In 2005 INTAS launches a Thematic Call for research project proposals in Social and Human Sciences with a budget of € 1.0 million. An INTAS research project is a joint undertaking by a partnership of teams (“consortium”) designed to produce new knowledge through experimental and/or theoretical scientific research, whereby each team of the partnership actively pursues specific objectives with a view to pooling the results to contribute to common, well-defined objectives.

Scope

1. Economic integration in the East and West (the enlarged EU, NIS and other countries): development and dilemmas

• The future of economic integration in the East and West, its limits, problems and opportunities;
• Economic migration, poverty, unemployment and multiple employment problems;
• Human values and ethical issues in the economic development, gender and societal capacity.

2. Security, peace and conflict resolution

• Regional strategies for common security and conflict resolution;
• Understanding “no war no peace” societies;
• Rethinking histories beyond constraints of ethnic narratives; connectedness in the past and present;
• Cultural versus military strategies in promoting peace and security.

3. The interaction of cultures in modern society

• Cultural diversity and group identities in contemporary societies;
• Language policies: anthropological and linguistic perspectives;
• Knowledge-based societies: cognitive, linguistic and cultural aspects;
• Cross-cultural management and leadership.

Project proposals must have a true scientific content and should only address the above-listed policy issues through a sound scientific basis. Research without any policy relevance or policy-aimed proposals without scientific content will not be supported. Interdisciplinary proposals are especially encouraged.

Project Consortium
The project consortia must comprise at least two teams, one from each of two different INTAS member states, and at least one team from a NIS country. The project coordinator must belong to one of the teams of the INTAS member states.

Starting Date and Duration
The duration of a project must be 12, 18 or 24 months, starting not earlier than 1st June 2006.

Funding
The maximum grant allocated per project by INTAS is € 100,000. No more than 25% of the total INTAS grant is available for teams from INTAS member states.

For more information, please visit www.intas.be

The Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE) has launched a guide drafted by the Institute of Business Ethics of the UK designed to help higher education institutions (HEIs) tackle ethical matters. The guide provides guidance, talking points and an illustrative ethical policy framework for anyone who wishes to develop, or has responsibility for developing an institution's approach to ethical issues.

Ethics Matters was drafted by the Institute of Business Ethics, following a lengthy period of consultation, during which over 100 institutions provided initial input, with 90 delegates attending a national consultative conference in June. The project was funded under the Higher Education Council for England Governance, Leadership and Management fund and undertaken by the CIHE, the Institute of Business Ethics and a range of academic and business organisations including Brunel University. Professor Steven Schwartz, Vice Chancellor of Brunel University chaired an advisory group of 20 people, from the higher education and commercial worlds. For further information or for a full copy of the guide, please visit   www.cihe-uk/ethics.