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Networking Fund

The Crick Partnership Networking Fund supports the development of connections between the four partners (Crick, UCL, Imperial College London and King's), with up to £3000 available per project. 

Applications are currently being accepted for the Crick Partnership Networking Fund which supports staff and students from the Crick and its university partners (UCL, King’s and Imperial) to establish and develop connections across disciplinary boundaries to lead to fruitful research collaborations and advance the mission of Discovery without Boundaries. 

A Network Fund call is now open. The application deadline is Monday 8th April 2024. 

The aims of the Networking Fund (NF) are to:

  1. Create and promote a range of new networking events for Crick and HEI researchers to build professional networks within the Partnership and beyond their own discipline through joint events. 
  2. Support interdisciplinary researchers to make connections, share and develop ideas and that could support joint research funding applications.
  3. Encourage applications that cross disciplinary boundaries, particularly at the Clinical and Physical Sciences interfaces.
  4. Foster the use, and building, of skills for those directly involved in these funded initiatives (e.g. communication skills, leadership, etc.). 

These projects should primarily benefit the Crick and partner university staff and students, but networking events could include external contacts from other universities, industry, policy or other organisations where appropriate. 

Though applicants should hold their events at the Crick or at a partner univeristy venue, they are still encouraged to run their event(s)/part of their event(s) online or hybrid, making them accessible to a diverse and wider audience, within the Crick partnership and beyond. Such events alos offer the opportunity to host international speakers with no travel costs and showcase more research e.g. online poster sessions. 

Desired Networking Fund proposal outcomes

Applicants are asked to demonstrate how the funding will be used to promote networking through events that adhere to the principles set out above. 

Supported events may include, but are not limited to:

  • Networking events such as workshops, seminars and symposia;
  • The establishment of new networks to promote the exchange of ideas, best practice, and other research goals;
  • The development of communication activities e.g. development of webpages, news forums and case studies, for interest groups which may be time restricted (i.e. clinical staff); 
  • Public engagement activities and events

Projects are expected to build links between the Crick and its partner Universities. Any member of staff or graduate student from the UCL, King's, Imperial or the Crick can jointly apply and get up to £3,000 to help run their events. Full eligibility criteria will be available when the next call opens. 

Hear more from our previous participants:

“The Networking Fund has provided an invaluable opportunity for the development of new links between individuals and teams who may not otherwise have got in contact” Wei Xing, Crick Scientific Computing (Image Analysis seminar series in partnership with UCL, Imperial and King’s College London)

“The Networking Fund has helped to bring the vibrant London neuroscience community into the Crick, as well as creating and strengthening bonds across groups and institutions” Carles Bosch, Crick Postdoc (London Neurotechnology Network in partnership with UCL and Imperial College London)

“The Networking Fund allowed us to establish a group of researchers from within the Crick and through the partner institutes that focus on single-molecule techniques, totally independent of research group, university department or field of biological enquiry”  James Flewellen, Crick Postdoc (Single Molecule Network, in partnership with Imperial College London)

“The Networking Fund enabled our newly established London Stem Cell Network (LSCN) to expand its activities in holding workshops that promoted both networking and research opportunities” Antoniana Batsivari, Crick Postdoc (London Stem Cell Network, in partnership with UCL, King’s and Imperial College London)

For queries please contact Solene Debaisieux

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The deadline for applications is Monday 8th April 2024. Please submit your completed application to Solene Debaisieux. 

Please see below for the application form and scheme guidelines. Please note that the guidance document and venue hire costs have been updated since the previous call.