Opportunity: 2008 BA Media Fellowship scheme, c/d 31 March 2008

Experience first hand how science is reported by spending 3-8 weeks on a summer placement gaining experience of working within a media organisation. Come away better equipped to communicate your research to the public and your colleagues. Learn to work within the constraints of the media to produce accurate, well-informed pieces about developments in science.

The BA Media Fellowships are intended to create a greater awareness and understanding of the workings of the media among practising scientists, clinicians, social scientists and engineers. The Fellowships provide placements working with a national press, broadcast or internet journalist. Previous hosts include The Guardian, The Times, BBC Radio and BBC News Interactive.

You are eligible to apply for the scheme if you:

• are a scientist, clinician, social scientist or engineer
• have a minimum of 2 years postgraduate experience in your field
• are a resident of the UK
• work at any level in an academic or research institution, industry, civil service or any other similar organisation

Details about the scheme, including an online application form can be found at www.the-ba.net/mediafellows Application deadline: 31 March 2008

Event: Open Innovation in Practice, London, 20 March 2008

Open Innovation is a concept that in recent years has come to the forefront of innovation management. The concept of Open Innovation is that by looking outside their own boundaries, companies can gain better access to ideas, knowledge, technology and markets than would be the case if they relied solely on their own resources – a relatively uncomplicated theory which many people dismiss as being too simple or merely describing what they have been doing for years.

For the past two years, the Innovation Advisory Service for the South East of England has helped numerous companies to use Open Innovation to their advantage. Now there is an opportunity for companies to learn from this experience. On Thursday 20 March the Innovation Advisory Service South East is hosting a National Conference on Open Innovation in Practice at The Royal Society in London, where delegates will have the opportunity to hear from companies, both large and small, about how different elements of the Open Innovation model have worked for them.

The event includes speakers from General Dynamics UK, the Technology Strategy Board, Innovation Advisory Service South East, South East England Development Agency, BAE Systems; Thales Research and Technology and Balfour Beatty; and from growing innovative companies such as, Lein Applied Diagnostics; Jack Knight Designs Ltd and Wines Medical Ltd.

Further details, including the event programme, registration arrangements, and the cancellation fee are on the IASSE website.

Events: John Denham, Science and Innovation minister, webchat 13 March 2008

John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skiils, will take part in a live webchat on 13 March 2008 at 13:30 GMT. John's remit includes increasing the supply of people in science, technology and engineering as well as developing a world-class research base in the UK. You can submit questions in advance of the event by entering your email address and clicking through to the question form. The website states that John "will take questions focusing on science and technology as the country celebrates National Science and Engineering Week from 7 to 16 March."

Funding: Royal Society Industry Fellowships 2008, cd 13 March 2008

The Royal Society Industry Fellowship Scheme aims to foster knowledge transfer and exchange between academia and industry. The Fellowships provide the chance for scientists with permanent positions in industry or academia (or not-for-profit research organisations) to work for up to two years (full-time) or 4 years (part-time) in the other sector. The personal and corporate links forged will provide a foundation for future collaborative development. The fellowships are jointly funded with EPSRC, BBSRC, NERC, Rolls Royce plc and Astra Zeneca Ltd. Closing Dates: 18 October 2007 and 13 March 2008.

R&D Society in the media: Royal Society "A higher degree of concern" report published

On 31 January 2008, the Royal Society published A higher degree of concern, the second and final phase of a project examining STEM higher education in the UK. It makes recommendations regarding how UK STEM higher education can remain fit for purpose into the middle of the next decade and beyond.

To enable organisations to submit evidence to the Royal Society's study, the Research and Development Society conducted a web-based survey of our members and contacts of the current and future needs of employers in science-based industries. The survey report, Higher Education in 2015 and beyond: will it meet our needs? is available for download for free from the R&D Society website.

One of the key findings of our survey was that respondents had no clear way of communicating their needs course curriculum organisers, but wanted to be able to. The Royal Society report (page 3) notes "emphasis needs to be placed on a collaborative approach to learning provision that ensures that businesses and other employers are engaged in curriculum development, course design and delivery."

The full report. A higher degree of concern, and a short executive summary, are available to download from the Royal Society website.

Funding: NERC Knowledge Transfer Call, c/d 4 March 2008

NERC is inviting applications for the first round of the 2008 Knowledge Transfer Call, with a closing date of 4 March (4pm). The KT Call helps maximise the transfer of knowledge, people, skills and expertise between the UK's research base and the user community (public and private sector organisations). The Call is flexible, to cater for the many types of knowledge flow. The next round will have a closing date of 5 August. The KT Call is open to applicants based in UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), NERC Research and Collaborative Centres, and Independent Research Organisations (IROs) approved by NERC. Applications should fall within the NERC science remit. Examples of networks which have been funded through the Knowledge Transfer Call, to exchange ideas and knowledge between the science and user communities are on the NERC website.