Aim
The overarching aim of the UK and South Korea partnering awards scheme is to strengthen collaborative links, by providing resources to biomedical and health researchers in the UK and Korea, that will support research, and the movement of researchers, between research organisations across the two countries.
Your applications must demonstrate the ability to progress collaborative research activities, as well as enhance links, and strengthen sustainable partnerships between the UK and Korea through researcher mobility and other partnering activities.
The UK and South Korea partnering scheme is not restrictive in terms of the scientific focus of applications, provided they sit within MRC’s and NRF’s remits of biomedical and health research. We encourage interdisciplinary proposals and proposals that build on the national research strengths of the two countries.
We will support one-year awards. The programme of activities is not prescribed, but should be developed in collaboration, and address the specific needs of the partnership.
Funding
MRC will make individual awards up to £50,000 for one year. NRF will make individual awards up to 100 million KRW. Therefore, for joint applications, a total of £50,000 and 100 million KRW can be applied for.
What we will fund: UK
For UK based partners traveling to Korea, MRC funding is available to support the following costs for one or more UK investigators:
- travel
- accommodation
- subsistence
- visa fees
- visits or access to facilities, including bench fees where necessary
- consumables and other research costs (that are directly associated with the period of the researcher exchange)
MRC will pay the lead UK research organisation in arrears (at the end of the award).
What we will not fund: UK
On the UK side, these awards may not be used to fund:
- salary costs
- items of equipment
- indirect and estate costs
- conference attendance fees
For UK costs, no indirectly incurred costs can be applied for under the partnership award scheme. Consequently, full economic costing is not applied to these awards. You should therefore apply for 100% of the cost of the activities which you wish to undertake.
What we will fund: Korea
For Korea based partners NRF will support costs guided by the National Research and Development Innovation act. For more information on Korean eligible costs, please see the NRF website.
NRF will pay the successful Korean research organisation after the announcement of the outcome of the assessment process (at the beginning of the award).
Further funding
Where possible, you are encouraged to seek further sources of funding, providing details of this in your application. This could be directly from your institution or department, or an in-kind contribution, or both.
