Archive of closed co-ordinated University bids

Some funders and schemes place a limit on the number or type of proposals that may be submitted from each institution. Some may require an institution to send in a ranked/priority list. Normally Research Services will liaise with the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) and he in turn with Heads of Academic Divisions where institution-wide decisions need to be made.

This page contains information about recently closed internal Oxford processes and timelines for research proposals of this kind for reference only.

For current Co-ordinated University bids please see our Co-ordinated University bids web page.

AXA Post-doctoral Applications Process 2012 (Oxford is NOT eligible to submit in the Second Wave)

The AXA Group has resolved to award 100 million Euros over five years to finance innovative research. There are a range of schemes/programs. Calls/invitations are sent to the designated program official in 'registered institutions' (Oxford is registered).

The AXA Research Fund Scientific Board now requires universities to pre-qualify and only those institutions selected by the Board will be able to propose candidates for Post-doctoral Awards.

Update, 4 July 2012: Oxford has been advised that it is NOT eligible to submit in Wave 2.
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AXA Research Fund - Doctoral Fellowships Applications Process 2012 (now closed - EOI Deadline: 1 February 2012)

The AXA Group has resolved to award 100 million Euros over five years to finance innovative research. There are a range of schemes/programs. Calls/invitations are sent to the designated program official in 'registered institutions' (Oxford is registered).

Special Note: The AXA Research Fund Scientific Board now requires universities to pre-qualify and only those institutions selected by the Board will be able to propose candidates for Doctoral Grants (three-year awards, €25,000 p.a., plus up to €3,000 for expenses). Oxford has now qualified and can submit two candidates.

Internal Oxford timetable and process

  1. 26 January 2012: Oxford call for applications
  2. 1 February 2012: Applications due with Oxford UABs (University Admitting Bodies) (University Departments/Faculties). Nominations must be made on the internal Oxford form (see 'Further Information' below). (Note: When filling in the internal nomination forms please keep the length of each section to under 100 words. Proposals do not go to AXA at this stage.)

    For UABs in the Medical Sciences Division applicants that applied by the early January deadline can be nominated using the Divisional Studentship Competition nomination form.
  3. 10 February 2012: UABs in the Divisions below nominate a maximum of two (2) candidates each to the person below:
    • Humanities - to Natasha von Memerty, Research Services, 5 Worcester Street
    • Social Sciences - to Esther Byrom, Social Sciences Divisional Office
    • MPLS - to Lewis Williams, Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Divisional Office
    • MSD – to Tessa Finlayson, Graduate Studies Office
  4. 20 February 2012: Each Academic Division (where applicable) recommends to the PVC(R) (care of Natasha von Memerty) up to three candidates, in priority order, to go forward for final selection.
  5. 20-28 February: PVC(R) considers the recommendations.
  6. 1 March 2012: Oxford's official registered with AXA, the Director (Research Services), shall lodge the final two nominations with AXA.

AXA will then contact the nominees directly, who will have until the 29 March 2012 to provide more detailed information on their application. The outcomes are expected to be known by 29 June 2012. Please note these applications are not lodged through or administered by RS Divisional Teams. Nor are (Resolve) costings required at this stage.

Further information

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Wellcome Trust/EPSRC: Innovative Engineering for Health (EoI deadline: 1 Nov 2012)

The Wellcome Trust and EPSRC have announced details of a competition on Innovative Engineering for Health. Awards may be up to £10 million over seven years. The scheme is managed by the Wellcome Trust’s Technology Transfer division so projects are required to "address the full translation pathway from high-quality basic research through to adoption into practice". For further information please see http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/Technology-transfer/Awards/Innovative-Engineering-for-Health/index.htm. The external deadline is 10 December 2012.

Although no restriction on the number of bids from a single institution is specified in writing, the Wellcome Trust have advised that more than one submission as lead and/or more than one submission as collaborator may be viewed by the Trust as insufficiently strategic. Therefore, in order to maximise the opportunity for success for Oxford’s submission(s) internal coordination may be necessary.

Internal Timetable

Applicants intending to lead a bid, or collaborate on a bid led by another institution, are requested to submit a one-page document (similar to that initially required by Wellcome Trust) that summarises their proposal to Jennifer.Gladstone@admin.ox.ac.uk by 12 noon on 1 November 2012. The document should address the following:

  1. Lead academic and Oxford collaborators;
  2. Key external partners involved in the project;
  3. Lead institution (if not Oxford);
  4. What specific healthcare/public health problem will be addressed?
  5. What is the innovative engineering/technological approach?
  6. What proof of concept data is currently available to validate the approach?
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AHRC Digital Transformations: Call for participation (internal deadline: 9 Nov 2012)

Digital Scholarship in the Infinite Archive: Case studies in image and text analysis

Proposals for case studies are sought in the broad area of image and text analysis in the digital humanities. These should be suitable for inclusion in a portfolio submission to the AHRC Digital Transformations call, and should address one of the its main challenges—to demonstrate how research in the humanities can be transformed through new uses of the vast wealth of digital resources now available to scholars. Our focus is on:

  • the use of image, both as a subject of analysis, including images of text, and also as an output of textual analysis;
  • a transition to research using the infinite archive, when we can no longer oversee all the relevant data;
  • the effect of joining up cross-cutting data from unexpected and unforeseen sources.

New technologies—including image-matching and retrieval, data linking, visualization, and data mining—provide major opportunities for using existing data resources in seriously transformative ways, allowing us to ask new research questions and to find new ways of answering old ones.

This submission is being developed jointly by Oxford (the Oxford e-Research Centre (OeRC), IT Services, the Bodleian Libraries, and the Humanities Division), UCL (Centre for Digital Humanities) and the National Library of Wales (Aberystwyth). We plan to bid for something close to the £2m maximum over a 4-year funding period. The Principal Investigator will be Professor David De Roure (Director of OeRC).

We are seeking proposals for a set of exemplary academic projects demonstrating the transformative power of digital technologies to derive new knowledge from existing image and text data resources. These will provide the central research-led component of our submission. Projects must be academically interesting, with focused research questions, and yet also generalisable to a much wider range of research across and beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries. For an idea of what we want to achieve, please see details of this AHRC call.

Projects will be selected as a complementary set, in terms of subject-area, technologies and media. They will plan to deliver research results within the funding period. The assumption is that available technologies will be used alongside existing data resources, but there will be some scope for the adaptation, enhancement and customization of both. It is critical that the proposed project move beyond simple resource enhancement and illustrate how you will achieve an active and significant transformation in your research area. The technical work for the projects will be carried out by an integrated support team in Oxford, with advice from the lead investigators; some studentships will be included in the bid. Academic project leaders will be expected to collaborate in the other parts of the initiative, with support from a small funding pool.

Colleagues in the participating institutions or beyond are invited to put forward ideas for the kind of academic project envisaged to the bid-development team from Oxford, UCL and Aberystwyth.

We want brief outline proposals (one side of A4) sent to ahrc-digital-transformations@maillist.ox.ac.uk by Friday, 9 November 2012, addressing the guidance above, but please make contact with the team (at the same address) before then to discuss your ideas.

The selection will be finalized at a meeting on Friday, 23 November 2012. Project leaders will then need to work with the bid team to develop their proposals in time for submission of the outline bid to Oxford Humanities Research Support by 19 December 2012.

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AHRC/EPSRC/ESRC: Copyright and New Business Models in the Digital Age (EoI deadline: 15 August 2011)

The AHRC, EPSRC and ESRC, through the Digital Economy Programme, have announced details of a new initiative in Copyright and New Business Models in the Digital Age. This call represents the first of two stages in the application process, with the first stage deadline on 8 September 2011. The University is only allowed to submit one bid to this scheme.

Expressions of Interest (EoI) are invited for a multidisciplinary research centre that focuses on real research challenges in the creative economy, relating to new digital technologies and issues of copyright and new business models. £5M Full Economic Cost (FEC) is available to support one Centre over four years. The successful applicants will be funded at 80% of FEC. There is an expectation that the Centre will leverage significant additional income or support from partners and other sources such that, after the four-year period of Research Council funding, the Centre will be able to develop the legacy of its work, including sustaining partnerships, delivering impact and continuing other major benefits. In short, the Centre will be expected to be sustainable in an appropriate form.

If you have any interest in applying for this scheme, or becoming part of a co-ordinated bid from Oxford, please contact Natasha von Memerty by 15 August 2011 with a brief outline of your interest in the scheme. We will then be able to facilitate a round table discussion for all interested parties. More information on the scheme can be found on the AHRC website.

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Various AXA Research Fund schemes

Background

The AXA Group resolved to award 100 million Euros over five years, from 2008, to finance innovative research. Its Research Fund includes a range of schemes/programs. Calls/invitations are sent to the designated program official in 'registered institutions' (Oxford is registered). The AXA Research Fund supports research linked to life, societal and environmental risks in specified fields

Need for coordination/pre-selection

For the Chairs, Doctoral and Post-doctoral schemes, AXA limits the number of applications that may be made from any one institution and requires nominations to be submitted by the registered 'institutional official' (at Oxford, this is the Director of Research Services). Research Services liaises with the Academic Division Offices to agree on internal (Oxford) processes and timelines. Details of closed and open schemes are posted on our dedicated AXA research fund page.

Schemes

  • Chairs Program
  • Doctoral Fellowships
  • Post-Doctoral Fellowships
  • Project Funds
  • Help in disseminating research
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AXA Research Fund: 'Projects' Application Process (EOI deadline: 14 March 2012)

The AXA Group has resolved to award 100 million Euros over five years to finance innovative research. There are a range of schemes/programs. Calls/invitations are sent to the designated program official in 'registered institutions' (Oxford is registered).

Special Note: In a change from previous years the University will only be able to nominate up to one (1) candidate for their 'Projects scheme'. The AXA Research Fund Scientific Board also now requires universities to pre-qualify and only those institutions selected by the Board will be able to propose a candidate. Oxford will seek to qualify and hopes to be selected but we will not know if we are until mid-March 2012.

The AXA Research Fund commits up to €100.000 per year for Projects which might be carried out over a period of two to five years. Six to ten Projects are selected per year.

Please see our AXA web page for further details. EOI Deadline: 14 March 2012.

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AXA Research Fund: Doctoral and Post-doctoral Fellowships Application Process 2012, plus expressing interest in AXA Chairs scheme

The AXA Group has resolved to award 100 million Euros over five years to finance innovative research. There are a range of schemes/programmes.

Special Note: For the Doctoral fellowships, Post-Doctoral fellowships, and Project schemes, the AXA Research Fund Scientific Board now requires universities to pre-qualify and only those institutions selected by the Board will be able to propose candidates. Oxford has now qualified and will be able to select two candidates for the Doctoral and Post-Doctoral fellowships.
  • The University is able to nominate two candidates to the AXA Doctoral Fellowships.  AXA stipulates that projects must be within three AXA-specified 'research fields'. Please see our AXA web page for further details and an EOI/application form. Deadline: 1 February 2012.
  • The University is able to nominate in Round 1 or Round 2 two candidates for 'Post-Doctoral Applications'. AXA stipulates that projects must be within three AXA-specified 'research fields'. Please see our AXA web page for further details and an EOI/application form. Deadline: 15 February 2012.
  • The AXA Chairs details for 2012 are still to be confirmed.
    • If you are interested in applying for the AXA Chairs 2012 scheme, please contact Natasha von Memerty with a paragraph about your intended project and which Chair you would like to apply for.
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BBSRC: Zoonoses and Emerging Livestock Systems (ZELS): Reducing the risk to livestock and people (internal deadline: noon, 23 Nov 2012)

BBSRC, DFID, ESRC, MRC and NERC have announced details of a competition on Zoonoses and Emerging Livestock Systems. The total budget available is £17m for a variety of Topic Specific Project Grants and larger Research Partnership Grants. The programme aims to "reduce the impact of zoonoses on poor people and their livestock" and "forge mutually-beneficial inter- and multi-disciplinary partnerships between researchers in the UK and developing countries".

For further information please see the BBSRC website. The external deadline is 10 January 2013.

Although no restriction on the number of bids from a single institution is specified, the call offers the University the opportunity to apply for a Focussed Doctoral Training Partnership. Therefore, in order to maximise the benefits and chances of success of any DTP application, internal coordination may be necessary.

Internal Timetable

Applicants intending to lead a bid for a research grant under this scheme, or collaborate on a bid led by another institution, are requested to submit a one-page document that summarises their proposal to Jennifer.Gladstone@admin.ox.ac.uk by 12 noon on 23 November 2012. The document should address the following:

  • Lead academic and Oxford collaborators;
  • Key external partners involved in the project;
  • Lead institution (if not Oxford);
  • The category of research award requested (ie Topic Specific Project Grant or Research Partnership Grant); and
  • A summary of the proposed research, including a statement of the problem to be addressed.
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BHF: Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine Centres and MRC/BBSRC/EPSRC: Regenerative Medicine Platform (Deadline for internal EOIs: 17 May 2012)

BHF and the MRC/BBSRC/EPSRC invite Outlines/Expressions of Interest to establish centres in regenerative medicine. The BHF have made available £6m for a cardiovascular centre while the MRC/BBSRC/EPSRC expect to make awards in the region of £3m - £5m. The deadline for receipt of EOIs by MRC is 20 June 2012 and for receipt of Outlines by BHF is 1 June 2012.

Bids to each call are expected to be aligned and are required to demonstrate appropriate cross-disciplinary critical mass with effective links between basic and clinical research groups. To enable links across Oxford to be identified and interested parties to be introduced, please contact Jenny Gladstone in Research Services by 17 May 2012.

Further information on the call may be found on the BHF website and on the MRC website.

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Cancer Research UK and EPSRC Cancer Imaging Initiative: second call for proposals (internal EOI deadline: 12 noon, 25 June 2012)

Cancer Research UK and EPSRC invite Expressions of Interest proposals for their Cancer Imaging Initiative. Worth up to £10m over 5 years, these awards aim to "establish comprehensive Cancer Imaging Research Centres". Successful centres will be "expected to work together to develop a network of excellence that would drive forward cancer imaging research in the UK." Further details can be found on Cancer Research UK's website. The deadline for submission of EOIs to CRUK is 16 July 2012.

Each institution is only permitted to participate, either as lead or collaborator, on one application and therefore an internal co-ordinated bid process is required.

Applicants must prepare an EOI, maximum 1 page, describing the applicant’s vision, a list of collaborators and their department/institution affiliations, and estimated price. This should be submitted to the appropriate Divisional representative by 12 noon on 25 June 2012.

In order for an assessment to be made of the likely level of internal competition, applicants are also requested to register their interest with their Research Services team as soon as possible.

Divisional Contacts:
Medical Sciences: Margareta Rorsman
MPLS: Keri Dexter

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E-Health Informatics Research Centres (E-HIRCs) Call (internal deadline for EOIs: 10 October 2011)

Background

The Medical Research Council, in partnership with Arthritis Research UK, the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, the Economic and Social Research Council, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the National Institute of Health Research, the National Institute for Social Care and Health Research (Welsh Assembly Government), the Chief Scientist Office (Scottish Government Health Directorates) and the Wellcome Trust invite proposals for Centres of Excellence in research linking electronic health data. The Centres will pursue cutting-edge research, deliver innovative linkage and analysis of health-related data sets, build research capacity and expertise and act as an interface with industry, practice and policy with the aim of building and sustaining a vibrant health informatics research capability in the UK.

The University may submit one (1) proposal only under this scheme.

Expectations of Centres

The objectives of the Centres will be to:

  • provide a focus for high-quality, cutting-edge research using electronic health records;
  • undertake and promote innovative linkage and analysis of large health related data sets including social and economic data;
  • build capacity in electronic health informatics research.

Funding available

Funds of ~£15m are available to support a number of Centres across the UK for up to five-years and awards will be made on the basis of full economic costs (fEC) at approximately 67% to reflect collaborative funding from research councils, charities and government departments. As these Centres will represent leading foci of expertise it is expected that requests for support will be for a minimum of £3m over the funding period, although less may be awarded as determined by rigorous peer-review. In all areas, the resources requested must be fully justified as part of a coherent scientific programme; the quality of the science proposed will be key.

Internal Timescales and Processes

If you are considering applying to this scheme, or are interested in being part of another bid, please could you let Julie Matthews know by 10 October so that a co-ordinated approach can be taken to applying to this scheme.

Further Information

Further information, including the Call Document is available from the MRC website.

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EPSRC Cross-Disciplinary feasibility account funding: details of internal selection process

EPSRC is currently inviting expressions of interest for Cross-Disciplinary Feasibility Account funding, to support a suite of short-term, highly adventurous research activities.

Applications are sought from research groups who have "substantial current, cross-disciplinary EPSRC funding." (Please note: Applicants are strongly advised to check with EPSRC that their current funding meets EPSRC's definition.)

  • Proposals must be centred within the EPSRC remit and cross traditional disciplines boundaries (within and outside the EPSRC remit); links with social sciences are particularly encouraged.
  • PIs must hold a current EPSRC grant
  • Maximum proposal value is £250k
  • Resources are expected to be mainly staff-centric (staff time, travel and consumables), but cannot be used to support studentships
  • Grants must be completed by 31 March 2012

A maximum of two (2) expressions of interest per institution is permitted.

Action required:

Groups interested in applying to this call are therefore asked to:

  • complete the 1-page EOI form (Annex 1 of the call document)
  • e-mail the completed form to the Director of Research Services (glenn.swafford@admin.ox.ac.uk) by noon on Tuesday 13 April 2010.

The PVC(Research) - in consultation with others, where applicable - will select the two applications to go forward to EPSRC.

Further Information:

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EPSRC – Research Challenges in Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Workshop (register your interest by 9 December 2011)

EPSRC invites Expressions of Interest to attend a workshop aimed at bringing "together the various academic and industrial hydrogen and fuel cell energy communities to scope research challenges that this discipline faces. The outputs from this workshop will provide the basis for an open SUPERGEN Challenge call." The deadline for receipt of EOIs by EPSRC is 12 noon on 3 January 2012.

EPSRC have indicated that they may limit attendance to one or two individuals per institution and therefore require applicants within an institution to agree in advance who should take precedence and to communicate this on their application form. To enable links across Oxford to be identified and interested parties to be introduced, please contact Jenny Gladstone in Research Services by 9 December 2011.

Further information on the call may be found on the EPSRC website.

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EPSRC: Research Institute in the Science of Cyber Security (Internal deadline: 1 November 2011)

EPSRC invites proposals for a Research Institute in the Science of Cyber Security to be funded by GCHQ via EPSRC. A total of £2m is available to fund the institute over 3.5 years. Work should be in one or more of the Research Themes:

  • Cyber Behaviour
  • Cyber Economics
  • Cyber Risk
  • and Measuring Security.

The first stage will be an EPSRC workshop to discuss the scope of the call. Only workshop attendees will be eligible to be Principal Investigators. The deadline for submitting applications to attend the workshop is 9 November 2011.

Although EPSRC do not impose a restriction on the number of bids from one institution, the call envisages that the Research Institute will be multi-disciplinary, "drawing on subject areas such as computer science, economics and behavioural sciences".

If you are interested in collaborating in a bid, or intend to submit your own application, please contact Dan Blakey in Research Services as soon as possible, preferably by 1 November 2011, to enable potential synergies across Oxford to be identified.

Further information on the call may be found on the EPSRC website.

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EPSRC, BBSRC, TSB: Innovation and Knowledge Centre (IKC) in Synthetic Biology (Internal deadline: 15 Nov 2012)

EPSRC, BBSRC and TSB invite expressions of interest for an Innovation and Knowledge Centre (IKC) in Synthetic Biology. An award of up to £10m is available over an initial 5 year period with possibility of extension contingent upon performance. The IKC will "provide the important function of academic/business integration" and "help commercialise synthetic biology technologies in a responsible way". The external deadline for EOIs is 20 December 2012.

An institution is only permitted to lead on one expression of interest and therefore coordination will be required. Further details will be available on this page in due course, but any academic interested in the call is requested to register their interest with Stuart Wilkinson by noon on 15 November 2012 so that we may ensure they are kept up to date with developments.

Further details available on the EPSRC website.

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EPSRC/ESRC: Consortia for Exploratory Research in Security (CEReS) (Deadline for internal EOIs: 15 May 2012)

EPSRC and ESRC are jointly inviting outline proposals for interdisciplinary research consortia to explore current and future cyber security challenges. Proposals with significant novel mathematics and/or social science content are particularly welcome. The deadline for outline proposals is 14 June 2012.

To enable potential links across Oxford to be identified anyone interested in this call is asked to contact Keri Dexter in the MPLS Divisional Office, by 15 May 2012.

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EPSRC: Ground and Structural Engineering Research Challenge Call for Proposals (internal Registration of Interest deadline: 17 August 2012)

EPSRC invite Registrations of Intent (by 24 August 2012) and full applications (by 20 September 2012) for a Ground and Structural Engineering Research Challenge Call. £8m is available to support up to five consortia "defined in part by the original aims of the networks" funded by EPSRC in this area in 2011: LimesNet and Future Infrastructure Forum. Further details can be found on EPSRC's website.

There is limited time between the deadlines for registration and full applications, during which EPSRC have indicated that they may request the University to consolidate multiple bids. Therefore, interested academics are requested to register their interest with Jenny Gladstone in Research Services as early as possible and by 17 August 2012 at the latest. This will enable us to identify areas of synergy and introduce potential collaborators at an early stage.
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EPSRC: Scoping Workshop - Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Challenges in Geological Storage for CCS (Deadline for internal EOIs: 24 May 2012)

EPSRC invites Expressions of Interest to attend a scoping workshop to "explore how engineering and physical sciences research can tackle challenges around geological storage to help accelerate the deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS)". The results will be used to scope an EPSRC Energy Programme Challenge call of up to £5 million. The deadline for receipt of EOIs by EPSRC is 12 noon on 7 June 2012.

EPSRC have indicated that they may limit attendance to one or two individuals per institution and therefore require applicants within an institution to agree in advance who should take precedence and communicate this on their application form. To enable links across Oxford to be identified and interested parties to be introduced, please contact Jenny Gladstone in Research Services by 24 May 2012.

Further information on the call may be found on the EPSRC website.

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EPSRC: Software for the Future (Deadline for internal EOIs: 10 May 2012)

EPSRC invites Expressions of Interest to attend a workshop to "begin a process to allocate funding to address grand challenges in software in July 2012". The funding is likely to be in the order of £4 - £5 million. The deadline for receipt of EOIs by EPSRC is 4 pm on 15 May 2012.

EPSRC have indicated that they may limit attendance to one or two individuals per institution and therefore require applicants within an institution to discuss in advance and agree appropriate representation between colleagues. To enable links across Oxford to be identified and interested parties to be introduced, please contact Jenny Gladstone in Research Services by 10 May 2012.

Further information on the call may be found on the EPSRC website.

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EPSRC: Transforming Energy Demand in Buildings through Digital Innovation (BuildTEDDI) (Internal deadline: 4 November 2011)

EPSRC invites proposals for multidisciplinary consortia to address "the application of digital technologies to transform energy demand reduction within the envelope of a single building". A total of £6m is available to fund three to five consortia and the deadline for submission of Expressions of Interest is 30 November 2011.

Although EPSRC do not impose a restriction on the number of bids from one institution, a multidisciplinary approach is required involving "social scientists, digital economists, building engineers and others" working together in a team "of sufficient size to address the challenges outlined".

If you are interested in collaborating in a bid, or intend to submit your own application, please contact Jenny Gladstone in Research Services by 4 November 2011 to enable potential synergies across Oxford to be identified.

Further information on the call may be found on the EPSRC website.

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ESRC Transformative Research Call: 'Transforming' Social Science (internal deadline: 9 am, 7 Jan 2013)

The University has been invited to submit up to two applications to this pilot call from ESRC.

The purpose of this new call is to identify research ideas that have the potential to revolutionise accepted ideas or thinking in particular areas of the social sciences and/or at the boundaries with other areas of the research base. It is also to provide an opportunity for researchers to express their ideas to their peers, to receive constructive feedback, and to compete for funding to develop their ideas further. Full details of eligibility are set out in the call documentation on the ESRC website. Successful proposals will be funded up to £250,000 (100% fEC).

The Social Sciences Division will co-ordinate the selection of proposals to this call. It invites interested parties to a briefing session around the call, on Thursday, 29 November 2012, 3pm, Social Science Division. Please register your interest to attend via this Doodle poll.

In order to decide which applications should proceed, a small panel will be convened chaired by Head of the Social Sciences Division (where applications are received from researchers in other Divisions then the Head of the relevant Division(s) or their nominee will be invited to join the panel).

Please submit your application using the template and guidance found on the ESRC webpage, to sharron.pleydell-pearce@socsci.ox.ac.uk by 9 am, Monday, 7 January 2013. The successful applicant(s) will be notified by the end of that week so that they have time to finalise their proposal for submission to ESRC by 4 pm on Thursday, 24 January 2013. Applications need to be submitted to ESRC via a special online form, details of which will be provided to the selected Oxford applicant(s).

If you have any queries regarding the call, please contact SSD Research Facilitator Sharron Pleydell-Pearce, or ESRC's Trudie Keene (transformative1@esrc.ac.uk, 01793 413066) or Luke Moody (transformative1@esrc.ac.uk, 01793 444520).

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HEFCE: second call to the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund

Following on from the success of the first round of the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF), HEFCE is inviting proposals from UK universities for large-scale projects (minimum £10 million from UKRPIF) that can lever twice as much funding from private sources (businesses, charities, individual donations).

Proposals are to be submitted to HEFCE by 11 February 2013 and will be assessed by the UKRPIF panel in March. The successful projects will be announced in May 2013. For further information please see the HEFCE website.

As with Round 1 of the UKRPIF, PRAS is supporting the PVC (P&L) and PVC(R) to plan and coordinate. If you have (or receive) any queries, please contact Judith Finch in PRAS.

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Inaugural Global Young Scientists Summit (Singapore, January 2013): EOIs in Being Nominated to Attend (Deadline: 4 pm, 22 June 2012)

Background

Oxford has been invited to nominate "up to 'five brilliant young scientists' (PhD students and postdocs)" to attend the inaugural Global Young Scientists Summit (GYSS)@One-North to be held in Singapore in January 2013.

The theme of the Summit, being organised by The National Research Foundation (NRF) of Singapore, is Advancing Science, Creating Technologies for a Better World. It aims to address key areas of science and research, technology, innovation & society, and solutions to global challenges.

The NRF will cover the expenses for food, accommodation and summit fees for the participants. Oxford Departments who put forward nominees must meet the travel expenses to and from Singapore.

The NRF describes the event as below:

Coupling the basic sciences of chemistry, physics and medicine, with mathematics, computer science and engineering, the GYSS@one-north aims to inspire and excite bright young scientists, through close interactions with eminent scientific and technology leaders, to apply themselves to research which addresses major global challenges and the future needs of mankind. The Summit provides a unique platform for young researchers to connect and engage with like-minded peers from around the world to build a strong global research network. Additionally, the Singapore Challenge, an integral part of the GYSS@one-north programme, will invite participants to propose innovative solutions to an identified challenge.

Nomination Process

If you wish to be considered for selection as one of the Oxford nominees, please complete and email the Expression of Interest (EOI) Form and required attachments by 4 pm, Friday 22 June 2012 to the PVC(R) Professor Ian Walmsley c/- Dr Glenn Swafford, Research Services (glenn.swafford@admin.ox.ac.uk). The email subject line should be 'GYSS Nomination - [insert family name].' There must be one attachment only – that is, this form and the enclosures should be in one (1) document.

Further Information

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JISC Grant 04/08: "Learning and teaching innovation" - JISC Deadline: 21 March 2011

JISC Grant 04/08: "Learning and teaching innovation" - JISC Deadline: 21 March 2011

This scheme allows only one bid per lead institution. So far we are aware that the Department of Politics and International Relations is interested in applying to this.

Please could you contact Nicola Froggatt  (tel. (2)78713) if you know of anyone in Oxford who is likely to lead a bid for this call.

Please see the JISC website for full call information.

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Leverhulme Trust Research Leadership Awards 2012 (internal outline bid deadline: 27 February 2012)

The Leverhulme Trust is soliciting applications for Research Leadership Awards. Worth up to £1,000,000 over 5 years, these awards will support researchers establish their research group to address a distinct research problem. Further details including eligibility criteria can be found on the Leverhulme Trust’s website.

Only one application is permitted from any institution and therefore an internal co-ordinated bid process will be required. The wide range of the Leverhulme Trust’s funding portfolio means that this will be a two-step process: Divisions will assess and rank bids prior to cross-divisional selection.

Applicants must prepare an outline bid comprising their CV, a 2-page research programme, and a statement from their Head of Department forming a reference and demonstrating the application's fit with institutional research strategy. This should be submitted to the appropriate Divisional representatives by 27 February 2012.

Individual Divisions may require additional components, such as an indication of cost and whether any institutional funding commitment is required, therefore applicants are encouraged to contact Divisional representative at an early stage.

Applicants will be informed of the outcome of the selection by 16 March 2012 for submission of the full application and Resolve form to Research Services by 23 April 2012.


Divisional Contacts 
Humanities  
Andrew Fairweather-Tall
Social Sciences Kerry Vernon
Medical Sciences Rosie Mortimer
MPLS
Keri Dexter
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Mellon Foundation's John E. Sawyer Seminars on the Comparative Study of Cultures: (internal deadline: 9 am, 1 February 2013)

The University has been invited to submit one application to this call from the Mellon Foundation.

The purpose of this call is to provide support for collaborative research on historical and contemporary topics of major scholarly significance.  The seminars bring together faculty, foreign visitors, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students from a variety of fields mainly, but not exclusively, in the arts, humanities and interpretive social sciences, for intensive study of subjects chosen by the participants.  This programme aims to engage productive scholars in multi-disciplinary and comparative inquiry that would (in ordinary university circumstances) be difficult to pursue, while at the same time avoiding the institutionalisation of such work in new centres, departments, or programmes. Full details of the call are available on the Mellon Foundation website. Funding for the Seminar Programme is $175,000. The grant may not be used for the costs of released time for regular faculty participants, or for indirect costs.

The Humanities and Social Sciences Research Services team will co-ordinate the selection of proposals to this call. A panel comprising academic researchers from relevant discipline areas, will select from Expressions of Interest (EOI) to determine which application to work up into the preferred bid.

Please submit a two page EOI (Expression of Interest) using the EOI Internal Template (16kb) and the Notes of guidance (26kb) in the attached documents to ken.bedding@admin.ox.ac.uk by 9am on Friday 1 February 2013. The successful applicant will be notified by the end of the following week so that they have time to develop their proposal into a full application for submission to the Mellon Foundation by Friday 1 March 2013.

If you have any queries regarding the call, please contact Research Funding Manager Ken Bedding.

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MRC Advanced Course Masters Studentships Competition 2012 (EoI extended deadline: noon, 23 November 2011)

The Medical Research Council has announced a new Advanced Course Masters Studentships competition. Both taught MSc programmes and MSc by Research programmes which include non-assessed skills training courses are eligible. Oxford may submit a maximum of 2 applications; therefore an internal selection process will be held. Further details of this process will follow once finalised; in the meantime please send your Expressions of Interest to the relevant contact person listed below (extended deadline: noon, 23 November 2011).

Please note that while the MRC deadline is 20 December 2011, it will be necessary for applications to be completed prior to that deadline for the internal assessment process.

Competition Details

The aim of the Medical Research Council in funding these new MSc and MRes studentships is to assist Universities to make a significant impact on unmet national needs for advanced biomedical and health research skills and to develop potential research leaders of the future. These are skills that have been identified by MRC and other partners as critical to the success of the UK in order to meet national goals for better healthcare and improved human, social and economic health. Specific scientific and skills priorities for this call are set out in the competition guidance.

Expressions of Interest (internal deadline: extended to noon, 23 November 2011)

Please send your Expressions of Interest to the relevant contact person below:

Further information

 

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MRC: UK Regenerative Medicine Platform (internal deadline: 5 October 2012)

The MRC have announced a call for a UK Regenerative Medicine Platform under which the University is only permitted to lead on one application. This call is a follow-on to a previous MRC call for Expressions of Interest, however, applicants who did not submit an EOI at that stage are eligible to apply now.

Oxford submitted an EOI to the earlier call and this team has formed a consortium to lead on a full application.

If you or your colleagues would like to propose that a different consortium lead an application, please contact  Jennifer.Gladstone@admin.ox.ac.uk by Friday, 5 October 2012, who will collate responses and discuss with the Divisional offices. The external deadline is 27 November 2012.

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Oxford-Princeton Collaborative Research Grants

The Oxford/Princeton Partnership, established in 2001, supports faculty research collaborations (including graduate student participation) and undergraduate student exchanges between Oxford University and Princeton University.

The Pro Vice Chancellor (Research), with the support of the John Fell OUP Fund Committee, and the Princeton Council for International Teaching and Research, invite proposals for a new round of funding under the collaborative research grants scheme. Applications close on 4 June 2010.

For full details and an internal application form, please see the Oxford-Princeton Guidelines webpage.

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RCUK Energy Programme shaping capability and strategy planning town meeting (register your interest by 7 December 2011)

EPSRC invites Expressions of Interest to attend a workshop where "the Research Councils Energy Programme will present its shaping capability outputs and the implications for each research theme, and the draft technology research support strategies." There will be opportunity for one-to-one discussion with the energy programme officers. The deadline for receipt of EOIs by EPSRC is 12 noon on 14 December 2011.

EPSRC require each institution to compile and forward a list of priority attendees to ensure institutional balance at the meeting. To enable interested parties to be identified and co-ordinated into Oxford’s priority list, please register your interest by contacting Jenny Gladstone in Research Services by 7 December 2011.

Further information on the call may be found on the EPSRC website.

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RCUK's Public Engagement with Research Catalysts Call: Meeting on 7 October 2011, Oxford, to discuss bid strategy

You may be aware of the recent RCUK call for bids to support the embedding of a public engagement culture in universities.  Please see http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/per/Pages/catalysts.aspx for details.

The bid documentation emphasises that one bid per institution is permitted, and that the project should be about developing mechanisms and strategies for embedding public engagement, rather than for specific public engagement activities. 

There is at least one project where work is under way that has expressed an interest in this opportunity, by extending their activities across the University.  In order to discuss the University's bid strategy Dr Phil Clare, Research Services, is convening a meeting on 7 October 2011, 9 am - 10.30 am, to discuss ideas and contributions for this bid.  He would welcome the opportunity to discuss this in advance if any colleagues are interested.

Please kindly let Manel Palamabukura know if you intend to come.

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Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowships (internal deadline for Stage 1 proposal: 9 am, 29 Oct 2012)

The Royal Academy of Engineering has now announced details of this year's Research Fellowships competition. Fellowships last for 5 years (full-time equivalent), starting between 1 April 2013 and 31 December 2013. Applicants must have no more than 3 years postdoctoral experience as at 12 November 2012; but there are no restrictions on nationality.

Once again, Oxford is restricted to a maximum of three candidates. An internal selection process will therefore be required.

Internal Timetable

  • Potential applicants should submit a (near final) draft Stage 1 proposal to keri.dexter@mpls.ox.ac.uk by 9 am on Monday, 29 October 2012.
  • The proposal should comprise the following documents:

- A (near final) Stage 1 application form (track record, esteem indicators table, 3 pp. case for support)

- CV (2 pp.) + list of publications/presentations

- A completed RAEng Fellowships - Oxford Eligibility Checklist (89kb)

  • Heads of department are asked to rank applications from their department and provide short supporting comments by the same deadline.

Please note: in light of the institutional limits, we do not expect to receive more than three applications from any one department.

In order to inform the internal selection panel membership it will be helpful to have an early indication from departments of the likely number of applicants and their area(s) of research.

If you should have any questions please contact keri.dexter@mpls.ox.ac.uk.

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Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowships 2011 (internal deadline: 17 October 2011, 9 am)

The RAEng has recently issued a call for outline applications for Research Fellowships. These 5-year posts are open to outstanding researchers from all branches of engineering who are either about to complete their PhD, or have not more than 3 years postdoctoral experience (as at 31 October 2011). Full details of the call, copies of the applications forms and further guidance are available at http://www.raeng.org.uk/research/researcher/postdoc/.

Oxford can submit a maximum of THREE applications to this call. An internal selection process is therefore required. This will be undertaken by a small panel chaired by the Associate Head (Research) of the MPLS Division.

Internal Timetable

  • Those interested in applying for a Fellowship must submit the following material to Dr Keri Dexter in the MPLS Divisional Office, by no later than 9 am GMT on Monday, 17 October:
    • A (near final) Stage 1 application form (track record, esteem indicators table, and 3 pp. case for support)
    • CV (2 pp.) + list of publications/presentations
    • A completed Oxford 'eligibility' checklist (86kb)
  • Candidates should also ask their host head of department to email Keri Dexter by the same deadline to confirm that the department endorses the application, and providing a brief statement of support.
  • Candidates will be notified of the outcome of the internal process by close on Friday 21 October.
  • Shortlisted candidates should then e-mail their full, completed application (plus a Resolve OG) to Research Services by 4pm on Thursday 27 October, for onward submission to the RAEng.

For planning purposes, it will be helpful (but is not essential) if candidates intending to submit an application can notify Dr Keri Dexter as soon as possible.

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Royal Academy of Engineering: Research Chair in Emerging Technologies (EoI deadline: 15 February 2012)

The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) is currently inviting outline applications for a Research Chair in Emerging Technologies. Funding will be available for up to 10 years (subject to periodic reviews).

Applications can be in any engineering-related subject that is considered 'emerging'.The RAEng defines this as a technology that is 'immature' and not yet at a stage where it is likely to attract industry funding (and so is not suitable for its standard Research Chairs programme). A maximum of two applications per institution are permitted.

In order to determine whether an internal selection process will be required, any departments wishing to submit an application to this scheme are asked to contact the MPLS Divisional Office (keri.dexter@mpls.ox.ac.uk) by close on Wednesday, 15 February 2012, to indicate their interest. If more than two expressions of interest are received, a selection panel will be convened in early March (timetable to be advised as necessary).

The RAEng closing date for outline applications is 23 March 2012.

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Sir Jules Thorn 50th Anniversary Award (EoI deadline: 23 October 2012)

The Sir Jules Thorn Trust has launched an award to celebrate its 50th birthday. It is a £2.5 – 5m grant to fund "some or all the costs of providing new or additional infrastructure facilities to assist world class translational research, by which is meant research on human subjects". Co-funding from the University is favoured. Only one bid is allowed from the University.

It has been decided that this is to be co-ordinated by MSD with the following deadlines:

  • Expression of interest (2 pages outlining the bid): 23 October 2012.
    Please send the EoIs by email to margareta.rorsman@medsci.ox.ac.uk.
  • Decision on which proposal to be selected for full application: 11 November 2012
  • Closing date for the final application to the Jules Thorn Trust: 31 December 2012
Important: Please note that Research Services will be closed for the Christmas/New Year break from 4 pm on Thursday, 20 December 2012 until 8.30 am on Tuesday, 2 January 2013. The deadline for receipt of the application by Research Services will therefore be Thursday, 13 December 2012.

Further information about the Award can be found on the Sir Jules Thorn Trust website.

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The Sir Jules Thorn Award for Biomedical Research: Internal EOIs by 3 September 2012

Applications are now open for the 2013 Sir Jules Thorn Award for Biomedical Research. This annual competition offers a grant of up to £1.25 million for a programme of the highest quality translational research extending for up to 5 years, led by investigators of outstanding quality in the early years of an established research and academic career. Examples of the type of research funded under this programme may be found on the Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust website.

Institutions considering applying should consult the Guidance Notes (PDF) available for download from the Trust's Useful Documents section.

Prospective applicants should note that:

  1. The closing date for Preliminary Applications is 5 October 2012.
  2. Only one application per institution is permitted.
  3. The Award may not be used for Cancer or HIV/AIDS related research.

Internal process at Oxford: Please send your Expressions of Interest to Margareta Rorsman, Assistant Registrar, Medical Science Office, by Monday, 3 September 2012.

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UK Intellectual Property Office: Fast Forward Competition (EoI deadline: 9 Nov 2012)

The UK Intellectual Property Office invites applications to its Fast Forward Competition, a £750k opportunity for innovative university-industry projects. The deadline for applications is 14 December 2012 and further details are available at www.ipo.gov.uk/fastforward.

Applications are limited to two per institution and we therefore request all those intending to apply to register their interest with Stuart Wilkinson (Research Services – KEIT),  by noon on 9 November 2012. This will enable us to assess the levels of interest and identify whether a formal selection process is required.

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EPSRC: Upgrading the small-scale equipment base for early career researchers in the Engineering & Physical Sciences (EOI deadline: 12 noon, 14 September 2012)

This EPSRC call is designed to support early career researchers working in the Engineering & Physical Sciences through investment in a portfolio of small items of research equipment (defined as any item, including software, which individually costs less than £10,000 incl. VAT). All funds must be spent by 31 March 2013.

Expressions of interest are now invited from eligible early career researchers in order to inform the development of Oxford’s application. (Only one, institutional, bid per university is permitted).

EOIs should be submitted – via the applicant's Head of Department – to Keri Dexter (MPLS Divisional Office) by no later than 12 noon on Friday, 14 September 2012. Guidance notes (including eligibility details) and the EOI form to be used are available below.

Documents

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Wellcome Trust Biomedical and Public Health 4-year PhD Programme (EoI deadline: 5pm, 31 Oct 2012)

The Wellcome Trust has invited preliminary applications for 4-year PhD programmes in biomedicine and public health, with a deadline of 10 December 2012.

Applications from Oxford are being co-ordinated by Anton van der Merwe, the Director of the Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre. Anyone interested in submitting an application for a new 4-year PhD programme should submit an Expression of Interest, which will be evaluated by a committee convened by the PVC(Research). The deadline for internal Expressions of Interest (EOIs, max. 2 pages) is 5 pm, Wednesday, 31 October 2012. Please email the completed EoI form to anton.vandermerwe@path.ox.ac.uk.

To download

Further information

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Wellcome Trust Biomedical Resources & Technology Development Grant and Multi-User Equipment Grant ('Intention to submit' document deadline: 5 pm, 5 September 20

In order to avoid submitting overlapping bids for the Wellcome Trust Biomedical Resource & Technology Development Grant and Multi-User Equipment Grant, and the University therefore being seen as insufficiently strategic by the Wellcome Trust, we ask that a short, internal 'Intention to Submit' document is supplied prior to preliminary applications being submitted. This document should contain the following information:

  • What type of equipment/technology is being requested?
  • Who will be involved in the project/proposal?
  • If it is a Biomedical Resource application, is this for establishment of a new platform, or the refinement of an existing resource?
  • What is the likely scale of the application (£)?

The deadline for receipt of this document is 5 pm, Wednesday, 5 September 2012. Please email your 'Intention to Submit' document to jennifer.bardsley@ndm.ox.ac.uk.

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UKIPO Fast Forward Competition - Deadline 26 January 2011

The Intellectual Property Office's 2011 Fast Forward Competition has a prize fund of £500k which will be awarded to a minimum of 12 successful projects, with individual awards between £10,000 and £100,000. This is not funding for research or commercialisation of individual products, but awards for projects that improve management of IP and knowledge exchange.

A letter of support from an in-house 'champion' (normally a member of the lead institution's senior management team) is required. The UKIP has stated 'N.B. We would ask that institutions do not submit more than two applications under this scheme (to this end, we propose to discard third and subsequent applications from any single institution)'.

For full details, please see the Intellectual Property Office website at http://www.ipo.gov.uk/fastforward.htm.

Action Required

Oxford colleagues thinking of applying to this scheme should urgently contact Dr Glenn Swafford, Research Services, glenn.swafford@admin.ox.ac.uk no later than Wednesday, 26 January 2011.

If there are more than two proposals in prospect at that time, the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) will select the two to be developed in full and submitted by the external due date of noon on Monday, 14 February 2011.

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Wolfson Neurology Initiative - Deadline: 7 February 2011

Internal expressions of interest are invited for the Wolfson Neurology Initiative. This new initiative aims to allocate up to £20m via 'a single or small number of awards to support outstanding research with the potential to provide significant advances in the understanding and treatment of neurological diseases in the broadest sense'. More details of the scheme are available at the Wolfson Foundation website.

In addition to the published details as in the attached call, from preliminary discussions with the Wolfson Foundation we understand that there may be a personal interest in supporting dementia research, but that the eligible areas have been left deliberately broad. Proposals are not necessarily restricted to clinical fields, but all proposed work should have translational potential. The Foundation recognises that research of this nature often requires long timeframes before benefits for patients are realised.

Oxford may submit only one outline application by the deadline of 8 April 2011. Within Oxford there are a number of research areas where bids could be developed; to aid our internal decision-making process on what to submit, the Neurosciences Strategic Oversight Committee invites one-page expressions of interest (EoIs) by Monday 7 February 2011. Representatives of the Wolfson Foundation have offered to review a small number of EoIs from Oxford researchers and to provide feedback on which appears most promising to them. On the basis of this feedback, one proposal will be invited to go forward as Oxford's sole outline submission.

Those interested in developing an outline application are asked to submit a one-page EoI that includes:

  • Names of the core principal investigators submitting the EoI, and those of the wider group who might be associated with the proposed work
  • A brief summary of the scientific aims and proposed approach
  • The potential scale of the work (whether the proposed research might add up to a request for the entire £20m available, or to a lesser amount instead)
  • What components might be included in the proposal (capital contributions, endowed chairs or other posts, research costs). A detailed costing is not required at this stage
    NB: Costs to cover research involving animals are not explicitly stated to be ineligible, however, we understand that proposals that include a significant component of animal work are unlikely to be attractive to the Foundation.
  • Scope for the proposal to be associated with naming rights for the Wolfson Foundation and specifically the late Lord Leonard Wolfson
  • What other funding (capital and research, internal and external) could be presented as associated with the proposal in order to demonstrate additional leverage
  • Potential for sustained funding beyond the five-year period of a Wolfson award

Researchers interested in submitting an EoI are asked to notify their interest as early as possible, and certainly before Monday, 7 February. This will allow an assessment to be made of the emerging field within Oxford; where potential overlap between bids is identified, applicants will be asked to discuss their respective plans with each other and to articulate in their EoIs what opportunities there are for collaboration. Potential applicants are also encouraged to reflect on the likely competitor bids that may be put forward by other institutions, and to specify how their proposed work makes best use of Oxford's unique strengths.

Internal timeline

  • Monday, 7 February 2011: Internal deadline for one-page EoIs
  • End of February 2011: Feedback received from Wolfson Foundation on EoIs, one Oxford proposal invited to progress to outline stage
  • Friday, 8 April 2011: Wolfson deadline for outlines
Further information

For further details please contact Simon Neil, Divisional Research Facilitator for Neuroscience.

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