We build bridges between support functions
Research support at AU has been reorganised in the past year, so that faculties and departments can support more instruments, while the Research Support Office (FSE) focuses on Horizon Europe, Innovation Fund Denmark, the Danish National Research Foundation (DG) and others (see the full list here). The goal for all support offices remains the same – to help researchers in the best possible way to obtain a research grant, regardless of whether they are assisted by the Research Support Office or locally. Therefore, collaboration across the offices is crucial and it is being developed daily. Isabella Marie Leong, a project manager at the Project and Funding team at Agroecology, has set the bar high for both collaboration and local support for researchers.
“We see ourselves as a link between all support functions – us at the department, TECH Research Support (TECH RS) and the Research Support Office. When a researcher approaches us, we find the office that can provide the best help. We’re close to the researchers, we know what they’re working on, and we can guide them on the various instruments and support options,” says Isabella Leong.
In her experience, collaboration between Agroecology, the Research Support Office and TECH RS works very well. They have organised events together at which researchers were introduced to the instruments and support functions available. If she sees a need for focus on basic research funding, for example, she will have Torben Juul Classen from TECH RS come and talk about it. Currently, she can see that researchers need more knowledge about the ERC instrument under Horizon Europe, and therefore she is working with the Research Support Office to arrange an event about it.
“Researchers are our target group and we adapt to suit their needs. That's why we also attend section meetings, at which both they and we always learn a great deal,” says Isabella Leong.
We adapt to researchers’ needs
Agroecology is 100 per cent externally funded and therefore management has prioritised upgrading the local support office. The Project and Funding team at the Department of Agroecology has drawn up a plan for developing research support, with both short-term and long-term initiatives. Right now, they are focusing on accessibility and dialogue, and they have invited themselves to section meetings, each of which is tailored to the individual section.
“We call it our roadshow, as we have sections on Zealand, in Foulum and in Aarhus. They were very grateful that we showed up in person. And we allowed plenty of time for discussion. You often pick up on frustrations in more informal discussions. For example, some were struggling with budget templates. So we quickly set up a webinar about them. Another example is the possibility to read draft work programmes. They didn't know about this - but we could point out that this service was available from the Research Support Office and that the AU Research Support newsletter regularly writes about new draft work programmes. We need to help researchers navigate a complex landscape that is constantly changing,” says Isabella Leong.
No wrong entry to research support
A more long-term initiative is to draw up guidelines and introductions to some of the requirements set by funders – particularly in the impact section. Funders are increasingly focusing on impact – even in basic research they are asking about societal impact. We need to prepare our researchers for this. We’re developing courses so that researchers can be better at writing these sections,” she says.
Isabella Leong finds that the support functions at department level, faculty level and central level work well, and that everyone wants to cooperate.
“We all want to help researchers as well as possible – and if we all think that there’s no wrong approach or request from researchers, but just help them along, then the entire reorganisation will be successful and benefit researchers and their ability to land an external grant,” concludes Isabella Leong.