Call for Proposals: Collaborative Science & Technology Workshops at UCL sponsored by French Embassy

1 October 2015
UCL and the French Embassy have collaborated since 2012 in support of an annual series of workshops with a Science and/or Technology focus. The workshop series is one of two joint initiatives between UCL Grand Challenges and the French Embassy Science & Technology department, the other being an annual series of Conference-Débat lectures, established 2010, on big cross-disciplinary topics, with speakers from UCL and research institutions in France. Deadline: 26 October 2015

Once during each year of the UCL-French Embassy Agreement, UCL through its website will announce a Call for Science & Technology Collaborative Workshop Proposals, inviting researchers based at UCL to apply for funds to organise collaborative workshops involving participants from UCL and from research institutions in France. For its part the French Embassy will also announce the Call on its website. The French Embassy's Department of Science & Technology has kindly committed to provide €22,500 annually for support of between three and five workshops (depending on the quality and value for money of applications received) in each year that the Agreement is in force.

This is the 4th Call for Proposals.

Criteria for selection of Workshops.

A proposed workshop should:

(a) Take place before Friday 2 September 2016, the awarded funding being spent by the end of UCL's financial year - i.e. by 31 July 2016

(b) Cost no more than €7,500 (less costly proposals, budgeted at €4-5,000 are also encouraged)

(c) Be capable of being run at UCL's facilities within the Workshop Budget. It is intended that the budget for a workshop will, in addition to covering the costs of dinner for all participants on Day 1, and lunch and refreshment costs for all participants on Day 2 of the workshop, also support the travel, accommodation (one night) and subsistence costs of participants travelling from France

(d) Be led by senior researchers from UCL and France (i.e. established academics / senior research fellows)

(e) Be suitable for a total of approximately 12 to 16 participants, including approximately 6 to 8 French participants

(f) Have the aim of building on existing, or establishing new, links between UCL and French academic and research organisations

(g) Seek to establish new approaches for possible research collaborations, including those needing input from researchers from diverse disciplinary and methodological backgrounds

(h) Address, for example,

a. an S&T challenge at the frontiers of either basic or applied science

b. one of UCL's Grand Challenges of Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interaction or Human Wellbeing

c. a European Commission thematic programme

Format of Workshop

A suggested workshop format is as follows:

Day 1: 14.00 Arrival at UCL (to enable same-day journey start)

14.00-18.00 Workshop activity

20.00-22.00 Dinner

Day 2: 09.00-13.00 Continuation of workshop

13.00-14.00 Lunch

14.00 Depart (to enable same-day journey end)

Method of Application

1. UCL lead applicants are invited to submit their proposals to OVPR - the Office of the UCL Vice-Provost (Research) - (see point 5 below) on up to four sides:

• indicating the title of the proposed workshop
• providing a brief abstract in non-specialist language (100-200 words) describing the research challenge
• outlining the Aims and Objectives of the workshop - scientifically and in terms of added value for the participants' (UCL and France) research 

[NB: there is no special application form]

2. Information on individual participants (from UCL and from France) should be provided separately on one side of A4 per person, indicating name, position, departmental affiliation, core research interest, three key relevant publications; but note that:

3. Explicit commitment from all [i.e. up to 16] potential participants is not required at the time of application. However, brief information should be provided on at least three participants from UCL and three from France. If an application is selected for funding, data on the remaining participants will be required before the date of the proposed workshop.

4. Doctoral (PhD) students and postdoctoral research assistants are very welcome to participate, but lead applicants must be established academics or group leaders (e.g. senior research fellows).

5. Applications, containing an estimate of costs for travel (economy class), accommodation, subsistence, dinner, workshop coffees and teas, signed off by the head of department and/or departmental finance manager should be sent as a single pdf file to Kasia Diez (PA, UCL Grand Challenges), OVPR.

6. There is one deadline for applications: Monday 26 October 2015, with decisions given to applicants by Monday 23 November 2015.

By applying, applicants indicate their agreement if successful to provide:

· A short report on the workshop (confirming that it took place, and describing planned follow-up activity) within one month of the date of the workshop, example here

· By Friday 23 September 2016, an expenditure statement [NB the French Embassy needs this in order to justify budgetary support for future workshop competitions]

· 12 months after the workshop, if prompted by UCL OVPR, a short update providing information on any attributable further developments

Successful applicants will be responsible for all the practical arrangements for the workshop, and should not expect further logistical support from the OVPR or the French Embassy.

UCL Grand Challenges undertakes to publicise the immediate, medium and longer-term outcomes attributable to funded workshops.

Membership of Workshop Panel. a) the Science and Technology Counsellor at the French Embassy, (b) another representative of the French Embassy, appointed by its Science and Technology Counsellor; (c) the Director of Research Planning at UCL or his appointee; (d) the UCL Principal Facilitator, Grand Challenges; and (e) the UCL Pro-Vice-Provost (Europe)

Deadline - for submission of applications to OVPR: 1700, Monday 26 October 2015

Decisions on applications will be sent to applicants by Monday 23 November 2015

Once during each year of the UCL-French Embassy Agreement, UCL through its website will announce a Call for Science & Technology Collaborative Workshop Proposals, inviting researchers based at UCL to apply for funds to organise collaborative workshops involving participants from UCL and from research institutions in France. For its part the French Embassy will also announce the Call on its website. The French Embassy's Department of Science & Technology has kindly committed to provide €22,500 annually for support of between three and five workshops (depending on the quality and value for money of applications received) in each year that the Agreement is in force.This is the 4th Call for Proposals.Criteria for selection of Workshops.A proposed workshop should:(a) Take place before Friday 2 September 2016, the awarded funding being spent by the end of UCL's financial year - i.e. by 31 July 2016(b) Cost no more than €7,500 (less costly proposals, budgeted at €4-5,000 are also encouraged)(c) Be capable of being run at UCL's facilities within the Workshop Budget. It is intended that the budget for a workshop will, in addition to covering the costs of dinner for all participants on Day 1, and lunch and refreshment costs for all participants on Day 2 of the workshop, also support the travel, accommodation (one night) and subsistence costs of participants travelling from France(d) Be led by senior researchers from UCL and France (i.e. established academics / senior research fellows)(e) Be suitable for a total of approximately 12 to 16 participants, including approximately 6 to 8 French participants(f) Have the aim of building on existing, or establishing new, links between UCL and French academic and research organisations(g) Seek to establish new approaches for possible research collaborations, including those needing input from researchers from diverse disciplinary and methodological backgrounds(h) Address, for example,a. an S&T challenge at the frontiers of either basic or applied scienceb. one of UCL's Grand Challenges of Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interaction or Human Wellbeingc. a European Commission thematic programmeFormat of WorkshopA suggested workshop format is as follows:Day 1: 14.00 Arrival at UCL (to enable same-day journey start)14.00-18.00 Workshop activity20.00-22.00 DinnerDay 2: 09.00-13.00 Continuation of workshop13.00-14.00 Lunch14.00 Depart (to enable same-day journey end)Method of Application1. UCL lead applicants are invited to submit their proposals to OVPR - the Office of the UCL Vice-Provost (Research) - (see point 5 below) on up to four sides:indicating the title of the proposed workshopproviding a brief abstract in non-specialist language (100-200 words) describing the research challengeoutlining the Aims and Objectives of the workshop - scientifically and in terms of added value for the participants' (UCL and France) research [NB: there is no special application form]2. Information on individual participants (from UCL and from France) should be provided separately on one side of A4 per person, indicating name, position, departmental affiliation, core research interest, three key relevant publications; but note that:3. Explicit commitment from all [i.e. up to 16] potential participants is not required at the time of application. However, brief information should be provided on at least three participants from UCL and three from France. If an application is selected for funding, data on the remaining participants will be required before the date of the proposed workshop.4. Doctoral (PhD) students and postdoctoral research assistants are very welcome to participate, but lead applicants must be established academics or group leaders (e.g. senior research fellows).5. Applications, containing an estimate of costs for travel (economy class), accommodation, subsistence, dinner, workshop coffees and teas, signed off by the head of department and/or departmental finance manager should be sent as a single pdf file to Kasia Diez (PA, UCL Grand Challenges), OVPR [k.diez@ucl.ac.uk]6. There is one deadline for applications: Monday 26 October 2015, with decisions given to applicants by Monday 23 November 2015.By applying, applicants indicate their agreement if successful to provide:· A short report on the workshop (confirming that it took place, and describing planned follow-up activity) within one month of the date of the workshop, example here· By Friday 23 September 2016, an expenditure statement [NB the French Embassy needs this in order to justify budgetary support for future workshop competitions]· 12 months after the workshop, if prompted by UCL OVPR, a short update providing information on any attributable further developmentsSuccessful applicants will be responsible for all the practical arrangements for the workshop, and should not expect further logistical support from the OVPR or the French Embassy.UCL Grand Challenges undertakes to publicise the immediate, medium and longer-term outcomes attributable to funded workshops.Membership of Workshop Panel. a) the Science and Technology Counsellor at the French Embassy, (b) another representative of the French Embassy, appointed by its Science and Technology Counsellor; (c) the Director of Research Planning at UCL or his appointee; (d) the UCL Principal Facilitator, Grand Challenges; and (e) the UCL Pro-Vice-Provost (Europe)Deadline - for submission of applications to OVPR: 1700, Monday 26 October 2015Decisions on applications will be sent to applicants by Monday 23 November 2015