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H2020COFUND2017–2021

WIRL · Warwick Interdisciplinary Research Leadership Programme

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2017-01-01 → 2021-12-31
EU contribution
€2,006,000
Participants
44
Scheme
MSCA-COFUND

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Results in brief

Warwick Interdisciplinary Research Leadership Programme

The Warwick Interdisciplinary Research Leadership Programme (WIRL) was created by the University of Warwick to train the next generation of Research Leaders. The programme recognises that future research leaders will work across traditional disciplinary boundaries to create new connections and to develop innovative new research that will have influence beyond academia. WIRL provided a combination of bespoke training and a research environment to foster this ambition by bringing researchers from diverse backgrounds together within the interdisciplinary environment of the Institute of Advanced Study (IAS) at Warwick. The aim of the programme was to form a group of innovative and highly skilled research leaders who would drive innovation in the European economy and contribute to the European Union’s plans to build a dynamic, knowledge-based economy. The programme aimed to improve economic growth by addressing three key areas: the need to replace retiring researchers; supporting increases in R&D intensity & economic growth by providing new research leaders; creating research leaders who can work across different sectors and help ensure the transfer of research into economic and social activity. There was no unifying research theme within WIRL and fellows were able to define their own projects within the broad boundaries of Warwick’s Global Research Priorities (GRPs). The GRPs address some of the major challenges facing society today and over the programme have included Behaviour, Brain & Society, Connecting Cultures, Cyber Security, Energy, Food, Global Governance, Habitability, Innovative Manufacturing & Future Materials, International Development, Productivity & the Future of Work, Science and Technology for Health and Sustainable Cities. WIRL fellows spent two years at Warwick developing their independent research and participating in an innovative training programme. Fellows were also able to undertake secondments to other research organisations in order to benefit from the expertise available and to gain experience working across sectors. Fellows were jointly based in the interdisciplinary hub of the IAS and an academic department which was able to support their specific research area.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

The Warwick Interdisciplinary Research Leadership Programme (WIRL) is a major new initiative by the University of Warwick to train future generations of Research Leaders in Europe. Warwick is known for its experience in interdisciplinary postdoctoral training through its leading Institute of Advanced Study (IAS), its innovative cross-sectoral research carried out through its ten Global Research Priorities (GRPs) and its international environment and reputation created through distinctive global partnerships and research collaborations. WIRL will build on this background to train 30 international researchers over five years to form a group of New Research Leaders who will contribute to the European Union’s plans to build a dynamic, knowledge-based economy and to improve economic growth. Warwick’s experience shows that Research Leadership is greatly enabled through close mentoring, international collaborations and the opportunity to build an independent research profile within the first five years of post-PhD research. Since 2007 the IAS has hosted a well-established research development programme, delivering complementary skills training to early career and experienced researchers. WIRL will be a major step forward in Warwick’s Postdoctoral training programme. It will expand the current UK-centred programme into one with a pan-European focus and global reach. WIRL will create an environment for Fellows to develop the skills and gain the experience required to become Research Leaders in their fields within and beyond academia. This research environment is underpinned by the University’s 10 interdisciplinary GRPs that sit across academic disciplines, representing Warwick’s key areas of research excellence and engagement. GRPs bring together research strengths from across the University, giving them clear thematic identities that show where Warwick can make a significant and distinctive contribution to the resolution of some of the world’s most pressing issues.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

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Data: CORDIS, © European Union