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Next Cern chief pondersfuture after LHCChina considers hosting next-generation accelerator2015 WILL SEE CERN, the European particle physicslaboratory near Geneva, resume operation of its LargeHadron Collider at an enhanced energy level that ithopes will yield novel insights into both the HiggsBoson and supersymmetry.

But for 54-year-old Italian physicist FabiolaGianotti, who was appointed as Cern’s first-ever femaledirector in November, 2015 will be a year to learn onthe job from the incumbent Rolf-Dieter Heuer, beforeassuming control of the facility in January 2016.

Then Gianotti will face one of the biggest questionsin European research: after the LHC upgrade, whatshould Cern do next?

For half a century, physicists have pursued the

nature of matter by building ever-larger particle col-liders, including circular ones, such as the LHC,and linear ones, such as that at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Centre in California. Any future machine would require additional money from Cern’s 21 mem-bers, on top of its annual budget of €920 million in2014. In an interview with Research Europe , Gianottiacknowledges that Cern would have to develop “a veryconvincing case” to raise funds for another machine.

“We will have to motivate the construction of futurehigh-energy accelerators with very compelling phys-ics arguments and the impact that such a project canhave on other disciplines—and on day-to-day life,”she says.

During Gianotti’s initial, 5-year term, she’ll have toaddress what future accelerator options Cern shouldexplore—and whether it should seek to host one ofthese options itself, or cede the opportunity to a glob-al partner, most probably in Asia.

She’ll also help appoint the next director forresearch at Cern, to succeed Sergio Bertolucci, overseethe resumption of experiments at the LHC, and contin-ue the evolution of the European particle-physics labinto a genuinely global facility, whose associate mem-bers already include Pakistan and could soon includeIndia and Russia as well.

Soon after the detection of the Higgs boson in 2012,Cern began a Future Circular Collider study, a design

review for post-LHC particle accelerator options dueto be completed by 2018. Its physicists have also beendeveloping a Compact Linear Collider project, which would fire electrons and positrons in a linear tunnel.

Although it is still unclear which type of machine will be chosen and where it might be built, geologi-cal studies already carried out by Cern show that itcould host a larger circular collider, or a linear one,under the mountains of Geneva. But even Europeanparticle physicists concede that Cern’s Clic project isat a less advanced stage than Japan’s long-standingInternational Linear Collider project. It is unclear,

however, if Japan will ever build the ILC.Following its abandonment of the SuperconductingSupercollider 20 years ago, there is little prospect ofthe United States hosting a major particle physics pro- ject. China, however, is said to be considering a verylarge circular collider to succeed the LHC. Accordingto Steven Weinberg, a Nobel laureate at the Universityof Texas, China now has the talent and the money forsuch a project. “The question that remains is whetherthe Chinese government has a real intention of spend-ing that money,” he says.

Asked about the Chinese project, Gianotti says thatCern has unique expertise in developing and operat-ing advanced accelerators. “I see the scientific futureof Cern continuing in the direction of high-energyaccelerators,” she says. “We have the infrastructureand the outstanding competence of the personnelbuilt over decades to pursue that.”

And until a decision on a future accelerator istaken, Gianotti says that Cern willfocus on increasing its cooperation wi th others, such as Fe rmilab inthe US. “We have to collaborate ina worldwide manner to optimise theuse of the available resources andmaximise scientific outputs,” shesays. “I expect stronger cooperation worldwide at Cern.”

8 January 2015Updated daily at www.ResearchResearch.com

by Cristina Gallardo cgnews@ResearchResearch.com

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Edited by Colin MacilwainEurope@ResearchResearch.comTel: +44 20 7216 6500Fax: +44 20 7216 6501Unit 111, 134-146 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3AR

2 editorial Research Europe, 8 January 2015

In collisionWill we ever see the likes of the LHC again?Cern, Europe’s particle physics laboratory outside Geneva, can look for- ward to a lively 2015. Its main facility, the Large Hadron Collider, willbe back on-line in May, with its energy level boosted by 50 per cent.Its incoming director Fabiola Gianotti will be learning the ropes beforeassuming full control in January 2016. But what will happen after that?

Particle accelerators cost billions of euros to build and their gestationtime is often measured in decades. Seen in that light, physicists aroundthe world are already planning and lobbying for the LHC’s successor.Cern itself has commissioned a feasibility study for a future circularcollider, to be completed in 2018. It is likely that such a collider, like theLHC, would be constructed in two main stages. First, a 100-km circumfer-ence tunnel (three times the size of the LHC’s) would be built to house anelectron-positron collider. Later, this would be stripped out and a massivehadron collider installed in the same space.

The effect of this approach is to spread the overall cost of the projectover many decades, the better to exploit the international treaty thatunderpins Cern and assures its regular income over time.

The United States and Japan have long ceded the field to Europe. TheUS-planned Superconducting Super Collider, a hadron collider consider-

ably larger than the LHC, was abandoned in 1993. Japan’s proposal foran International Linear Collider has been stuck ever since the Japaneseeconomy sank into stagnation 25 years ago.

That leaves China as Europe’s only potential rival to host any futureatom-smasher. As we report in our cover story, it has the money andambition. The difficulty is for China’s particle physicists to persuade theirpolitical masters that a particle collider is the most fruitful, or even themost prestigious, way of spending the large sum that it would cost to build.

One thing that neither Europe, nor China can recreate is the glamourthat was once attached to particle physics. When Cern was establishedas a ground-breaking Pan-European collaboration in the 1950s, particlephysics was arguably the most exciting, and most prestigious, of all sci-entific disciplines. Few outside the discipline would say that of it today.China may well prefer to find scientific acumen and kudos through infra-structure for biology, materials science, the Earth sciences, or even space.

That would leave Cern and its members pretty well holding the future ofparticle physics in their hands. Their greatest strength is the treaty which,thus far, no member has shown any intention of withdrawing from.

The public objective of the LHC (and the SSC) was quite explicit andclear at the time: to find the Higgs boson. The next set of questions ismore abstract. With money so scarce, a simple and clear message is need-ed. Physicists have yet to formulate it. Indeed, there is much debate nowbetween experimentalists and theorists to justify further expense.

This leaves Cern at a fork in its long and illustrious road. It can putits eggs in one basket—the next collider. Or it can look towards a morediffuse range of experiments, investigating neutrinos, for example, andpersuade its members that these provide the best value for money. In theend, that will be a decision that politicians, not physicists, will make.

e l s e w h e r e“There has been a severe disconnect

between the available investment andcredible projects on the ground.” Jyrki Katainen , a European Commission vice-president, says a shortage of nationaland EU funding for start-ups is harmingEuropean competitiveness. Pan-EuropeanNetworks, 9/12/14.

“The result will be success.”Poland’s science minister Jacek Gulinski hasa clear idea of why he wants the country to win about €1.5 billion from Horizon 2020.Horizon 2020 projects, 9/12/14.

“The monitoring and implementation donot focus on the most important issues.” Miguel Seabra, president of the FCT,Portugal’s foundation for science and tech-nology, points out what’s wrong with theEuropean Research Area. EurActiv, 8/12/14.

“Scientists don’t want to be biased. Theyoften simply aren’t aware of their uncon-scious biases.” Londa Schiebinger , a historian of science atStanford University, California, says moremust be done to address gender bias in pro-posal evaluation. Euroscientist, 10/12/14.

“This is the future of science: a global datacommons, a virtual science library span-ning the globe.”The Research Data Alliance’s council co-chairman John Wood warns the EU not toabandon or reduce spending on data shar-ing. Science Business, 9/12/14.

“The prospects are indeed very bright.” John Gyapong , a board member of theEuropean and Developing Countries ClinicalTrials Partnership, says extra EU funding totackle Ebola is likely to result in some form oftreatment. Star Africa, 2/12/14.

“The idea that we’d ‘been there and done that’ did last for a long time, but that’sgone away now.”Lunar scientist Ian Crawford , a professor atBirkbeck, University of London, welcomesthe idea of a European-Russian moon mis-sion. Nature, 9/12/14.

d e c a d e

“If there is going to be aswitch to full costs we are very, very worried.” Britt-Marie Tygard , deputy director ofresearch policy at the Swedish researchministry, fears that full costing inFramework 7 will hit university budgets.

Research Europe, 16 December 2004

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Research Europe, 8 January 2015 news3

w h a t ’s g o i n g o n

Horizon 2020 budget figures revealedThe Horizon 2020 budget for 2015 has been pegged at €9.6 billion in an agreement reached on8 December. The latest budget figures obtained by Research Europe show funding commitmentsin the second year of the programme are likely to increase by €587 million compared with2014. This is a positive development, after the programme faced potential cuts of more than€1bn in 2015 under a proposal from member states. In the final deal, Horizon 2020 receives anadditional €45m for commitments on top of the Commission’s November proposal.

Member states endorse Juncker planThe European Council has given a green light to the investment package proposed by thepresident of the European Commission. In a meeting held on 18 December in Brussels, the EUheads of states asked the Commission to put forward a draft regulation in order to strike a deal with the other EU law-making institutions by June 2015. The fund is meant to boost economicgrowth, but its enactment could divert €2.7 billion from Horizon 2020, over 3 years.Court moves on stem cell patentingThe European Court of Justice has opened the door to the patenting of embryonic stem cellsthat are not capable of developing into human beings. The court’s ruling on 18 December liftsa 2011 ban that prevented companies from filing a patent for research in which embryonic cellshad been used. The ruling marks the end of a patent law case involving the US biotechnologycompany International Stem Cells Corporation and the UK.

Faroes join Horizon 2020

The Faroe Islands has signed an association agreement to participate in the Horizon 2020Framework programme. In a statement released on 17 December, prime minister Kaj Leo HolmJohannesen said that the agreement would spur the country’s research and marine-basedeconomy. The Faroes became an associate member of Framework 7 in 2010.

Multilateral funding schemes proposedEurope needs more multilateral funding arrangements to support international collaborationbetween researchers, according to a report released by the association of research funders andorganisations Science Europe. The report, published on 15 December, recommends the creationof international funding deals between national funders, which it says are needed because ofthe increasingly global nature of research questions.

Data alliance calls for Europe to lead on Science 2.0The EU should require all member states to publish a plan on data sharing to put Europe at theforefront of the Science 2.0 movement, according to a report by the European branch of theResearch Data Alliance. This would help the EU to develop a coherent approach to data sharingand take the lead in capitalising on its benefits, says RDA-Europe.

Countries want TTIP deal in 2015 After a meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 18 December, the heads of the EU’s 28member states have told negotiators to speed up talks on the US-EU Transatlantic Trade andInvestment Partnership and reach agreement by the end of the year. EU and US trade officialsare due to meet in Washington in February for the eighth round of negotiations.

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Research Europe, 8 January 20154 news

New year, new start Last month marked the end of a rollercoaster first yearfor Horizon 2020. On 8 December, the EU institutionsannounced they had agreed a 2015 budget that avoidedthe threat of €1.1 billion cuts. Horizon 2020 will receivemore than €9bn in the coming year: it would have beenmuch lower if finance ministers had got their way. AsGerman MEP Christian Ehler said, it was somewhat of aChristmas miracle, after a difficult year.This is not to say that 2014 didn’t begin with realoptimism. After long negotiations on the Horizon 2020legislation, disputes over the work programmes and long-drawn-out fears that the EU’s budget would be delayed, theprogramme finally launched with €15bn-worth of calls on11 December 2013. A week later, the European Commissionreleased its nine flagship industry partnerships with relish. As research commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn said, it was time to get down to business.

But it wasn’t long before cracks began to appear. Inher opening call to arms, Geoghegan-Quinn excitedly

proclaimed: “I am calling on researchers, universities,businesses and others to sign up!” These are words shemay have come to regret. As early as January, the researchdirector-general Robert Jan-Smits voiced fears of a “tsu-nami of proposals”. And his predictions came true, withmore than 35,000 applications by the end of the year, andsuccess rates as low as 3 per cent for some calls.

In February, Horizon 2020 was hit by another blow: theannouncement that Switzerland would not participate asa full member. An unintended fall-out from a popular voteagainst mass immigration, it wasn’t until several monthslater that the two sides reached a temporary compromisefor Switzerland to be involved. The event set the tonefor a significant dip in international participation dur-ing Horizon 2020’s first year, with Brazil, Russia, Indiaand China struggling to get involved. “It is taking sometime for these countries to adapt,” said deputy director-general of research Rudolf Strohmeier, referring to theCommission’s own decision not to fund BRIC countries’participation automatically.

Last summer, participants aired their personalHorizon 2020 gripes at the EuroScience Open Forumand the European Association of Research Managers and Administrators conference. One of the biggest issues was stonewalling by the Commission—participants com-plained of missing feedback on failed proposals, and alack of dedicated people to contact.

Of course, the first year hasn’t been all bad news. In

July, the Commission launched its forward-thinkingconsultation on Science 2.0, prompting widespread dis-cussion on how the digitalisation and globalisation ofscience could affect Horizon 2020, and its successor.This coincided with the introduction of the first inno- vation prizes—€6 million of Horizon 2020 funds forchallenges in antibiotics, e-health, air pollution, spec-trum sharing and optical transmission—and the officialkick-off of the joint technology initiatives on 9 July.

The Commission’s initial budget proposal for 2015,€1bn more than for 2014, looked positive for research,education and competitiveness. But optimism quicklygave way to a battle between the European Parliamentand the Council, which lasted until the final fortnight ofthe year.

Meanwhile the full extent of the EU’s cash flow prob-lems emerged. The EU had entered 2014 with a €23bnshortfall that it had committed to various recipients. Themessage finally hit home in September when Geoghegan-

Quinn set out the facts in black and white. “If currenttrends continue, accumulated unmet payments wouldresult in over 40 per cent of Horizon 2020 commitmentsremaining outstanding in 2020.”

SO THE TONE WAS SET for the final months of the pro-gramme’s first year, during which a new Commissionentered office in Brussels. Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker then announced his intentions to take afurther €2.7bn from research to feed his European Fund forStrategic Investment—hitting a live wire.

Now, as the programme enters its second year, thequestion is whether Horizon 2020 is destined to be anunderfunded and oversubscribed programme. A lot willdepend on the first few months of 2015, and how wellthe newly appointed Portuguese research commissionerCarlos Moedas can fight. Despite the last-minute deal on2015 spending, Moedas still has to prevent the €2.7bndiversion by Juncker and solve the payment problems.

And as euros become sparser, the spotlight may alsofall on the European Research Council. The ERC hasfared well in the budget process, but critics say it awardstoo much to too few. 2015 will see the development ofthe next 2-year work programmes, drafts of which arealready circulating, and the launch of the Parliament’sflagship initiative Fast-Track to Innovation. The EU willneed to show strong leadership and commitment to theprogramme, if Horizon 2020 is to be a sure success.

e u r o p e

Laura Greenhalgh takes a look at the early progress of Horizon 2020 andwhat to expect from the year ahead.

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Research Europe, 8 January 2015 news 5

Latvian presidency to focus onERA governanceLatvia says it wants to reform the European Research Areain its 6-month EU presidency, which started on 1 January.

The country aims to improve the management of theERA, a political concept under which researchers andknowledge can move freely around Europe. Latvia also wants to be involved in the development of a plannedERA roadmap, which is expected to be adopted later in2015, according to those managing the presidency.

Lauma Sika, a Latvian counsellor and governmentattaché for research and space, says it is “more andmore clear the ERA is not just about free movement ofresearchers, but about maximising the outcomes ofresearch production and making it more effective, sothat European firms can benefit from it”.

To set themselves apart from other attempts to reformthe ERA, Latvian government officials will hold debates with national research ministers to define the similaritiesbetween the ERA and the Innovation Union, an EU initia-tive to create sustainable growth. The presidency wantsto improve both by creating joint links, and EU countriesindicated their support for greater involvement of their

research ministers during the Competitiveness Councilmeeting in December.

Latvia’s presidency follows Italy and will give way toLuxembourg under the EU’s system of 6-month rotat-ing presidencies of the Council of Ministers. The threecountries have formed a troika to set a common agenda.Latvia’s focus on the ERA is in addition to the troika’soverall goals of increasing competitiveness through R&Dand promoting digital growth.

The country’s other big task will be to oversee therollout of the European Investment Plan, a large-scalespending plan backed by European Commission presidentJean-Claude Juncker. The plan is designed to boost the EUeconomy, and €2.7 billion of its costs are expected to comefrom Horizon 2020. This has been met with plenty of criti-cism, and Latvia’s task of building agreement within theCouncil and with the European Parliament is formidable.

The investment plan should be ready by mid-2015and all the relevant legislation will need to be adoptedby then. Marika Armanovica, a spokeswoman for Latvia’spermanent representation, says the details will be dis-

cussed in March. “This could also include emerging novelapproaches for increasing private investment,” she says.

by Safya Khan-Ruf sknews@ResearchResearch.com

Greek institutions cautious about reformsGreek universities and research centres are hoping togain more control of their affairs and more power tomake decisions, after a research bill was approved by thecountry’s parliament in December.

The Law for Research, Technological Developmentand Innovation devolves to universities certain researchdecisions on resources, funding and partnerships previ-ously taken by the government. The aim is to increasethe flexibility of researchers, so universities can col-laborate more easily with industry. The law also protectsresearchers rights, such as pensions and their academic jobs, if they work on an industry-funded project.

Alexandros Papalexandris from the Department ofBusiness Administration at the Athens University ofEconomics and Business says that until now research cen-tres and universities have been very dependent on thegovernment. “They had to do what the government toldthem to, and now they are going to have more freedom totake decisions and do the things they want to do,” he says.

The law is part of reforms that were introduced afterGreece cut its higher education budget by more than50 per cent following the financial crisis of 2008. Thereforms are meant to help local universities spend their

limited budgets more wisely, and be more flexible inlaunching industry collaborations.

Christos Vasilakos, the general secretary for researchand technology in Greece said that with the law in place,a researcher could for example “bypass the nationalrules for procurement which are very strict” in order tobuy a scientific instrument needed for their research.

However, Papalexandris says some academics worrythat the law’s focus on university independence signalseven less funding for research from the government. Thiscould create issues for research areas in which it is diffi-cult to exploit projects commercially and cooperate withindustry, such as the social sciences or mathematics.

The Greek government has not yet published detailson the legal structures it aims to use to provide the flexi-bilities and freedoms the law reform promises. If coupled with poorly implemented reforms enacted in the past thelaw may not be very efficient, says Alexander Kritikos,research director at the German Institute for EconomicResearch. “We really need to see how it is enforced andimplemented first,” he says.

by Safya Khan-Ruf sknews@ResearchResearch.com

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Research Europe, 8 January 20156 comment

Set evidence freeThe Commission needs a research service that works independently of anydirectorate-general, arguesSofie Vanthournout .

‘The JRC’s moveto DG Educationand Cultureraised eyebrows,but it shows thepotential forflexibility.’

Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker’s possible,although still not certain, abolition of the post of chiefscientific adviser has sparked a debate on the use of sci-entific evidence by the European Commission. But it isunfortunate that the discussion has been limited mostlyto the usefulness of a CSA, or even just Anne Glover’sperformance in this role.

Gathering evidence is not as simple as asking the rightperson. Research is often not designed to inform poli-cy, and many questions are too complex for evidence,however rigorous, to provide an easy answer. In thisenvironment, a CSA, and any other structure designedfor evidence gathering, must be a channel for expertise,rather than a source.

The risk is that Juncker will conclude that theCommission already has everything it needs for evi-dence-based policy. It has a directorate-general and acommissioner for research, the Joint Research Centre, andan elaborate procedure for assessing the impact of policies.

And yet, every Commission impact assessment on acontentious issue is inevitably criticised and reanalysed.

In response to the impact assessment for the 2005 REACHlegislation on chemical policy, for example, two industrystudies triggered more than 30 assessments from acrossthe political and societal spectrum.

So what is going wrong? Glover asked me to look intothis question while on secondment to her team last year. Digging through the Commission’s procedures andstructures proved as taxing as you’d expect, yet someproblems kept emerging: independence and transpar-ency, or the lack of them, and access to evidence.

Ensuring the independence of research is always achallenge. Evidence gathered in a political context, witha commissioner steering the agenda, is especially sensi-tive to ideology, vested interests and lobbying. Scientistsaim to neutralise any bias with tools such as blind stud-

ies and peer review. The Commissionneeds similar safeguards.

How and where evidence is gatheredis still obscure. Impact assessments donot always reveal sources and contrac-tors used; and if they do, they do not justify the choices. Each DG has itsown way of doing things, making scru-tiny more difficult. More transparency would make legislation more robustand credible.

As fo r access to evidence, theCommission has four main sources of

scientific input: ad-hoc expert groups, standing com-mittees, the JRC and the EU agencies. There is, however,little guidance on which source to use when, so DGs tendto use those they are familiar with. The Commission’sprocurement rules provide only a limited list of contrac-tors, often resulting in low quality but expensive studies.

It’s not all bad news. Sometimes, such as in the the-matic strategy on clean air, impact assessments havebeen of high quality and popular. But poor communica-tion between DGs prevents good practice from spreading.Meanwhile, every policy officer is expected to manageand evaluate studies ranging from cost-benefit analysesand environmental impacts to wider consultations.

The Commission is still more focused on complianceand proportionality than evidence gathering. As long asthere is nobody whose only job is gathering good evidenceand seeing that it is used, this is unlikely to change.

One solution would be to create an evidence portal—adedicated service for the whole Commission, independ-ent of any one DG—to connect evidence providers andpolicymakers. The lead service of any impact assess-

ment would still be responsible for its conclusions, butthe evidence used in the assessment would be providedthrough the evidence portal.

Centralising evidence gathering would help to shareexpertise across pieces of legislation. Publishing all proce-dures and conclusions in one place would aid transparencyand communication. The JRC is the natural candidate forsuch a role: it was intended to be the in-house providerof evidence-based advice for the Commission, servingthe policy DGs. However, it has never sat comfortably within the DG structure, and in the Directorate-Generalfor Research and Innovation it became ghettoised as aresearch and innovation policy unit.

The JRC’s recent move to the Directorate-General forEducation and Culture raised eyebrows, but it shows thepotential for flexibility. The best move would be to free itfrom the control of any one commissioner, give it the beststaff from individual DGs, and offer it as a service acrossthe commission, reporting to the first vice-president.

Juncker’s restructuring of the Commission provides anopportunity to make these reforms. One can only hopethat his silence means that he acknowledges the chal-lenge of independent scientific advice, and that he isgiving this issue the thought it deserves.

e v i d e n c e i n E U p o l i c y

Sofie Vanthournout is based at the Belgian Academies for Sciences and Arts and worked in CSA Anne Glover’s team from March to July 2014. She writes in a personal capacity.

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Research Europe, 8 January 2015 comment7

Learn from the lobbyists With the top levels of the EU setting aside their formalscientific advisory structure, there is concern in the sci-entific community that advances in research will at bestfail to yield maximum benefit to Europe’s citizens andat worst be impeded. Europe’s learned societies need toadopt a more proactive and cohesive approach to ensur-ing that legislation is based on evidence and does notimpede scientific progress.

At a recent event at the Royal Society in London, twoMEPs, along with representatives from Cancer ResearchUK and the grassroots organisation EuroScience,expressed concerns about scientists’ ability to influ-ence policy and legislation in Brussels and gave adviceon engaging with MEPs and their staff.

One message was that academics are not well organ-ised for such politicking. MEPs are constantly lobbiedby non-governmental organisations and business—theyreceive two emails a second—but not from scientists.

The loudest voice tends to get its way, sometimesto the detriment of science. Pressure from the musicindustry, for example, has resulted in a Parliamentary

amendment to data-protection legislation, which, ifpassed, would have serious (unintended) implicationsfor health research. Many emails from individuals—pref-erably with alarming subject headings—are more likely tobe noticed than one email signed by many top scientists.

The complexity and rapid turnover of Europe’s politi-cal landscape mean that scientific organisations mustengage with MEPs locally. Catherine Bearder, LiberalDemocrat MEP for South East England, and Vicky Ford,Conservative MEP for the East of England, both stressedthe importance of getting MEPs to visit institutes in theirconstituencies, to see science in action and hear aboutissues in context. This helps MEPs think about whom inother countries might help build an influential network.

A presence in Brussels is also crucial. “Make sure you’re talking to the right people at the right time,”says Ford. The ‘right’ people might be those working atthe early stages of policy development in the EuropeanCommission, or parliamentary staffers who could put your folder at the top of an MEP’s pile. They might bethe rapporteur who leads a committee and has the mostinfluence over a final draft, or the shadow rapporteurs who might be sympathetic to a cause.

Layla Theiner of CRUK put some of her institute’s lobby-ing successes down to connecting with the right people,including the UK’s permanent representation to the EU,and getting in at the earliest possible stage. She also warned against raising issues specific to a single coun-try, and underscored the importance of building alliances with scientific bodies in other member states.

The European Parliament is less party-driven thannational legislatures, and MEPs have more chance toinfluence legislation. To ensure this process is informedby the evidence, scientific organisations should reachout to MEPs, to find those most interested in science andurge them to get on the relevant committees.

The Parliament’s lack of a formal scientific advisorystructure is both a problem and an opportunity. “TheCommission brings groups of experts together, so ithas recourse to its evidence base. Parliament does nothave the same thing,” noted Tony Mayer of Euroscience.The Parliament’s Science and Technology Options Assessment faci li ty presents research reports toEuropean Parliament, though its structure is an issue.

“This is a gap we need to help fill,” said Mayer. “We haveto be aware of legislation and how it’s going to impactEurope, and people in the Parliament are going to bereceptive to advice, so we have to organise at this level.I hope EuroScience can do this.”

Institutes and universities that build a relationship with their local MEP will do much to raise their own pro-file and that of the scientific issues that concern them.These links are and will remain an important part ofengaging in the legislative process.

But there is more work to be done in Brussels, andscientists need to do more to be heard. Joining forces with high-profile bodies such as the Royal Society or the Academie Francaise is vital for presenting an effectiveevidence base, particularly when facing a powerful lobby with opposing views.

We need people in European insti-tutions to advise appropriately ateach stage of the legislative process.This could be done better with coordi-nation between learned societies. Wehave a responsibility to ensure thatour laws are based on sound scientificevidence. If there was ever a time toorganise and make this happen, thattime is now. More to say? Email comment@ ResearchResearch.com

Janet Thornton is director of the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) in Cambridge, and chaired the Royal Society event on working with MEPs. Mary Todd Bergmanis the institute’s senior communications officer.

‘It’s important toget MEPs to visit

institutes in theirconstituencies,

to see science inaction and hear

about the issues.’

Researchers and learned societies must work together to help MEPs make evidence-based policy and legislation, say Janet Thornton andMary Todd Bergman .

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Research Europe, 8 January 20158 news

The Iter-national Bernard Bigot, who took over as head of Iter this month, tellsSafya Khan-Ruf hehas his work cut out dealing with spiralling costs and unclear project deadlines

i n t e r v i e w

Managing Iter, the international thermonuclear reac-tor under construction in France, must feel like herdingcats. Bernard Bigot, the organisation’s latest director, will have to deal with seven domestic agencies, around5,000 staff from all over the world and funders who are,at best, suspicious, following previous cost overruns.

It is the cost that he is most worried about, as end-less talks on future budgets are eroding the reactor’sfinancial cushion. “All this time is spent discussing andarguing about costs, and right now, the cost of Iter is inthe order of €25 million per month,” says Bigot.

Iter was conceived in 1984 as an international col-laboration to build an experimental nuclear fusionreactor. The project’s construction in France is fundedby seven entities: the United States, India, Japan, China,Russia, South Korea and the EU. When a joint agreement was signed in 2006, Iter’s construction was meant to becompleted on a €5 billion budget by 2016 but this hasescalated to €13bn by 2020.

According to a report from the European Court of

Auditors in 2013, the cost escalations are partly due tothe inefficient management system. For Bigot, this is thefirst point to bring the project back on track. He wants toimprove shared planning between the agencies to createmore awareness and responsibility about cost overruns.

Bigot has worked with the different agencies involvedin Iter since 2002 as a board member of Fusion forEnergy, the agency that manages the EU’s contributionto the project. He describes the trust he built up with

the different agencies as his mainasset.

“We are entering into the phaseof fabrication and assembly so[Iter] needs to have a more uni-fied team, which is a challenge,”he says. Bigot believes that themistakes made in the past 7 yearshave helped the different partici-pants become aware of the needfor strong, clear management. “Wenow have to take advantage of thisexperience in order to adjust theorganisation to be more efficient.”

As former head of France’s com-mission for atomic and alternativeenergies, Bigot has had plenty ofopportunities to talk to Iter partici-pants about what needs to change.

He is working on an action plan to present to the Itercouncil before February. Bigot wants to streamline thechain of command so the decision-making process is very clear and “all the others comply with the decisionthat has been taken and implement it, not argue over it year after year, week after week”.

At present, Iter’s headquarters are in Japan and shareno daylight hours with the construction site or most ofthe equipment manufacturers in Europe. Bigot was keento become head of the entire global project not merely ofthe central management team, allowing him to restruc-ture how management is organised. His strategy is to setIter up more like a large company with headquarters anddivisions that fit together so as to be “more efficientlyassociated with the functioning of the project”.

Bigot hopes that setting up a more interconnectedmanagement system will help to increase collabora-tion. He wants the different teams to coordinate moreon supplies. The domestic agencies are responsible forprocuring the important components needed for the

reactor, and Bigot wants them to take charge of the inte-gration of the instruments “in such a way that we think jointly about fabrication and integration”.

Bigot is, however, likely to run up against Iter’s estab-lished structure, which, after a decade of operation, willbe hard to change. The responsibility of procurement was divided equally between the diffident entities whenthe Iter agreement was signed in 2006 with little spacefor coordination. Bigot says it would be too complicatedto change this “because it needed a lot of work to getan agreement from the seven parliaments and similarbodies”. However, he does wish to introduce some flex-ibility, and allow one willing party to help another facingdifficulty. “Flexibility is the key point in order to succeed with this project,” he says.

To that end, Bigot says he would like to abandon hisFrench nationality and become an “Iter-national”, whichhe defines as a member of a family devoted to the successof the project. He will have 5 years to put Iter back ontrack and set up the organisation in such a way that thebudget and planning problems can be resolved. Having just turned 65, Bigot is keen on keeping the Iter ideaalive for the next generation, but he knows the windowfor change is closing.

“If we are not able to come up with a realistic, robustplan by the end of next year I do believe we will run intoreal trouble,” he says. More to say? Email comment@ResearchResearch.com

Bernard Bigot

* 2015- Director-general, Iter* 2009-2014 Chairman, FrenchAtomic and Alternat iveEnergies Authority* 2 0 0 3 - 2 0 0 9 H i g hCommissioner for Atomic

Energy

* 2000-2003 Director, Écolenormale supérieure, Lyon* 1998-2002 Research direc-tor, Centre National de la

Recherche Scientifique

* 1996-1997 Director-generalfor research and technology,French ministry of researchand higher education

* 1981-1993 Head of labora-tory, Ecole Normale Supérieurede Lyon

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EU sustainable citiesJPI Urban Europe andthe Smart Cities MemberStates Initiative inviteproposals for their ERA-NETCofund smart cities andcommunities joint call,worth up to €26 million [1].

EU innovative medicinesThe Innovative MedicinesInitiative invites expres-sions of interest for its

fourth and third researchcalls [7] and [15].

EU education policy The Education, Audiovisualand Culture ExecutiveAgency invites applica-tions via its Erasmus+programme for key actionthree on support for policyreform and initiativesfor policy innovation.

Each grant is worth up to€2.5 million [13].

Biomedical grantsThe Novo NordiskFoundation invitesapplications for laureateresearch grants, worth upto DKK40 million (€5.4m)each, and young investiga-tor awards, worth up toDKK20 million each [18].

Alternative fuel The Israel Ministry ofScience, Technology andSpace invites nominationsfor the Eric and SheilaSamson prime minister'sprize for innovation inalternative fuels fortransportation. The prizeis worth US$1 million(€829,600) [53].

funding oppor tuni t iesevery new opportunity every discipline

Research Europe8 January 2015

Opportunities from previous issuesof Research Europe, listed by closing

date. European Commission andassociated funders marked EU.

Each entry is followed by a Web id

January

d e a d l i n e sh i g h l i g h t s

N O T T O B EP H O T O C O P I E D

For subscriptions call +44 20 7216 6500

16 UKCancer Research UK bursariesfor clinicians and professions alliedto medicine 213544

EUERA-Net SIINN joint trans-national call 1166878

EUDirectorate-General for HomeAffairs internal security fund police– fighting cybercrime and childsexual abuse 1182696

EUDirectorate-General for Tradeevaluation services to the EuropeanCommission in the field of trade 1182817

19 EUDirectorate-General for MaritimeAffairs and Fisheries fisheries andaquaculture monitoring and evalua-tion services 1182738

20 CACrohn's and Colitis Foundationof Canada innovations in inflam-matory bowel disease research 1176131

EUDirectorate-General for Justiceaction grants to support trans-national projects in the area of EUdrugs policy 1181346

21 UKCompany of Biologists scientificmeeting grants 1173309 EUDirectorate-General for Educa-

tion and Culture study on compara-bility of language testing in Europe 1182891

22 UKEconomic and Social ResearchCouncil/Department for Inter-national Development joint fundfor poverty alleviation research –outline call 2014 1176565

23 EUDirectorate-General forEnterprise and Industry study for afitness check on the constructionsector 1182904

EUDirectorate-General for Enter-prise and Industry study on hazard-ous detergent mixtures containedin soluble packaging 1182860

DEMerck Serono multiple sclerosisinnovation grant 1182663

HKSmithsonian Institution J S Lee

memorial fellowships 118280527 FRERA-Net FLAG-ERA joint trans-national call 118237328 CHEuropean Organisation forNuclear Research summer student

programme for non-member states 1182667

SKSlovak Academy of Sciencesmobility programme 1182965

29 EUDirectorate-General for HomeAffairs preventing radicalisationto terrorism and violent extremism 1182825

30 EUDirectorate-General for Home af-fairs economic and financial crime,corruption and environmental crime 1182831

EUERA-Net EuroTransBio trans-national call for proposals 1160924

DEMerck Serono oncology innova-tion grant 1182480

DEVolkswagen Foundation Europeand global challenges 212711

31 EUEuropean Chemical IndustryCouncil aquatic community level as-sessment of chemical toxicity usingecological scenarios 1182969

EUEuropean Chemical IndustryCouncil external validation of tier-1

workers dermal exposure estimates 1182966 UKEuropean Society for Paediatric

Endocrinology visiting scholarship 201519

CHEuropean Society for PaediatricInfectious Diseases fellowshipawards programme 201147

GREuropean Society of Hyperten-sion Talal Zein Foundation TalalZein research grant in hypertension 1181791

ITEuropean University Institutedoctoral programme 1170933

UKForensic Science Societyresearch scholarship 210581

DEHerzog August Bibliothek post-

doctoral fellowships 1161760 CHInternational Bone ResearchAssociation Robert Schenk researchprizes 199508

DEKlassik Stiftung Weimar postdoc-toral awards 1161724

UKLondon School of Business/University College London Clean-Tech challenge 1166240

UKPalestine Exploration Fundposter grants 1170860

UKPaul Mellon Centre for Studiesin British Art junior fellowships 202247

FRPhosAgro/UNESCO/Interna-tional Union for Pure and AppliedChemistry research grants in greenchemistry 1177485

ITServier research grant in hyper-tension 192130

DESociety for HistochemistryRobert Feulgen prize 182606

CHSpine Society of Europe grants 1161272

Online Funding Search

Funding searchSearch

For full details of every funding opportunity, visitwww.ResearchProfessional.com

Online subscribers can view full details of any funding opportunity bysimply searching for the Web id number as free text in a funding search.

Free text: 1234567 x

e u r o p eEU sustainable citiesJPI Urban Europe and the Smart Cities

Member States Initiative invite propos-als for their ERA-NET Cofund smart citiesand communities joint call. This aims toaddress new solutions in the urban field,and to demonstrate the feasibility oftheir implementation. Up to €26 millionis available for up to three years.Web id: 1182197Email: johannes.bockstefl@ffg.at Deadline: 17 March 2015 [1]

Gastroenterology United European Gastroenterology invitesgrant applications for the following:

•educational meetings and events,worth up to €25,000. Web id: 1179537

•long-term projects, worth up to

€100,000. Web id: 1179540Email: office@ueg.euDeadline: 20 April 2015 [2]

EU investment policy The Executive Agency for Small and Medi-um-sized Enterprises invites tenders fora study on international investments andcompetitiveness to help improve the crossand intraborder supply chains in the EU.The tenderer will undertake a study enti-tled Towards a Foreign Direct InvestmentAttractiveness Scoreboard. The contractis worth €150,000.Web id: 1183255Email: easme-procurement@ec.europa.euDeadline: 28 January 2015

[4]EU chemicals legislationThe Directorate-General for Enterpriseand Industry invites tenders for a study.The tenderer will identify and evaluateissues arising out of the implementationof classification, labelling and packag-ing regulation as well as the interplaybetween different pieces of chemicallegislation and provisions relating tochemicals management in other pieces oflegislation. The contract has an estimatedvalue of €500,000.Web id: 1183252Deadline: 6 February 2015 [5]

EU waterborne transportThe Directorate-General for Mobility andTransport invites tenders for a study onTEN-T core network projects. The tendererwill focus on waterborne and cross-borderprojects. The contract has an estimatedvalue of €500,000.Web id: 1183191Email: move-call-2014-751@ec.europa.euDeadline: 11 February 2015 [6]

EU innovative medicines 1The Innovative Medicines Initiativeinvites expressions of interest for itsfourth call. This supports prospective,pre-competitive pharmaceutical researchand development projects. The budgetis €1.13 million, with matching fundingfrom European Federation of Pharmaceu-tical Industries and Associations compa-nies and associated partners.

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10 funding opportunities Research Europe, 8 January 2015

to unify researchers and academics whospecialise in industrial biotechnology.The budget is €20 million.Web id: 1158107Email: ptj-eraibcalloffice@fz-juelich.deDeadline: 23 February 2015 [25]

Collective researchERA-Net CORNET invites proposals for itstransnational call. This supports trans-national cooperation projects in the fieldof collective research and technologicaldevelopment for the benefit of small andmedium sized enterprises. Each projectmay last up to two years.Web id: 1158495Email: felix.rotter@aif.deDeadline: 27 March 2015 [26]

Diabetes researchThe European Foundation for the Study ofDiabetes and Boehringer Ingelheim inviteapplications for the following awards:

•European diabetes basic researchprogramme, worth up to €100,000.Web id: 1172206

•European diabetes clinical researchprogramme, worth up to €400,000.Web id: 207310Email: foundation@easd.orgDeadline: 1 April 2015 [27]

Gastroenterology awardsUnited European Gastroenterology invitesapplications for its top abstract prizes.These recognise the top five abstractssubmitted to United European Gastroen-terology week. Five prizes worth €10,000each, will be awarded.Web id: 1171402Deadline: 30 April 2015 [28.1]

EU ICT security and e-HealthThe EU agency for Network and Informa-tion Security invites tenders for servicesin the field of security and resilience ine-health infrastructures and services.The tenderer will identify the securityand privacy challenges in tele-medicine,e-pharmacy and e-hospital systems andinfrastructure. The contract has an esti-mated value of €45,000.Web id: 1183168Deadline: 26 January 2015 [29]

Cloud computingAgenzia per l'Italia Digitale invites ten-ders for the provision of a public-sectorcloud for Europe research and develop-ment project. The contract has an esti-mated value of €4 million.Web id: 1183215Email: c4e-tender@agid.gov.it Deadline: 20 February 2015 [30]

EU nanomedicineERA-Net EuroNanoMed II invites propos-als for its joint transnational call. Thissupports translational research projectsthat combine innovative approaches inthe field of nanomedicine and enabletransnational collaboration betweenpublic and private research groups.Web id: 253323Email: calloffice@euronanomed.net Deadline: 3 March 2015 [31]

EU social innovationThe European Investment Bank invitesproposals for its social innovation tourna-ment. This promotes ideas and opportu-nities that promise substantial societal

the recruitment, selection and inductionof the best and most suitable candidatesto the teaching profession through thedevelopment of alternative pathways.Grants are worth up to €2.5 million.Web id: 1177959Email: eacea-policy-networks@ec.europa.euDeadline: 20 March 2015 [13]

EU ESF networkingThe European Science Foundation invitesproposals for its European cooperationin science and technology programme.This supports networking activities, suchas meetings, short-term scientific mis-sions, training schools and disseminationactivities. Proposals may request approxi-mately €130,000 per year, normally forfour years.Web id: 200543Email: opencall@cost.euDeadline: 24 March 2015 [14]

EU innovative medicines 2The Innovative Medicines Initiativeinvites expressions of interest for its

third call. This supports prospective, pre-competitive pharmaceutical research anddevelopment. The budget is €56.43 mil-lion from the IMI2 JU, and a similaramount is matched by European Fed-eration of Pharmaceutical Industries andAssociations companies and associatedpartners.Web id: 1183200Email: infodesk@imi.europa.euDeadline: 24 March 2015 [15]

EU gender equality The Directorate-General for Justiceinvites proposals for its action grantsto support projects on equal economicindependence for women and men. These

support national actors in promotingequality between women and men, inorder to improve gender mainstreamingin the policies and programmes of theparticipating countries and to achievethe objectives defined in the EuropeanStrategy for equality between women andmen and the European pact for genderequality. The budget is €3.35 million.Individual grants cannot be lower than€100,000.Web id: 1183265Email: ec-rec-calls@ec.europa.euDeadline: 31 March 2015 [16]

Intensive care medicineThe European Society of Intensive Care

Medicine invites applications for its NEXTstart-up grant. This enables newly-board-certified intensive care physicians todevelop their independent research pro-grammes. The grant is worth €25,000 per year for up to two years.Web id: 1179163Email: research@esicm.orgDeadline: 3 May 2015 [17]

Ship-based training courseThe European Science Foundation, underits Eurofleets 2 programme, invites appli-cations for its oceanographic ship-basedtraining course for postgraduate andgraduate students of marine sciences. Thecourse offers an introduction to practicalaspects of multidisciplinary oceanograph-ic research at sea, education of studentsin oceanographic sampling and dataanalysis related to marine physics, chem-istry, biology and fisheries. All travel and

accommodation expenses will be funded.Web id: 1183280Deadline: 8 February 2015 [17.1]

Biomedical grantsThe Novo Nordisk Foundation invitesapplications for the following grants:

•laureate research grants, worth up toDKK40 million (€5.4m) each.Web id: 1167133

•young investigator awards, worth upto DKK20 million each.Web id: 1183066Email: jpwi@novo.dkDeadline: 10 February 2015 [18]

EU ESF astronomy grantsThe European Science Foundation invitesproposals, under its Gaia research forEuropean training in astronomy pro-gramme, for exchange visits. These ena-ble researchers to pursue collaborativework on astronomy, astrometry, galaxy,stellar evolution and solar system physics.Grants provide an allowance of €1,600per month, €400 per week or €57 perday, plus travel costs worth up to €500,over a period of 15 days to four months.Web id: 1158727No deadline [19.1]

Social science prizeUNESCO invites nominations for the JuanBosch prize for the promotion of socialscience research on Latin America and theCaribbean. The prize is worth US$10,000(€8,300).Web id: 1166006Email: g.solinis@unesco.orgDeadline: 2 February 2015 [20]

EU ESF volcano eruptionThe European Science Foundation, underits programme on the measuring andmodelling of volcano eruption dynam-ics, invites applications for the followinggrants:

•science meeting grants.Web id: 1168207

•short visits and exchange grants.Web id: 1168200Email: t.druitt@opgc.univ-bpclermont.frDeadline: 6 February 2015 [21]

EU Baltic sea cooperationThe Interreg Baltic Sea Region invitesapplications for its joint call. This pro-motes transnational cooperation andintegration through projects address-ing common key challenges and oppor-tunities of the region. The budget is€240.3 million.Web id: 1183080Email: info@interreg-baltic.euDeadline: 2 February 2015 [23]

EU rare diseasesThe ERA-Net E-Rare invites proposals forits transnational research project on rarediseases. This enables scientists in differ-ent countries to build effective collabo-rations on a common interdisciplinaryresearch project. The budget is €19.81million for up to three years.Web id: 1182980Email: michaela.girgenrath@dlr.deDeadline: 18 February 2015 [24]

EU industrial biotechnology ERA-Net ERA-IB-2 and ERA-Net Euro-TransBio invite proposals for their jointcall. This aims to generate joint Europeanresearch and development activities and

Web id: 1183201Email: infodesk@imi.europa.euDeadline: 11 February 2015 [7]

EU textile researchThe Directorate-General for Enterpriseand Industry invites tenders for a studyof textile fibres. The tenderer will performa technical analysis of polyacrylate fibre.The contract is worth €300,000.Web id: 1183073Deadline: 12 February 2015 [8]

EU education and trainingThe Education, Audiovisual and CultureExecutive Agency, under its ErasmusPlus programme, invites applications forEuropean forward-looking cooperationprojects. Projects should provide in-depthknowledge on target groups, learning,teaching, training or youth work situa-tions and effective methodologies andtools relevant for policy makers at alllevels. The maximum grant per projectis €500,000.Web id: 1182971Email: eacea-policy-support@ec.europa.euDeadline: 24 February 2015 [9]

EU energy technology The Directorate-General for Research andInnovation invites tenders for support-ing the European technology platformon renewable heating and cooling. Thetenderer will assess and report on thedegree of implementation of five roadmaps prepared for the platform; studyand report on specific aspects of theheating and cooling sector and analysethe behaviour of customers and the mainbusiness models. The contract has anestimated value of €750,000.Web id: 1183253Deadline: 2 March 2015 [10]

EU measure civil societyThe Education, Audiovisual and CultureExecutive Agency invites proposals forcivil society projects under its Europefor citizens programme. This supportsprojects implemented by transnationalpartnerships promoting opportunitiesfor solidarity, societal engagement andvolunteering at union level. Grants areworth up to €150,000.Web id: 1183155Email: eacea-c1-civilsociety@ec.europa.euDeadline: 2 March 2015 [11]

Radiation researchThe Multidisciplinary European Low DoseInitiative invites applications for itsopen project for the European radiationresearch area. Projects should addressone of the following fields: low-dose riskresearch; radioecology; managementof radiological or nuclear emergencies;dosimetry. The budget is €2.5 million, andgrants are worth up to €800,000.Web id: 1176991Email: operra@lallemand-legros.beDeadline: 12 March 2015 [12]

EU education policy The Education, Audiovisual and CultureExecutive Agency invites applications viaits Erasmus+ programme for key actionthree – support for policy reform andinitiatives for policy innovation. Thisencourages proposals on strengthening

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doctoral dissertation by a young research-er in mathematical sciences. The prize isworth €6,000.Web id: 1183011Deadline: 31 January 2015 [36]

Fellowships in SwedenThe Swedish Collegium for AdvancedStudy invites applications for its fellow-ship programme. This enables fellowsto concentrate on their own researchinterests, free from the teaching andadministrative obligations of ordinaryuniversity life.Web id: 1166687No deadline [36.1]

Welfare fellowshipThe Swedish Research Council for Health,Working Life and Welfare, in collabo-ration with Marie Curie Action, invitesapplications for the Marie Curie incominginternational postdoctoral fellowship.This enables qualified researchers to visitSweden to exchange knowledge and com-petence with the Swedish research societywithin the council's research areas. Thefellowship is worth up to SEK1 million(€105,500).Web id: 1172366Email: tove.hammarberg@forte.seDeadline: 3 March 2015 [37]

CERN student programmeThe European Organisation for NuclearResearch invites applications for itsopenlab summer student programme.This allows students wishing to work inadvanced IT projects to visit CERN, attendlectures, and visit the accelerators andexperimental areas. The programme lastsfor nine weeks and funding includes aCHF90 (€75) per day allowance, healthinsurance and travel allowance.Web id: 1162212Deadline: 28 February 2015 [38]

EU solar powerERA-NET SOLAR-ERA.NET invites propos-als for the following calls:

•transnational call on concentratingsolar power. Web id: 1172318

•transnational call on photovoltaics.Web id: 1172316Email: info@solar-era.netDeadline: 27 March 2015 [39]

Polio grantsThe World Health Organization invitesproposals through its global polio eradi-cation initiative. The majority of projectsreceive up to US$300,000 (€248,800).Web id: 1158074Email: polioresearch@who.int Deadline: 27 March 2015 [41]

Awards for enterpriseRolex invites applications for its awardsfor enterprise. These recognise innovativethinking and give individuals the meansto advance projects that benefit theirfields of endeavour, their communitiesand the wider world. Two types of awardsare available: laureate awards, worthCHF100,00 (€83,200) each; young laure-ate awards, worth CHF50,000 each.Web id: 1160134Deadline: 31 May 2015 [41.1]

Clinical pathology awardThe Association of Clinical Pathologistsinvites submissions for its career devel-

Research Europe, 8 January 2015 funding opportunities 11

opment award. This supports a period ofservice training, personal developmentor study for management qualificationsbeneficial to clinical pathology servicedelivery. The total budget is £10,000(€12,800) for one or more awards.Web id: 203891No deadline [41.2]

Heart research awardsThe British Heart Foundation invitesapplications for its senior clinical researchfellowships. These provide a career oppor-tunity in an established research institu-tion in the UK for individuals who areexpected to reach readership or chairlevel within 10 years. Fellowships includesalaries, consumables and equipment.Web id: 164988Email: research@bhf.org.ukNo deadline [42]

Wellcome awardsThe Wellcome Trust invites applicationsfor its principal research fellowships.These provide long-term support forresearchers of international standing.The fellowship consists of a salary andfull research funding for an initial periodof seven years.Web id: 191444Email: sciencegrants@wellcome.ac.ukNo deadline [43]

Religious studiesThe All Saints Educational Trust invitesapplications for its scholarships. Theseenable teachers and students to pursuefurther training or studies in the field ofreligious education and home economics.Web id: 1171894Email: aset@aset.org.ukDeadline: 1 February 2015 [44]

Headache prizeThe International Headache Societyinvites entries for its cephalalgia awardlecture. The recipient receives €10,000and is asked to present the paper atthe 17th congress of the InternationalHeadache Society.Web id: 1170491Email: info@i-h-s.orgDeadline: 28 February 2015 [45]

Japanese studiesThe Sainsbury Institute for the Study ofJapanese Arts and Cultures invites appli-cations for the Robert and Lisa Sainsburyfellowships. These provide recipients withan opportunity to work in a scholarlyenvironment conducive to the completionof a publication project. The one-year fel-lowship is worth £23,500 (€30,100), andthe short-term fellowships are worth up to£12,000 for three to six months.Web id: 209367Deadline: 28 February 2015 [45.1]

Epidermolysis bullosaThe Dystrophic Epidermolysis BullosaResearch Association invites applicationsfor its grants. These support research onthe biology and genetics of EB, devel-opment of therapies, wound healingand skin cancer in EB, and clinical careresearch to improve management of EBthrough symptom relief. Grants are worthup to €80,000 per year for three years.Web id: 199894Email: clare.robinson@debra.org.ukDeadline: 1 March 2015 [46]

Mechanical engineeringThe Institution of Mechanical Engineersinvites nominations for the James Claytonprize. The prize is worth up to £10,000(€12,800).Web id: 252788Email: awards@imeche.orgDeadline: 31 March 2015 [47]

Higher education prizeThe Society for Research into HigherEducation, in collaboration with the Rout-ledge Taylor & Francis Group, invitesapplications for its prize for newerresearchers. This provides support forearly stage researchers by enabling themto undertake a project or develop skillswhich will help advance their career. Upto three prizes, worth £3,000 (€3,800)each, are available.Web id: 1161423Deadline: 31 March 2015 [47.1]

Wellcome fellowships 1The Wellcome Trust invites applicationsfor the following fellowships:

•research career development fel -lowships in basic biomedical science, incollaboration with Science FoundationIreland and the Health Research Board.Web id: 253970

•the Sir Henry Dale fellowships, in col -laboration with the Royal Society, worth£18,500 (€23,800). Web id: 1164964Email: sciencegrants@wellcome.ac.ukDeadline: 17 April 2015 [48]

Wellcome fellowships 2The Wellcome Trust invites applicationsfor its postdoctoral training fellowshipsfor clinicians. Fellowships are tenable fortwo to four years, with total funding of upto £400,000 (€513,600).

Web id: 1173654Email: sciencegrants@wellcome.ac.ukDeadline: 18 May 2015 [50]

r e s t o f w o r l d

Child developmentThe Creswick Foundation invites appli-cations for its fellowships in child andadolescent development. These enableexperts to travel and expand their experi-ence in the field. At least two grants areavailable for up to three months.Web id: 1171922Email: jkimpton@bigpond.net.auDeadline: 30 June 2015 [51]

Anti-doping researchThe World Anti-Doping Agency invitesapplications for its research grants. Pri-ority is given to projects with direct andimminent applicability.Web id: 197942Deadline: 15 February 2015 [52]

Alternative fuel The Israel Ministry of Science, Technologyand Space invites nominations for the Ericand Sheila Samson prime minister's prizefor innovation in alternative fuels fortransportation. This is awarded for globalinnovation or a scientific or technologicalbreakthrough in the field. The prize isworth US$1 million (€829,600).Web id: 1173524Email: pazb@most.gov.il Deadline: 15 February 2015 [53]

benefits. Each project will compete forthe general category's first and secondprizes of €25,000 and €10,000. Projectsfalling under the special category will alsocompete for a prize of €25,000.Web id: 1172395Email: eib.institute@eib.orgDeadline: 21 March 2015 [32]

Astronomy researchThe Netherlands Institute for RadioAstronomy (ASTRON) invites applica-tions for its Joint Institute for Very LongBaseline Interferometry summer stu-dent programme. This gives astronomystudents the opportunity to conductastronomical research under the supervi-sion of ASTRON and JIVE staff membersat the Dwingeloo Observatory. Grantswill provide accommodation, a monthlystipend for up to three months and fulltravel reimbursement.Web id: 1166080Email: summerprogramme@astron.nl Deadline: 2 February 2015 [33]

Nature protectionThe Van Tienhoven Foundation for Inter-national Nature Protection invites appli-cations for the Van Tienhoven grant. Thispromotes the protection and conservationof ecosystems and their flora and fauna,wherever they are threatened outsidethe Netherlands. The grant is worth upto €20,000.Web id: 1173598Email: ralph.buij@gmail.comDeadline: 15 February 2015 [34]

Haematology exchangeThe European Hematology Associationand the Japanese Society of Hematol-ogy invite applications for their jointfellowship exchange programme. Thisenables European and Japanese researchinstitutes to exchange scientists andclinicians to strengthen collaborationsand networking. Each fellowship provides€10,000 or ¥1 million over a maximumvisit of four months.Web id: 1167325Deadline: 6 March 2015 [34.1]

Ageing research awardsThe Network for Studies on Pensions,Aging and Retirement (Netspar) invitesapplications for its thesis awards. Theseare presented for outstanding theses atbachelor’s, master’s or research master’slevel, and for a dissertation at PhD level,on a topic related to Netspar’s researchprogramme. In each of the four categoriesa prize of €3,000 is available.Web id: 1170559Deadline: 15 October 2015 [34.2]

Arts and humanities prizeThe Ludvig Holberg Memorial invitesnominations for the Holberg prize. Thisrecognises contributions to research inthe arts and humanities, social science,law or theology. The prize is worth NOK4.5million (€497,500).Web id: 258060Email: solveig.stornes@holbergprisen.noDeadline: 15 June 2015 [35]

Mathematics prizeThe Polish Mathematical Society invitesapplications for International StefanBanach prize. This recognises the best

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12 funding opportunities Research Europe, 8 January 2015

p o l i c y d i a r y January 9 Horizon 2020 Infoday: Fast

Track to Innovation Pilot,Brussels, Belgium.http://rsrch.co/1u2QpKy

14 EU-US Innovation Conference,Brussels, Belgium. To 15.http://rsrch.co/1GYG4QJ

15 Recode Final Conference: OpenAccess to Research Data as aDriver for Open Science,Athens, Greece. To 16.http://rsrch.co/13Hi7RS

21 Forward Visions on the Euro-pean Research Area, Brussels,Belgium. To 22.http://rsrch.co/1xtYyJc

26 Seminar on how to Apply for EUStructural Funds for R&D, Brus-sels, Belgium. To 27.http://rsrch.co/1sP92BP

27 High-level Conference on Eu-ropean Space Policy, Brussels,Belgium. To 28.http://rsrch.co/1s9jn7r

February 2 Horizon 2020 Infoday: Societal

Challenge 4, Transport. Brus-sels, Belgium.http://rsrch.co/1mhlno9

3 Academic Cooperation Asso-ciation: Seminar on Erasmus+,Brussels, Belgium.http://rsrch.co/1zDR2JT

4 Challenges for the New Cohe-sion Policy in 2014-20, Riga,

Latvia. To 6.http://rsrch.co/13kLGYD12 Horizon 2020 Infoday: Smart

Cities and Communities,Brussels, Belgium.http://rsrch.co/1xtxN7M

14 International Conference onEnvironmental Science andDevelopment, Amsterdam, TheNetherlands. To 15.http://bit.ly/1v7b0IW

24 The Reindustrialisation ofEurope, Brussels, Belgium.http://rsrch.co/1zDUHHK

25 The Next Horizon of TechnologyAssessment Conference, Berlin,Germany. To 27.http://rsrch.co/1DRgyRi

• JRC Workshop on TechnologyTransfer for Advanced Manu-facturing, Brussels, Belgium.http://rsrch.co/1zIau9E

26 JRC Workshop on New Narra-tives for Innovation, Brussels,Belgium. To 27.http://rsrch.co/1s9p8Ce

March 2 EU Science: Global Challenges,

Global Collaboration, Brussels,Belgium. To 6.

http://rsrch.co/VNAkYF 5 The European Circular Economy

conference, Brussels, Belgium.http://rsrch.co/1JeF0My

Dana Foundation clinical neuroscienceresearch grantsWeb id: 207064No deadline [60]Juvenile Diabetes Research FoundationInternational industry discovery anddevelopment partnershipsWeb id: 145706No deadline [61]Department of Defense medical researchand development programme team per-formance training research initiativeWeb id: 1183063Deadline: 22 January 2015 [62]Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkin-son's Research Edmond J Safra fellow-ship in movement disordersWeb id: 1183143Deadline: 28 January 2015 [63]World Bank impact evaluation propos-als on early childhood development– promoting the cognitive and socio-emotional development of children agedthree to sixWeb id: 1183135Deadline: 30 January 2015 [64]World Bank impact evaluation proposalson non-state actors in basic education– promoting expansion and quality ofeducationWeb id: 1183136Deadline: 30 January 2015 [65]National Multiple Sclerosis Society com-mercial opportunities for neuroprotec-tion and neurogeneration in multiplesclerosisWeb id: 1183276Deadline: 13 February 2015 [66]World Wood Day Foundation researchgrant

Web id: 1177022Deadline: 15 February 2015 [67]Leukemia Research Foundation HollisBrownstein new investigator researchgrantsWeb id: 260187Deadline: 17 February 2015 [68]Sigma Theta Tau International/Emergency Nurses Association Founda-tion grant Web id: 210722Deadline: 1 March 2015 [69]Smithsonian Institution Engen conser-vation fellowship programmeWeb id: 1183262Deadline: 1 March 2015 [70]Society of Economic Geologists Founda-tion Hickok-Radford fundWeb id: 194301Deadline: 1 March 2015 [71]Society of Economic Geologists Founda-tion Hugh E McKinstry fundWeb id: 209467Deadline: 1 March 2015 [72]Society of Economic Geologists Founda-tion Hugo T Dummett mineral discoveryfundWeb id: 209463Deadline: 1 March 2015 [73]Society of Economic Geologists Founda-tion Newmont student grant contributionWeb id: 209464Deadline: 1 March 2015 [74]Society of Economic Geologists Founda-tion SEG Canada Foundation fundWeb id: 194344Deadline: 1 March 2015 [75]

u s at e n d e r sInteroperable languages *ESAThe European Space Agency invites ten-ders for an interoperable monitoring andcontrol languages ecosystem. The ten-derer will explore new emerging platformsand methods that will enable coexistenceof multiple operation languages. The

contract is worth up to €500,000. Ref:14.112.02. Deadline: 30 January 2015

Data downlinks *ESAThe European Space Agency invites ten-ders for a test-bed for channel modellingin Earth observation Ka-band data down-links systems. The tenderer will performan experimental assessment of channelconditions and operational parametersfor the implementation of high data ratedownlinks for Earth observation mis-sions operating at 26 GHz. The contractis worth up to €200,000. Ref: 14.1EE.17. Deadline: 2 February 2015

Extravehicular activity *ESA The European Space Agency invitestenders for the concept developmentof extravehicular activity operations inEuropean Astronaut Centre's neutralbuoyancy facility for extraterrestrialsurface explorations. The tenderer willconduct a feasibility study of EVA simula-tions in the neutral buoyancy facility formoon surface and asteroid explorationsand the development of EVA simulationconcepts for typical EVA tasks in suchexploration scenarios. The contract isworth up to €200,000. Ref: 14.197.21. Deadline: 6 February 2015

Solar cell research *ESAThe European Space Agency invites ten-ders for enhanced coating technolo-gies for next generation solar cells.The tenderer will investigate sputteringtechniques and evaluate their effec-tiveness compared to state-of-the-arte-beam evaporation techniques in sev-eral areas, such as the application ofthe antireflective coating, front andbackside metallisation, and passivationlayers, which become important as thecell concepts get thinner. The contractis worth up to €500,000. Ref: 14.1TT.28. Deadline: 20 February 2015

High power x-band uplink *ESAThe European Space Agency invites ten-ders for a high power X-band uplink fordeep space missions. The tenderer willstudy the increase of uplink power in theESA deep space antennas. The activitiesto be performed will focus on the follow-ing aspects: verify the limitations of thepresent antenna design and identify thecritical items that need to be modified inorder to handle 100 kW radio frequencypower; preliminary design of the criticalcomponents identified in the previousWP1; system analysis, including all RFactive and passive components, withperformance and interface specifications,as well as critical cooling and alternat-ing current power aspects. This activityis restricted to non-prime contractors,including small and medium enterprises.The contract is worth up to €500,000. Ref:14.112.11. Deadline: 20 February 2015--------------------------------------------- *ESA is at: http://emits.esa.intw

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Rebecca Blease,Astrid Boehm, Sofia Capel,Demeter Chanter, Charlottevan Hek, Hanna Krantz, SaschaBjarnø Olinsson, EverardaSlabbekoorn, Tine StausholmChristiansen, Sanja VlaisavljevicProduction ManagerKatherine LesterDeputy Production ManagerLaura Kipp Technical Director Steve PotterEditor, Research Fortnight Ehsan MasoodChairman and Founder William Cullerne BownPublisher Thérèse ClaffeySales Director Nicky CooperSales Managers Jon Thornton, Alison WarderSubsc r ip t ionsinfo@researchresearch.comAdver t i s ing Londonadvertise@researchresearch.comPublished by Research. Copyright© Research Research Ltd, 2015.

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analysis 13Research Europe, 8 January 2015

‘This typeof work

never has animmediate

repercussion,its impact ismuch more

latent.’

i n s i d e r

In Barcelona back in 1999, Unesco and the Tokyo-basedUnited Nations University set up the Global UniversitiesNetwork for Innovation, to help universities help eachother to get more involved in policy formulation at home.

The network has since expanded to involve more than200 institutions in 70 countries. It meets every 2 yearsin Barcelona and has produced five hefty reports onhow universities can best engage in policy, particularlyregarding social responsibility and sustainability. Yet 25 years on, participants still seem a little unsure in what ways Guni has made a difference.

One of its most obvious characteristics is its hetero-geneity. Angels Cortina of the Polytechnic University ofCatalonia in Barcelona (UPC), a Guni coordinator, says thatits members are very different in terms of size, incomes,structure, or location. “We are not looking for the uni- versities leading the rankings or those with a specificpolitical alignment,” she says. None of the UK members,

for instance, are based in London or boast large budgets.The explicit goal of Guni is to help universities influ-ence ministers to develop higher education policies that will help meet the UN’s Millennium Goals. This set ofeight development objectives agreed in 2000 range fromenvironmental sustainability and gender equality to pov-erty eradication and universal primary school education.

Xavier Grau, academic director of Guni and formerrector of the Rovira i Virgili University in Tarragona,Catalonia, says that members in developing regionsare usually more heavily involved with Guni becausetheir home countries are directly engaged in meetingthe Millennium Goals. The universities in rich coun-tries, however, have more experience in policy-making,creating scope for information exchange through thenetwork. “If you, as a university, do not participatein the design of policies, you will always be draggingbehind and facing the consequences,” Grau adds.

Unlike membership organisations such as the EuropeanUniversity Association or the International Association ofUniversities, Guni doesn’t have the money to set up sharedresources. Grau says that its objective, instead, is to providespace for discussion of relevant topics. The conclusions canbe picked up by other organisations later, he says.

Guni has had a rocky ride, organisationally speaking.Until 2009, Guni was the responsibility of UPC. But theimpact of the economic crisis led the university to askfor help to keep running the project. The association

of Catalan public universities, ACUP, then decided totake the reins of Guni, and become part of the manag-ing board together with representatives of Unesco andthe United Nations University. This gave the eight pub-lic universities in Catalonia an opportunity to increasetheir visibility in education policy debates globally. Guniis a worldwide association organised into five regionaloffices: Europe, Americas, Asia and Pacific, Africa andthe Middle East.

The five main reports on the state of higher educationin the world that Guni has published so far have dealt with funding, quality of higher education, social andhuman development, sustainability, and civil engage-ment. Grau says that national governments are alreadypaying attention to these reports, but admits there’s noreal data on their impact. “This type of work never has animmediate repercussion, its impact is much more latent,it needs to be available to inform decisions,” he says.

Daniela Tilbury, dean of sustainability at theUniversity of Gloucestershire in the UK, says Guni has tocompete with several other national and European asso-ciations that are also focused on social responsibility,such as the Copernicus Alliance and the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges. But she saysthat Guni has three main strengths: its worldwide scope,its ability to gather universities with common inter-ests, and the high quality of its work. “There are veryfew international forums that have social responsibilityas their main priority,” she says. General associationsserve to bring people together, but don’t necessarilycapture their ideas in a way that policymakers can use.

Its modest annual budget, of a few hundredthousand euros, is another limitation. Guni is jointly funded by Spain, the regional govern-ment of Catalonia, the city of Barcelona, andUniversia, a group of universities supportedby the Santander bank. Membership is free tothe universities. Tilbury argues that a biggerbudget would allow the network to organisemore meetings and invest more in promot-ing its reports. “Its conferences and reportsare through and rigorous,” she says. “But I amnot sure how many universities in Europe areaware of them.” Mo re to sa y? Em ai l co mm en t@ Re se ar ch Research.com

Building bridgesThe Global Universities Network for Innovation was set up a quarter-century ago tobuild stronger links between universities in developed and developing countries.But as Cristina Gallardo reports, it is still struggling to make an impact.

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Oxford, Cambridge and elite London

universities pull ahead in research shake-out The so-called golden triangle of elite universities inLondon and southern England are likely to prosper atthe expense of the rest of the UK, following the resultsof the UK’s first research evaluation exercise to includeevidence of the impact of research.

The University of Oxford tops the Power Ratingsin a league table compiled by Research Europe ’s sisterpublication Research Fortnight to indicate the prob-able financial consequences of the Research ExcellenceFramework 2014. The results of the REF will be used toallocate almost £2 billion annually in research funding.

University College London has knocked the Universityof Cambridge out of second place in the RF league table,largely by increasing the number of staff it submitted tothe exercise.

The University of Edinburgh has climbed from fifthto fourth, overtaking the University of Manchester.Imperial College London is at number six. King’s CollegeLondon has boosted both the quality and the volume ofits research and marched up four places to seventh spotabove the Universities of Nottingham, Bristol and Leeds.

The full results of the 2014 REF, published on18 December, revealed that 30 per cent of the research

submitted to the exercise was deemed to be “world lead-ing” or 4* quality and a further 46 per cent was judged tobe “internationally excellent” or 3* quality. The researchof more than 52,000 academics from 154 institutions was reviewed in 36 different units of assessment.

Three-quarters of UK universities had at least 10 percent of their work graded as world leading and the sameproportion had almost half their research deemed to beinternationally excellent.

Universities with medical schools are predicted to fare well in future funding allocations, as are those with sci-ence departments. Even if medicine and science weretreated in the same way as the social sciences and artsand humanities, they would still take a bigger share ofthe funding pot. According to Research Fortnight ’s calculations, almost30 per cent of research funding would be spent on bio-medical sciences and more than 25 per cent would goon the physical sciences and engineering. Social sci-ences would take another 25 per cent, leaving the artsand humanities with less than 20 per cent, based on thequality and volume of research undertaken.

The overall REF scores were determined by the qualityof research outputs (65 per cent), impact (20 per cent)and environment (15 per cent). It was the first time thatinstitutions had been asked to demonstrate the impact of

their research. The results reveal that the 10 institutions with the highest RF Impact Power Ratings were the sameas the overall top 10. Likewise, those determined to havethe best RF Environment Power Ratings—the best placesin which to do research—were also the same top 10.

by Adam Smith asnews@ResearchResearch.com

Research councils under reviewagain as structure questionedThe UK government has launcheda review of how the research

councils fund scientific research just 8 months after thetriennial review of the councils found them to be fit forpurpose. In summer 2015, the review, to be chaired byRoyal Society president Paul Nurse, will report on fun-damental questions such as whether the councils shouldbe expected to align more closely to national priorities.

EU cash for UK universities continues to growUK institutions received a total of £690 million in EUresearch grants in 2012-13, according to a report fromthe vice-chancellors’ group Universities UK. The amountof research funding that UK universities receive fromthe EU has grown every year for the past 10 years, from astarting point of £221m in 2003-4.

Science strategy has no word on grand challengesThe UK’s long-awaited science and innovation strategyfor the period up to 2020-21 reveals that no decisions

have been made on additional projects to be supportedunder the government’s £2.9 billion grand challengesfund. So far only £1.8bn of this cash has been allocat-ed, and no decisions will be made on the rest until afterthe 2015 budget. There are five themes to the strategy:excellence, agility, collaboration, place and openness.

Extra cash relieves immediate crisis at KewDeputy prime minister Nick Clegg has offered an extra£2.3 million to maintain a level budget for the RoyalBotanic Gardens at Kew for a second year until April 2016The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairshad said that its annual grant-in-aid for Kew would be cutby £1.5m in 2014-15 and cut again in 2015-16.

Charitable status best for NERC centresThe Natural Environment Research Council hasannounced that the “best option” for the NationalOceanography Centre and the Centre for Ecology andHydrology would be for them to become charitable com-panies. It says an “in-depth process” will take place totest whether they are ready for the change.

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Germany agrees higher education pact The German government has adopted a higher educationfunding agreement called the Hochschulpakt, which willprovide €23 billion to universities and research organi-sations between 2016 and 2020.

The total is divided into higher education spending ofabout €19bn and research funding of close to €4bn. TheHochschulpakt outlines spending by the federal govern-ment, as well as research areas of special interest.

Public research organisations such as the Leibniz Association, the Helmholtz Association and the MaxPlanck Society will get a 3 per cent funding increaseevery year for the duration of the fund. Money for over-heads from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft,Germany’s largest public funder, will increase from 20per cent to 22 per cent of project costs, the governmentannounced. Of this, 20 per cent will be supplied by thefederal government and 2 per cent will come from theGerman states.

Outlining its priorities, the government said it wouldlike to spend more money on raising the internationalprofile of German universities. It also wants more col-laboration with industry, as well as better career andpersonnel management at research institutions, accord-

ing to Johanna Wanka, Germany’s research minister.“The Hochschulpakt contributes to the creation of

the professionals we will need in the coming decades,” Wanka said at the deal’s launch on 11 December. “Italso provides sustainable support for research andinnovation, and helps to attract the smartest people toGermany.”

Voices from academia were less enthusiastic. The HRK,