NESTA: Invitation to Tender 2

Invitation to Tender: Government Interventions – are they changing investor behaviour?

 

We are inviting proposals from organisations with in-depth knowledge of the early-stage venture capital market and a track record of producing high-profile reports to look at whether recent government initiatives in the early-stage capital arena have led to a change in investor behaviour.

 

The final output will be a report on the effectiveness of government initiatives in early-stage funding and will provide a benchmark of performance. 

 

The closing date for applications is 5pm (BST) on 17 September 2008.

 

Further information visit: http://www.nesta.org.uk/working-with-npru/  

 

 

NESTA: Invitation to Tender 1

Invitation to Tender – Innovation that Matters

 

NESTA is launching a new research strand, Innovation that Matters, which focuses on innovation in response to major social challenges.

 

The aim of this research is to better understand the ‘innovation systems’ that exist in areas of major social challenge, such as climate change.

 

We are now inviting tenders from researchers for three distinct research project areas:

 

ageing, climate change, and health & wellbeing.

 

Researchers may apply for one or more projects. Under each area, the research should deliver the following:

 

a) A map of the ‘innovation system’ in relation to the particular challenge, focusing on support for innovation in this area. This should include current and recent UK government, public funding and other major initiatives. It should also include specific, up-to-date data relating to levels of spending/funding, and where appropriate, for comparison, recent historical levels of spending/funding.

 

b) An overview of major policies and regulations relating to the particular challenge area and how they stimulate or inhibit innovation.

 

c) Based on a) and b), a critical analysis regarding which forms of innovation receive the greatest attention and support, which types of innovation are under-represented or neglected, and the overall fitness of the current innovation system to address the particular challenge area.

 

d) From this, recommendations for key stakeholders, including NESTA, on how to improve and enhance their support for the innovation system in the particular challenge area being studied.

 

The closing date for applications is 12 noon (BST) on 11 September 2008.

 

Further information visit: http://www.nesta.org.uk/working-with-npru/

 

 

 

British Library Training

The British Library now offers research postgraduates the opportunity to attend training days in English, History, Social Sciences, Entrepreneurship and Modern Foreign Languages in partnership with academic centres of excellence.  These specially tailored days of talks, workshops and networking opportunities combine a general introduction to the Library with specialised sessions on subject specific material. Students will have the opportunity to learn about all aspects of the British Library collections, from oral history recordings to modern literary manuscripts and ephemera through special sessions with curators and special workshops.   They will be given training on how to access online and electronic catalogues, carry out bibliographic research on their topic and meet expert curators in their field.

 

To help ensure the scheme is accessible to research postgraduates from across the UK, there are a limited number of travel bursaries available. 

 

 

13^th October 2008                   Social Sciences

20^th October 2008                   English (19^th – 21^st Century)

28^th October 2008                   English (Medieval – 18^th Century)

 

4^th November 2008                 History (Medieval to 18^th Century)

25^th November 2008               History (19^th – 21^st Century)

 

9^th December 2008                 Modern Foreign Languages

 

For more information about any of these training days, please email Highereducation@bl.uk

Social Research Association Training Courses

The SRA has published its training programme for 2008/9.  It can be found on the SRA website here:  http://www.the-sra.org.uk/training.htm

PG Work in Progress Seminar Series

Hi,

 

We are planning a Post Graduate Work in Progress Seminar Series for the academic year 2008/09. This will be an opportunity for research students (FT and PT) and perhaps also Masters students undertaking/completing their dissertation to present their research to their immediate peers. The seminars will be held on Wednesdays from 5.30 pm onwards. One paper will be presented within 35 to 40 minutes which leaves time for about 20 minutes discussion afterwards. After the presentation something social can be arranged (like a get-together or going to the pub)…Whether supervisors or other academic staff are invited will be left to the discretion of the speakers.

 

The seminar series is a good opportunity for research/masters students to gain experience in presenting in a relatively pressure-free, supportive environment or to practice for a presentation at a conference or congress. It will also give FT and PT students a chance to get together from time to time since we all don’t seem to see too much of each other.

 

In order to make it all happen we will need volunteers to give papers as well as to chair the sessions. So, please do not ignore this message right now but let it sink in for a few days…we are sure you all have interesting results to share!

 

A timetable for the seminars will be sent out once we know how many people want to present.

 

Any questions, offers or participation agreements please send to b.diethart@worc.ac.uk.

 

Best wishes,

Berni (Diethart) and Sharon (Young)

 

 

 

National Postgraduate Committee (NPC)

The NPC will hold its annual conference on 14-16 August. Details of the conference can be found here: http://www.npc.org.uk/thenpc/events#event_28