1. The HRC is a Toitū net carbonzero certified organisation
The HRC is proud to have completed our third year of Toitū net carbonzero certification. We have:
- measured our emissions in accordance with ISO 14064-1:2018
- committed to managing and reducing our emissions, and
- compensated for our remaining unavoidable emissions through purchasing carbon credits.
Our total emissions for 2021 were 29.10 tCO2e, which is 40% lower than last year and 90% lower than our 2019 baseline year.
Our emission reductions are driven by our reduction in air travel due to new ways of working initially developed in response to COVID-19 restrictions. This has led to the acceptance of, and increased expectation for, meetings and committees being conducted online.
We acknowledge the diverse, talented and committed research community and broader sector experts who contribute to the running of our fair, transparent and robust HRC processes. We thank you for your continued support as we work to lock-in the environmental benefits gained from operational changes introduced in response to COVID-19.
Reducing the HRC’s travel emissions was a commitment the HRC made at the beginning of our sustainability journey back in 2019 with the launch of our HRC Sustainability Framework. Progress towards other commitments (ngā whāinga) include:
- O mātou whare (our place) – carbon emissions measurement and reporting.
- Ā mātou tikanga (our policies and procedures) – the move to our new premises has encouraged progress towards a paperless office and online, electronic record keeping.
- Ā mātou tāngata (our people) – kaimahi (staff) have been supported to volunteer time to environmentally focused community initiatives, including with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Pourewa (nursery, māra kai and māra rongoā garden), the Kaipātiki Project, and Sustainable Coastlines.
|
|
|
2. Applications now open for HRC Programmes and Emerging Researcher First Grants
2023 Programme Grant
Our 2023 Programme round is now open for registrations and full applications on HRC Gateway, offering funding of up to $5 million over five years for the long-term development of a health research field by a group of established investigators with an outstanding track record of achievement. They should have a strategic, long-term vision that will contribute to significantly improving health outcomes for New Zealanders.
Key changes
In keeping with the evolving alignment of our investment opportunities and processes with the New Zealand Health Research Prioritisation Framework, we have made some key changes for 2023 Programmes. These include:
- Introducing a ‘General’ category to replace the ‘Health and Wellbeing in New Zealand’ and ‘Improving Outcomes for Acute and Chronic Conditions in New Zealand’ research investment streams.
- The inclusion of a question about how your proposed research aligns to the Domains of the New Zealand Health Research Prioritisation Framework. Applicants are asked to consider which Domain the proposed research is most aligned with and identify this as the primary Domain. An additional secondary Domain can also be identified if relevant. While this information will not influence the assessment or selection of applications for funding, it is a good opportunity to think critically about where your research fits into the prioritisation framework in preparation for changes coming up over the next 12 months.
The following changes and improvements have also been introduced:
- The annual salary increase cap of 3% has been removed.
- Unnamed Masters and PhD students can be included. The HRC must be informed of the student’s name, qualifications and/or expertise relevant to their role in the research activity, when the student has been appointed. Please note that when an unnamed student is included, the applicant may not add supplementary information about their intent to recruit or appoint a student with particular expertise or other characteristic, such as ethnicity or gender. These will not be considered justified for unnamed students and will be disregarded in the assessment process.
- Student fees can now be requested (in addition to stipends) and should be justified as a reasonable estimate based on the expected programme of study and fees set by the organisation at which the student would be enrolled.
- Regulatory approvals and other requirements including ethics approvals (human and animal) and clinical trial registration should be added as Year 1 milestones to support contract monitoring (even if the applicant expects to attain these prior to contract commencement).
Key dates
Registrations: opened on 10 August and closes on 14 October (1pm)
Full applications: opened on 10 August and closes on 14 October (1pm)
Results available: 6 June 2023
2023 Emerging Researcher First Grant
Our 2023 Emerging Researcher First Grant round opened yesterday for registrations and full applications on HRC Gateway. This grant provides funding of up to $250,000 to support emerging researchers who are seeking to establish independent careers in health research.
Key changes
In keeping with the evolving alignment of our investment opportunities and processes with the New Zealand Health Research Prioritisation Framework, we have made some key changes to our 2023 Emerging Researcher First Grant. These include:
- Introducing a ‘General’ category to replace the ‘Health and Wellbeing in New Zealand’ and ‘Improving Outcomes for Acute and Chronic Conditions in New Zealand’ research investment streams.
- The Pacific Emerging Researcher First Grant is now applied for through the ‘Pacific’ category as part of the 2023 Emerging Researcher First Grant.
- The Rangahau Hauora Māori and Health Delivery categories are also categories that can be applied to through the 2023 Emerging Researcher First Grant.
- The inclusion of a question for the General Emerging Researcher First Grant and Health Delivery Emerging Researcher First Grant applications about how your proposed research aligns to the Domains of the New Zealand Health Research Prioritisation Framework. Applicants are asked to consider which Domain the proposed research is most aligned with and identify this as the primary Domain. An additional secondary Domain can also be identified if relevant. While this information will not influence the assessment or selection of applications for funding, it is a good opportunity to think critically about where your research fits into the prioritisation framework in preparation for changes coming up over the next 12 months.
- Salary for the first named investigator is now able to be claimed through the Emerging Researcher First Grant.
Key dates:
Registrations: opened on 11 August 2022 and close on 29 September 2022 (1pm)
Full applications: opened on 11 August 2022 and close on 29 September 2022 (1pm)
Results available: 27 April 2023
|
|
|
4. Conferences and events
Digital Health Week NZ 2022
5-8 December 2022
Energy Events Centre | Rotorua
Health Informatics New Zealand (HiNZ) events bring together all the key players within the digital health sector. HiNZ delegates include clinicians, IT professionals, health sector managers, government, industry, academics, students, and other NGOs. HiNZ builds and strengthens connections between these groups and encourages the sharing of ideas across the sector.
For more information about Digital Health Week NZ, see the HiNZ website.
|
|
|
About Update
Update is a fortnightly e-newsletter about the health research sector, compiled and distributed by the Health Research Council of New Zealand. Short, topical items about health research funding, policy, activities, consultations, and publications are welcome. Please contact Suzy Botica, the HRC's senior communications advisor, for more details.
|
|
|
|
|
