Research Funding Opportunities

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Spotlight on Europe

The EU have launched the first wave of calls for the Fifth Framework Programme (1999-2002) for RTD proposals. These calls target specific research tasks across all the activities and programmes of FP5 with deadlines in June and October 1999 (dependent on research task). For more information/advice/guidance, please contact R.L.Dowsett@sussex.ac.uk or http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Units/research/frame.html. The Commission's Fifth Framework web page address is: http://www.cordis.lu/fp5.

The main areas of research addressed are:

• Quality of Life: Biotechnology/bio-medicine/food/health/agriculture/ fisheries/neurosciences/genomes/bio-ethics

• Information Technology

• Competitive & Sustainable Growth: Industrial materials/manufacturing/ transport/aeronautics/marine technologies/steel/measurements and testing

• Environment: water/pollution/marine ecosystems/biodiversity/urban heritage/ climate change/earth observation

• Energy: large scale generation of electricity/energy conservation /de-centralised generation/wind and solar energy/abatement technologies / storage of energy

• International co-operation: sustainable development/healthcare/plant & animal production/environment &industry/ water resource management/ conferences/short-term fellowships

• Socio-economic research

• Improving Human Potential: Post-Doc Fellowships/Marie Curie post-grad training sites/Research training networks.

The total budget for the Fifth Framework Programme is 14.96 billion euros (about £11 billion). Funding is available for collaborative research between EU countries: for research networks, fellowship grants, conferences, workshops, basic & applied research, demonstration activities and feasibility studies.

Research proposals should address EU objectives such as: promoting the competitiveness of EU industry, improving the quality of life, and reducing unemployment. The consortium must demonstrate complementarity of expertise and genuine trans-European collaborative research.

Other opportunities are available from the Research Grants and Contracts Office, contact Debbie, ext 3812 or email: D.Foy-Everett@sussex.ac.uk. For an extensive listing of funding opportunities see REFUND on the Research website http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Units/research.