Irish Research Council 2013/2014

Qboot

I was wondering if anybody has heard anything about this year's postgraduate scheme? Will it be launched?

Both IRCHSS and IRCSET have always launched their schemes in late December/early January. It is already mid January now but as of yet no details are provided on the website.

It doesn't seem likely that the scheme would be suspended this year, as IRCHSS and IRCSET merged last year into IRC and were supposed to continue their funding activity this year. What do you guys think?

gutenberg

Qboot wrote: »

I was wondering if anybody has heard anything about this year's postgraduate scheme? Will it be launched?

Both IRCHSS and IRCSET have always launched their schemes in late December/early January. It is already mid January now but as of yet no details are provided on the website.

It doesn't seem likely that the scheme would be suspended this year, as IRCHSS and IRCSET merged last year into IRC and were supposed to continue their funding activity this year. What do you guys think?

Last year if I recall correctly IRCHSS launched their scheme in February, with a deadline in March sometime. So I wouldn't expect any details as of yet. They have put up a preliminary call for applications, so it is going ahead (I am not familiar with IRCSET so cannot say anything categorical about them):

http://www.irchss.ie/

If you look at the top of the page, you'll see that they have promised details & dates 'shortly'.

TJJP

http://www.research.ie/funding/postgraduate-funding

Seems call is out, see bottom of page.

Hellywelly

Call is due out later this week/early next week.
There are some changes to last year but there is funding which is great!

gutenberg

http://www.research.ie/scheme/irish-research-council-government-ireland-postgraduate-scholarship-scheme-including-enterpris

Applicant deadline: 12 March
Deadline for your referees: 26 March.

Also, be careful to check with your institution if they have any internal deadlines which may mean that you have to have it done earlier; last year my university (TCD) asked for everyone who was applying to send their completed applications to the Research Office for them to check. The deadline for this was some 10 days before the official deadline, so be aware!

Interesting that they have merged the IRCHSS Gov. of Ireland scheme & the IRCSET Embark programme into one... I wonder what this will mean for Arts/Humanities-type people, who tend to get squeezed by STEM subjects...

lucyw

I'm just wondering if anyone knows roughly how many scholarships are to be awarded in total this year (is this a piece of string question??). Also, can anyone tell me when the FAQs will be out and how, without attending a seminar, one can submit one's own? Cheers.

gutenberg

lucyw wrote: »

I'm just wondering if anyone knows roughly how many scholarships are to be awarded in total this year (is this a piece of string question??). Also, can anyone tell me when the FAQs will be out and how, without attending a seminar, one can submit one's own? Cheers.

I think it will be very difficult to say how many scholarships there will be this year: the number always varied somewhat (at least in the IRCHSS scheme) and now that they've merged competitions I imagine the waters are even murkier. If it's any help, I believe last year the Government of Ireland Postgraduate scheme (IRCHSS) gave out around 100 scholarships, possibly one or two more or less than that depending on acceptances etc.

I imagine the FAQs will go up soon- possibly once the application system goes live? I imagine they've had to tweak them since this is a new format for the competition.

When you say 'submit one', do you mean a question or the application?

lucyw

I mean a question to the FAQs (thanks for your answer, by the way - the IRC website is poorly worded: 'The Council offers three scholarships...' No. The Council offers three types of scholarship. Never mind...) I attended a seminar/workshop on the IRCHSS scholarship scheme a couple of years ago in NUIG and all the questions asked there were put up on their website (all, that is, that didn't contain repetition, illogicality, etc). So I imagine, no doubt like you, that there'll be the same kind of arrangment this time but as you say, that the competition will be stiffer, and the arts and humanities are likely to be squeezed.
Best, and thanks again,
Lucy

cailleach an airgid

I just checked the website there and it seems like it's still in pre-call phase - the suggested questions are up, but these are fully confirmed. I have not applied for this funding before now - I was wondering if anyone knows if the pre-call questions tend to change much or am I ok to keep working on my application using the available information?

Best of luck to everyone who is hoping to apply - I feel like it's a bit up in the air this year because of the merger, but hopefully something will come of it. Fingers crossed!!

Flunch

Is anyone submitting an application this year?

Any idea when we would hear back?

silenceisfoo

Curious as to who people put as their referees. Is it meant t be faculty or like an application and people who know you? The only one who knows me is my supervisor.

Flunch

silenceisfoo wrote: »

Curious as to who people put as their referees. Is it meant t be faculty or like an application and people who know you? The only one who knows me is my supervisor.

I have one of my lectures who is also involved in research and would know me pretty well. I also have my manager from my part time job.

pljudge321

Flunch wrote: »

I have one of my lectures who is also involved in research and would know me pretty well. I also have my manager from my part time job.

They should both be academic references. If you don't personally know any of the other lecturers you should consider approaching one of the lecturers in a course you did particularly well in and asking them if they would be willing.

Flunch

pljudge321 wrote: »

They should both be academic references. If you don't personally know any of the other lecturers you should consider approaching one of the lecturers in a course you did particularly well in and asking them if they would be willing.

I seen that on the form alright. But my supervisor was sent an email from the IRC stating some changes. One fo these was that only one reference needed to be academic. So going to take my chances

Out of curiosity, what area is everyones research in?

Im doing strategic HRM myself.

Ravelleman

Flunch wrote: »

I seen that on the form alright.

Please don´t write ´I seen´ on your form!

According to the FAQ you can use a non-academic reference if you want. They recommend two academic references though.

pljudge321

Flunch wrote: »

One fo these was that only one reference needed to be academic. So going to take my chances

Considering how competitive the scholarships are, and how large a percentage the references make up of the total score, taking your chances is probably a very bad idea.

Manco

The IRC website keeps randomly deleting segments of the application by logging out when I try to save them, must be timing itself out. So make sure you have your stuff saved on word before you save it on the IRC form.

Raphael

Alternatively, your proposed supervisor can be a reference also, which should carry more weight than a manager from a part time job. I'd be stunned if you of anywhere with that.

pljudge321

Raphael wrote: »

Alternatively, your proposed supervisor can be a reference also, which should carry more weight than a manager from a part time job. I'd be stunned if you of anywhere with that.

I think they have to be separate from what I remember from last year.

Ravelleman

pljudge321 wrote: »

I think they have to be separate from what I remember from last year.

No, from this year on your supervisor can also act as a reference. That´s in the FAQs.

Caillte

Hi,

Anyone having trouble logging into the IRC smart simple website application today?

Caillte

Frank Grimes

Caillte wrote: »

Anyone having trouble logging into the IRC smart simple website application today?

It's running extremely slow for me. I was (eventually) able to log in a few minutes ago but I can't get into my application at the moment, it's just hanging.

Caillte

Everyone is frantically accessing the system as we enter the last 24 hours!

Ravelleman

Quick question regarding supervisors. My supervisor doesn't appear on the online list. Does this mean I have to contact the research office at Trinity or can her name be added manually by me?

Ravelleman

Well, to answer my own question. I will have to contact the research office. I wonder how long this takes.

Manco

Jaysus, I hope the website starts working again soon. Can't say I wasn't warned this would happen if things were left close to the deadline, mind.

Caillte

Ive managed to get back on to the website now. Mean while I too have a similar problem Ravelleman. One of my co-supervisors is not on the list!

Ravelleman

Oh no, the man to do this in Trinity won't be around until Wednesday. Why must Trinity be so cruel?

Caillte

Put him in anyway?

Ravelleman

The problem is that the office that updates the approved supervisor list will be closed until tomorrow. Hopefully they'll get back to me tomorrow morning.

I contacted another office earlier and, naturally, they told to me to write to the wrong person, mentioned in the previous posts.

If anyone from Trinity is in a similar situation, the Research Development Office is closed until tomorrow.

This will be a last minute job. No matter how well you plan these things, something will go wrong.

Manco

The IRC keeps asking for a proxy password and won't accept my details? Edit: Cancelled it and got in.

Caillte

• Provide a description of plans for the acquisition of new knowledge and skills - - - - - WTF?

Ravelleman

After 5 offices, multiple 'out of office' replies and copious swearing (to myself, I might add) I have sorted everything out.

Now we just need the website to run properly!

Caillte

I have rang the IRC about the web site and they know about the problems and they are being looked at the moment. They don't know yet about possible extensions to the deadline.

Ravelleman

This seems to happen every year. Ideally we'd all have it submitted days in advance.

smeedyova

From the IRC website:

Important Online Application information:

• (UPDATED 14.47) Smartsimple are still experiencing some technical issues with the application system. Our technical staff are looking at the situation and we expect that the problem will be rectified shortly. We will update this notice as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.

Frank Grimes

They've just updated the site again:

Important Online Application information:

• In light of the technical issues which were experienced with the Smart Simple online application system today the deadline for receipt of applications to the Postgraduate Scholarship has been extended to exactly 5pm (GMT) Thursday 14th March 2013.
• The deadline for referees and mentors and closing date for endorsement remain the same
• We apologise for any inconvenience caused

Sarky

Huh, I might actually get to track down my supervisor and see if he'll sponsor me by then. Although if it's this hard to get a hold of him now...

smeedyova

Ravelleman wrote: »

This seems to happen every year. Ideally we'd all have it submitted days in advance.

I submitted "days in advance" and the system still didn't work for me. Emails to referees weren't generated, etc. Not my fault...

I agree that it's better to submit in advance, but one shouldn't have to, they should have implemented a working system that could do what it is supposed to do...

Caillte

Tá sé sin ar feabhas Frank.

Maithú

Naydy

Hi guys,

Has anyone had a similar problem to me? Was able to add my 2 supervisors to the draft application, but now that I go to submit it, it tells me that I have too many supervisors! Anyone know a way around this? I've emailed them but no response so far.

Ravelleman

Regarding the Gender Dimension, is it obligatory to include a report on this? My project does not deal with any kind of gender issue - it's about Spanish politicial ideology in the 1920s - nor does it involve the collection of any data, any kind of experimentation etc.

Edit: Christ, you do have to...

Ravelleman

The website is still down...

Frank Grimes

Ravelleman wrote: »

The website is still down...

You can get in through this link

Ravelleman

Thanks. I tried it last night and it didn't work. Now it's running perfectly. Huzzah!

smeedyova

Latest update:

Important Online Application information:

• (UPDATE 12.42pm, 12th March) The technical issues which were experienced with the Smart Simple online application system have now been resolved and users should experience no slow down.
• If users see a notice “we are in maintenance mode” they are advised to clear their cache from their browser and navigate to the usual URL with .ie at the end.
• In addition, you may be asked to use a '.biz' extension rather than a '.ie' extension.
• Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications to the Postgraduate Scholarship scheme has been extended to exactly 5pm (GMT) on Thursday 14th March 2013.
• The deadline for referees and mentors remains exactly 5pm (GMT) on Tuesday 26th March 2013.
• The closing date for endorsement by the research office of the proposed host institution remains exactly 5pm (GMT) on Tuesday 9th April 2013.
• The Research Council apologises for any inconvenience caused but these technical issues were beyond our control
• THE POSTDOCTORAL GUIDE FOR APPLICANTS IS AVAILABLE.

Beyond their control? Somebody must be be to blame for this mess...

cailleach an airgid

That website broke my heart over the last few days! However, the extension means I might be the most organised for a deadline ever. Just doing the final edits today, getting my reference list together and hope to submit tomorrow.

Quick question - how much detail are people including in the section under education? I am detailing transferable skills and list of subjects studied. Does that sound like too much or not enough?

Best of luck everyone - it is hard to consider the highly competitive nature of this award thinking of all the work everyone is putting in. But someone has to get it!

DiffidentDuck

In. Sheesh! Did not expect to work so hard for it. As far as educational details are concerned, I kept things to a minimum. Essential and pertinent achievements and grades from university.

Ravelleman

Well, mine´s in. Now to move on with my life.

Frank Grimes

Naydy wrote: »

Has anyone had a similar problem to me? Was able to add my 2 supervisors to the draft application, but now that I go to submit it, it tells me that I have too many supervisors! Anyone know a way around this? I've emailed them but no response so far.

Did you hear back from them in the end? I haven't submitted it yet and I've two supervisors also, so I'm just curious if the problem you were having was fixed.

BumblebeeGirl

That was pretty tough. Best of luck to everyone!

Will be a long wait to find out in July. Any chance the results will come out earlier than that??