Research mobility Top research organizations across Europe have reached an agreement that allows researchers who move to a new institute in another country during an ongoing project to take their remaining grant money with them, thus enabling them to continue their research.
The new deal between 12 leading research bodies from ten European countries . Austria, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Norway and Switzerland – was agreed at the European Union Research Organization’s Heads of Research Councils (EUROHORC) meeting. By signing up to this ‘money follows researchers’ principle, partner research bodies agree to permit researchers to take along grant money when moving to new positions in other participating countries. “The aim is to facilitate the mobility of researchers within the European Research Area (ERA), to preserve existing research opportunities, and to bridge the period until an application for funds in the new country has been successful,” a council spokesperson explained. “However, the possibility of transferring equipment and larger investments needs to be considered on a case-by-case basis.”
Sunshower
As part of an innovation competition, Dutch magazine ‘Intermediair’ asked 1,200 of its readers to vote for the best and worst products of 2004. The Sunshower, developed by TU Delft students, earned third place in the worst product category. The combination shower and solarium was heavily criticized because tanning beds cause cancer. Merijn Wegdam of Sunshower isn’t attaching too much importance to the result, however: “Research by TNO proves that a brief, daily tan in the Sunshower is less damaging than twice-weekly visits to a tanning salon.”
Bike racks
Housing corporation Duwo hasn’t yet built a bicycle stall on the Balthasar van der Polweg. In October 2004, Duwo promised to build a covered bicycle stall there, because too many bikes were being locked to a pedestrian bridge’s railings. In 2003, two designs for a bike stall were selected, but the project progressed no further. Now, Duwo employee Aad Schelfhorst has requested the funding to hire one of the designers to finish the project. “We need 15,000 euro,” Schelfhorst said. Duwo has yet to grant the funds.
Knowledge city?
Student political party Stip and the VVD party in the Delft municipal council are calling for a ‘city debate’ on Delft as ‘Knowledge City’. In the 1990s, Delft positioned itself as a knowledge city, but Stip and the VVD say this concept is scarcely understood by local politicians and Delft’s citizens. The parties want to initiate a debate that will allow Delft’s residents to define what ‘Knowledge City’ really means. They say a broad social debate is needed to improve Delft’s competitive position.
Better English
Information in English for foreign students must improve, and the TU Executive Board must take action to ensure it does, says the TU Ombudsman. In a recently released written report, Ombudsman Wil Knippenberg cites a number of complaints made by foreign students, including those regarding the mandatory service fee. The Ombudsman says the reasons why foreign students must pay a service fee remain unclear. “There is insufficient information about the service fee and other issues,” he said. In his report, Knippenberg cited a complaint by a foreign student who found the 2,300 euro service fee too high and who complained that the promised services, such as help with visas, insurance, housing and summer school, were either insufficiently arranged or not on time. Knippenberg found that “the university uses English too infrequently in the information it provides for students”, and that this is “indefensible and unacceptable”. Knippenbeg advised the Executive Board to “take more intensive action in providing information in English.”
Research mobility
Top research organizations across Europe have reached an agreement that allows researchers who move to a new institute in another country during an ongoing project to take their remaining grant money with them, thus enabling them to continue their research. The new deal between 12 leading research bodies from ten European countries . Austria, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Norway and Switzerland – was agreed at the European Union Research Organization’s Heads of Research Councils (EUROHORC) meeting. By signing up to this ‘money follows researchers’ principle, partner research bodies agree to permit researchers to take along grant money when moving to new positions in other participating countries. “The aim is to facilitate the mobility of researchers within the European Research Area (ERA), to preserve existing research opportunities, and to bridge the period until an application for funds in the new country has been successful,” a council spokesperson explained. “However, the possibility of transferring equipment and larger investments needs to be considered on a case-by-case basis.”
Sunshower
As part of an innovation competition, Dutch magazine ‘Intermediair’ asked 1,200 of its readers to vote for the best and worst products of 2004. The Sunshower, developed by TU Delft students, earned third place in the worst product category. The combination shower and solarium was heavily criticized because tanning beds cause cancer. Merijn Wegdam of Sunshower isn’t attaching too much importance to the result, however: “Research by TNO proves that a brief, daily tan in the Sunshower is less damaging than twice-weekly visits to a tanning salon.”
Bike racks
Housing corporation Duwo hasn’t yet built a bicycle stall on the Balthasar van der Polweg. In October 2004, Duwo promised to build a covered bicycle stall there, because too many bikes were being locked to a pedestrian bridge’s railings. In 2003, two designs for a bike stall were selected, but the project progressed no further. Now, Duwo employee Aad Schelfhorst has requested the funding to hire one of the designers to finish the project. “We need 15,000 euro,” Schelfhorst said. Duwo has yet to grant the funds.
Knowledge city?
Student political party Stip and the VVD party in the Delft municipal council are calling for a ‘city debate’ on Delft as ‘Knowledge City’. In the 1990s, Delft positioned itself as a knowledge city, but Stip and the VVD say this concept is scarcely understood by local politicians and Delft’s citizens. The parties want to initiate a debate that will allow Delft’s residents to define what ‘Knowledge City’ really means. They say a broad social debate is needed to improve Delft’s competitive position.
Better English
Information in English for foreign students must improve, and the TU Executive Board must take action to ensure it does, says the TU Ombudsman. In a recently released written report, Ombudsman Wil Knippenberg cites a number of complaints made by foreign students, including those regarding the mandatory service fee. The Ombudsman says the reasons why foreign students must pay a service fee remain unclear. “There is insufficient information about the service fee and other issues,” he said. In his report, Knippenberg cited a complaint by a foreign student who found the 2,300 euro service fee too high and who complained that the promised services, such as help with visas, insurance, housing and summer school, were either insufficiently arranged or not on time. Knippenberg found that “the university uses English too infrequently in the information it provides for students”, and that this is “indefensible and unacceptable”. Knippenbeg advised the Executive Board to “take more intensive action in providing information in English.”
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