The Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) invites eligible universities to submit bids to undertake the following activity:

Description

To participate in the JISC Transformations Programme under the following strands:

A: Enhanced student experience

B: Improved efficiency and / or cost savings

C: Enhanced organisational capability for business and community engagement

D: Improved environmental performance

£15,000 per project

(12-15 months duration)

All projects must complete by July 2013

Submission of bids by: 12 noon UK time on 22 February 2012

Notify bidders by: 13 April 2012

Projects to start by: 30 April 2012

Projects to end by July 2013

Submission of bids by: 12 noon UK time on 16 April 2012

Notify bidders by: 28 May 2012

Projects to start by: 11 Jun 2012

Projects to end by July 2013

£1 million is available for this Programme in the 2011/12 Academic Year to fund projects at £15,000 each.  This is the second call this Academic Year which provides two further opportunities to submit bids for 12-15 month projects as detailed below

• 12 noon UK time on 22 February 2012 – to start 30 April 2012
• 12 noon UK time on 16 April 2012 – to start 11 June 2012

A Programme Blog has been set up which will include important information relevant to the call.  Potential bidders should monitor the Blog at http://transformations.jiscinvolve.org/wp/.

Eligibility

Proposals may be submitted by HE institutions funded via HEFCE, SFC, HEFCW and DEL Northern Ireland.  FE institutions in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are not eligible to bid for this call. A separate opportunity for FE and Skills sector learning providers across the UK is being planned by JISC and JISC Advance.  

With regard to bids from Scottish HE institutions, SFC has applied a significant budget cut to JISC in 2011-12 AY.  Following consultation with Scottish institutions, SFC has requested that the impact of this budget cut falls on the number of innovation projects JISC is able to fund at Scottish institutions, rather than to cut or increase charges for national services, such as JANET, JISC Collections and JISC Advance.  Whilst Scottish institutions therefore remain eligible to bid for project funding in response to this call, depending on the quality of the submissions, JISC may need to limit the number of projects awarded to Scottish HE institutions.