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RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE COMMITTEE

Draft Minutes for the fifth meeting of the Research & Enterprise Committee in the 2011/12 Academic Session, held on Wednesday 30th May 2012, 2.15pm, B028, Medway Campus

PRESENT:

Prof T Barnes ChairProf A Reed Vice-Chair and Director of Postgraduate Research (PGR)Ms T Banton Research Support Manager (GRE)Prof A Benati Director of Research & Enterprise (HSS)Dr M Davies Director of Research & Enterprise (GRE)Prof D Isaac Director of Research & Enterprise (A&C)Dr J Jameson Director of Enterprise (EDU)Prof A Lambirth Director of Research (EDU)Prof P Maras ECR DirectorMs C Nyandoro-Kunzvi Secretary (GRE)Dr J Orchard Director of Research (NRI)Mr J Wallace Administrative Secretary (Vice Chancellors Office)Prof E West Director of Research & Enterprise (HSC)Dr S Woodhead Director of Research & Enterprise (ENG)Dr D Wray Director of Enterprise (SCI)

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Prof C Bailey Director of Enterprise (CMS)Prof C Birch Director of Enterprise (BUS)Mrs W Curran Finance Manager (Finance)Prof E Galea Director of Research (CMS)Prof J Morton Director of Enterprise (NRI)Prof S Thomas Director of Research (BUS)Prof S Wicks Director of Research (SCI)

2. ITEMS FROM THE CHAIR

2.1 The Chair welcomed the members to the fifth Research & Enterprise Committee meeting of the 2011/12 academic calendar session.

3. MINUTES OF THE FOURTH MEETING OF THE RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE COMMITTEE HELD IN 2010/12 ON THE 18TH APRIL 2012.

The minutes of the Research and Enterprise Committee held on 18 th April 2012 were agreed by the Committee as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

5.3 The ECR Director informed members that a small number of proposals had been received and reviewed by the Peer Review College. The pilot scheme was working well and it was

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envisaged that the college would be rolled out to all schools soon after the pilot schools had reported to the Committee on the progress of the system. Recommendations made at the last meeting were being addressed regarding the process of reviewing funding applications.

5.4 The Chair informed members that the matters arising from agenda item 5.4 would be covered under agenda item 5.3 of the meeting’s agenda.

5.5 The Chair reported that the REF2014 Codes of Practice had been modified in accordance with the recommendations made by Committee at the last meeting. The Research Support Manager (GRE) was working on adding more detail to the code and an updated code would be presented to Academic Council for. The code would be submitted to HEFCE in July.

The Chair noted that all Deans would receive an updated copy via the Executive Committee meeting and the Chair welcomed the opportunity to speak about REF2014 at School Research & Enterprise Committee Meetings.

7.2 The Director (PGR) informed members that Sharon Lawson had distributed to all Directors a list of students (that required minor modifications to complete their PhD) in order to assist supervisors in reaching the target of 60 doctoral completions for the institution.

7.2 The Director (PGR) reported that it was not possible to present the PRES data by school as it was an anonymous survey. A copy of the PRES report would be circulated to members after the meeting.

7.3 The Director (PGR) informed members that a report on the effect of the UKBA recent announcement on current and future international students was in progress and would be presented to VCG and Academic Council.

5. GREENWICH RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE

5.1 Research and Enterprise Financial Activity Reports

The Chair presented the Research and Enterprise Financial Activity report to the month ending 30th April 2012.

Revenues to the end of April 2012 were £9.7m (including NRI). NRI revenue figures were at £5.4m and schools were at £4.3m. This figure showed an increase of 15% in comparison to the same period last year mainly due to increased activity in NRI. The predicted forecast for the 2011/12 academic calendar year was £15.4m of which schools were estimated at £6.7m and NRI £8.7m.

Contracting to the end of April 2012 was at £10.6m of which NRI was at £6.6m and the schools at £4m, an overall increase of 6% (£573k) in comparison to the same period last year. New contracting for this period included the European COST project for the School of Architecture Design & Construction at £100kpa, Subsea Cable with Heriot-Watt at £82k and RODENT IeMRC at £191k for the School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences as well as some smaller consultancy projects from the Schools of Science, Engineering and Business.

Cumulative revenues and contracting were on the rise and the Chair was pleased to note that figures were now in line with the trend analysis reported in 2009/10. This momentum would need to be maintained in order to ensure that research would be sustained over the next few years. Contracting compared to money burn showed an improvement compared with previous years thus providing a better pipeline for contracts. The GUEL figure to the end of April 2012 was £1.2m.

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5.2 Research and Enterprise Bidding Activity Report

The Research Support Manager (GRE) presented the Research and Enterprise Bidding Activity report to the month ending 30th April 2012. Bidding totals to the end of April 2012 (incl NRI) were £20m for a total of 236 bids. Quarterly figures from August to October were £4.3m, November to January was £8.6m and February to April was at £6.9m.

Bidding status showed that 83% of the overall bids at £16.6m were pending an outcome, 6% of bids valued at £1.1m were rejected and 11% of the overall bids worth £2.2m were awarded. This was a decrease of 19% in comparison with the same period last year. Bidding by funding source showed that 58% of the total number of bids had been submitted to the EU, 9% to overseas funders, 6% to UK Central Government & TSB, 14% to Research Councils, and 10% of the bids had been submitted to Charities.

Awarded totals to the end April 2012 were recorded at £4.4m (incl NRI) with a value of £1.4k submitted in 2010/11 and announced in 2011/12. Awards by funding source were 44% from the EU, 25% from the overseas funders, 12% from the UK Centre Government & TSB, 11% from the UK Industry, and 4% of awards were from Charities.

The Research Support Manager (GRE) informed members that Deans and Directors of Research & Enterprise would soon receive reports on the breakdown of success rates by funder. The Chair expressed concern over the bidding figures as they seemed to suggest a decline in bidding value. It was therefore proposed that Directors of Research & Enterprise work on a strategy (over the next two years) to increase bidding with their respective School Research & Enterprise Committees. The Directors of Research & Enterprise would present these reports to the main Research & Enterprise Committee in the autumn. The Research Support Manager (GRE) would meet with Director of Research (NRI) and Mrs Amy Guyatt to discuss the discrepancies in contracting statistics.

Action:- GRE to circulate a report on the breakdown of success rates by funder to School Deans and Directors of Research & Enterprise.

Action:- Directors of Research & Enterprise work on a strategy (over the next two years) to increase bidding with their respective School Research & Enterprise Committees. These reports will be presented to the main Research & Enterprise Committee in the autumn.

Action:- The Research Support Manager (GRE) would meet with Director of Research (NRI) and Mrs Amy Guyatt to discuss the discrepancies in contracting statistics.

5.3 GREAT 2012 & REF2014 Update

The Chair updated the Committee with regards to the GREAT 2012 exercise. Members were informed that the timetable for the next GREAT exercise had been revised to take into account the summer period. It was proposed that the exercise would start in June with results reported in the autumn. Schools had identified reviewers and associated estimated costs. The Chair asked members to inform the Director (GRE) on whom the assessors/reviewers would be and how much it would cost to commission them to do the work. It was noted that schools should negotiate with prospective reviewers what the total price would be as opposed to the daily rate.

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The Research Support Manager (GRE) recommended that a series of impact workshops be run during this exercise so as to aid the Schools in the preparation of their impact case studies. The Chair welcomed the suggestion and asked members to look at the HEFCE website for examples of case studies. It was noted that the case studies would need to show that research took place at the institution and that it was 2 star or better, showing a clear link between the impact and research that was being claimed. The impact should be outside the research field and show that it benefited the wider community.

The Research Support Manager (GRE) informed members that in the REF2012 exercise, each school should have an Equality & Diversity Champion to champion and advise on taking forward the equality and diversity policies and practices. Directors of Research & Enterprise were asked to forward on nominations to the Research Support Manager (GRE).

Action:- Directors of Research & Enterprise to forward on nominations of School Equality & Diversity Champions to the Research Support Manager (GRE).

5.4 University of Greenwich Inaugural Research Conference

The Director of Research & Enterprise (GRE) invited members to the University Research and Enterprise conference, to be held on 25th June in rooms QA063 and QA080. The conference, which will become an annual event, is aimed at giving academic staff the opportunity to hear about the latest research funding and policy developments, share good practice and experience of research and enterprise, and network with one another and with external speakers.

5.5 EU Excellence in Research Badge

The Director (PGR) informed members of the EU Excellence in Research award, a UK-wide process enabling UK HEIs to gain the European Commission's HR Excellence in Research Award, which acknowledges their alignment with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for their Recruitment.

The University will be applying for the excellence badge and a working group has been setup by the University to conduct an internal analysis, and compare policies and practices against the Charter & Code principles and develop an HR strategy for researcher’s career development. The analysis and action plan will then be reviewed and acknowledged by the European Commission and if successful the University will be awarded the HR Excellence in Research badge.

The Director (PGR) was seeking support from the Committee to inform the working group on how the institution was developing our researchers wider career development. It is expected that ECRs have an input into policy & practice and this could be achieved by having ECR representation at staff meetings, the Central and School Research & Enterprise Committees. It was therefore proposed that up to 2 ECRs would attend the Research & Enterprise Committee as observers on a rotating basis by school. There would be reserved business if necessary, for which ECRs would not attend. Members welcomed this proposal and were happy to endorse it. The Terms of Reference would be updated and presented to Academic Council for consideration. It was proposed that on approval of the proposal at Academic Council, there would be ECR representation at the Research & Enterprise Committee meeting in October 2012.

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Directors of Research & Enterprise were asked to identify and nominate up to two ECRs from their schools to attend both the School and University Research & Enterprise Committee. The Secretary (GRE) would circulate a list of all ECRs to the Directors of Research & Enterprise.

Action:- Directors of Research & Enterprise were asked to identify and nominate up to two ECRs from their schools to attend both the School and University Research & Enterprise Committee.

Action:- The Secretary (GRE) would circulate a list of all ECRs to the Directors of Research & Enterprise.

6. ITEMS FROM SCHOOLS

6.1 Directors of Research and Enterprise Presentations on Successes, Opportunities and Challenges in Research and Enterprise activities in each School

6.1.1.SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE & CONSTRUCTION REPORT

Name: David IsaacSchool: Architecture and Construction

SUCCESSESDesign Research

AVATAR (Advanced Virtual & Technological Architectural Research)

AVATAR organised a ‘Future Cities, Design as Research’ conference on 19 & 20 April. A number of corporations such as Autodesk and WSP attended and also the founder of the Katerva Awards, CEO Terry Waghorn. The conference was a great success and attendance exceeded expectations.

Rachel Armstrong have been involved in an EcoBuild talk with Carlo Ratti (http://twitpic.com/8zrcod) and is currently writing an essay 'Organs Everywhere' with Simone Ferrancina (http://organseverywhere.com/). She will be speaking at the Cheltenham Science Festival on 12 June on Living Buildings with Mark Miodownik and Dave Worsley. (http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/find-events/science/s5-future-buildings)

The group received the award of a PhD Scholarship under the recent round.

Architectural History and Theory Group

Alan Powers has written the following: Companion Guide: City of London, edited by Nicholas Kenyon, Thames and Hudson ‘Review of Green Cities’, Architectural Review, April ‘Review of Sir Basil Spence’, Country Life, Article on ‘architecture in relation to the Royal Jubilee’, Country Life ‘Flying Angels and Solid Walls’, AA Files, 64, pp.48-58 ‘Blueprint’, leading feature on post-war conservation, May ‘From downturn to diversity’ in The Seventies: rediscovering a lost decade of British

Architecture, Twentieth Century Architecture 10, 2012 (jointly with Elain Harwood), pp.8-35 ‘Thoughtful Brutalism: Dunelm House and Kingsgate Bridge’, Durham, Twentieth Century

Magazine, May Teresa Stoppani is an invited speaker at London Metropolitan University, Faculty of

Architecture and Spatial Design, 9th International Architectural Humanities Research Association Conference ‘Architecture and the Paradox of Dissidence’, 15–17 November.

May 2012).

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Teresa Stoppani has also been invited to be a Visiting Critic of Architectural Design at London Metropolitan University and the University of Brighton. She has published a book chapter ‘The Island. Considerations for the City Without Boundaries’, in M. Lathouri and R. Dillon (eds), AA/CC Architectural Association City Cultures Research Cluster, London.

The group received the award of a PhD Scholarship under the recent round.

Other Design Activity

Adriana Cobo is a jury member for the XXIII Colombian Biennale of Architecture this year. The Biennale is the most important architectural event in Colombia, with a long tradition initiated in 1962.

Sustainable Built Environments Research

Sustainable Built Environments Group,

A PhD has been completed in in Strategic Asset Management and will now be examined. Kostis Evangelinos has written three key articles: ‘Investigating social acceptability for

public forest management policies as a function of social factors’, Forest Policy and Economics, ‘Financial and Non-Financial Environmental Information: Significant factors for corporate and environmental performance measuring’, International Journal of Managerial and Financial Accounting, and ‘Accountability and stakeholder engagement in the airport industry: An assessment of airports’ CSR reports’, Journal of Air Transport Management.

The group received the award of a PhD Scholarship under the recent round.

Sustainable Landscapes Group,

Benz Kotzen has been appointed the Chair of the EU COST Action project (Arid Lands Restoration and Combat of Desertification: Setting Up a Drylands and Desert Restoration Hub) which will receive EU FP7 funding of £430,000 over 4 years.

Tom Turner has published an eBook http://www.amazon.co.uk/London-Gardens-Walk-history-ebook. and was interviewed for the Telegraph about this: (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/chelseaflowershow/9241797/Chelsea-Fringe-2012-Tom-Turners-journey.html).

OPPORTUNITIESMore staff are becoming research active and putting in bids for funding, there were large numbers of applications for the recent University competitive round for RAE monies. A series of School workshops, seminars and symposia have been launched to encourage dissemination and development of individual research. Mentoring sessions have also been set up to encourage further research activity amongst staff.

CHALLENGESAs for the previous report, there is a School-wide initiative to encourage additional research activity and this has begun to create the funding and outputs necessary for further progress, especially with regard to the next REF.

6.1.2. BUSINESS SCHOOL REPORTName: Steve ThomasSchool: Business

SUCCESSES

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Numark training delivered by Rob Robson. Value to UoG £5.4k

OPPORTUNITIES Bid submitted to Interreg by Chris Birch under the BENEFITS scheme. Value to UoG £300k.

Reported in April R&E, now with revised budget Concept note submitted with UK Carbon Trust, and two Chinese partners, to Greening Asia

programme. Total value ca €1.95m, UoG as leading partner seeks ca €850,000. Reported in April R&E. Verdict expected in May

Bid to be submitted to ESRC in April on secondary data analysis by Denise Hawkes. Value to UoG £200k. Reported in April R&E and bid now submitted

Bid submitted to 3ie Impact by Mehmet Ugur for systematic reviews. Reported in April R&E, value now finalised at £45k

Bid submitted to CIGREF by Riccardo da Vita. Value to Greenwich £30k Bid submitted to ESRC by Mehmet Ugur for secondary data analysis. Value to Greenwich

£175k Bid to be submitted to Inventory House Market Research by Matt Housden for consultancy.

Value to Greenwich £13.5k

CHALLENGES None to report

6.1.3. SCHOOL OF EDUCATION REPORTName: Dr Jill Jameson and Professor Andrew LambirthSchool: Education

SUCCESSES

2011-12 has continued to be strong for Education bidding activity. The School is on track to exceed the Form 1s submitted in the years 2009-10 and 2010-11.

The School Enterprise Associates Steering Group, led by the Dean, organised and held a successful Education Partners in Practice (EPiP) event in April, 2012, opened by the Vice Chancellor, with numerous school, college, youth and community partners in attendance.

Dr Jill Jameson was unanimously elected as Chair of the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE) and the SRHE Governing Council.

The School was allocated a new Vice Chancellor’s Professor of Mathematics Education post and was a supporting partner, through the School Centre for Leadership and Enterprise, in the new Business School post for a Professor of Leadership and Organisational Behaviour.

Dr Gordon Ade-Ojo and Simon Leggatt have both won grants from the Higher Education Academy totalling £14,000

Dr Keith Good has won a grant from the Ernest Cook Foundation for £6000 Jenny Field has published in a co-authored book for Routledge called Becoming a Primary

Mathematics Specialist Teacher Sarah Huaraka has had her first article accepted for publication in the Journal Research and

Practice in Adult Literacy Dr Gordon Ade-Ojo presented a Key Note lecture titled ‘Theory, Ideology, and the Danger of

Totalitarianism: Implications for Knowledge Enquiry and Policy Making’ at the Africa Speaks lecture series at Muckleneuk Campus, Pretoria in South Africa. Dr Gordon Ade-Ojo was invited by UNISA to take on the role of visiting research associate.

Professor Anne Edwards from the University of Oxford has agreed to be an external advisor for the School of Education in preparation for the REF.

OPPORTUNITIES

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Goldsmith’s College invited the School to participate in a £374k GLA/ESRC/Mayor’s Office bid for Policing and Crime to support research innovation re. youth interventions in London: Hilary Orpin, Dr Jill Jameson, Dr Keith Cranwell and Clare Choak are included in the bid.

The Council of Europe Research Project on Intercultural Public Space and Safety invited Second Wave Youth Arts and colleagues in School Centre for Leadership and Enterprise/ DSqM project and the School of Architecture, Design and Construction to support the CoE research, linking with the European Intercultural Cities Network (ICC).

The Business Development Manager, James Lambert, has set up a new Bid Pipeline to report on all School bids and enhance capacity-building and opportunities for increased bid-writing.

Longer-term continuance of the contracts for the two School Research Fellows provides an opportunity to enhance the complement of research-active staff and bids.

The School has allocated resources in terms of staff time for new Research Leaders across all departments and centres to develop research capacity

Professor Andrew Lambirth is currently preparing a bid for the Sutton Trust with colleagues at Canterbury Christ Church University on the development of talk.

The value of bids submitted so far in 2011/12 is £633,778

CHALLENGES

The School faces challenges in terms of the number of senior doctoral (PhD/EdD) supervisors available to support its large doctoral programme and is hence undertaking a review during 2012-13 to improve the resourcing and staffing available for the programme.

Key issues continue to be to accelerate the quantity, quality and range of School bids. Staff overloads and lack of admin staff remain the most significant barrier to time for R&E.

REF 3* and 4* potential cut-off for REF submission will be a challenge for the School.

6.1.4.SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING REPORT Name: Steve WoodheadSchool: Engineering

SUCCESSES Wolfson Centre consultancy work invoiced so far this FY - £186k, with work valued at £93k

in progress – Mike Bradley and Richard Farnish; Civil Engineering consultancy work invoiced so far this FY - £84k, with work valued at

£140k in progress – Amir Alani and Ian Cakebread; ISRL consultancy work invoiced so far this FY - £26k, with work valued at £8k in progress –

Steve Woodhead and Jodie Wetherall; Short Course in Renewable Energy Generation delivered, 18th and 19th April (to be repeated in

June) – Ian Cakebread; EU FP7 SAS Jacket project approved, value €380k to UoG (€1.4M total) - Ree Wu.

OPPORTUNITIES EU INTERREG bid BENEITS submitted, value €187k to UoG – James Gao; EoI under development for KTP with Intertex Ltd, value £160k - Steve Woodhead; Electronics Manufacturing and Reliability Scort Course Scheduled for June – Sabuj Mallik;

CHALLENGES A number of challenges have been experienced in gaining appropriate support for R&E from

the non-student facing support services of the University.

6.1.5.SCHOOL OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE REPORT

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Name: Prof Liz WestSchool: Health & Social Care

SUCCESSES Oliver Robinson (P&C) had his research featured on Sky News, the Daily Telegraph, BBC

World Service and BBC Five Live. Pat Schofield (ACC) has established two Service Users Groups, in Medway and at Avery Hill

and their input will be crucial to future research applications. The School was a “Headline Sponsor” of the RCN International Research Conference. This

enabled us to publicise our work in various formats and the raised profile of nursing at Greenwich was noted by attendees. Several staff presented academic papers and one won the “paper of the day” which was also well publicised.

A delegation of staff and students attended the RCN Congress to disseminate information about programmes and to meet key individuals from the NHS and DH. Many students from UoG attended. This gave them the chance to participate in debates and raised their political awareness.

Two members of staff from P&C (Rankin and Willson) collaborated on a case study selected for inclusion in the Million Plus Report.

Article that published last year by Lynne Jump (SW&HD) on 'Why University lecturers enhance their teaching through the use of technology: a systematic review' has been selected to be included in an Editor’s choice collection of articles for 2012.

Lesley Hoggart led an inter-University collaboration which successfully obtained a prestigious ESRC seminar series in sexual health.

Healthy Universities DVD is now available on YouTube.

OPPORTUNITIES The School Research Day on May 16th was designed to introduce staff members who have

recently joined the School and revealed that there is a great deal of synergy that we can exploit over the next year.

There is a great deal of interest in research on dementia. A start up meeting on June 7 th has been organised by Professor Schofield and staff from other Schools are invited to attend.

The new Clinical Commissioning Groups will be responsible for much of the research funding in the NHS; this means that we need to find ways of working with them.

Professorial search: Staff members are utilising their own networks and organisational affiliations to ensure that the search is as wide as possible both nationally and internationally.

CHALLENGES Lack of administrative support, especially for programme leaders is an obstacle to

involvement in research: “The biggest challenge is freeing up time from Programme Leadership administration tasks to fulfil the other elements of my post i.e. to fully develop the programme to meet all KPI’s, particularly recruitment and attainment, and initiating or engage in research activity”.

Electronic signatures—it would help if these were accepted by University Committees.

6.1.6.SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES REPORT

Name: Alessandro BenatiSchool: Humanities and Social Sciences

SUCCESSESPublications

Mary Farrell (two book chapters): 1.The EU and UN Development Cooperation: Effective Multilateralism for Global Development (Palgrave Macmillan,

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Basingstoke). 2. African regionalism: external influences and continental shaping forces (Manchester University Press).

Sandra Clarke and Sarah Greer: Directions in Land Law (third edition, Oxford University Press).

A Creative Writing Graduate, Jenni Fagan, has recently published a novel with William Heinemann. It’s entitled The Panopticon and it is attracting excellent reviews.

OPPORTUNITIES External bids

Steve Kennedy: REBOUND project with University of Heidelberg (90K). Steve Kennedy: Collaborative proposal to HERA-Bid for 1 Million

(200K).

Conferences

Workshop on Aspect and Argument Structure of Adjectives and Participles (WAASAP). 22nd Jun 2012 - 23rd Jun 2012

CHALLENGES

Reviewing/assessing potential submissions for REF 2014.

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6.1.7.NATURAL RESOURCES INSTITUTE REPORT

Name: John OrchardSchool: NRISUCCESSES

Course development and training at Gulu University, Uganda (Netherlands’ Government - £563K; £47K retained)

Evaluation of the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (International Development Research Centre - £100K; £50K retained)

Molecular biology PhD (Saudi Arabia Government - £51K; £30K retained) Rwanda bean post-harvest study (£33K retained fees) Strategic fisheries studies in Sierra Leone and South Sudan (DFID & EC - £48K; £21K

retained) Impact assessment of rice technologies (Swiss Government Agency - £55K retained)

OPPORTUNITIES Six bids submitted to Gates Grand Challenge Fund (US$ 600K; retained US $ 370K) Six proposals to EU ACP research programme (EC - £3.5 million; £883K) Cassava Breeding and Seed Systems (Gates - £200K; £75 K retained) Agricultural Extension Capacity Building in Bangladesh (USAID - £666K; £333K retained) Strengthening the Extreme-poor for their Rights to Food (EC FSTP - £1.5 million; £300K

retained) Controlling dormancy and sprouting in potato and onion (BBSRC - £1.3 million; £115K

retained)

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Improved maturity and storage management for potatoes and pears (BBSRC - £1.3 million; £80K retained).

CHALLENGES None to report

6.1.8.SCHOOL OF SCIENCE REPORT

Name: David Wray & Steve WicksSchool: Science

SUCCESSES Prof Pat Harvey: INTERREG, to develop a new combined heat/power system. Total grant

€4.26m, to Greenwich €1.38m. Dr David Wray secured £25k of industrial funding to support an on-going PhD project. On the 18th of April Maan Al-Gailani from Science convened a joint research day involving

the School of Science and the Kent and Medway Comprehensive Local Research Network (one of the Comprehensive Clinical Research Networks of the National Institute of Health Research), attracting over 150 delegates.

Prof Frank Pullen organised a mass spectrometry workshop within the School to discuss the DART (Direct Analysis in Real Time) sample introduction method, attracting 30 external delegates from academia and industry.

Dr Paul Amuna organised a diabetes conference and open day in collaboration with the Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation.

The third edition of Dr Lauren Pecorino’s very successful text book The molecular biology of cancer: mechanisms, targets and therapeutics has just been published

OPPORTUNITIES Prof Jeremy Everett, in his role as consortium coordinator has submitted an EOI to the

Innovative Medicines Initiative fifth call to develop a Joint European Compound Collection. The indicative budget is €39.9m.

On the 12th of June 2012 the School will host an Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences conference entitled: Amorphous IV: Hot melt extrusion and powder technology in pharmaceutical industry. Organisers Prof Martin Snowden and Dr Dennis Douroumis.

Dr Nazy Zand has received publicity in a wide range of media outlets for her work around infant nutrition.

Dr Simon Richardson, Paul Dyer, Prof Peter Griffith and Prof John Mitchell have submitted a bid to Gates for funding to support the development of an ambient temperature vaccine storage and transport system. Total value £163k, retained £78k.

CHALLENGES No specific

6.1.9. SCHOOL OF COMPUTING & MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES REPORT

No report received.

6.1.10.GREENWICH MARITIME INSTITUTE REPORT

No report received.

7. POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH MATTERS

7.1 Phd/EdD Completions Data, 2011-12

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The Director (PGR) presented an updated report on the outcome of research degree examinations conducted during the current academic year, and the research degree completions on a School and Institutional basis. A total of 52 completions had been achieved to date. This was double the number of completions recorded last year. A list of students who required minor modifications in order to complete their PhD had been circulated to the Directors of Research & Enterprise. The Directors were asked to work with supervisors and the named students over the next few weeks in order to reach the target of 60 doctoral completions

Action:- Directors to work with supervisors and the named students over the next few weeks in order to the target of 60 doctoral completions

7.2 Vice Chancellors Scholarships

The Director (PGR) informed members that following the announcements of the Vice Chancellors Scholarships, the Post Graduate Research Office had been inundated with requests from students regarding the process. He asked Schools to assist the student’s queries as the PGRO was currently not fully staffed. The Director (PGR) would circulate a list of students to the members for the schools attention.

8. ITEMS FOR INFORMATION

8.1 Early Career Researcher Matters

8.1.1. Update on the Early Career Researchers

The ECR Director presented a report on the Early Career Researchers Initiative. Attention was drawn to item 7 of the report regarding issues raised by ECR staff and groups. The main issues that needed addressing were differences between ECR, permanent and fixed term staff contracts as well as differences with staff development issues. ECRs had also expressed a concern that school level support for researcher development was different in each school and ECRs sought clarity on this issue. The ECRs also asked for clarification in relation to their roles as named researchers when contributing to bidding with more experienced researchers. The ECR Director noted that these issues were being addressed and a guidance note was to be produced to be reported at a future Committee meeting.

8.2 Research and Enterprise Funding Opportunities

The Committee noted the following funding calls for information:

8.2.1 European Cooperation in Science & Technology (COST): Open Call

8.2.2 Technology Strategy Board: Rethinking the building process

8.2.3 Engineering & Physical Research Council (EPSRC): Design for wellbeing: ageing and mobility in the built environment

8.2.4 The European Commission Framework Programme 7: FP7 SP1-JTI-CS-2012-02 clean sky research and technology development projects

8.2.5 The Department of Health’s National Institute for Health Research: Programme development grants - applied research

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9. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

9.1 Academic Council- Review of Membership and Committee Operations

The Director (PGR) bought to the Committee’s attention a paper that had been presented at Academic Council regarding the proposed structure to the council. It was proposed in the new structure that the Research Degrees Committee would be integrated into the Research & Enterprise Committee. Comments were sought with regards to the new proposed structure and it was felt that the Research & Enterprise Committee would not be the ideal meeting to discuss Research Degrees issues. Members asked the Chair to report to the Vice Chancellor their wish to keep the Research & Enterprise Committee as well as the Research Degrees Committee as separate entities within the Academic Council reporting structure.

Action:- Chair to report to the Vice Chancellor the committee members wish to keep the Research & Enterprise Committee and the Research Degrees Committee as separate entities within the Academic Council reporting structure.

9.2 Letter from the EPSRC to the Vice Chancellor

The Chair reported to the Committee that the Vice Chancellor had received a letter from the EPSRC regarding data storage. The letter outlined that a framework needed to be applied with regards to data storage so as to allow the University to continue to be eligible to apply for funding. The Chair reported that a roadmap was in place in order to implement this framework. A proposed system called Greenwich Research Information Framework (GRIF) would be implemented to include policies on training new staff, journals and resources. It was proposed that a central serve or network store the selected data for ingestion into the framework. The timeframe for implementing the GRIF trial system and evaluating it was by mid-2015. Members were asked to consider the letter and email any suggestions to the Chair.

Action:- Committee Members to consider the EPSRC letter and email any comments/ suggestions to the Chair.

9.3 Dates of 2011/12 Research & Enterprise Committee Meetings

Meeting Papers Received by

Wednesday 11th July, 2.15pm, QA075, Greenwich 22nd June 2012

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