securing funding for educational development projects

Securing funding for educational development

projects

Dr Peter Kahn

University of Liverpool

(formerly University of Manchester)

Developing the Developers

Aim

• To foster insight into the process of bidding for development funds.

Developing the Developers

Collaboration

• Collaboration is essential in:– hearing of funding opportunities– generating and selecting ideas– bid writing– projects with value for money and that have

an impact– developing large-scale projects

Developing the Developers

Networking skills

• Create opportunities to meet other people– face-to-face, email lists; locally, institutionally

and nationally

• Establish common interests with those you do meet:– let them know of your own interests, and find

our theirs

• Engage in joint activities, publications, initiatives and projects

Developing the Developers

Sources of funding

• Institutional opportunities– Teaching awards; Faculty funds; e-learning

• National opportunities– http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/funding

• Activity: review of three different funding opportunities. What are the key characteristics that the funders are looking for in an application?

Developing the Developers

Selecting a project

• Generating high-quality ideas– Reading, conferences, discussions. New ideas are

determined in significant part by the richness of your networks

• Will it work?– Personal motivation; needs of those involved;

political/strategic agendas

• Links to existing work– Clear connections recognised to existing practice,

studies or theory

Developing the Developers

Establishing credibility

• Track record– Specific development projects in which you

have been involved

• Publications

• Personal relationships and collaborative activity

• General experience and qualifications

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The funder’s agenda

• Follow the requirements

• Will the project deliver?– project management plans need to be in

place

• Specific issues of interest to the funder– quality of proposal, track record, and clarity of

bid will always be necessary – what else?

Developing the Developers

Activity

• Employ the proforma to analyse the viability of your ideas for two possible educational development projects– for which you might want to secure funding, or

support colleagues in securing funding.

• In pairs, discuss the two possible projects, and your analysis. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each idea?

Developing the Developers

Writing the bid

• Writing skills– Getting writing going, structure, revising

• Analysing your draft application in light of funding criteria

• Views from others on the draft

• … reworking, and reworking!

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Case study: EBL projects

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of each application, in respect to the funding requirements?

• What specific improvements could you suggest to each application to improve its chance of funding?

Developing the Developers

Conclusions

• Invest efforts in collaboration and networking

• Persistence is required to pull of genuine funding successes

• Make sure that you have the time and resources to actually deliver what you promise

Acknowledgements

• This presentation was originally developed at the University of Manchester, as part of a course for developing those in development roles.

Developing the Developers

Further reading

See also, on working with others:

Walsh L and Kahn P E (2009) Collaborative working in higher education, Routledge, London.

On networking:

Kahn P E and Walsh L (2006) Developing your teaching, Key Guides to Effective Teaching in Higher Education, Routledge, London.

Developing the Developers