The Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarships
The Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarships is a major European Convergence programme led by Â鶹´«Ã½¸ßÇå°æ on behalf of the Welsh higher education sector. Benefiting from European Social Funds (ESF), KESS supports collaborative research projects at Masters and Phd levels alongside businesses and organisations based in the Convergence area of Wales (West Wales and the Valleys).
Project proposals need to be scoped by a BU academic and a company partner – with the project focusing on addressing a company need.
To be eligible for ESF funding projects must adhere to the following criteria:
- Be scoped in partnership with a company partner.
- Project activity must be in the convergence region of Wales.
- The company partner will have to contribute an annual cash contribution between £3k – £4k +VAT (depending on company size).
- Projects must fit within one of the WG grand challenge areas : Life Sciences & Health; Low Carbon, Energy & Environment; ICT & Digital Economy; Advanced Engineering & Materials.
- Must lead to a Masters by Research; MRes or PhD qualification.
- Must be completed in 3.5 years for PhD; 1year 3 months for Research Masters.
- Once proposed projects have been approved, a scholarship will be offered.
The scholarship offers the eligible participant (student) :
- A monthly stipend in line with RCUK rates: 3 years of funding @ £14,002 per year for PhD; one year funding @ £11,313 for Research Masters.
- University tuition fees are waived by BU.
- An opportunity to access a suite of higher level skills training and attendance at a residential KESS Grad School. All participants must complete the KESS Postgraduate Skills Development Award.
- A minimum of 30 days a year working with the company partner on their allocated project.
- Standard KESS budget for other research project related costs (travel, consumables and equipment).
- Student must complete and submit their thesis in 3.5 years for PhD; 1 year 3 months for Research Masters.
- Applicants should be resident in the convergence area of Wales on appointment, and should have the right to work in the region on qualification.
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Contacts
| Staff | Position | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penny Dowdney | p.j.dowdney@bangor.ac.uk | KESS 2 Wales Manager | 01248 38 2266 |
| Brian Murcutt | b.murcutt@bangor.ac.uk | KESS 2 Project Co-ordinator | 01248Ìý38 2162 |
| Aashu Jayadeep | a.jayadeep@bangor.ac.uk | Doctoral School Administrator | 01248Ìý38 2357 |
| Dawn Davies | d.davies@bangor.ac.uk |
KESS 2 Senior Finance Officer |
01248Ìý38 2846 |
| Mererid Gordon | m.h.gordon@bangor.ac.uk |
KESS 2 Marketing and Publicity Officer |
01248Ìý38 8715 |
| Sandra Roberts | s.l.roberts@bangor.ac.uk | KESS 2 Monitoring Officer | 01248Ìý38 2501 |
| KESS 2 | KESS2@bangor.ac.uk | General Enquiries | Ìý |
| Institution | Name | Role | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberystwyth University | Linda Cook | fic9@aber.ac.uk | KESS 2ÌýProject Officer | 01970 621879 |
| Cardiff University | Esther Meadows | KESS@cardiff.ac.uk |
KESS 2 Finance and Compliance Officer |
02920 879439 |
| Cardiff Metropolitan University | Rae Depaul | rdepaul@cardiffmet.ac.uk | KESS 2 Project Manager | 02920 416441 |
| Glyndŵr University | Stewart Milne | s.milne@glyndwr.ac.uk | Head of Research Services | 01978 293573 |
| Swansea University |
Jane Kelly Jane Phipps |
KESSstudentenquiries@swansea.ac.uk |
KESS 2 Project Co-ordinator(s) |
01792 513565 01792 513729 |
|
University of Wales Trinity Saint David(UWTSD) |
Nicola Powell | Nicola.powell@uwtsd.ac.uk | KESS 2 Administrator | 01792 481199 |
| Univesity of South Wales(USW) | Clare Naylor | kess@southwales.ac.uk | USW KESS 2 Programme Manager | 01443 654496 |