Events in Physics

The Science and Technology Facilities Council, under the Global Challenges Research Fund, invites applications for its foundation award. This supports projects which address challenges faced by low and middle income countries and strengthen the capability for research and innovation in support of economic development and welfare, within the UK and LMICs. Activities may include the following elements:

•developing new capacity building and research collaborations or partnerships, including training at all career levels;

•partnership building including networks, seminars and workshops to explore and identify areas for co-operation and to enhance the building of partnerships and collaborations, secondments and movement of people between the UK and overseas research organisations and between research organisations, industry, third sector and government;

•extending the scope of existing activities for wider application in LMICs;

•exploratory or pump priming research studies for investigation of new approaches and generation of preliminary data;

•creating effective pathways to impact in LMICs.

RCUK approved UK HEIs, research council institutes and independent research organisations may apply as lead research organisations. Lead applicants must be employed within a research organisation groups previously or currently funded by the STFC core science programme or within STFC laboratories or facilities. Proposals must demonstrate that the science, technology and expertise involved originated from the STFC core science programme or facilities.

The total budget is up to £4 million and funding is available for 15-20 small projects worth up to £100,000 for up to one year aimed at exploring the needs of LMICs, building collaborations and piloting activities. Funding is also available for three to five larger projects worth over £100,000 for up to two years, with mandatory consortium with partners from LMICs, where collaboration and proven approaches are established and in a position to deliver long term, sustainable impact targeted at the challenges faces by the developing countries.