Funding briefs

Nottingham Trent University has become the first UK institution allowed to award the Eurobachelor  label for its chemistry degree courses. The qualification - established to bring unity to higher education chemistry courses across Europe - is seen as a stamp of approval by many European institutions. 

The UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has announced its latest appointments to  council, the senior decision making body responsible for determining its policy, priorities and strategy. Five new appointments include: David Clarke (Rolls-Royce), Lynn Gladden (University of Cambridge), Andrew Herbert (Microsoft Research), David Rutherford (ScottishPower) and Christopher Snowden (University of Surrey). The new members have been appointed to the EPSRC council for a period of three years from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2009. 

Applications are invited for the 2007 Gordon Kirkbright bursary. The award enables promising students/non-tenured young scientists to attend a recognised scientific meeting or visit a place of learning. For more information, contact John Chalmers (vibspecconsult@aol.com).

The UK government’s science and technology committee has published a report on Research Council (RC) support for knowledge transfer. The committee found that the RCs have an important role to play in adding value to research supported across the UK and that there is general support for the knowledge transfer schemes they have implemented. 

The UK’s chancellor of the exchequer and the minister for science and innovation have invited the Royal Society to create a global brand of international fellowships to attract the best post-doctoral researchers from around the world to carry out their work in the UK.