Appendix one: Priority topic areas and general principles

HEALTH Network Group - criteria for funding

Funds will be allocated on a competitive bidding process, judged by the HEALTH Network Group (Subject Centres for Health Sciences and Practice and Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary medicine (MEDEV)) using the following criteria:

• Evidence of student involvement on project team
• New researcher involved in project team (desirable)
• Need established
• Aims and objectives clearly specified
• UK Higher Education Institution or linked with a UK HEI
• Evidence of support from the institution (human and / or financial resources allocated)
• Equality, equity, gender sensitivity and other potential bias issues addressed
• Value for money demonstrated
• Methodology justified
• Ethical issues addressed
• Innovation clearly demonstrated
• Clear evaluation strategy
• Clear dissemination strategy

General principles

The following general principles apply:

• We hope to fund enhancement activity across health and medicine related disciplines, and all geographical regions of the UK.
• Grants can only be paid to an institution in receipt of funding from a UK HE Funding Council (HEFCE, SFC, HEFCW and DEL), and proposals must show clear benefit for students in health related disciplines in the UK.
• Funds are allocated on the basis of a competitive bidding process, judged by a panel appointed by the Subject Centres using the criteria described above.
• Joint proposals from more than one subject or institution are encouraged.
• There is no limit on the number of proposals that a single individual may make (although it is unlikely that more than one would be funded).
• Previously unsuccessful applicants may reapply, taking into account any comments from our reviewers.
• Proposals for less than the full amount are particularly welcome which would allow us to fund a wider range of projects, however project proposers should be realistic about what can be achieved within the amount applied for.
• Successful funding will be on condition that all results are made available to the subject centre for dissemination (see copyright statements below). We may ask for minor alterations or clarification of plans from successful applicants, or may allocate less than the full amount, or to commission specific work if necessary (justification of any deductions will be provided by our reviewers).
• All successful proposals should acknowledge, where appropriate (such as in publications or on the project website), HEALTH Network Group: Health Sciences and Practice Subject Centre, MeDEV [Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary medicine] funding.
• A short interim report or annual report of the progress of the project will be requested, concluding with a final report.
Reports are required by us and the funding council.
• The HEALTH NG will provide support for dissemination, such as helping to run a workshop about the development and its use, or providing access to web materials via the subject centres web sites.
• Institutional or other commitment (such as waiver of institutional overheads) is very welcome.
• Ethical approval and other similar issues should be taken into account and factored into the project timescale.
• Proposals from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) funded institutions should relate to the Scottish Quality Enhancement themes, and proposals from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales should consider Welsh language needs. See further information on the enhancement themes website.
• Potential proposers may contact either of the Subject Centre's staff to discuss the planned project should clarification be required.
• Proposals should be submitted by midnight on the closing date (30 September 2009), and successful applicants will be notified within 2 months of submission.
• No member of Subject Centre staff has the authority to extend the funding, either verbally or in writing, without recourse to formal process. Disputes may be referred to the HEALTH NG Advisory Board.

Areas not eligible

The subject centre will not fund:

• Purchase of equipment such as PCs or software applications.
• Areas which are already funded from elsewhere (e.g. evaluation of projects funded elsewhere, which should have included evaluation etc. as part of their original proposals) - please be clear if you are extending existing work to add value.
• Excessive foreign travel.
• Overheads.
• Contribution to full or part time student study costs or course fees.

Conditions

Once funding has been agreed, payments will be made in either two or three parts according to which Subject Centres is administering your project:

• One at the outset of the project.
• One on submission of a satisfactory interim report halfway through the project (Health Sciences and Practice).
• One on submission of a satisfactory final report by the agreed deadline. This payment will be made after the final report has been peer reviewed by the Subject Centre, and the amended report returned.

Projects will normally be for 12 months. Any delays should be raised with the named contact and / or Subject Centre as soon as possible.

Requests for any amount in excess of the grant agreed in writing may not be considered Should difficulties in meeting the deadline arise, these should be discussed with the Centre at the earliest opportunity. The Subject Centres recommend that project leaders read the terms of their contract which detail the conditions under which payments may be withheld.

Proposals will be copied to the relevant medical, dental or veterinary school nominated primary contact (NPC).

Bidders are very welcome to contact our staff to discuss these priority areas and your ideas at any time. Call 0191 222 5888, or email enquiries.