The Business Development and International Liaison unit (BDIL) unit has released the latest issue of the International Brief and the Funding E-Bulletin. These publications are both available for download in pdf format.

• Download the September 2013 International Brief

• Download the October 2013 Funding E-Bulletin

Highlights from this issue of the International Brief include: the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the University of Basel, research activities, conference updates and info about a new partnership with two US universities.

The HIV/AIDS, STIs and TB (HAST) research programme is proud to be hosting seven interns from Emory University Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta, Georgia, and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH) in Baltimore, Maryland. The four Emory students will be with the programme for four months and will be working with Professor Leickness Simbayi, Ms Allanise Cloete and Mr Thiyane Duda on a mixed-methods study focused on exploring custom-fitted (i.e. different sizes) male condoms as a sexual health intervention in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Funding E-Bulletin has news about a new E-System under development at the HSRC to strengthen and formalise the support BDIL provides to research programmes and the institution. The is also information about proposl submissions, funding alerts and submissions.

Humanities and social sciences unsure of prospects in Horizon 2020

You can also read about a high-profile event on social sciences and humanities namely Horizon 2020, which had mixed views on their prospects for participation in the programme, after hearing promises from the European Commission that they’ll be fully included.

The conference, an EU presidency event in Vilnius, Lithuania on 23 and 24 September, was designed as a flagship event to showcase how SSH will be an integral part of the Horizon 2020 research programme. But following the event, some researchers are convinced that the structure of the programme and its narrow focus on innovation for economic gains means that SSH research will remain a peripheral part of EU-funded research. “I am not optimistic,” one humanities researcher told Research Europe, stating that Commission officials appeared to have failed to identify a single humanities research area within its plans.

The fact that the Commission has not released the names of the experts in the Horizon 2020 advisory groups is also a problem, said participants, because SSH researchers do not know who to address concerns to and have no assurance they will be fairly represented.