New calls for funding under the EU’s Framework Programme 7 ‘Science in Society’ programme offer opportunities for UK arts and humanities researchers, especially in the field of ethics.

Four calls for applications to the Science in Society strand of Framework Programme 7 are now open. Funding is available for pan-European collaborative projects that deal with issues of :

• ethics in science,
• strengthening the role of women in science,
• science education
• and science communication.

€50.2m of funding is available for 2010, and there are opportunities for a wide range of participants: academics, schools and HE institutions, science centres, science festivals, cities, parliamentary offices, small/medium Enterprise and NGOs.

Details and links are available at the FP7UK SiS website: www.fp7uk.co.uk/Site/Themes/SIS/default.cfm?subcat=Home; this site also has links to more sources of information on the SiS programme.

Potential applicants can contact the SiS National Contact Point with any questions about the work programme or for guidance on how to proceed: adele.campbell@esrc.ac.uk.

Notes to Editors

Media contact: Jake Gilmore, Communications Manager, T: 0117 9876 773

Science in Society in Framework Programme 7: The Framework Programme 7 (FP7) is the EU’s main instrument for funding and research and development activities in Europe and is run by the EU’s Research Directorate. FP7 runs from 2007 to 2013 and has a budget of €54bn over the seven years. There are four main programmes:

Cooperation - collaborative research – 66% of the budget
Ideas – frontier research – 15%
People – developing human potential – 10%
Capacities – developing research capacity – 9%

Details can be found on CORDIS, the EC’s dedicated R&D website, which provides guidance on all aspects of FP7 applications, including financial and contractual issues. new guidance is issued specific to each call. http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html

Science in Society (SiS) is part of the ‘Capacities’ programme and deals with issues of governance, capacity building and communication in science, through topics that cover ethics, the role of universities, gender issues, dialogues between scientists, the public and the media, and science education and careers. According to each topic, funding is provided either for Collaborative Projects (R&D) or Collaborative and Supporting Actions (covering eg. networking events, exchanges of people and best practice, workshops, communication activities). Pan-European collaboration is fundamental to SiS activities, and each of these funding schemes normally requires the formation of a consortium of collaborators from across a number of Member States and Associated Countries.

There is €50.2m available for SiS in 2010 and there are opportunities for a wide range of participants including academics, schools and HE institutions, science centres, science festivals, cities, parliamentary offices, Small/Medium Enterprise and NGOs.

The 2010 SiS work programme and calls for funding were announced on 30 July 2009. The work programme and call fiches contain details of the types of project required for each topic, together with an indicative budget and other eligibility requirements.

About Arts and Humanities Research Council: Each year the AHRC provides approximately £102 million from the Government to support research and postgraduate study in the arts and humanities, from languages and law, archaeology and English literature to design and creative and performing arts. In any one year, the AHRC makes approximately 700 research awards and around 1,350 postgraduate awards. Awards are made after a rigorous peer review process, to ensure that only applications of the highest quality are funded. Arts and humanities researchers constitute over a quarter of all research-active staff in the higher education sector. The quality and range of research supported by this investment of public funds not only provides social and cultural benefits but also contributes to the economic success of the UK.