The latest FP7 calls which cover a number of thematic and cross thematic areas were announced on the 20th July along with the publication of the 2011 Work Programme. The 51 new calls cover a range of FP7 Programmes (Cooperation, Ideas, People and Capacities) and areas including Health, Security, Energy, Environment and Transport. Here is a brief summery of the calls:

FP7 Cooperation

The specific programme on ‘Co-operation’ supports all types of research activities carried out by different research bodies in trans-national co-operation.

• Health (3 calls)
• Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology (FAFB) (5 calls)
• Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) (8 calls)
• Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies (12 calls)
• Energy (8 calls)
• Environment (including Climate Change) (8 calls)
• Transport (including Aeronautics) (9 calls)
• Socio-Economic Sciences and the Humanities (4 calls)
• Space (1 call)
• Security (1 call)
• General (1 call)

FP7 Ideas (European Research Council, ERC)

ERC Starting Independent Researcher Grants
ERC Starting Grants aim to provide critical and adequate support to the independent careers of excellent researchers, whatever their nationality, who are at the stage of establishing or consolidating their own independent research team or programme.

FP7 People (Marie Curie)
The main objective of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) People Specific Programme is to strengthen the human potential for research and technology in Europe and to make Europe a more attractive place for researchers to work. Calls which have recently been announced are:

IAPP – deadline 7 December 2010
This activity will seek to open and foster dynamic pathways between public research organisations and private commercial enterprises, particularly SMEs. The Industry-Academia Partnerships and Pathways (IAPP) scheme aims to achieve this predominately by secondments between sectors and networking activities.

ITN – deadline 26 January 2011
This activity support the initial training of researchers, implemented through the Initial Training Networks (ITNs) scheme. The network applies for funding from the European Commission before recruiting researchers. Projects are based on a joint training programme, focused on the development and broadening of research competences, and complementary skills. Community support for ITNs will comprise:

• the recruitment of early-stage and experienced researchers to be trained;
• recruitment of ‘visiting scientists’ to transfer knowledge and strengthen ITN supervision;
• the organisation of short training events (conferences, summer schools and specialised training courses), open to both trainees of the network and possibly to researchers from outside the network.

FP7 Capacities
A number of interesting schemes come under the ‘Capacities’ Specific Programme that can cut across a number of research themes and be approached in a more bottom-up way than the ‘Co-operation’ programme. The Programme schemes aim to enhance research and innovation capacities throughout Europe, and to ensure their optimal use. The programme also aims to support the coherent development of policies; complement the Co-operation programme; contribute to EU policies and initiatives to improve the coherence and impact of Member States policies; find synergies with regional and cohesion policies, the Structural Funds, education and training programmes and the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP). Within ‘Capacities’ there are seven main activities which can be seen below.

• Research Infrastructures (3 calls)
• Research for the benefit of SMEs (2 calls)
• Regions of Knowledge (1 call)
• Research Potential (1 call)
• Science in Society (2 calls)
• Activities of International Cooperation (3 calls)

For more information please visit either the UKRO or CORDIS websites, or contact the Research Office.