“Sometimes access to relatively small funds can enable a researcher, for example, to pay for pump priming analyses or modest publication costs,” remarked EULAR Past President Professor Dr. Iain B. McInnes from Glasgow, Scotland, UK. “With the new voucher programme, we want to support promising RMD research that is at risk due to insufficient underpinning funds or resources.”
The voucher programme is offered through the EULAR Research Centre that facilitates collaborative research to improve the lives of people with RMDs. Three types of vouchers will be awarded quarterly:
The Research Service Voucher provides rapid funding of up to EUR 5,000 in expenses for purchasing core facility services, technology or equipment, and other resources supporting RMD research projects. The goal is to give investigators with insufficient research funds the support to nurture a small idea with big potential.
The Publication Voucher provides rapid funding to support publications about RMD research in high-quality peer-review journals. Research results must become accessible to advance the broad field. But publication fees pose a roadblock and burden to some researchers.
“Although the primary metric for evaluation will be the quality of the proposal, this voucher allows EULAR to support research and the dissemination of its results from regions in which rheumatology research has received lower levels of support on a historical basis,” added McInnes.
The EU Grant Development Voucher provides rapid funding of up to EUR 5,000 for purchasing professional writing support for EU grants, such as the European Research Council (ERC) or Horizon Europe. “Through the EULAR Consultation Service, we already offer advice on EU grant proposals. Investigators who successfully secured EU funds to conduct RMD research share their experience and advice, which is invaluable especially for new investigators” said Professor Dirk Elewaut from Ghent University Hospital, Belgium, Chair of the EULAR Research Committee. “This voucher was a logical extension to help promising investigators with managing the demanding task of writing an EU research proposal.”
How to apply
The vouchers will be available to investigators who are current residents and working in EULAR-affiliated countries. Investigators can view more information and apply for a voucher online.
Questions can be addressed to the EULAR Research team at research@eular.org.
References
[1] van der Heijde D, Daikh DI, Betteridge N, et al. Common language description of the term rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) for use in communication with the lay public, healthcare providers and other stakeholders endorsed by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) and the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Ann Rheum Dis 2018;77:829–832.
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About EULAR
EULAR is the European umbrella organisation representing scientific societies, health professional associations and organisations for people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). EULAR aims to reduce the burden of RMDs on individuals and society and to improve the treatment, prevention and rehabilitation of RMDs. To this end, EULAR fosters excellence in education and research in the field of rheumatology. It promotes the translation of research advances into daily care and fights for the recognition of the needs of people with RMDs by the EU institutions through advocacy action.
Contact
EULAR Press, press@eular.org, Tel. +41 44 716 30 36
Notes to Editors
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