securing funding for educational development projects
DESCRIPTION
Advice on securing funding for development projects in higher education.TRANSCRIPT
Securing funding for educational development
projects
Dr Peter Kahn
University of Liverpool
(formerly University of Manchester)
Developing the Developers
Aim
• To foster insight into the process of bidding for development funds.
Developing the Developers
Collaboration
• Collaboration is essential in:– hearing of funding opportunities– generating and selecting ideas– bid writing– projects with value for money and that have
an impact– developing large-scale projects
Developing the Developers
Networking skills
• Create opportunities to meet other people– face-to-face, email lists; locally, institutionally
and nationally
• Establish common interests with those you do meet:– let them know of your own interests, and find
our theirs
• Engage in joint activities, publications, initiatives and projects
Developing the Developers
Sources of funding
• Institutional opportunities– Teaching awards; Faculty funds; e-learning
• National opportunities– http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/funding
• Activity: review of three different funding opportunities. What are the key characteristics that the funders are looking for in an application?
Developing the Developers
Selecting a project
• Generating high-quality ideas– Reading, conferences, discussions. New ideas are
determined in significant part by the richness of your networks
• Will it work?– Personal motivation; needs of those involved;
political/strategic agendas
• Links to existing work– Clear connections recognised to existing practice,
studies or theory
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Establishing credibility
• Track record– Specific development projects in which you
have been involved
• Publications
• Personal relationships and collaborative activity
• General experience and qualifications
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The funder’s agenda
• Follow the requirements
• Will the project deliver?– project management plans need to be in
place
• Specific issues of interest to the funder– quality of proposal, track record, and clarity of
bid will always be necessary – what else?
Developing the Developers
Activity
• Employ the proforma to analyse the viability of your ideas for two possible educational development projects– for which you might want to secure funding, or
support colleagues in securing funding.
• In pairs, discuss the two possible projects, and your analysis. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each idea?
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Writing the bid
• Writing skills– Getting writing going, structure, revising
• Analysing your draft application in light of funding criteria
• Views from others on the draft
• … reworking, and reworking!
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Case study: EBL projects
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of each application, in respect to the funding requirements?
• What specific improvements could you suggest to each application to improve its chance of funding?
Developing the Developers
Conclusions
• Invest efforts in collaboration and networking
• Persistence is required to pull of genuine funding successes
• Make sure that you have the time and resources to actually deliver what you promise
Acknowledgements
• This presentation was originally developed at the University of Manchester, as part of a course for developing those in development roles.
Developing the Developers
Further reading
See also, on working with others:
Walsh L and Kahn P E (2009) Collaborative working in higher education, Routledge, London.
On networking:
Kahn P E and Walsh L (2006) Developing your teaching, Key Guides to Effective Teaching in Higher Education, Routledge, London.
Developing the Developers