EU facilitation funds (30/09/16)

Dear colleagues,

As you are hopefully already aware, the University of Exeter is proactively engaging with colleagues to inform future relationships between the UK and Europe and continue our fruitful collaborations. I have joined the Russell Group EU Advisory Group to further ensure our engagement and with a small delegation, I attended a positive series of meetings in Brussels on 30 August 2016 and met with key commission officials and European Stakeholders (MEPs, Director General DG Research, EU Commissioner for Research, President of the ERC). I will continue to forge links and work as part of this taskforce to promote our intention to continue our collaborative relationships and will keep you informed as to progress.

Facilitation funds:

It is imperative that we continue to engage proactively with our European colleagues and reinforce our willingness to actively participate in European collaborative research, thereby forging and maintaining positive EU relationships. To assist in our commitment to this, I am delighted to let you know that the University has created a new fund to support your European collaborations over the coming year.

The fund is now available for our academic research community to facilitate their interactions with European Research partners and projects. This is especially important for those in the early stages of their career. One of the best ways for our researchers to gain contacts and partnering opportunities is for them to have the opportunity to go and meet with project consortia or to attend brokerage events organised by the commission or key stakeholder organisations. The main focus of the fund therefore will be on small awards to facilitate consortia building meetings and travel to partnering opportunities. These will be key in ensuring that our researchers take up opportunities to engage with EU calls for proposals and continue to develop positive relationships at this critical time when Exeter wants to ensure its continued EU portfolio and be actively supportive of its researcher’s endeavours.

Details of the light touch process to receive funding to support your European collaboration will be circulated to colleges shortly and will also be available via the Research Toolkit.

Sincerely,

Nick
Professor Nicholas J Talbot FRS
Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Impact
University of Exeter
Northcote House
Exeter EX4 4QJ
Tel: + 44 (0)1392 723006 (PA: Sarah Warren)