Call for Participants
International Workshop for Early Career Researchers
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
November 2015
Science, Technology and Innovation in Neglected Diseases: Policies, Funding
and Knowledge Creation
Introduction
Under the Newton Researcher Links scheme, part of the Newton Fund, there will be a bilateral
workshop on the above theme in Belo Horizonte, Brazil from the 17th to 20th November 2015. The
workshop will bring together early career researchers to discuss their work and build international
relationships.
The Newton Fund is part of the UK’s official development assistance programme. Through the
Newton Fund, the UK will use its strength in research and innovation to promote economic
development and social welfare of partner countries.
The workshop, coordinated by Eduardo Albuquerque (Cedeplar, Universidade Federal de Minas
Gerais) and Parimal Patel (SPRU), will bring together a multidisciplinary group of dynamic early
career researchers from Brazil and the UK to discuss their research on neglected diseases. It will
have major contributions from Michael Hopkins (SPRU) and Carlos Morel (FIOCRUZ, Rio de
Janeiro).
This is an invitation for researchers from the UK or Brazil who are within 10 years of receiving
their PhD (or with equivalent research experience), and currently employed in either country, to
apply to participate in this workshop. All travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by
the Researcher Links programme.
The Workshop
There have been spectacular step changes in innovation in health care in developed countries over
the last fifty years. However in the same period, the pace of introduction of new drugs related to
neglected diseases in low and middle-income countries has been slow. The main aim of the
workshop is to discuss research related to a key element of this puzzle: the role played by public
policies and funding regimes in creating scientific and technical knowledge related to neglected
diseases. The underlying rationale for focusing on this element is that creation of new knowledge is
critical to the development of new drugs, and that a better understanding of the processes involved
will have an impact on the efficiency and productivity of the health care system.
The main themes of the workshop are:
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Changing dynamics of the key elements of the national systems of innovation in relation to
health care in the UK and Brazil
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Trends in the creation of knowledge related neglected diseases
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Translating knowledge into innovation and practical health interventions
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Changing dynamics of funding systems underlying health care R&D
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Role played by public-private partnerships in stimulating knowledge creation and
transmission
The main objectives of the workshop will be to: (a) discuss recent research on innovation in
neglected diseases; (b) develop new ideas for future collaboration between innovation scholars in
Brazil and the UK; and (a) build research capacity in the field of health sector innovation.
During the workshop early career researchers will have the opportunity to present their research in
the form of a poster/short oral presentation and engage in discussions with established researchers
from the UK and Brazil.
Application and Deadline
We are recruiting early career researchers based in the UK or Brazil to apply to attend the
workshop. The British Council, under the Newton Fund, will cover the costs related to the
participation to the workshop, including: travel (both international and local), accommodation
and meals. Travel and medical insurance are not covered by the British Council.
Applicants need to fill the attached application form by 17 August 2015.
UK applicants need to submit this form to: workshopbrazil@sussex.ac.uk, and Brazilian applicants
to workshop2015@cedeplar.ufmg.br
Eligibility Criteria:
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Applications must be submitted using the attached application form
Application must be submitted before the above deadline
Participants must be early career researchers: these are defined as holding a PhD for less
than 10 years on the start date of the workshop.
Participants must be affiliated to UK and Brazil higher education or research institutions at
the time of the application.
Assessment of the Application
Each application will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:
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Experience and relevance of the applicant’s research area to the workshop
Motivation and contribution to the aims of the workshop
Description of the expected impact through the participation in the workshop
Ability to disseminate workshop’s outcomes
Notification of results:
Applicants will be notified by e-mail by the 4 September 2015.
Equal Opportunities
The British Council is committed to equal opportunities and diversity in all its activities and this
includes the avoidance of any bias in the assessment of applications due to gender, disability, racial
or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or religious belief. Participants’ selection undertaken by
workshop organizers must not contravene this policy. Extra support to enable participation of early
career researchers with special needs will be given.
Application Form
1. Applicant
Name and title
Gender (to monitor
participation rates – this
will not be considered
during assessment)
Position and institution
Postal address
Email
Phone number
Brief CV (academic
career, publications,
markers of esteem, and
any other relevant
information) – no more
than ½ page of A4
Example of a recent
relevant publication
Abstract - Please give a summary of your area of research and which of the
workshop themes this relates to (300 words)
3. Please describe your motivation to attend the workshop and how the workshop
matches your professional development needs
4. Please describe the expected impact of your participation to the workshop on
your personal and professional development, including your ability to work on an
international level
5. Please indicate how you will disseminate the outcomes of the workshops and
the new knowledge/skills you have acquired
6. Workshops will take place in English as standard. Please indicate your ability to
work and communicate in English
Native Speaker
Good
Excellent
Need Support* (please specify)
7. Please use this space to give any additional information that you feel is relevant
for the application.