British Council and EURAXESS
Dr Claire McNulty
Director of Science, British Council
14th March 2013
www.euraxess.org.uk
British Council work
• We are the UK’s international cultural relations
organisation, and have been working for more
than 75 years to forge links between people in
the UK and other countries
• Our main purpose is to build engagement and
trust through the exchange of knowledge and
ideas between people worldwide
• We have 218 offices in 109 countries around the
world
Main areas of work
Our three core areas of work are:
• English
• Arts
• Education and Society
Science is closely linked with Education and Society,
but can also provide themes for work in Arts and
English
Science and Research approaches
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Education intelligence and research
Policy dialogues
Sustainable HE partnerships
Student and researcher mobility
Capacity building
Public engagement of science
The Shape of Things to Come
New Opportunities
• Changing patterns of student mobility (new growth
markets - India, Nigeria, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan,
Saudi Arabia, Turkey
• Growing importance of Trans National Education
• Collaboration with rapidly growing emerging scientific
nations (China, India, Brazil, Malaysia, Iran, Saudi
Arabia and Qatar)
But….
• Increased competition for research excellence and
funding
• Increased international competition for students
• Visas issues
Global Policy Dialogues
• Going Global
– International Education Conference
– Dubai, March 4-6th
– Includes aspects linked to research
• Bilateral or Regional policy Dialogues
– E.g. South Asia Policy Dialogue series.
Including ‘Research and Relevance’ in
Pakistan, 2014.
Example of research partnership initiative:
BIRAX Regenerative Medicine Initiative
• Britain-Israel Research and Academic Exchange
Partnership
• Five-year programme
• Funding for teams in UK and Israel to carry out
joint research
• Maximum funding £400,000 over 3 years
• Associated fellowship scheme for early career
researchers to undertake research visits.
• www.britishcouncil.org/israel-education-birax.htm
Supported by Pears Foundation, UJIA, BIS, FCO, Ministry of Science and Technology (Israel)
Other Research partnership projects
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India (UKIERI2)
Turkey
Russia
Japan (Renkei)
Central South Asia (Inspire project)
China (Sino-UK Higher Education Research
Partnership)
Under development:
• UK-US-3rd Country
Normally working with other UK and national
partners
EURAXESS
EURAXESS-UK - managed by the British Council
and funded by the Department of Business,
Innovation and Skills
‘The EURAXESS-UK website will be promoted as the
key information portal for researchers’
Jan 23rd 2012. Joint press release from RCUK,
Higher Education Funding Councils,
Learned Academies and Universities UK.
EURAXESS
EURAXESS Jobs - Information on job opportunities, funding
opportunities, grants, employment, etc.
EURAXESS Services - Practical assistance for researchers
EURAXESS Rights - Information on the European
Researchers’ Charter and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment
of Researchers
EURAXESS Links - a networking tool for researchers outside
Europe. Operating in USA, China, Japan, India and Singapore
EURAXESS Jobs
• Central jobs and funding portal for Europe
• Free of charge
• Can advertise jobs and search CV database (18,000
CVs)
• As of March 2012, more than 7000 organisations from
across Europe are registered on EURAXESS Jobs
• Around 35,000 unique visitors per month
• 6,990 vacancies currently available, 631 from the UK
• Nature Jobs postings imported to EURAXESS Jobs
• All European research organisations are being
encouraged to use the EURAXESS Jobs portal to
advertise their research positions
EURAXESS Services
• Practical assistance for researchers and their families
before, during and after their move abroad
• Web portals
– Each country runs their own national portal
• Helpdesks (phone or email)
• Service Centres
– Walk-in centres providing personalised assistance to all
researchers
• Local Contact Points
• Offices within universities etc giving assistance to
incoming staff/students
• Around 200 Service Centres or Local Contact Points in 40
countries
• Information on living, working and research in
the UK
• Jobs in the UK RSS feed
• Downloadable guide for researchers
• Leaving the UK
• Searchable database of international funding
opportunities
EURAXESS-UK Searchable Funding database
200 funding schemes in database, from travel
grants for conferences, to longer term partnership
funding
How can you get involved?
1. Make researchers more aware of the EURAXESS
initiatives
2. Encourage use of EURAXESS-Jobs to advertise
research positions
3. Sign up as a EURAXESS Local Contact Point
Contact: jacqueline.mccarthy@britishcouncil.org
EURAXESS UK Local Contact Points
• So far 15 UK Universities have signed up as local
contact points:
Aberystwyth University
Bangor University
Durham University
University of Dundee
University of Edinburgh
University of Glasgow
University of Huddersfield
University of Leicester
University of Liverpool
Newcastle University
Northumbria University
Plymouth University
Queen Margaret University Edinburgh
Swansea University
University of West of Scotland
• These offer customized assistance to
researchers coming to their own institution
before, during and after their move
What should a EURAXESS-LCP do?
• Act as first point of contact for international
researchers coming to your institution
• Provide advice and assistance on matters
relating to mobility – often a matter of knowing
who to refer questions to
• Set up dedicated email address (e.g.
euraxess@dundee.ac.uk)
• Link to Euraxess-UK national portal
Contact: jacqueline.mccarthy@britishcouncil.org
Benefits of being a EURAXESS-LCP
• Demonstrates commitment to international
researchers and to the European Research
Area.
• Higher visibility across Europe and beyond
• Closer linkage to counterparts throughout
Europe
• Access to training and networking events
• Participation in EC funded projects – some calls
open only to Euraxess members
• Simple to do; very little bureaucracy
Contact: jacqueline.mccarthy@britishcouncil.org
Future direction
• Further development of EURAXESS-UK website
• Building up network of EURAXESS-UK LCPs
• Support/training/networking for LCPs – e.g. on
visas, social security, attendance at
conferences, Nature Jobs Fair etc
• Stronger focus on promotion outside Europe
Any Questions?
British Council Online Resources
EducationUK www.educationuk.org
Guide to studying in the UK
EURAXESS-UK www.euraxess.org.uk
Practical information for mobile researchers. Includes a searchable database of
international funding opportunities.
CUBED www.britishcouncil.org/science-cubed.htm
Magazine highlighting UK breakthroughs in science and innovation
Talking Science www.britishcouncil.org/talkingscience.htm
Science communication website, with information about science festivals, science
in the media, and links to useful resources.
European RTD Insight www.ukro.ac.uk/insight
We sponsor this monthly online publication which provides the latest news on
European Union policy; research; education, training and culture; external
collaboration; events and awards; new publications and online resources