Funding Bodies
European Commission – The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) is the world's biggest single publicly funded research programme and is the main funding mechanism for supporting collaborative Research and Technological Development in the EU. It will run from 2007-2013, with a budget of E53.2 billion, which represents the third largest item in the EU budget.
The programme's overall aims are to:
- Strengthen the EU's Science & Technology base
- Improve the EU's competitiveness
- Support EU policy development
The programme is open to EU public and private entities of all sizes and incorporates provision for the participation of non-EU countries. Participation is on an internationally collaborative basis and there are no national quotas as the programme operates on a competitive basis with proposals being evaluated by panels of independent experts against set criteria.
FP7 was officially launched on 22 December 2007 when the first "calls for proposals" (i.e. invitation to submit project proposals in defined areas) were issued by the European Commission. Funding will be provided for research activities in ten thematic areas:
- Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies
- Energy
- Environment (including Climate Change)
- Transport (including Aeronautics)
- Socio-Economic Sciences and the Humanities
- Space
- Security
UK Dept of Trade and Industry (DTI)
Funding for structural engineering research used to be provided through the Partners in Innovation scheme, which is now closed to new calls. Nine new funding instruments are now available, which will operate industry wide, to replace PII. Those most relevant to structural engineering research are:
- Support for business research and development through collaboration
- Support for knowledge transfer networks
- Support to disseminate new and existing best practice
- Support to implement best practice activities
- Grant for research and development.
Support for collaborative R&D and Knowledge Transfer Networks will be targeted at the five key areas: ICT, Life Sciences, Advanced Materials, Advanced Manufacturing and Energy & Environment. Specific calls will be made twice a year in April and October. The new collaborative R&D instrument is intended to fund larger programmes of work than previously and will favour cross-sectorial projects involving a number of industrial partners. For further information click here.
For advice contact: John Brumwell (Construction Research Manager) email: john.brumwell@dti.gsi.gov.uk or Tel: 020 7215 3705.
UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is the UK's main agency for funding research and related postgraduate training in engineering and the physical sciences – from maths to materials science, and from information technology to structural engineering. EPSRC invests over £460 million a year to promote and encourage research and postgraduate training in the physical sciences and engineering. Most funding is provided through research grants or training awards to universities, or provision of access to major national and international research facilities.
Most projects relevant to structural engineering are currently funded through the engineering programme’s responsive mode and are usually submitted by UK academics. Click here for further information on the engineering programme. Practitioners can get involved by linking with an academic group on a shared interest and EPSRC is happy to provide help and advice on making links and developing appropriate contacts. More details of the various ways in which practitioners can work with EPSRC are detailed in a recent article in The Structural Engineer (7 Oct 2003, Volume 81, Number 19) Structural related research consortia have also been funded through more targeted initiatives and they include ' Towards a Sustainable Urban Environment' (SUE), 'Building Knowledge for a Changing Climate' and 'Rail Research UK'.
Further contacts can be obtained from Dr Fionnuala Costello (Associate programme manager) Email: Fionnuala.Costello@epsrc.ac.uk Tel: 01793 444134 or from Katie Daniel, Email: katie.daniel@epsrc.ac.uk or Tel: 01793 444115.
UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE)
HSE has an integrated research programme which address both generic and specific occupational health and safety issues across the complete spectrum of HSC/E's regulatory responsibilities. In 2003/04 HSE plans to spend about £20.5 million on research. Each year HSC/E publishes its Strategic Research Outlook which details the key issues being considered by HSE. There are about 500 active projects at any one time with varying life span and budget. Funding is now allocated by competitive tender instead of the previously run annual Competition for Ideas.
UK Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM)
ODPM research is organised into six research programme areas:
- Building Regulations
- Fire
- Sustainable Communities
- Local and Regional Government
- Neighbourhood Renewal
- Social Exclusion
Each programme area commissions its own research projects although there is collaboration to ensure there is not unnecessary duplication and overlapping interests are identified. ODPM also has a central cross-cutting horizon-scanning programme called New Horizons, which is administered by the Strategic Research Team. The programmes are delivered by twelve research and analytical divisions. New research projects are advertised in a newsletter, procured competitively and results are published and disseminated.
Royal Academy of Engineering
The Royal Academy of Engineering supports research by funding Research Chairs and fellowships as well as offering awards and travel grants to those in research.
|
