U!REKA Research Support Working Group
U!REKA focuses on applied research in metropolitan areas that drives innovation, fosters debate, informs policy and delivers impact in society. Our research is interdisciplinary and brings together diverse stakeholders: it’s a one-stop-shop for urban issues.
The U!REKA Research Support Working Group aims to support this focus by setting up and facilitating joint research initiatives and research projects between the U!REKA partners (higher education institutions), providing expertise and proposal development support for interested researchers. We focus on identifying research challenges and finding solutions especially for metropolitan regions. The members of the working group (WG) have been actively involved in regular exchange, planning and implementation of joint activities since the foundation of the U!REKA network.
The strategic objectives of the group are:
Members of the WG proactively “call-monitor” topics which are of relevance for the U!REKA members (e.g. health, logistics, migration, IT, mobility). Opportunities identified through call monitoring are shared within the group and possible joint proposal ideas (between two or more U!REKA members) are discussed. The WG also aims to bring researchers together where interest in specific calls can be further facilitated through face-to-face meetings.
The WG holds regular Skype meetings allowing members to present and discuss EU calls of interest as well as proposals under consideration/in development for which they are seeking partners. Ideas and EU-proposals/partner-searches are also circulated regularly within the group ensuring WG members keep their researchers up to date with opportunities to collaborate across the U!REKA consortium. Enquiries requesting academic expertise are also discussed and shared to enable matching of researchers and skills across our institutions.
This WG exchanges good practices in promoting research and in particular EU-funded research projects at U!REKA partner institutions. We dicuss different aspects of research support and the promotion of EU-projects within the framework of U!REKA partnership. Good practice and research support programmes are presented and discussed within the group to allow cross-institutional learning and to develop new ideas on how best to promote EU-funded research projects. Members of the group also extend invitations to each other to training events or to study visits whenever possible.
The WG members provide proposal preparation support to researchers, who aim to apply for EU funding in consortia with other U!REKA members. In addition the members of the WG support each other in EU proposal preparation, e.g. through exchange of information/experience, proofreading, expert advice (e.g. if one member has specific expertise in a specific EU funding scheme), etc.
Some more examples of our joint activities:
- A workshop was held in Brussels to discuss two different funding calls. This brought researchers together to form new collaborative partnerships for proposal writing.
- Networking events have been held for researchers to discuss proposal ideas and relevant training sessions have been provided.
- Members of the U!REKA partners were invited to attend a recent training event in Amsterdam and this allowed networking both across U!REKA partners as well as externally.
- During the annual U!REKA conference there are a variety of workshops and our projects are presented. It’s also an opportunity to share ideas and connect researchers from different partners.
- Identification of relevant research calls and support of proposal development for multiple calls.
The WG has ambitious future plans, including to:
- Review the Horizon Europe programme to identify calls that U!REKA partners can work collaboratively on, training requirements in relation to this funding programme and networking events around relevant funding areas/calls.
- Investigate National Funding Programmes where international partners can be funded, in order to identify any calls that U!REKA partners can collaborate on.
- Consider international weeks within partner institutions as an opportunity to hold networking or training events.
U!REKA WORKING GROUP RESEARCH SUPPORT
| Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences |
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| Edinburgh Napier University |
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| Frankfurt Universityof Applied Sciences |
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| Politécnico de Lisboa | Joana Rodrigues |
| Metropolia University of Applied Sciences |
Outi Saramäki |
| HOGENT University of Applied Sciences and Arts |
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| VSB - Technical University of Ostrava |
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| ONEU - Odessa National University of Economics | Oksana Volkova |