These awards will be used to pump-prime collaborative research projects (3-9 months
duration) between QMUL and Warwick researchers that will lead to joint research grant
applications to external funding bodies.
Funding is restricted and awards will be capped to a maximum, for exceptional
applications, of £20,000 (non FEC and calculated at 100% of direct costs). Eligible costs
can include consumables, technical staff and research staff costs, as well as travel,
subsistence and other directly incurred research costs.
Academic staff costs and capital expenditure (e.g. individual items in excess of £10,000)
are not eligible under this award. Funds must be spent by 31st July 2013 – no
extensions can be granted.
Research Projects requesting Funding from both Awards
Research projects that request funding from both awards will be capped to a maximum,
for exceptional applications, of £30,000.
Criteria
There will be four main criteria used to evaluate proposals for both these Awards:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Is the project of excellent quality and timely?
Is the project part of a realistically ambitious research programme that is in
alignment with institutional strategic research priorities?
Are the objectives and methodology clearly stated?
Does the project represent value for money?
As the Joint Institutional Pump-Priming Awards are not intended to replace external
funding one additional criterion will be used to evaluate these proposals:
e)
Does this pump-priming support have the potential to attract significant future
external funding? There must be a clear indication that activities conducted
under this award will lead to an application for external research funding.
How To Apply / Submission of Proposals
Applications should be submitted by e-mail to [email protected] by Thurs
27th September 2012.
Applications should include a declaration of support from each respective Head of
Department / School / Institute, a project case document of no more than two pages in
length (border 2cm, font no smaller than 11), plus a maximum one page appendix
including references or other supporting information. The project case document should
include the following information:
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Project Summary
Project aims & objectives
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Project justification, including the proposed methodology, outline project plan and
milestones, and demonstration of the excellence / timeliness of the research
proposed.
Description of facilities to be used (Shared Facilities Awards only)
Project roles and responsibilities
Breakdown and justification for requested project costs
Prospects for the project to lead to future research collaboration between the
project partners and / or Warwick & QML staff
An indication from applicants of intentions to seek external research funding to
continue the work (Institutional Pump Priming Awards)
It is anticipated that applicants will be informed of the outcome of these Awards by the
week ending 19th October 2012 and that Awards may start from 1st November 2012 and
must be spent by the following deadlines:
A. EPSRC funded Sharing Facilities Awards must be spent by 31st Mar 2013
B. Joint Institutional Pump-Priming Awards must be spent by 31st Jul 2013
There will be no exceptions to this rule and any funds unspent by after these dates will no
longer be available to awardees. Application queries should be referred as follows:
EPSRC funded Sharing Facilities Awards: Ben Morrison ([email protected]) or
020 7882 7651 / Dr Ian Forristal ([email protected]) or 020 7882 2812 / James Smith
([email protected]) or ext 50202
Joint Institutional Pump-Priming Awards: Ben Morrison ([email protected]) or
020 7882 7651 / Dr Ian Forristal ([email protected]) or 020 7882 2812 / James Smith
([email protected])
or
ext
50202
/
Dr
John
Burden
([email protected]) or ext 73997
Declaration of Support from the Head of Department / School / Institute
Please note that all applications must be endorsed by the relevant Heads of Department /
School / Institute. Applications that do not include a statement from each Head of
Department / School / Institute will not be supported.
Assessment process
Applications for these awards will be reviewed by a panel consisting of QMUL’s VicePrincipal (Research and International Affairs) and Warwick’s PVC for Research (Arts and
Social Sciences) with appropriate representation of senior academic staff from each
institution at the beginning of October 2012. The decisions of the panel are final. The
panel will endeavour to provide feedback to all unsuccessful applicants and to successful
applicants where appropriate.
Reporting Requirements
Successful applicants will be required to provide project report of no more than two pages
within one month of the end date. This should detail the use of the funds; outcomes of
their project; future plans to build on the work done and further funding applications made
or planned.
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