The Institute for a Circular Society (i4CS), part of the EWUU alliance, is excited to introduce the next round of Seed Funding. Are you a researcher at TU/e, WUR, UU or UMCU and passionate about advancing circular solutions through inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration and innovative research? Then this is your opportunity to team up with EWUU colleagues, develop collaborative projects and drive impact in the pursuit for a circular society.

Pressure cooker: 26 September 2024; 9:30 – 17:00 (Register before 19 September)

Deadline proposal: 18 October 2024, 17:00

Visit website for more information and registration page

Aim and approach of the seed call

This seed call is connected to i4CS’s theme Circular safe hospitals (CSH).  

CSH’s mission is to stimulate the development of circular solutions for healthcare. This means that we are looking for solutions that close loops, take planetary boundaries as a precondition and contribute to social inclusion and justice.

This call will focus on the following topics

1. Circularity in procurement and contracting in hospitals.
2. Towards circular laboratories.
3. Circularity from the planetary health perspective.

With this seed call i4CS aims to:

• Initiate and support innovative ideas and perspectives on developing circular solutions for healthcare;
• Facilitate and stimulate collaboration with stakeholders from the healthcare sector, including professionals from the UMCU.
• Stimulate and facilitate transdisciplinary* collaboration, including researchers of the four EWUU institutes and professionals from UMCU.
• Address knowledge gaps encountered by the healthcare sector.

This way we aim to inspire academic research with direct societal impact. 

* Research that integrates knowledge across academic disciplines and with societal stakeholders to address societal challenges.

Researchers can apply for a seed fund after attending a one-day pressure cooker session on 26 September 2024, in Utrecht.

Pressure cooker – 26 September 2024; 9:30 – 17:00, Utrecht

Researchers from the four EWUU alliance universities are invited to develop transdisciplinary research proposals that contribute to bridging the described knowledge gaps. To facilitate the development of relevant research proposals, i4CS will organise a 1-day pressure cooker session where researchers are facilitated to explore collaboration with professionals working in the UMC Utrecht and other researchers from the four institutes and develop research ideas together.

Pressure cooker agenda:

• In the morning, we will focus on getting to know each other better and on elaborating on your theme of interest and the knowledge questions from UMC Utrecht. Stakeholders in the healthcare sector, including professionals from the UMC Utrecht, will present their goals and action plans for a circular hospital and the questions and knowledge gaps that they encounter;
• In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to find collaborative partners. Stakeholders and researchers can collectively explore and discuss research questions and ideas related to the presented knowledge gaps. Researchers and stakeholders can join forces to develop transdisciplinary project ideas and begin developing their research proposal. The sessions are supported by the Centre for Unusual Collaborations.

During registration, you will be asked to select two topics of interest. During the pressure cooker, groups will be assigned based on your preferences.

We kindly suggest refraining from arriving with pre-formed groups and research ideas, as this seed call is not conducive to such an approach. Our intention is to cultivate a pressure cooker environment that fosters open-mindedness to new collaborations and innovative research ideas.

Interested in the Pressure Cooker and Seed Call?

Visit the i4CS website for more information about the seed call, pressure cooker, terms and conditions, and registration.

Visit website for more information and registration page