MRC-KHIDI UK-Korea Partnering Awards, 2020

Purpose

The overarching aim of the UK-Korea Partnering Awards scheme is to provide resources to biomedical and health researchers in the UK and Korea that will allow them to forge long-term collaborations. It is hoped that the partnerships established through these awards will lead to the development of long-term collaborative research programmes that will be competitive for national funding.

The purpose of the UK-Korea Partnering Awards is primarily to build new links between UK and Korea-based scientists but also to strengthen existing links. The awards will add value to research taking place in both countries by facilitating closer collaboration. Specific objectives that underpin the UK-Korea Partnering Award scheme are:

• To establish and strengthen partnerships between UK and Korean researchers in biomedical and health research.

• To promote the exchange of scientists, including early career scientists.

• To promote access to facilities.

Scope

This funding scheme aims to support joint collaboration activities between UK- and Korea-based researchers. Each application will be a joint submission by one UK-based and one Korea-based PI.

This call for proposals will fund 10 proposals with £20,000 available per project over one year. Funding will be split evenly between researchers based in the UK and researchers based in Korea.

There are no restrictions on the scientific area for applications to the UK-Korea Partnering Awards, provided that they fall within the MRC and KHIDI’s remits; however, through this scheme we would particularly like to encourage interdisciplinary proposals or novel proposals that build on national research strengths of the two countries.

This funding is available to support the following collaborative activities:

• Travel for one or more investigators in either direction

• Visits/access to facilities

• Workshops and networking

• Researcher exchanges

• Exploratory talks

• Other collaborative activities

Eligibility

The UK and Korean Principal Investigators (PI) must put together a joint application written in English. The UK Principal Investigator must then submit a copy to the MRC and the Korean-PI must submit a copy to KHIDI.

Applications must be made by a UK PI who is eligible for MRC funding and a Korean PI who is eligible for KHIDI funding.

UK applicants must be in receipt of an active grant that was awarded through a competitive, peer-reviewed process.

UK applicants who hold an active competitive research grant from a funder other than the MRC will be required to submit a signed Letter of Support from their Head of Department

For more details, or to apply, visit the call webpage.