Updates
The team produce a quarterly newsletter to provide information on funding opportunities, events and internationalisation activity.
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In the future we are changing the way we communicate with you. We will use the Faculty announcements to signpost to articles on the FBMH Internationalisation Webpage We hope that this will allow us to update you more frequently and also highlight the useful content on our intranet. As ever, we welcome your thoughts and suggestions
Newsletters from the collaboration on regnerative immunology between the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Manchester:
Events
Seminars
Presenter: Dr Sabah Boufkhed, Senior lecturer in Global health. Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute, University of Manchester
Date: 22 May 12.00-13.00
Where: Williamson Building room 2.05
Topic: Exploitation as an overlooked determinant of health. A conceptual framework and a case study with low-paid care workers
Labour exploitation is a catch-all term that if often used to refer to situations of modern slavery, forced labour and human trafficking, but also harsh, sub-standard or unacceptable labour conditions - which can feel on a lower part of a continuum of exploitation. While there is growing evidence about the negative impact of exploitation on health, the definitions used remain unspecific and the field lacks a systematic approach. The literature is mostly scattered in two distinct school of thoughts discussing labour exploitation: the Human Rights and the Social Determinant of Health Schools.
The lack of common conceptualisation and operational tools to assess exploitation prevents the development of systematised research to clarify how labour exploitation impacts workers’ health. In this presentation I aim to clarify the concept of labour exploitation for health research and give a concrete example of how to use the framework.
In the first part of the presentation, I will introduce the two schools of thought and a standardisable conceptual framework of labour exploitation that provides a common ground conceptualisation and tool bringing together the two schools. In the second part, I will present how I operationalised it in a mixed-methods study to assess the labour conditions, exploitation and health of low-paid care workers in Brazil, Colombia, France, UK and US.
Presenter: Dr Sabah Boufkhed
Dr Sabah Boufkhed is a Senior Lecturer in Global Health at The University of Manchester’s Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute. She is an epidemiologist and interdisciplinary Global Health researcher committed to social justice. Her expertise includes labour exploitation and migrant health, mixed-methods methodology, implementation science and preparedness & response to public health emergencies.
We encourage colleagues interested in presenting their work to get in touch.
EU Update - Horizon Europe Work Programmes 2025 Information Sessions
Following the release of 2025 Work Programmes the following dates for information sessions have been released - please circulate this email to interested staff in your schools.
Horizon Europe info days - EU Missions [ukro.ac.uk] - EU Missions goals in the areas of health, climate and the environment
Horizon Europe info days - WIDERA Work Programme 2025 [ukro.ac.uk] - Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence actions
Horizon Europe info days - Cluster 1 [ukro.ac.uk] - Health
Horizon Europe info days - Cluster 4 [ukro.ac.uk] - Digital, Industry and Space
Horizon Europe info days – Cluster 5 - Climate, Energy and Mobility
Horizon Europe info days - Cluster 6 - Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
CONNECTS-UK Informative Session: Workshop on MSCA Individual Fellowships [ukro.ac.uk]
A full list of UKRO events can be found on the UKRO website.
The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science - Summer Program 2025
EC Webinars on Lump Sum Funding in Horizon Europe
A dedicated “Lump sum funding in Horizon Europe” section is available on the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal. It brings together all the information on lump sum funding in the programme, FAQs and events.
Information on Lump Sum funding was circulated in October 2023
- H2020/Horizon Europe - Financial Management and Post-Award Reporting held on 14th November 2023 - Slides available
- Horizon Europe – Engaging with the Programme and Proposal Submission held on 16th November 2023 - Slides to follow
- EC Webinar on Lump Sum Funding in Horizon Europe held on 8th February 2024 - Slides to follow
News
UKRI Horizon Europe Guarantee guidance updated
The latest version of the Horizon Europe Guarantee guidance document has been published on the UKRI website (PDF, 0.9MB) – also attached, with a number of updates relevant to ERC and MSCA Guarantee grants.
Key changes include:
- Updates on awards being issues & closed through the Funding Service (TFS)
- Clarification of total funding requested through the Guarantee
- Exchange rate updates for 2025
- Further guidance added on subcontracting and setting up applicants on IFS
- Policy clarifications on remote working and cascade funding
- MSCA: additional guidance on end-of-grant financial reporting, requirements for changing supervisor (PF), and expectations for ROs regarding contributions for recruited researchers.
Please check out our New Global Futures website
New Research Security Hub is here
All the information and guidance you need to keep you and your work secure
The University’s new Research Security Hub is now live, helping academics and PS staff keep themselves and their work safe as we face a complex international environment and therefore new and changing potential risks.
The Hub contains all the information, guidance and support colleagues will need as they carry out their work, whether it’s collaborating on research, managing data, information governance, travelling or working abroad, welcoming visitors, ATAS requirements or managing Export Controls.
The Hub also includes Government guidance from the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), including its Trusted Research campaign to support the UK’s research community.
You can visit the Hub at:
Quantum leap for UK and Germany science and research links
South Korea to associate with Horizon Europe
Funding for ‘greener’ international travel
Colleagues say our top up fund for reducing emissions is easy to access – and opens up new ways of working
Further details
Horizon Europe Guarantee fund awards £1bn in grants
The funding is enabling them to participate in Horizon Europe projects while the UK’s association to the flagship EU funding programme is delayed.
Also today the government has set out its prospectus for a programme to protect and support the UK research and innovation sector, should it be required.
The guarantee fund is delivered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). It supports researchers and innovators who have been successful in Horizon Europe competitions but cannot receive EU funding due to the delays to the UK’s association to the programme. With guarantee funding they can continue their important work in research and innovation.
INTERNATIONAL VISITS UPDATE
Emerging and Developing International Partnerships and Initiatives
Kuwait
- FBMH met with National Technology Enterprises Company, Kuwait to discuss the possibility of developing a medical university in Kuwait
- NTEC is a fully owned subsidiary of the Kuwait Investment Authority
- A visit is planned to discuss possible plans further
