Research Newsletter - Issue 86: Research Supports Review

As we start a new academic year, it is a good opportunity to bring to your attention the available resources to support you in your research activities.  The funded research process can be a complicated one to navigate, particularly if you are new to applying for external funding.

In order to assist you in this regard, our DCU Research Lifecycle resource maps the seven stages of an externally funded research project and the supports to assist you at each of those stages – from defining your project idea and applying for funding, through to running and finishing your project.

The DCU Research Lifecycle resource clearly explains how things work, who to talk to and what happens next in relation to being involved in funded research at DCU.  It also shows how Research and Innovation Support interacts with other DCU professional units to support researchers through the process.

There are some common queries that arise regarding who to contact about funded research.  We have summarised responses below:

Who should I contact to identify funding opportunities for my research?

Your first point of call should be your Faculty Research Development Officer.  In addition to suggesting relevant funding sources, they can provide access to resources for developing competitive proposals – including the grant repository and internal peer review of applications.

They will also put you in contact with the Research Support Officer managing the relevant funding call within DCU.  Research Support Officers liaise directly with the key funding agency programme managers to provide the best quality advice and support to applicants.

I’ve received a research contract/grant agreement which requires an institutional signature, who do I contact?

Please contact the Research Support Officer who either manages that funder, or is the point of contact for your faculty (see Role details).  They will review the documentation, liaising with partners and funders as required, and then arrange for the final agreed version to be signed off by the appropriate signatory.  Research Support can provide specialist advice to researchers to ensure their effective compliance with funding terms and conditions over the course of their research project (including research ethics and research integrity requirements).

Who can support me to administratively manage my project?

The Research Project Administration unit provides a costed service to alleviate the administrative burden for academic staff involved in externally funded research projects.  This support can ensure effective financial and administrative project management, in parallel with efficient and streamlined operational support.  This dedicated support service is self-financing via direct funding, e.g. from Project Management budgets in Horizon Europe projects, or specific budget lines in approved project proposals.

In addition to post-award support, they can also provide proposal coordination support to PI’s who intend to coordinate Horizon Europe, MSCA and COST proposals and who have been awarded Enterprise Ireland’s (EI) Coordination Financial Assistance. For details please see https://www.dcu.ie/step

What if I’m still not sure who to contact with my query?

You can always contact research@dcu.ie with the details, and we will direct you to the correct contact point for assistance.

We would encourage all researchers to take some time to go through the Research Lifecycle resource content, and to get in touch with us regarding your funded research plans.