G8 Research Councils Initiative on Multilateral Research Funding – new call

The second call of the G8 Research Councils Initiative on Multilateral Research is now open. Proposals are invited on the topic of Interdisciplinary Program on Material Efficiency – A first step towards sustainable manufacturing. This call will be supported by €10 million over a three year period and it is hoped that between eight and ten collaborations will be funded.

The deadline for preliminary proposals is 30 September 2011 and researchers interested in submitting a proposal can find more information here

The Initiative on Multilateral Research Funding is the first time in history the research organisations from the across the G8 have joined forces to address major global challenges. It gives researchers an unprecedented opportunity to collaborate with one another across disciplines.

Professor Paul Boyle, RCUK International Champion said: “International collaboration is critical to finding solutions to the major problems facing the world today. These problems span international borders, and only by bringing together the greatest minds from across the world will we produce research with the greatest impact. RCUK is committed to working with international colleagues to help tackle these global challenges.”

This first call Interdisciplinary Programme on Application Software towards Exascale Computing for Global Scale Issues was issued last year (2010) and resulted in six international collaborations being funded. More information about these ongoing research projects is available here

The initiative is scheduled to run for another four years and a further call will be made in 2012.

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Further information

Contact:
Jane Wakefield
RCUK Press and Communications Manager
Tel: 01793 444592

Notes to editors

1. The G8 Research Councils Initiative on Multilateral Research Funding is supported by:

   • The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
   • The French National Research Agency (ANR)
   • The German Foundation (DFG)
   • The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
   • The Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR)
   • Research Councils UK (RCUK)
   • The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)

2. Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the strategic partnership of the UK's seven Research Councils. We invest annually around £3 billion in research. Our focus is on excellence with impact. We nurture the highest quality research, as judged by international peer review providing the UK with a competitive advantage. Global research requires we sustain a diversity of funding approaches, fostering international collaborations, and providing access to the best facilities and infrastructure, and locating skilled researchers in stimulating environments. Our research achieves impact – the demonstrable contribution to society and the economy made by knowledge and skilled people. To deliver impact, researchers and businesses need to engage and collaborate with the public, business, government and charitable organisations. www.rcuk.ac.uk.

   The seven UK Research Councils are:

   • Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC);
   • Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC);
   • Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC);
   • Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC);
   • Medical Research Council (MRC);
   • Natural Environment Research Council (NERC);
   • Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC).