BUILDING A RESILIENT RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT IN SOUTH EAST ASIA · 10 Building a Resilient Research Environment in South East Asia OUR RESEARCH Vietnam is one of the most hazard-prone

BUILDING ARESILIENT RESEARCHENVIRONMENT INSOUTH EAST ASIA23-24 May 2019, VNU-HUS, Hanoi, Vietnam

3www.kent.ac.uk/researchservices

I am delighted to welcome everyone to this special event. Unusually for an academic conference, you are meeting not to push forward the boundariesof knowledge within a specific discipline but to explore how to organise andsupport yourselves to create better research cooperation – and thus pushforward the boundaries of knowledge -across a wide range of disciplines.

Building a Resilient Research Environment is taking place thanks to aninitiative by the UK Government, the Global Challenges Research Fund. The GCRF was set up to support cutting-edge research that addresses thechallenges faced by developing countries. The University of Kent has beencommitted to the GCRF since its start and its objectives very much play to ourstrengths. We are international in our outlook and believe in the promotion ofchallenge-led disciplinary and interdisciplinary research

Kent is currently engaged in two major research projects in South East Asia:a The OSIRIS Project, led by Professor Maria Paola Scaparra, is applyingmathematical modelling techniques to optimise transport infrastructureplanning in Vietnam.

b The SEARC Project, led by Professor Colin Robinson, is developing newapproaches to the mass production of vaccines for Thailand and the widerSouth East Asia region.

Our experience of working with our partners on these projects has shown that,while there is an urgent need for more research funding in the region, betterknowledge of the international funding landscape and of the specificrequirements attached to securing and then managing research grants would be beneficial. This conference responds to that experience in assisting colleaguesin South East Asia to establish research management systems and to accessinternational research funding, thereby developing their research capacity andhelping to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals – as well asenhancing the sustainability of the projects themselves.

I hope that through the talks, workshops and networking activities over thenext day and a half, you will leave with an increased knowledge of the range ofavailable UK research funds; how to maximise the chance of success; and howthe University of Kent and South East Asian institutions can build strong andsustainable partnerships for the future.

Finally, my sincere thanks to our workshop hosts; Prof Nguyễn Van Nội and the VNU University of Science. Without their valued support and continuedcollaboration this workshop would not have been possible.

Professor Karen CoxVice-Chancellor and President

WELCOME

4 Building a Resilient Research Environment in South East Asia


Firstly, it is my great pleasure to welcome all of the delegates to the “Building a Resilient Research Environment” co-organized by the University of Kent and VNU University of Science.

Building a Resilient Research Environment which is generouslysupported by GCRF is really a great event with main focus on promotingmultidisciplinary research for the challenges in developing countries. In Vietnam, with the rapid development of socio-economy, many issues at national level have arisen such as climate change, transportation, land management, environmental pollution. Hence, there is an inevitableneed of scientific solutions to tackle the hot issues of this country.

As the Rector of VNU University of Science, I would like to inform all ofyou that our university is the number one institution in Vietnam in basicsciences. We are currently ranked 124th in Asia. VNU University ofScience is strongly active in fostering international cooperation withmany partners from Europe, USA and Asia…Currently, VNU Universityof Science has 07 research centers, 01 national key laboratory, and 05VNU key laboratories whose main directions are on multidisciplinaryareas such as green growth, food safety, bioenergy... That is why HUS isvery honoured to host this workshop, an excellent event that fits perfectlyto our research focuses.

I would also like to welcome international delegates as well as thescientists from many institutions in Vietnam attending the workshopover next two days. I believe this is a great forum for participants toexchange ideas, discover opportunities for collaboration inmultidisciplinary researches.

Lastly, I would to thank you all the delegates for coming to the “Buildinga Resilient Research Environment”. I wish our international guests willhave a pleasant stay in Hanoi. I wish all of you good health and success.

Nguyen Van Noi Rector

WELCOME


7

INTRODUCTION TOTHE WORKSHOP

As the Vice-Chancellor mentioned in her introduction, the University of Kent isextremely proud of our high-profile research projects in South East Asia, andthere is more detail of the OSIRIS Project and the SEARC project later in thisprogramme. We want to use these projects as stepping-stones to form newcollaborations within the region, with the aim of carrying out impactful researchthat addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

www.kent.ac.uk/researchservices

Our experience of working with our partners onthese projects, however, has shown that while theyurgently need more research funding, they may lackknowledge of the international funding landscapeand of the specific requirements attached tosecuring and managing research grants. The UK’sGlobal Challenges Research Fund, which has made£1.5 billion available for such partnerships, is anexample of the huge opportunities now available forinternational collaborations aimed at achieving theSustainable Development Goals.

Why is research management andadministration (RMA) important?

Good research management and administration iscrucial for research around the world, and SouthEast Asia is no different in its need for professionalsupport for researchers. It helps researchers access new funding, navigate complex rules andprocedures, disseminate their findings to those who will most benefit from them, and developinternational partnerships. It also providesreassurance to donors and research funders thattheir funds are being well used, and therebyincreases external confidence and trust in theresearchers and their institutions.

In addition, it allows talented researchers to focus on their research rather than being tied up withmanagement and administration. Studies in the UShave shown that researchers spend around 40% of their time doing administration associated withresearch, rather than the research itself. While some of this is unavoidable, it is imperative thatresearchers are fully supported so that they canconcentrate on their research.

To address this, with the support from ourcolleagues from VNU, the University of Kent isrunning this workshop aimed at both academics and research management and administrationprofessionals.

Simon KerridgeDirector of Research Services

E: [email protected] @SimonRKerridge

Through a series of talks, structured workshops andnetworking activities, delegates will leave with anincreased knowledge of: • The range of UK research funds that are available

to them; • How they can maximise their chances of success

in applying for funding; and, • How the University of Kent and SEA institutions

can build strong and sustainable partnerships forthe future.

The University of Kent is known internationally for itsleadership in the development of researchmanagement and administration as a profession. Wehave contributed to and led RMA developmentworkshops around the world including acrossEurope, North America, Southern Africa, Australia,and Japan.

As well as our national UK association, theAssociation of Research Managers andAdministrators (ARMA), we play an active role inEARMA (the European association), NCURA andSRAi (two US associations), and INORMS, theInternational Network of Research ManagementSocieties.

We are also leading the international INORMSsponsored Research Administration As A Profession(RAAAP) Taskforce exploring the characteristics ofRMA professionals around the world.

Longer term, a Vietnamese or even a South EastAsian research management and administrationassociation could be envisioned. We hope that thisevent will be a small stepping-stone towards thatvision, and hope to continue to work with you to helprealise it.

RMA is a global profession – start building yournetwork of contacts now: https://inorms.net/


9

GCRF & THE NEWTON FUND


FURTHERINFORMATIONLearn more about the ODA:www.newtonfund.ac.uk/about/what-is-oda

Global Challenges Research Fund

The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) is a£1.5 billion fund announced by the UK Governmentin late 2015 to support cutting-edge research thataddresses the challenges faced by developingcountries. Alongside the other GCRF deliverypartners UKRI is creating complementaryprogrammes that:• promote challenge-led disciplinary and

interdisciplinary research, including theparticipation of researchers who may notpreviously have considered the applicability of their work to development issues

• strengthen capacity for research, innovation andknowledge exchange in the UK and developingcountries through partnership with excellent UKresearch and researchers

• provide an agile response to emergencies wherethere is an urgent research need.

GCRF forms part of the UK’s Official DevelopmentAssistance (ODA) commitment, which is monitoredby the Organisation for Economic Cooperation andDevelopment (OECD).

GCRF has three challenge areas, which are a visionfor change and not intended to constrain innovativeapproaches in other areas that also address theseaims.

• Equitable Access to Sustainable Development• Sustainable Economies and Societies• Human Rights, Good Governance and Social

Justice

GCRF supports excellent research that addresses a significant problem or development challenge,directly contributing to the sustainable and inclusiveprosperity of people in developing countries.However, the challenges facing societies andindividuals across the globe are often complex,protracted and multi-faceted and cut across thethree areas above. The Fund is well placed toaddress these complex issues given the size of thefund, its challenge led approach and broad remit.

The Newton Fund

The Fund was launched in 2014 and originally TheFund was launched in 2014 and originally consistedof £75 million each year for five years. It wasextended from 2019 to 2021 and the annualinvestment was doubled to £150 million. The totalUK investment of £735 million is match funded bypartner countries.

The Newton Fund activities offered in each countryare chosen and developed in collaboration with local government and funders. This ensures theprogrammes offered meet local developmentpriorities.

The partner countries to work with the UKgovernment include: Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia,Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, South Africa,Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.

The Newton Fund covers three broad activities:• People: increasing capacity in science and

innovation, individually and institutionally inpartner countries.

• Research: research collaborations ondevelopment topics.

• Translation: creating collaborative solutions todevelopment challenges and strengtheninginnovation systems.

The Fund is being delivered through seven UKfunders, including the research councils, and 87 in-country funding partners. They develop and runcalls, and allocate and manage the money theyreceive as part of the Newton Fund.


OUR RESEARCH

Vietnam is one of the most hazard-prone countriesin Asia. Riverine and coastal flooding represents oneof the major natural risks faced by the country, dueto its extended coastal areas, river basins andlakeshores. Overall, Vietnam is ranked globally asthe country with the fourth highest exposure toflooding. In addition, climate change is exacerbatingthe intensity of extreme weather events, and rapidurbanisation is increasing the severity of theimpacts. Impacts of urban flooding are felt onVietnam’s economy at all levels. Central and citygovernment budgets are impacted by suddenclean-up and infrastructural maintenance costs.Businesses are impacted by damage to theircapital, disruptions to their operations, and shocksto their profits. Street traders and vendors, whoselivelihoods are precarious and who have no financialsafety nets, are financially and personallyvulnerable. And households bear the greatestfinancial losses, from damage to their homes andassets, increasing costs of food in local markets,inability to travel to work, and difficulties inaccessing services such children’s schools andhealth services.

Investment strategies for urban infrastructure areguided mainly by development and economicgrowth targets, as part of national developmentplans, by the influences of international financeinstitutions, and by sometimes competing sectoralpriorities of government planning, construction andtransportation departments. These influences leadto investments which are strategic, but noteconomically optimal in the context of rapidurbanisation and climate change. This project aimedto redress that balance, by introducing scientificmethods of Operational Research (OR) to 1)analyse the impacts of flooding of urban transportsystems on different levels of a city’s economy andsociety, and 2) identify cost-efficient investments inflood mitigation measures.

Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, was selected as theproject’s target city. The project involved thefollowing tasks:• Identify gaps and inefficiencies in current

infrastructure investment and maintenanceprogrammes, especially in relation to climatechange and flooding issues that affect transport.

• Build a set of future flood scenarios affectingHanoi, with their associated probability ofoccurrence based on rainfall predictions,historical data and climate change projections.

• Develop qualitative approaches to evaluate theimpact of floods on local communities and thesocial benefit of avoiding flood damage to roadinfrastructure. Identify feasible flood-controlmeasures and evaluate their cost and benefits.

• Develop a multi-period optimisation model forstrategic, long-term planning of mitigationactions, which minimizes the impact of floods onHanoi’s urban road networks over different floodscenarios. Propose a set of economic andsustainable strategies for investing in floodavoidance and damage mitigation that are robustto the twin challenges of climate change andrapid urbanization.

• Apply the developed methodology in Hanoi, andsupport local stakeholders to integrate theresearch results into future planning andinterventions.

PROFESSOR MARIA PAOLA SCAPARRAProfessor in Management Science

Project

GCRF British Academy Optimal Investment Strategies toMinimize Flood Impact on Road Infrastructure Systems inVietnam (GCRF-OSIRIS). Funded by the British Academythrough the Cities and Infrastructure Programme

Partners

University of Nottingham, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology,Asian Management and Development Institute (AMDI), Vietnam Instituteof Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment (IMHEN), and the Ministryof Transport in Vietnam

The project generated several key findings that havethe potential to guide future infrastructure investmentplanning decisions in Hanoi and inform policymaking at local and national level.

The social, economic and environmental impactassessment carried out with local communities inHanoi’s central districts revealed that improvingdrainage systems remains the highest priority forcommunities, to reduce flood risk. It also highlightedthat the impacts of urban flooding in Hanoi are feltmost acutely and have the greatest economic andsocial impacts along roads. The assessment alsorevealed that the impacts of floods are highlygender-differentiated, with women facing greaterconflicts between the need to maintain their incomesand the responsibilities of caring for vulnerablefamily members, resulting in increased levels ofstress, and increasing risks to their health.


CONTACT INFORMATIONProfessor Maria Paola [email protected]://research.kent.ac.uk/gcrf-osirisFollow this project on Twitter:@GCRF_OSIRIS

Based on the impact assessment findings and theflood maps generated by the Vietnamese projectpartners, an optimisation mathematical model wasthen developed to identify the most cost-effectiveinterventions to carry out on the Hanoi drainagesystem to reduce congestion on urban roads duringfloods and minimize infrastructure damage. Theresulting decision support system was also used todemonstrate the potential of OR to bring scientificrigour to decision-making in areas of policy anddevelopment practice in Vietnam which, until now,have been guided by less robust cost-benefitanalysis combined with social, economic andpolitical priorities.

The project has also had more intangible outcomesin terms of raising awareness of the numeroussustainable development challenges to which ORcan be applied, raising interest and generatingprimary understanding of OR tools and methods,and forming a group of key stakeholder institutionswho can take this interest forward.

The next step in the introduction to the use of OR inVietnam will be to build knowledge and capacity ofVietnamese academic institutions, enabling a widerrange of techniques to be developed and tested byVietnamese mathematicians and managementscientists based on national and local needs andcontext. The OR group at the University of Kent iscurrently looking for opportunities to initiate thosecapacity-building activities with Vietnamese andother Southeast Asian (SEA) academic institutionsand support the development of a vibrant,independent, and resilient OR community in SEAcountries.


OUR RESEARCHCONT

CONTACT INFORMATIONProfessor Colin [email protected] Mark [email protected]://research.kent.ac.uk/gcrfbiopharmaFollow this project on Twitter:@GCRF_Biopharma

A revolution in biotechnology is bringing us newtypes of drugs for diseases ranging from diabetesto cancer. Recombinant protein technology involvesjoining different pieces of DNA together in a cellsuch as a bacterium, inducing it to make particularproteins that can form the basis for advancedmedicines (biopharmaceuticals) and vaccines.

Biopharmaceuticals are difficult and expensive toproduce. Thailand currently imports all of itsbiopharmaceuticals, at great cost, which means thatonly a small minority of the population have accessto anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory drugs that areroutinely used in high-income countries. The Thaigovernment has recently set up the NationalBiopharmaceutical Facility (NBF) at King Mongkut’sUniversity of Technology Thonburi to address thisproblem.

Recombinant protein technology can also be usedto produce vaccines. The swine farming industry inThailand and neighbouring Southeast Asiancountries has recently faced waves of recurrent andemerging viral attacks. Farmers combat theseviruses with vaccination but most vaccines must beimported at high cost. Critically, many vaccines areineffective due to mismatches between the importedvaccine and the local circulating strain. There is aclear need to create better vaccines that arematched to local markets.

The goal of this GCRF project, which started inOctober 2017, is for UK and Thai experts to worktogether to establish state of the art technicalcapacity for recombinant protein production by Thaigroups, which can be expanded upon andconsolidated for future growth. The teams aredeveloping powerful production strains and alsoworking on the associated downstream activities toensure regulatory approval. The ultimate goal is tomake low-cost, widely available medicines andanimal vaccines. Therefore, this work will contributetowards UN Global Goals: No poverty (SDG1), Zerohunger (SDG2), Good health and well-being(SDG3), Industry, innovation and infrastructure(SDG9).

This project brings together Thai groups at theforefront of the country’s new programme toproduce recombinant proteins, including scientistsbased at NBF and the National Center for GeneticEngineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), UKgroups that have developed state of the art E. coli-and CHO cell-based expressed systems (Universityof Kent) as well as down-stream processing (UCL)and analytic tools (Imperial College), and Bangkok-based UK specialists in SE Asian healthcare,economic policies and dissemination tools (LSHTM).Training of researchers is a key element of theproject, and there has already been a number ofvisits between Thai and UK labs within the first yearof the project.

Although the initial transfer of technology will bebetween the UK and Thailand, there are structuresbuilt in to the project to facilitate the spread ofexpertise to other countries in South East Asia, suchas Vietnam. Additionally, both the UK and theASEAN countries should be able to benefit from theinsights learned from trying to drive productioncosts for biopharmaceuticals and vaccines as lowas possible.

PROFESSOR COLIN ROBINSONProfessor in Biotechnology

Project

GCRF Establishment of biopharmaceutical and animalvaccine production capacity in Thailand and neighbouringSE Asian countries

Partners

National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Thailand,National Biopharmaceutical Facility, King Mongkut's University ofTechnology Thonburi, Thailand, University College London, ImperialCollege, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine



International

ESRC GCRF Network (2016)Legal Regulation of Unacceptable Forms of Work:Global Dialogue/Local Innovation

Investigator: Professor Judy Fudge – Kent LawSchool (KLS)Partners: Dr Deirdre McCann – University ofDurham, and Dr Shangeon Lee – InternationalLabour Organisation (ILO)Amount: £112,176

GCRF Hub (2019) Trade, Development and Environment (TRADE)

Investigator: Professor Zoe Davies – School ofAnthropology and Conservation (SAC)Partner: The United Nations EnvironmentProgramme World Conservation Monitoring CentreAmount: £402,722

Saudi Arabia

UK-Gulf Institutional Links (2017)Developing new ceria based materials to addresschallenges in energy and the environment

Investigator: Dr Anna Corrias – School of PhysicalSciences (SPS)Partner: Professor Andrea Falqui – King AbdullahUniversity of Science and Technology, SaudiaArabiaAmount: £104,925

Malaysia

Researcher Links – Workshops (2016)Enhancing Environmental Resilience in ExpandingOil Palm Landscapes: Setting Research Prioritiesand Fostering Networking Among Researchers andStakeholders in Malaysia

Investigator: Dr Matt Struebig – School ofAnthropology and Conservation (SAC)Partner: Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia,Amount: £36,750

Institutional Links (2015)Enhancing Environmental Resilience in ExpandingOil Palm Landscapes via Improved Design ofRiparian Reserves, Malaysia

Investigator: Dr Matt Struebig – School ofAnthropology and Conservation (SAC)Partner: Dr Charles Vairappan – Universiti MalaysiaSabah, MalaysiaAmount: £84,601

China

Newton International Fellowships (2014)Characterisation of Fluidisation Processes throughAdvanced Monitoring and Computational Modelling

Host: Professor Yong Yan – School of Engineeringand Digital Arts (EDA)Fellow: Dr Jingyuan Sun – Zhejiang University, ChinaAmount: £66,000

Researcher Links – Workshop (2019) Promoting Social Embeddedness of NewBiotechnologies: Co-Developing Public Engagementin and with China

Investigator: Dr Joy Zhang (SPSSR)Partner: Chinese Academy of SciencesAmount: £24,000

Newton International Fellowship (2019)On use of machine learning for future mobileNetworks

Host: Professor Jiangzhou Wang (EDA)Fellow: Dr Yijin Pan – Southeast University, ChinaAmount: £99,000

Newton Mobility Grants (2018)Data Compressed Ultrafast Single-Pixel OpticalImaging Using Variable Dielectric Liquid Lens

Investigator: Dr Chao Wang (EDA)Partner: Tianjin University, ChinaAmount: £9,400

Egypt

AHRC Newton Preserving Egypt’s CulturalHeritage (2015)Egypt’s Living Heritage: Community Engagement inRe-Creating the Past.

Investigator: Professor Caroline Rooney – School ofEnglishAmount: £31,273

South Africa

British Academy Newton AdvancedFellowships (2017)South Africa and Labour Migration and LabourRelations in South and Southern Africa, c.1900-2000

Host: Dr Andrew Cohen – School of HistoryFellow: Dr Rory Pilossof – Centre for Africa Studies,University of the Free StateAmount: £94,000

Newton Advanced Fellowship (2018)Epistemic Injustice, Reasons and Agency

Host: Dr Lubomira Radoilska (SECL)Fellow: Professor Veli Mitova, University ofJohannesburg, South AfricaAmount: £50,982

Newton Advanced Fellowship (2018)Properties of semi-classical orthogonal polynomials

Host: Professor Peter Clarkson (MSAS)Fellow: Professor Kerstin Jordaan – University ofSouth AfricaAmount: £77,800

Newton International Fellowships (2017)South Africa and inferring protein function usingnovel features and advanced machine learning.

Host: Dr Mark Wass – School of BiosciencesFellow: Dr Mohd Shahbaaz – Department ofChemistry, Durban University of TechnologyAmount: £96,000

GCRF Networking Grants (2017)Home/City/World: Housing, Inclusion andSustainability in the 21st Century

Investigator: Professor Helen Carr – Kent LawSchool (KLS)Partners: Professor Danie Brand – University ofPretoria, South AfricaAmount: £24,938

Ukraine

MRC/DfID/Wellcome Global Health Systems(2015)Feasibility Study: Effectiveness of Public HealthSystem (Programmes/Policies) in Combating SeverePopulation Health Crisis in Ukraine

Investigators: Professor Stephen Peckham and DrOlena Nizalova – Centre for Health Services Studies(CHSS)Partners: Dr Ganna Vakhitova – Kyiv EconomicsInstitute, UkraineAmount: £100,590

Turkey

Newton Advanced Fellowships (2016)Reuniting Cyprus: The British-Cypriot Diasporas asPeace Agents

Host: Dr Neophytos Loizides – School of Politicsand International Relations (PolIR)Fellow: Dr Kuscu Bonnenfant – Middle EastTechnical University, TurkeyAmount: £97,698

ADDITIONAL GCRF ANDNEWTON AWARDS AT KENT


Newton Advanced Fellowships (2014)Perception of and Attitude towards the SyrianRefugees in Turkey

Host: Professor Dominic Abrams – School ofPsychologyFellow: Dr Banu Kavakli Birdal, IstambulKemerburgaz University, TurkeyAmount: £36,980

Newton International Fellowships (2017)Turkey and Offering and Demanding CollectiveApologies: A UK versus Turkey Comparison

Host: Professor Ayse K Üskül – School ofPsychologyFellow: Dr Veysel Elgin, Abant Izzet BaysalUniversityAmount: £66,000

Newton Advanced Fellowships (2017)Overcoming Barriers and Developing Best Practicefor Supporting Entrepreneurship and Trade inUniversities and Innovation Intermediaries: Lessonsfor Turkey and the UK

Host: Professor Jeremy Howells – Kent BusinessSchool (KBS)Fellow: Dr Serdal Temel, Ege University, TurkeyAmount: £73,000

Vietnam

Newton Mobility Grants (2016)The Global Financial Crisis and Spillovers of USMonetary Policy: Lessons from Vietnam

Investigator: Dr Roman Matousek – Kent BusinessSchool (KBS)Partner: Dr Chau Le – Banking University HCMC,VietnamAmount: £7,860

Mexico

Newton Mobility Grants (2017)Global Security Assemblages and International Law:A Socio-Legal Study of Emergency in Motion

Investigator: Dr Gavin Sullivan – Kent BusinessSchool (KBS)Partner: Dr Alejandro Rodiles Bretónm – ITAMUniversity MexicoAmount: £9,236

Brazil

Newton Research Mobility CONFAP-UK (2014)Analysing the Brazilian media coverage of London2012 Paralympic Games. Production anddissemination of a media guide on how to report ondisability and sport designed for Brazilian newsmakers

Investigator: Dr Sakis Pappous – Centre for Sportsand Exercise SciencesPartner: Dr Doralice Lange de Souza –Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil

Newton Research Collaboration (2015)Security Policy Enforcement in Federated OpenSource Clouds

Investigator: Professor David Chadwick – School ofComputingPartner: Dr Carlos Ferraz – Universidade Federal dePernambuco, BrazilAmount: £12,000

Newton Research Collaboration (2015)RFID moisture sensor network for landslidemonitoring

Investigators: Professor Nathan Gomes, ProfessorJohn Batchelor, and Dr Christos Efstratiou – Schoolof Engineering and Digital Arts (EDA)Partners: Dr Luis Carlos Vieira – UniversidadeTecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), BrazilAmount: £18,000

Newton Advanced Fellowships (2017)The Logic and Perception of Persuasion in Stoicism

Host: Dr Kelli Rudolph (SECL)Fellow: Dr Aldo Dinucci, Federal University ofSergipe, BrazilAmount: £74,000

Newton Advanced Fellowships (2017)How to strengthen leadership and the workforcethrough the re-design and implementation of a payperformance programme in PHC Brazil

Host: Professor Stephen Peckham – Centre forHealth Services Studies (CHSS)Fellow: Dr Fabiana da Cunha Saddi – FederalUniversity of Goias, Brazil

India

Newton-Bhabha PhD Placement (2015)Study of structural and relaxation dynamics of someion conducting materials

Supervisor: Dr Gavin Mountjoy – School of PhysicalSciences (SPS)Student: Mr Tanmoy Paul – IndiaAmount: £5,900

BBSRC: Global Challenges Research Fund(2019)Enhancing cobalamin (vitamin B12) bioavailability inculturally appropriate foods in India

Investigator: Professor Martin Warren (Biosciences)Partners: Durham University, University ofCambridge, ICT in Mumbai, KEM hospital in PuneAmount: £971,789

Indonesia

NERC- Newton Wallacea programme (2018)Biodiversity, environmental change and land-usepolicy in Sulawesi and Maluku

Investigator: Dr Matt Struebig (SAC)Partner: Adi Widyanto, Agus Budi Utom – BurungIndonesiaAmount: £394,899

Thailand

Newton Advanced Fellowship (2018)Establishment of RNAi-based algal technology forsustainable disease control in shrimp cultivation

Host: Professor Colin Robinson (Biosciences)Fellow: Vanvimon Saksmerprome, BIOTEC ThailandAmount: £74,000

CONTACT INFORMATIONFor more information about the GCRF and Newton Fund, please visit:

www.ukri.org/research/global-challenges-research-fund/

www.newtonfund.ac.uk

AGENDA – DAY ONE


23 May 2019

9.00 Welcome and Opening Remarks

Professor Karen Cox, Vice Chancellor, University of Kent

Professor Nguyen Van Noi, Rector, NVU-HUS

9.10 Aims and Objectives of the Event

Dr Sarah Tetley, Research Development Officer, University of Kent

9.20 Lessons Learnt from our Existing Projects

Professor Maria Paola Scaparra & colleagues

Dr Vanvimon Saksmerprome, BIOTEC, Thailand, Newton Advanced Fellowship holder

10.30 Refreshments and Networking

11.00 What international funding schemes can SEA researchers apply to?

Phan Huong, Research and Innovation Programme Manager, UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Hanoi

11.30 What are Funders Looking for?

Professor Caroline Knowles, Programme Director of the British Academy Cities and Infrastructure Programme

12.00 Lunch

13.30 How to successfully apply for UK Research Funding : Tricks and Tips

Dr Jane Benstead, Deputy Research Grants and Contracts Manager, University of Kent

Dr Helen Leech, Research Development Officer, University of Kent

14.30 World Café : Developing Research Management Capacity in SEA

16.00 Event wrap up and instructions for Day 2

16.10 Close

18.00-19.30 Drinks reception and buffet

17

AGENDA – DAY TWO


Friday 24 May 2019 9.00-12.00

Participants can choose to take part in one of the following 3 workshops: • WS1: Operational research and analytics to solve real world problems : building capacity and new collaborations in transport, logistics, healthcare,

disaster management and the design of smart cities. Workshop lead Professor Maria Paola Scaparra • WS2: New approaches and new collaborations in vaccine development in South East Asia. Workshop lead Professor Colin Robinson • WS3: Growing Research Administration and Management Capacity in South East Asia. Workshop Lead Dr Sarah Tetley

WS1

Operational research (OR) and analytics to solvereal world problems: building capacity and newcollaborations in transport, logistics, healthcare,disaster management and the design of smartcities.

Workshop lead Professor Maria Paola Scaparra

9.00-9.05 Welcome and Introduction, Professor Maria Paola Scaparra

9.05-9.30 Smart decision making throughOperational Research (OR) andAnalytics,Professor Maria Paola Scaparra

9.30-9.45 Sustaining Urban Habitats: AnInterdisciplinary Approach, Dr Trung Hieu Tran

9.45-10.00 Sustainability and OperationalResearch in Thailand, Dr StefanoStarita

10.00-10.15 Bayesian Network to Analyse theFlash Flood Susceptibility in LaiChau Province, Dr Trinh Quoc Anh

10.15-10.30 Coffee break

10.30-11.45 World Café: OR for SustainableDevelopment in SEA

11.45-12.00 Conclusive remarks

WS2

New approaches and new collaborations in vaccinedevelopment in South East Asia.

Workshop lead: Professor Colin Robinson

9.00-9.10 IntroductionProfessor Colin Robinson, Universityof Kent, UK

9.10-9.30 Animal vaccine research anddevelopment in Thailand Dr Peera Jaru-Ampornpan, NationalCenter for Genetic Engineering andBiotechnology, Thailand

9.30-09.50 Vaccine requirements in South EastAsiaDr Ian Dacre, FAO-RAP

9.50-10.10 Baculovirus Expression System andits application in vaccine productionin VietnamDr Ly Duc Viet, National Institute ofVeterinary Research, Vietnam

10.10-10.30 Animal vaccine and adjuvantdevelopment in GIAVTDr Hsing-Chieh Wu, NationalPingtung University of Science andTechnology, Taiwan

10.30-11.00 Coffee

11.00-11.20 The selection of appropriate cultureconditions for growth of recombinantgreen microalga Chlamydomonasreinhardtii in laboratory conditionsProfessor Dr Dang Diem Hong,Vietnam Academy of Science andTechnology

11.20-11.40 Establishment of RNAi-based algaltechnology for sustainable diseasecontrol in shrimp cultivationDr Patai Charoonart, National Centerfor Genetic Engineering andBiotechnology, Thailand

11.40-12.00 Vaccine alternatives to antibiotics inaquacultureDr Kim Thompson, MoredunResearch Institute

WS3

Growing Research Administration andManagement Capacity in South East Asia

Workshop lead: Dr Sarah Tetley

9.00-9.30 Introduction & Feedback from theWord Café : Developing Research Management Capacity in South EastAsia : Barriers and OpportunitiesDr Sarah Tetley, University of Kent,UK

9.30-10.30 Research Management in Africa andIndia Dr Savita Ayyar, ResearchManagement ConsultantAllen Muyaama Mukhwana, ResearchSystems Manager, African Academyof Sciences

10.30-10.45 Coffee

10.45-12.00 Group Discussion: How Can weGrow Capacity in South East Asia

12.00 Close


Day 1 – 23 May – speakers andUniversity of Kent organisers

Professor Maria Paola Scaparra Principal Investigator, University of KentProfessor Scaparra is a Professor in ManagementScience at Kent Business School (KBS), University ofKent. She is currently the head of the ManagementScience group at KBS and an active member of theCentre for Logistics and Heuristic Optimisation.

Her research interests include the application ofoptimization techniques to critical infrastructureprotection planning, disaster management andhumanitarian logistics among others. She haspublished many papers and book chapters on these topics in top-ranked operational research and geography journals, and has been involved in several international, multi-disciplinary andconsultancy projects, including EPSRC, DSTL, KTP and European projects.

Professor Scaparra’s research presently focuses onthe integration of Operational Research, also knownas the Science of Better, with other disciplines (eg,social science, climatology, civil engineering andeconomics) to address the UN SustainableDevelopment Goals and help solve intractablechallenges in developing countries

Professor Colin Robinson, Head of School,School of Biosciences, University of KentColin Robinson is Professor of Biotechnology at theUniversity of Kent. Much of the research in theRobinson lab is focused on the mechanisms bywhich proteins are transported into and acrossbiological membranes, with a particular focus on thebacterial protein export system, Tat. Current researchin the lab involves the exploitation of bacterial proteinexport systems for the production of high valuerecombinant proteins, as well as investigation of theunique proofreading mechanism of the bacterial andplant Tat systems. Professor Robinson was Directorof two RCUK Doctoral Training Centres during histime at the University of Warwick, has participated infour EU projects including Coordination of one, andis PI on research grants totalling £7.8M including a 4-centre BBSRC/InnovateUK IB Catalyst award and thenewly awarded GCRF grant.

Dr Sarah Tetley, Research DevelopmentOfficer (Social Sciences)I returned to full time education after a successful16-year career in the UK public sector, during whichtime I worked in a number of different healthcareorganisations. I have a Masters in ConservationBiology and a PhD in Management from KentBusiness School. I joined the Research Servicesteam at the University of Kent in 2015 aftersubmitting my thesis, initially supporting Kent’sengagement with the Eastern ARC researchconsortium; and, more recently as the ResearchDevelopment Officer for the Social Sciences.Despite a varied career to date, a common featureof all of my previous work has been the need tobring about positive change across complexsystems – a challenge that, while at times frustrating,I thoroughly enjoy!

Dr Helen Leech, Research DevelopmentOfficer (Sciences)I have worked in research since 1995 in threedifferent universities, gaining a broad understandingof the research process through this.

I graduated from Liverpool and went on to atechnician post at Sheffield, before working as aresearch assistant at Queen Mary, University ofLondon then undertaking a PhD. After gaining mydoctorate I worked as a post-doctoral researcher onthree different projects, first at QMUL, and then atKent in Biosciences and Pharmacy.

I left the bench and joined Research Services in2012. I am still passionate about the need todevelop the skills and training of researchers, andwill always be a strong advocate for them, and forresearch more broadly.

Dr Jane Benstead, Deputy Grants andContracts Manager, Research Services,University of KentMy background: I have a PhD in paediatric oncologyfrom St James’ University Hospital and the Universityof Leeds and carried out post-doctoral research inadult leukaemia and muscular dystrophy at RoyalHolloway (University of London) funded by a UKcharity and then a European Frameworkprogramme. My current role: I moved to ResearchServices at the University of Kent in 2009 and haveworked in the grants and contracts team ever since.Our team have both pre- and post-awardresponsibilities, supporting academics in thepractical aspects of grant submission – calculatingcosts, deciphering scheme rules and assisting withthe application process and funder systems. Once agrant is awarded we liaise with the funder to acceptthe award, draft and negotiate collaborationagreements with our partners and provide supportand advice throughout the project lifetime. I am alsothe main contact in the team for European fundingincluding the complex Interreg programme.

Dr Siao-Leu PhouratsamayResearch Associate, University of KentDr Siao-Leu Phouratsamay is the ResearchAssociate within the GCRF OSIRIS project, based at the University of Kent. She holds a PhD inOperations Research from Sorbonne University anda Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics andComputer Science from ENSIMAG. Her researchinterests include supply chain management,production planning and lot-sizing, logistics,combinatorial optimization, mathematicalprogramming, algorithms and mechanism design.Currently, she has focused her work in the area ofgreen supply chain and sustainability. She haspublished in international journals such as DiscreteOptimization, and has given several talks ininternational forums (International Symposium onCombinatorial Optimization, and InternationalWorkshop on Lot-Sizing).

BIOGRAPHIES

1 2 3 4 5 6


Dr Alison WaltersProject Manager (SEARC), University of KentDr Alison Walters completed her doctorate at theUniversity of York, studying DNA replication in themethanogenic archaeon Methanococcusmariplaudis. She then spent 6 years as a VisitingPostdoctoral Fellow at the National Institutes ofHealth in Bethesda, Maryland, where she studiedthe regulation of nuclear morphology inSaccharomyces cerevisiae in the Cohen-Fix lab. Shesubsequently moved back to the UK and took up theposition of Project Manager for a BBSRC-funded IBCatalyst grant in Prof Robinson’s lab at theUniversity of Kent, before moving to her currentposition as Project Manager for the GCRF project.

Dr Vanvimon Saksmerprome Principal Investigator at National Center forGenetic Engineering and Biotechnology(BIOTEC) ThailandDr Vanvimon Saksmerprome is a PrincipalInvestigator at National Center for GeneticEngineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) Thailand.She has run the RNA interference platform group forshrimp disease control at the collaborative researchunit (CENTEX Shrimp) between BIOTEC andMahidol University. She and her group hasengineered organisms that are considered as‘‘Generally Regarding As Safe’’ by the US Food andDrug Administration such as microalgae andprobiotics for double-stranded RNA production. Shereceived both national and international grants forearly-career scientists since 2008, and was recentlyawarded a Newton Advanced Fellowship to developthe antiviral technology for shrimp aquaculture.

Phan Lien HuongResearch and Innovation ProgrammeManager, British Embassy Hanoi [email protected]

Huong is Research and Innovation ProgrammeManager at the British Embassy Hanoi, looking afterthe Newton Fund Vietnam. Her role is to facilitate theestablishment and delivery of the bilateral researchand innovation partnership between the UK andVietnam.

Huong joined the British Embassy in June 2014 afterworking in a number of international developmentorganisations. She holds a BSc of Biology fromHanoi University of Science and

Professor Caroline Knowles, ProgrammeDirector of the British Academy Cities andInfrastructure ProgrammeCaroline Knowles is director of the Cities andInfrastructure Programme at the British Academy,Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths, University ofLondon, and a fellow of Academy of SocialSciences. She is the author of many books andpapers on urbanism, ethnicity, race, and thecirculations of people (as migrants) and of objectscomposing contemporary globalization. Her recentbooks include Flip-Flop: A Journey throughGlobalisation’s Backroads, published by Pluto Press,2014, www.flipfloptrail.com; Hong Kong: MigrantLives, Landscapes and Journeys, with DouglasHarper, published by the University of ChicagoPress, 2009; Making Race Matter, with ClaireAlexander, published by Palgrave, 2005; Picturingthe Social Landscape: Visual Methods and theSociological Imagination, with Paul Sweetman,published by Routledge, 2004, (and translated intoJapanese 2012); Race and Social Analysis,published by Sage, 2003; and Bedlam on theStreets, published by Routledge, 2000.

7 8 9 10

1 Professor Maria Paola Scaparra2 Professor Colin Robinson3 Dr Sarah Tetley4 Dr Helen Leech5 Dr Jane Benstead6 Dr Siao-Leu Phouratsamay7 Dr Alison Walters8 Dr Vanvimon Saksmerprome 9 Phan Lien Huong10 Professor Caroline Knowles


Day 2 – 24 May – WS1

Dr Trung Hieu Tran, Leverhulme ResearchFellow (Laboratory for Urban Complexity andSustainability, University of Nottingham, theUnited Kingdom)Dr Trung Hieu Tran is a Leverhulme Research Fellow in Urban Modelling and Optimisation in the project titled "Sustaining Urban Habitats: AnInterdisciplinary Approach" at Laboratory for Urban Complexity and Sustainability, University of Nottingham, the United Kingdom. He obtained a PhD degree in Operations Research and hisresearch interests focus on the theory andapplication of optimisation methods (bothmathematical programming and metaheuristics) andagent-based modelling and simulation to productionplanning and scheduling problems, locationanalysis, logistics and supply chain management,gas transmission network and sustainable urbanplanning (especially in urban sustainability underimpact of climate change). He is the leading authorof several journal articles in the European Journal of Operational Research, Transportation Science,Journal of Scheduling, Applied MathematicalModelling, etc. He has recently been on the editorialboard of Inquest Journal of E-waste.

Dr Stefano Starita, School of ManufacturingSystem and Mechanical Engineering,Sirindhorn Institute of Technology,Thammasat UniversityStefano has been a Lecturer at the SirindhornInstitute of Technology since January 2018. Therehe is involved with the Industrial Engineeringcurriculum for undergraduate students and theLogistics and Supply Chain Systems Engineeringcurriculum for graduate students. Prior to thisposition, he was a research fellow at WarwickBusiness School working on a European Unionfunded project on Air Traffic Management. Theproject recently received an innovation award at the World ATM Congress.

He obtained his PhD in Management Science fromKent Business School in April 2016. His thesis wasselected as runner-up for the prestigious OR SocietyDoctoral Award.

His research interests include the application ofOperations Research to Disruption Management, Air Traffic Management, Sustainable Supply Chainand Heuristic Optimisation. He is actively publishingacademic papers on international journals. He iscurrently supervising a number of students workingon solutions for sustainable urban logistics.

Dr Trinh Quoc Anh PhD, Lecturer, VietnamNational University of ScienceTrinh Quoc Anh is Lecturer at the Department ofProbability and Statistics, Faculty ofMathematics,Mechanics, and Informatics, VNUHanoi University of Science, where he has beensince 2012. At present he serves as DepartmentVice Chair and Head of Statistical ConsultingService. He received a BSc in Applied Mathematicsfrom Hanoi University of Science and Technology in1997, and an MSc in Computer Science from theInternational Francophone Institute and MINESParisTech in 2001. He received his PhD inBiostatistics from the University of Renée Descartesand Telecom ParisTech in 2007. From 2007 to 2011he worked at Biostatistics and EpidemiologyDepartment, Institute Gustave Roussy in Paris,eventually as European TENALEA Project manager.


Dr Peera Jaru-Ampornpan, National Center forGenetic Engineering and Biotechnology,ThailandDr Peera Jaru-Ampornpan joined BIOTEC’s Virologyand Cell Technology lab in 2011 as a juniorresearcher focusing on polymerase subunits of thepandemic 2009 (H1N1) influenza virus. Later, Peeramoved on to lead a project studying nucleoprotein-mediated intertypic interference during co-infection of types A and B influenza viruses. Using virological,cell biological, and biochemical approaches, Peera’sgroup delineated the mechanism underlying influenzaA virus growth suppression by influenza B virusnucleoprotein (BNP). Currently, Peera is developing anovel anti-avian influenza virus (type A) agent basedon BNP. As the lab branched out to study veterinaryviruses such as porcine epidemic diarrhea virus(PEDV) and porcine reproductive and respiratorysyndrome virus (PRRSV), Peera also joined a projectcharacterizing cleavage of PEDV nucleocapsid byPEDV-encoded main protease and studying its role in PEDV cell adaptation. Peera’s current researchinterests include basic research focusing on intertypicinterference and host restriction of avian influenzaviruses as well as applied research focusing onvaccine and antiviral therapeutics development forimportant swine viruses.

Dr Ian Dacre, Food and Agriculture OrganizationRegional Office for Asia and the PacificDr Ian Dacre is the Deputy Regional Manager of the Emergency Centre for Transboundary AnimalDiseases (ECTAD), FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (FAO-RAP) in Bangkok, Thailand. Heobtained his Bachelor of Veterinary Science degreefrom Massey University, New Zealand and completeda PhD. in Equine Dental Pathology from the Royal(Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University ofEdinburgh, UK.

Since 2007 he has been based in Bangkok, initiallyworking to alleviate the impact of natural disasters on animals (and their owners), and more recentlyworking with the OIE as the Project Coordinator of a SEACFMD project focusing on FMD Control.

Ian joined FAO ECTAD-RAP in 2018, working on thedevelopment of regional Programmes related to thecontrol of high impact transboundary animal diseaseand zoonoses in Asia, and facilitating coordinationand collaboration among sectors at national, regionaland international levels.

Dr Ly Duc Viet, National Institute of VeterinaryResearch, VietnamDr Ly Duc Viet graduated from Vietnam NationalUniversity of Agriculture in 2013 and obtained amaster's degree in 2016, majoring in veterinarymedicine. He has been working at Department ofBiochemistry-Immunology, National Institute Veterinary

BIOGRAPHIESCONT


Research for 5 years, where his research isfocussed on viruses, bacteria, vaccine productiontechnology, and animal diseases. He experienced 1 year of training in Korea, studying the substancesthat affect the endocrine system. He has co-authored several articles on the baculovirusexpression system for gene recombination in theVietnamese government program, published inscientific journals.

Dr Hsing-Chieh Wu1 Graduate Institute of Animal Vaccine Technology,

National Pingtung University of Science andTechnology

2 International Program in Animal VaccineTechnology, National Pingtung University ofScience and Technology

3 Animal Biologics Pilot Production Center, NationalPingtung University of Science and Technology

Hsing-Chieh completed her PhD in VeterinaryMedicine from the National Chung Hsing University,Taiwan in 2016. She then spent one year in theBiomedical Sciences Research Complex of StAndrews University in UK as a visiting researcher.She works in the Graduate Institute of AnimalVaccine Technology in Taiwan as a postdoctoralresearch fellow, and she aims to develop infectiousviral vaccines for ruminant animals. She has 10years research experience in veterinary science and animal vaccine, and she holds two patents forveterinary vaccines.

Professor Dang Diem Hong, Institute ofBiotechnology, Vietnam Academy of Scienceand TechnologyAssoc. Professor Dr Dang Diem Hong is FormerHead of Algal Biotechnology Department, Instituteof Biotechnology belonging to Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Vietnam. She is theforemost algal researcher in Viet Nam and has atruly international research outlook having worked inresearch labs all over the world including in Moscow,Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Canada andthe USA. Her research interests lay examining –Algal species: commercial potential, physiology and molecular biology; emerging technologies andbioreactors to scale up algal production andharvesting; exploitation of values and value-addedalgal biomass for human food and animal feed –Algal natural productions, functional food andpharmacology; new prospects in microalgae forfood and feed; control of harmful and toxicmicroalgae to maintain food security; use of algal forenvironmental protection and microalgal for betterenvironment; resources recycling and climatechange mitigation; algae and biofuels and bio-oil;algaeomics (using genomics, proteomics,metagenomics, transcriptomics). She is currentlyinvolved in assessing oral vaccines for aquacultureanimals using green microalga of Chlamydomonasreinhardtii. She currently supervises 9 PhD students

(4 successful defend) and 26 Master students (25successful defend) and has published over 160articles, conference papers, and books in bothinternational and domestic journals. Since 2006 sheis a staff member of the Asian Network for UsingAlgae as a CO2sink and the Asian PacificPhycological Association. She is a representative forVietnam at APSAP (The Asia – Pacific Society forApplied Phycology) and APPF (The Asian PacificPhycological Forum) term from 2017 to 2019.

Dr Patai Charoonnart, National Center forGenetic Engineering and Biotechnology,ThailandDr Patai Charoonnart got her PhD in Botany from the program of Biological Science, ChulalongkornUniversity in 2016. After that, she started work aspostdoctoral researcher in the Shrimp MolecularBiology and Biotechnology laboratory, NationalCenter for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology,Thailand. Her work is focussed on production anddelivery of dsRNA for controlling shrimp viraldiseases. In particular, she is exploring theapplication of microalgal chloroplast engineering foruse as a tool to improve and support aquaculturequality, mainly to remedy loss by viral diseases.

Dr Kim Thompson, Moredun ResearchInstitute, ScotlandDr Kim Thompson is a Principal Investigator atMoredun Research Institute, where she heads theAquaculture Research Group. She graduated fromUniversity of Stirling with a BSc (hons) inBiochemistry, and with an MSc in Immunology fromUniversity of Aberdeen and a PhD in FishImmunology from University of Stirling. Beforecoming to Moredun Research Institute she was aReader in Fish Immunology at the Institute ofAquaculture, University of Stirling, where she wasbased for more than 20 years.

Her research interests include vaccine developmentfor fish pathogens (viral, bacterial and parasitic),examining the immune response of fish to thesepathogens and understanding the factors thatinfluence this response. She is also interested indeveloping alternative therapies for disease controlin fish (e.g. functional feeds, immunostimulants,probiotics). She has published over 130 articles ininternational peer-reviews publications relating tothis work. She is a member of the EuropeanAssociation of Fish Pathologists, Asian AquacultureSociety, and a founding member of the InternationalSociety of Fish and Shellfish Immunology. She isalso a Member of BBSRC UK VeterinaryVaccinology Research Network and InternationalVeterinary Vaccinology Research Network.


Dr Savita AyyarSavita Ayyar has over ten years of experience indiverse areas of research management andconsultancy. She is currently working on behalf ofthe Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance to developIRMI, the India Research Management Initiative. She began working in research management at theWellcome Trust in London, UK (2007-2010). She wasformerly the Head of Research Development (2010-2017) at the National Centre for Biological Sciences,Bangalore, where she worked to initiate, implementand nurture the activities of the ResearchDevelopment Office (RDO). Under her stewardship,operations at the NCBS RDO spanned grantmanagement, philanthropic fundraising andendowments, intramural funding and News andCommunications. Savita received her initial trainingin Biochemistry at the University of Delhi andBiotechnology at AIIMS, New Delhi. She completedher doctoral and post-doctoral work inDevelopmental Biology and Neurobiology,respectively at the University of Cambridge, UK.

Allen Muyaama MukhwanaAllen joined AAS in November 2017. She is working with a broad range of partners includingresearchers, funders, research managementprofessionals and institutions to develop aprogramme for professionalising research andinnovation management in Africa and provideleadership for the transformation of researchsystems and management. Prior to joining the AAS Allen was Centre Manager for the MakerereUniversity/UVRI Infection and Immunity ResearchTraining Centre (MUII-PLUS). She joined MUII-PLUSfrom the Infectious Diseases Institute, College ofHealth Sciences, Makerere University where shewas the Senior Research Administrator and Head of Capacity Building for more than six years. Duringthis period, she established the research supportfunctions and structures and articulated thegovernance framework. She is passionate aboutmanagement of the research ecosystems in Africa,from governance and compliance, portfolio tracking,through to dissemination, reporting, and uptake.

22

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:APPLYING FOR GCRF FUNDING

GCRF is not straightforward, and youneed to be aware of what’s involvedbefore applying. Andrew Massoura,Research Grants and ContractsManager at Kent, talks to Phil Wardabout what to look out for beforepreparing a bid.

ODA compliance

This is the key to the whole fund. Without beingcompliant with official development assistance(ODA) rules, your project will not even beconsidered.

ODA needs to run through your project like thewords run through a stick of Brighton rock.Wherever a reviewer chooses to bite, it should beclear immediately how your project is compliant.

ODA compliance means that the funding has to beused to support the growth and welfare of some ofthe least developed countries in the world. Theresearch doesn’t necessarily have to take place inthese countries, but it has to be for their long-termand sustainable benefit.

Therefore any GCRF application must make clearhow the proposed project will ensure this. You mustbe specific, and think about the following.

Which countries are involved and are they on theDAC list?

• What is the challenge for the local populations?• How will your research address this challenge,

and what impact will it have on the economicdevelopment and welfare of the localpopulations?

• What is your route to impact, and how willsolutions be realised?

Just saying that you’re ODA compliant is notenough, either: you must have supporting evidencethat demonstrates that you are.

In addition, all work funded by the GCRF isexpected to address the UN SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs). You should be aware ofthe SDGs that are relevant to your project, but don’tmake tenuous claims to involve more than arerelevant. Also, be specific about how you will meetthe time-limited target of each of the relevant SDGs.

GCRF assessment criteria

While ODA compliance is the linchpin for a GCRFproposal, there are four further GCRF criteria forassessing an application.

• Research excellence: excellence is essential, butdoes not have to be constrained by traditionalmethodologies. You should demonstrate that youare bringing together the necessary mix of skills,knowledge and expertise to solve the problem.Where possible, you should also include partnersfrom low and middle-income countries, andideally partners who may not traditionally workwith each other.

• Problem and solution focused: Contextualise theproblem, specifically for the countries you areworking with, and demonstrate how you haveworked with partners on the ground tounderstand the detail and the scale of it. For thesolution, you must make clear that it’s co-createdand not imposed by you. Once again, localengagement is paramount. If there is preliminarydata to show viability, use it. If you’re targeting arelatively wealthy country on the DAC list, youshould make clear how your work will benefit avulnerable section of the population.

• Partnership and capacity building. There shouldbe a collaborative feel throughout your proposal,and you should avoid any top-down language or,worse, imperialistic overtones. Be specific aboutthe role and contribution of partners and explainhow the partnership was formed and how it willcontinue. In building capacity, show how bothresearch and administration will be shared andhighlight plans to develop technical and skills(including soft skills), encompassing possibletraining of colleagues from other countries in UKfacilities.

• Likelihood of impact: Think about who needs toknow about your findings, and how you will makethem accessible. Once again, partnerships areimportant in facilitating this. Going forward, howwill the project be sustainable beyond the lifetimeof the grant, and how will you continue to monitorand evaluate the work towards its effectiveimpact? Finally be aware that impact can takemany forms, including developmental, policy,capacity-building, and practice level.

Due diligence

You should broadly be aware that you need to beassured on three areas of oversight.

• Governance and control.What systems are inplace to control and deal with risks such asbribery, corruption and fraud? Are thereappropriate ethical oversight and assuranceprocedures?

• Ability to deliver. Have projects of a similar sizeand nature been successfully completed before?Is there a robust framework of management,training, monitoring, openness and datamanagement?

• Financial stability. Is there a team to manage thefinances and are the systems in place to monitorand audit the award? Does it offer value formoney? Operationally, is there the necessarybanking infrastructure to handle the budget?

Costing proposals

Although the UK research-costing process andparameters are familiar to UK researchers, those oftheir partners may not be. It’s important, then, tounderstand how your partners’ costs have beencalculated and how they can be evidenced.

When it comes to reimbursing them, it can vary. UKpartners’ costs are usually paid at 80 per cent of fulleconomic costs. Overseas partners costs aretypically 100 per cent, and sometimes an additionaloverhead of 20-30 per cent can be included.

Always check what costs can be included, as someschemes allow students and equipment whereasothers don’t. You should always includeadministration costs and allow for a lot of travel. Theprojects funded by the GCRF are usually complexand always global.

Starting procedures

Of course, submitting an application is only thebeginning. Be prepared for when you receivenotification of the award. There is sometimes lessflexibility than you may be used to, and start datestend to be fixed. Therefore there may be a shortturnaround for the recruitment of staff and tocomplete due diligence processes. In addition acollaboration agreement is usually required rightfrom the start.

Project management

As with the rest of the GCRF programme, projectmanagement tends to be more complex than forstandard grants. Be prepared for stage gate reviewsand additional project requirements. You shouldhave in place a risk register, a financial managementplan, a work plan for each work stream, a plan forgovernance and project management, and amonitoring and evaluation plan.

GCRF was never going to be simple. With unusualstructures and very specific expectations, there’s thepotential for a huge administrative headache. Itneedn’t be so. If you go into it with your eyes openand prepared for the demands of a developmentproject, it shouldn’t be too onerous. The fund onlybegan to operate in 2015, so it’s still relatively young.Give it another five years and we’ll all wonder whatthe problem was.

A version of this article first appeared in FundingInsight in October 2018 and is reproduced with kindpermission of Research Professional. For morearticles like this, visit www.researchprofessional.com

Building a Resilient Research Environment in South East Asia

23

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

17 Goals to Transform Our World

The Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action by all countries – poor, rich and middle-income – to promote prosperity whileprotecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address arange of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental

protection.

About the Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the globalchallenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice.

The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it ís important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030


Research Services, The Registry, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NZ T:+44 (0) 1227 763907 www.kent.ac.uk

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