Deadline: 24-Jan-23
The British Council is opening applications for academics and researchers from universities in Japan, Korea (South), Hong Kong and the UK to apply for their Reconnect Travel Grant.
The grant will expand and strengthen links between the UK and science, research and innovation sectors in Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong, and will renew and develop research collaborations, particularly for Early Career Researchers, through multilateral mobility support between the UK and the three Asian partner settings.
Themes
The programme will support the themes and priorities outlined in the UK Innovation Strategy and aligns with the objectives of the UK Science and Innovation Network in the following priority markets.
The themes include:
- Hong Kong Themes
- Healthy population – health tech and digital health, pandemics, mental health, health inequality, ageing, nutrition.
- Net Zero – clean energy, carbon reduction and sequestration.
- Resilient Planet- Disaster Risk Reduction, environmental protection, adaptation and mitigation.
- Japan Themes
- Synthetic Biology (particularly genome synthesis and cell programming).
- Oceans Science (particularly arctic and marine science.
- Infectious Diseases (particularly pandemic preparedness).
- Healthy Ageing (particularly mental health and obesity).
- Clean Energy (particularly batteries).
- Robotics, Advanced Materials, and Quantum Technologies (quantum sensing and quantum biology).
- Korea Themes
- Net Zero- clean energy, climate policy and solutions, etc
- Resilient planet – Disaster Risk Reduction, environmental protection, adaptation and mitigation.
- Tomorrow’s technology.
- Healthy population.
- Secure Societies.
Aim and Objectives
The Reconnect Travel Grant is designed to support new links for future research initiatives, restart and strengthen existing and new collaboration, and build research capacity and career opportunities. The British Council welcomes proposals for groups of 3-4 researchers, with at least one established academic colleague, to plan a study visit for up to four months. Travel grants are not intended to cover travel costs for a conference abroad, or to fund travel as part of PhD studies. The travel grant can support multi-country travel between Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and UK.
The Grant can cover travel and study activities which deliver the following objectives:
- Support relevant research – Travel Grants are intended to support research areas relevant to the themes and priorities and needs and interests of partners.
- Contribute to capacity building of early career researchers – The proposal should include a description of the capacity building potential of the project (both for the individual applicant, and other potential beneficiaries), and the longer-term impact that the project could achieve.
- Establish new research links or develop existing links – Travel Grants are intended to either support new links, or to develop existing links with the potential for longer term sustainability. Applications to return to the research group where the applicant carried out their PhD research or have previously taught will only be considered if they clearly demonstrate the latter.
It is important that the proposals include:
- The specific outputs anticipated from the visit.
- An explanation of the benefit to researchers and their institutions.
- Exploration of any potential long-term benefit, including sustainable research links and possible future collaborations or exchanges.
Funding Information
Funding allocated for the Grant is GBP 200,000 in total. It is intended to support 4 travel grants in Hong Kong, 8 in Japan, and 5 in Korea. Maximum grant allocated per travel grant is GBP 12,000 for 3-4 researchers, with at least one established academic colleague working on the themes. Project duration is maximum of 4 months from 1 April 2023 until 28 February 2024. The funding is for the whole project duration and not per annum.
Grant details for each country
- Hong Kong will offer 4 grants worth GBP12,000 each for 3-4 researchers, with at least one established academic colleague, to plan a study visit for up to four months working on the themes.
- Japan: will offer 8 grants worth GB12,000 each for 3-4 researchers, with at least one established academic colleague, to plan a study visit for up to four months on the theme.
- Korea will offer 4 grants worth GBP12,000 each for 3-4 researchers, with at least one established academic colleague, to plan a study visit for up to four months working on the themes.
Outcomes
Through this British Council programme, you can connect, collaborate and innovate with universities, colleges, education policy makers and other partners in the UK and around the world. The overall expected outcomes of the programme include:
- Enabling research: supporting research, knowledge, and innovation collaboration to address local and global challenges and promote inclusive growth.
- Internationalising higher education and TVET institutions: creating an enabling environment while supporting institutions and individuals to benefit from internationalization.
- Strengthening higher education and TVET systems: improving the quality and efficiency of institutions and systems.
- Enhancing student outcomes: improving the qualities of global graduates (e.g., soft skills, employability, community outcomes).
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be based either in the UK, or in one of the partner countries in Hong Kong, Japan or Korea UK lead partner must be one of the following:
- Higher Education provider with a degree awarding power.
- Degree awarding powers in England. Check the ‘awarding degrees’ drop down section on the specific provider’s entry on the OFS register. The OFS register lists all institutions which offer UK degrees, not all of which have degree awarding powers.
- Degree awarding powers in Wales.
- Degree awarding powers in Northern Ireland.
- Degree awarding powers in Scotland.
- Not-for-profit research institutions, establishment and organisations.
- Hong Kong, Japan or Korea lead partner must be one of the following:
- Higher Education provider, as locally defined.
- Not-for-profit research institutions, establishment and organisations, as locally defined.
- The British Council will sign grant agreement with the UK university and will channel the grant to UK leading university. The UK leading university must discuss and plan with the Hong Kong, Japan or Korea institutions on how to channel the grant and manage it.
- Travel may only be between the UK and partner country, but can be in either direction.
- Proposal must be made up of 3-4 researchers, with at least one established academic colleague, who holds a permanent academic or research post at a higher education institution or eligible research organisation. The team of up to 3 early career researchers must have completed their PhDs or equivalent research experience, but not hold or have held a permanent research or academic role.
- UK institution confirms that Grant Agreement as stipulated in Annex 3 has been reviewed and that it agrees to sign it upon receiving notification of successful application.
- Only one application may be submitted per researcher. Duplicate applications are ineligible, even if they are to different countries.
For more information, visit British Council.