The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has today issued a call for proposals under their Digital Economy and ICT themes.

The Working Together call aims to support research projects which contribute to the ICT Theme’s Working Together priority and which might not currently arise without intervention, given the relative newness of that priority. Its overall objective is a demonstration that projects which align with the Working Together priority can and will be supported by less interventionist means in future and that potential applicants should therefore be confident in submitting them without the need for a specific call.
Working Together is relevant to all areas of research within ICT. Given the focus on interfaces we encourage consideration of work which is outside traditional
areas of ICT interest, as long as the benefit to ICT is clearly stated and the case made on that basis (i.e. the case should not be made solely or primarily on the
basis for impact or advances outside ICT.) Proposals with insufficient relevance to the ICT Theme remit may be rejected before peer review.
Working Together proposals will need to be based on two or more ‘streams’ of research. A stream can be though of as a project with its own objectives and
resources, where close communication with other streams allows these to be met more effectively.
Each stream should clearly relate both to its sister stream(s) and the objectives of the project as a whole. In themselves, streams may well look like ‘standard’ research projects. Their planning and resourcing are not required to be unusual except that resource should be built in to support the necessary interactions between streams.

Streams may be ongoing in the same institution and/or included in the same proposal form, as long as their distinct nature and value is described adequately in the case for support. You should also explain why the individuals or groups involved in your proposal have been included and how this fits with the aims and scope of the call. Note that collaboration between organisations is not on its own sufficient grounds to consider a proposal as being suitable for the Working  Together call.

Working Together projects could include:

• Feasibility studies exploring where different research streams could benefit from working together
• Projects focused on known interfaces where value can be added by more effective working together
• Projects to build the links that will enable effective collaborative follow on projects
• Projects which can act as a focus for working together between a wider community of researchers
• Or other ideas for projects which will fit the aims and scope of the call

The full call details can  be accessed here, or below:

Working together in ICT (PDF 206KB)