| Description | Notes and supporting papers of the Strategic Task Force which was established in January 2001 to be responsible for considering the University's response to a range of research funding initiatives, including all those where projects were large enough to require the Vice-Chancellor's approval, involving project costs of more than £0.5 million, excluding equipment; which were cross-disciplinary; with a capital research programme; where University financial support was required; and where research proposals required a five to ten year horizon. Initiatives included Scientific Research Investment Fund (SRIF) bids, Interdisciplinary Research Centre (IRC) calls, and large European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) bids. The Task Force would seek ideas at the start of each year from Heads of Schools for proposed projects within the remit of the Task Force.
The role of the Task Force was to advise the Executive Group and to assist with the developmnt of the University's strategic research plans; coordinate and manage strategically the Unviersity's response to research funding opportunities requiring a central overview, witin an agreed University cash limit; encourage submission of bids most likely to develop or enhance research areas of strategic importance to the University of Birmingham; and maximise the chances of success in such competitions bu selecting and further improving bids. It replaced the Joint Infrastructure Fund Group which had met to consider the University's response to Joint Infrastructure Fund (JIF) initiatives supporting investment in research facilities. The final meeting of the Joint Infrastructure Fund Group was held in December 2001.
Membership of the Task Force consisted of the Pro-Vice Chancellor Research as Chair; institutional members - the Vice-Principal, the Registrar and Secretary, the Director of Research Support and Business Development, the Director of Finance, the Director of Estate Management, the Dean of Medicine, the Dean of Science, and the Interdisciplinary Research Sub-Group Chair; and operational members - the Assistant Director of Research Support and Business Development, the Assistant Director of Finance, the Assistant Director of Estate Management, the Assistant Director of Information Services, a nominee of the Dean of Arts and Social Sciences, a nominee of the Dean of Engineering, a nominee of the Dean of Medicine, and a nominee of the Dean of Science.
Institutional members focused on the University's overal strategy in responding to specific initiatives, and Operational members were responsible for selection and redrafting of bids. A wider pool of experts could be drawn on depending on the particular funding initiative being discussed. The Task Force reported to the Executive Group.
Meetings of the full group were held according to need. Operational group members would meet more often but would try to conduct as much businesss as possible electronically (by email). Meeting notes of the whole group and the Operational group members were circulated to all Task Force members to enable comment from the wider group. Reports were disseminated more widely within the University via the research fora.
The meeting notes and supporting papers contain discussion of preparation of the University's Strategic Research Investment Fund programme and submission to HEFCE, other funding initiatives and expressions of interest in submitting applications from the Schools, and include copies of responses from the Schools to the establishment of the Task Force and copies of proposals and bids for consideration from Heads of Schools. The Task Force briefly discussed feedback from the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2001 and the implications of the RAE for the University and steps that could be taken to strengthen further the University's research standing.
The Task Force was disbanded in 2002 in expectation of the establishment of a Research committee by the 2002-2003 academic year (see UB/COM/166 for minutes and supporting papers of the Research Sub-Committee 2002-2005) |