International funding developments and opportunities Dr. Stephen Struthers 24 July 2006

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International funding developments and
opportunitiesDr. Stephen Struthers24 July 2006
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Why international?

• Social science is international transcends
  national boundaries in methods, subjects and
  knowledge produced.
• Enable UK researchers to work with the best,
  anywhere in the world
• Assist UK researchers in accessing international
  funding opportunities
• Sharing and pooling resources
• Apply UK expertise to global problem solving
• Comparative work
• Benchmark UK social science against best

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Bilateral agreements competitive responsive mode

• agreements in place with funding agencies
• ARC (Australia)
• FWF (Austria)
• Akademy of Finland
• DFG (Germany)
• NWO (Netherlands)
• RANNIS (Iceland)
• IRCSSH (Ireland)
• VR (Sweden).
• further agreements under discussion
• Canada, China, Hong Kong, Italy, Norway,
  Portugal, Quebec, South Korea, Turkey

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Bilateral schemes competitive responsive mode
arrangements

• generally
• apply in normal way to own agency
• with letter
• First, Small and Standard grants
• joint or co-ordinated peer review of proposals
• 70 rule
• co-ordinated decision making
• check ESRC website for details

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European Science Foundation (ESF) (www.esf.org)

• Research Networking Programmes c.d. 30 October
• (workshops, conferences, schools, visits)
• ECRP (European Collaborative Research Projects)
• call early February - closing date end April
• Three or more research partners -different
  countries
• Common application form and reviewing process
• Each funding agency takes own decision
• Exploratory workshops- annual call c.d. May
• Themes for EUROCORES programmes - annual c.d.
  June

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Other international funding opportunities

• COST
• (www.cost.esf.org)
• Multi-national, multi-disciplinary networks
  (Actions)
• next open call - Spring 07
• links national research activities
• workshops, conferences, publications, short
  visits
• NORFACE
• www.norface.org
• 12 partner R.C.s in social sciences
• core funding from EU
• Seminars (topics to be identified) next c.d.
  April 07

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North America

• SSRC - Visiting Fellowships c.d. Spring
• NSF -Human and Social Dynamics
• workshops and exchanges
• NB restricted to ESRC award holders
• Library of Congress Scholarships (AHRC/ESRC)
• For post-doctoral fellows, research assistants
• c.d. Spring

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ESRC DFID scheme

• 13 m over four years initially
• For research that enhances understanding,
  develops thinking and has potential for real
  impact on the international development agenda
  for reducing global poverty.
• Geographical focus on poorest low income
  countries
• Primarily any social science, but others
  possible.
• Researchers to be based in UK or elsewhere
• Next call grants under 250K c.d. April 2007

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HEFCE/AHRC/ESRC Language based area studies
centres

• China Oxford, Bristol, Manchester
• Japan and China Leeds, Sheffield
• Middle East Edinburgh, Durham, Manchester
• Eastern Europe and Russia Glasgow et al
• East Europe UCL, Oxford, Birmingham
• expect opportunities for ad hoc activity

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Framework Programme 7 Theme 8.
Socio-economic sciences and Humanities

• Approx. 600m euro over 7 years
• Initial work programme published Autumn 2006
• First call - early 2007
• 130 m euro
• Projects to start in 2007 and 2008
• More flexibility on size of projects

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Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities - (seven
major research activities)

• Growth, employment and competitiveness
• The changing role of knowledge incl. different
  types of knowledge and competences, education and
  lifelong learning, and intangible investment.
• Economic structures, structural change and
  productivity issues - incl. role of service
  sector, including finance, demographics, demand
  and the processes of long term change.
• Institutional and policy questions - incl.
  macroeconomic policy, labour markets
  institutional contexts, and policy coherence and
  co-ordination.
• Challenges and opportunities from increased
  globalisation, emerging economies, relocation,
  and EU enlargement including employment and
  unemployment.

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Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities - (seven
major research activities) (continued)

• Combining economic, social and environmental
  objectives (sustainable development)
• Major trends in society and their implications
• Europe in the world
• The citizen in the European Union
• Socio-economic and scientific indicators
• Foresight activities

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Further information

• see www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/opp
  ortunities/
• international/
• alternatively
• www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk
• then go to
• Funding Opportunities
• International Funding Opportunities