Universitas 21 Pro-Vice-Chancellors Research Conference
Hosted by the University of Nottingham, 1-3 June 2010

Pro-Vice-Chancellors/Deputy Vice-Chancellors/Vice-Presidents responsible for research, from ten member Universities, gathered at the University of Nottingham between 1-3 June for their 2010 annual Conference.  The Conference was opened by Professor David Greenaway, Vice-Chancellor, University of Nottingham and chaired by Professor Bob Webb, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research, University of Nottingham.

The Conference comprised four themed sessions: Research Integrity and Governance; Excellence in Research; the Research Security Framework; International League Tables. Presentations were given by all delegates during the course of the four sessions, with discussion then focusing on areas on challenges being faced by many member institutions

In addition two areas of international cutting edge research and development being carried out by the University of Nottingham were also presented. Professor Derek McAuley a gave a presentation on the Digital Horizon Hub, based in the Jubilee Campus, and Professor Colin Snape and Dr Mark Gillot gave a tour of the unique Energy Homes research project on demand reduction at the University of Nottingham, University Park Campus.A final session focused on the U21 Research and Knowledge Exchange Strategy, which was presented to the U21 Presidents meeting in Delhi, April 2010, and was accepted in full.

Revised Terms of Reference were accepted, and include two over-arching statements: (i) To promote U21 research aims and objectives within our institutions; (ii) To identify funding opportunities at both national and international levels in support of U21 research activities.

The U21 Research and Knowledge Exchange Strategy sets out three priority areas: Early Career Researcher Workshops; U21 Awards; Mobility. The following proposals have been developed:

Two U21 Early Career Research Workshops will be held annually for 50-60 delegates and will focus on selected areas of research activity that address significant challenges facing the U21 Community. The workshops will include engagement from key U21 senior researchers and will also include relevant career development topics. The first workshop will be held at the University of New South Wales in spring 2011, with a theme of ‘Energy’. The second will be held at the University of Birmingham in December 2011, with a theme of ‘Healthy Living’.

 A series of U21 Awards will be established to reward outstanding research performance by U21 Early Career Researchers, for example, best published paper; research breakthrough; outstanding innovation/commercial success; outstanding impact in the non-academic community.

In order to facilitate mobility, information on current mobility schemes run by member institutions will be collated, and national and international funding opportunities will be highlighted more broadly.

Bob Webb, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research, University of Nottingham