BGU | PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2024

Prof. RAZ JELINEK VICE PRESIDENT

AND DEAN FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

The Office of the Vice President and Dean for Research and Development oversees and fosters research across all faculties and fields at the University, primarily through the Research and Development Authority. Over the past year, we have initiated several key programs aimed at enhancing the success of BGU researchers in securing research grants and funding. Below are details of our activities in support of these endeavors: We have continued to support multidisciplinary research programs within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, including the digital humanities initiative. Investment in advanced scientific equipment has also been a priority, with the acquisition of a scanning electron microscope, and other advanced analytical instrumentation for the Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology. A contribution of NIS 20 million was made towards new faculty absorption packages, and we supported the establishment of a new BGN unit that will promote applied biomedical research. In February 2024 we launched the ERC Success Hub, a program designed to encourage and support ERC (European Research Council) grant submissions. Our proactive approach has already yielded impressive results, with successful grants in the ERC Starting Grants and Synergy tracks. To further increase research funding, we encouraged researchers and research groups to submit proposals

to the Council for Higher Education’s (CHE) prestigious Research Centers program. We also incentivized submissions to the CHE’s Individual Research Fellows program by committing to match funding. This effort was particularly successful, resulting in 9 out of 10 submissions receiving funding. OUR PROACTIVE SUPPORT OF ERC SUBMISSIONS HAS PAID OFF WITH MULTIPLE WINS IN THE ERC STARTING GRANTS AND SYNERGY TRACKS. Additionally, the Office swiftly organized support for researchers and graduate students during the current conflict. This included funding continuing scholarships and fellowships for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who returned from abroad, as well as covering their travel expenses returning to Israel.

The ERC Success Hub introductory meeting, February 2024

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Ben-Gurion University of the Negev