Research Newsletter – Issue 79: Information and Updates
Click on the headings below for further information:
It has been an exceedingly busy year for the DCU Research Ethics Committee (REC), reviewing 263 new proposals and over 100 amendments to existing protocols. Sincere thanks to all our REC members (both current and recently retired) for facilitating the ethical review and approval process during 2022.
The REC regularly review the application form in conjunction with the DCU Data Protection Unit to ensure that up-to-date guidance is provided for researchers, and the latest version (dated January 2023) is now available via the website and our Research Ethics Application Portal on Loop. Please ensure you are using the current version for all future submissions.
The updated Code of Practice on Authorship is now accessible via the University Policies section of the DCU website.
The Code seeks to provide clarity for DCU staff and students on the issue of authorship of research papers, reports or other research outputs. It should help to minimise disputes about authorship, protect researchers, including students and those on temporary contracts, and provide the basis for resolution of disagreements on authorship. The availability of the updated Code will be highlighted via Faculty Research Committee meetings, and we would strongly encourage the DCU research community to read the Code in detail.
Vitae is the global leader in supporting the professional development of researchers. All DCU researchers have FREE access to their website.
A non-profit programme, Vitae enhances the skills of researchers, providing research and innovation, training and resources, events, consultancy and membership. For example, all content from the Vitae International Researcher Development Conference is now open access. Vitae have created themed playlists on YouTube from the rich content gathered from the Vitae community. The first theme is Horizon Scanning in researcher development and includes the recordings from the main plenary session and subsequent parallel interactive workshops.
Further details, including how to register, are available via the DCU website.
The RPA team will close for business for the Christmas break on Friday December 23rd 2022 and will return on Wednesday 4th January, 2023.
For external orders, please be conscious of lead times for suppliers and make sure to have your Purchase Orders confirmed so goods arrive into the NRF Stores by 16th December, as this is the last date for deliveries to the stores. Our recommendation is to raise Purchase Orders no later than 12th December in order for goods to be received in time (do confirm lead times with Suppliers).
Warehouse orders placed after the Close of Business on the 20th December will be processed in the New Year. The final date for collections from the NRF Stores will be 4pm on the 21st December.
The recorded webinar "#RESET your project with gender” provides hands-on guidance and tools for integration of concepts of gender and diversity into research projects.
The webinar includes presentations from representatives of the European Commission and researchers who succeeded in the submission of gender-sensitive project proposals for European funding calls. The members of the RESET team (EU-funded Horizon Europe project) also present the tools developed in the project, such as a checklist and guidelines for a Gender Impact Assessment. Members of the audience were able to have an insight into gender integration in different fields of study and phases of a project, as well as ask their questions and receive some tips during the Q&A session.
Supported by the European Commission, Horizon Results Booster services are delivered to FP7, H2020, and HE projects at no cost. The free-of-charge services are provided by experts and cover several paths in Dissemination and Exploitation activities, notably Portfolio Dissemination and Exploitation, Business Plan Development, and Go to Market service.
See link below to an info session covering information about the services and including testimonials from those who have already benefited from Horizon Results Booster.
Supported by the European Commission, the Intellectual Property Helpdesk provides free advice on IP to European start-ups and other SMEs involved in EU-funded collaborative research projects and EU funded projects and fellows. The webinar linked to below provides an overview of key aspects in the field of intellectual property management in Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, like peculiarities of MSCA grant and Consortium Agreements or relevant issues in writing MSCA Proposals. The training addresses the following points:
- Relevant IP issues for MSCA proposals
- Particularities of MSCA grant agreements
- Ownership of background and results
- Questions from MSCA participants received at the EIPRHD
- MSCA success stories
The MSCA Work Programme for 2023-2024 has been formally approved and adopted by the European Commission and is now available through the Funding and Tenders Portal.
Irish Marie Sklodowska-Curie Office (IMSCO) recommend that potential applicants read the work programme, particularly as there have been some changes to definitions and clarification on certain rules (e.g., in PF a successful viva defence must be unconditional and take place before the call deadline).
See below some of the major changes:
- Introduction of a coordination and support action on feedback to policy from MSCA projects.
- The maximum person months for the standard Doctoral Network has been restored to 540 person months with the maximum fellowship duration remaining at 36 months.
- The maximum PhD fellowship duration in Joint Doctorates has been increased from 36 months to 48 months (still within the 540 person-month envelope) and the maximum project duration of DN-JD networks is increased to 60 months. This is to incentivise more applications to the DN-JD mode.
- In Postdoctoral Fellowships, letters of commitment will only be required for the third country host of the outgoing phase and no longer required for other associated partners in the proposal.
Funded by DFHERIS and the European Commission, a national competence mapping of computing & data capabilities at HEIs, research centres, enterprises and public sector organisations is underway.
PIs, funded investigators, researchers and students at DCU are encouraged to participate. Completing this mapping enables you to engage going forward in Ireland-EU funded activity towards further developing computing and digital data services for you at the national and European levels.
Link to the 5-minute survey here