About Us

Information about ERO teams and the services we provide.

We work alongside researchers to grow ideas into successful projects. We provide expertise at all stages, from developing your idea and identifying funding to crafting your application and managing your award.  

We work with research leaders to develop research strategies based on sound funder insights and intelligence. We offer expertise across UK, European and international funders. 

We are enablers and connectors, networked across the University, able to provide the best advice to researchers and research leaders in all disciplines. 

ERO structure and teams

ERO Organisation Diagram
ERO three part structure

ERO Director

Director of Edinburgh Research Office: Dr Lorna Thomson 

Governance, Policy & Performance

The Research Governance, Policy and Performance Directorate is responsible for driving research strategy and performance initiatives, initiating and delivering key initiatives to improve research performance. We work closely with the University Research Strategy Group, REF Board and stakeholders across the University to ensure the University is in the best position to respond to the research environment.  Using insights and intelligence alongside horizon scanning, we inform strategy and planning. We lead the University’s statutory research reporting, including the Research Excellence Framework (REF), ensuring the provision of high-quality data and analytics.  We ensure the University of Edinburgh’s compliance in a changing and increasingly complex research environment, engaging with the academic community to build understanding.

Head of Research Governance, Compliance & Risk: Rowena Lamb

We work with researchers, research leaders and a range of internal and external stakeholders to ensure that the University meets its regulatory and legal obligations and upholds its commitments to the highest standards of research integrity, governance and compliance.

We:

  • Enable the University and researchers to meet their responsibilities relating to research integrity and ethics.
  • Collaborate with colleagues both at the University and other institutions to promote and embed a culture of good practice in research.
  • Provide specialist advice on national and international security and export control legislations, and Trusted Research-related issues.
  • Oversee and manage the preparation and submission of export control licenses.
  • Work in partnership with academic and professional staff across the University to shape policy and processes to underpin institutional compliance.
  • Work in collaboration with colleagues in Colleges and Schools who are engaged in supporting research integrity and governance, to provide comprehensive, coordinated support to researchers around good research practices, integrity and governance, including awareness raising.

Head of REF, Research Planning & Performance: Dr Charlotte Brady

The REF, Research Planning and Performance Team is responsible for initiatives designed to drive institutional ambition and deliver research excellence across the University in line with the Research & Innovation strategy. 

Our work is critical to effective and successful submissions to institutional research assessment exercises and gaining insight from our research data. 

We provide University leadership with evidence-based analysis and recommendations to inform the direction of planning for research activity and to foreground research performance.


Head of Policy: TBC

Description to follow.


Strategy, Development & Impact

The Research Strategy, Development & Impact Directorate is responsible for horizon scanning and ensuring the University is positioned to capitalise on strategic opportunities. We work closely with the Research Strategy Group and associated sub-groups to ensure focus, ambition and Edinburgh’s place at the forefront of the sector is maintained. Working with University senior research leaders, we develop, implement and take overall responsibility for the delivery of strategies to enhance the portfolio of awards held by the University. We work in partnership with researchers, research leaders and other professional services across the University to develop the inclusive and vibrant culture that underpins our ability to engage with organisations and people to create research impact

Head of Strategy: TBC

Description to follow


Head of International Research Engagement: Dr Conor Snowden

We support researchers, research leaders and professional services colleagues at the University to interpret and navigate the increasingly complex international funding landscape. We aim to expand the University of Edinburgh’s research portfolio with both international funders and UK sources for funding for international collaboration.

We:

  • Provide knowledge, intelligence and information on funding opportunities to the research community on international funders such as European Commission, United States funding and funding for research for international development.
  • Have a priority focus on encouraging international collaborative grants under Horizon Europe.
  • Support Edinburgh Global regional directors and regional academic deans in developing research partnerships with strategic partners.
  • Represent the University on research-focused groups of Una Europa Una Europa, League of European Research Universities  (LERU), Scotland-Europa and Universitas 21 (U21)
  • Develop skills in the research community in aspects of international research including equitable partnerships, ODA compliance and safeguarding.
  • Manage our University-wide block grants from Scottish Funding Council or UK research councils to support international collaboration.

Head of Strategic Proposals: Dr Antonia Chatzopoulou Chatzi

We work closely with academics and bring together our and cross-University expertise to draft, develop and submit compelling proposals for securing strategic research awards.

We

  • Monitor the funding landscape and highlight strategic funding opportunities to Colleges.
  • When appropriate, organise internal processes for selecting the most compelling research proposal(s) for external strategic funding calls.
  • Work closely with lead applicants to draft sections of complex research proposals and project-manage the entire bid development and submission process, including reviewing & bringing together cross-University expertise as needed.
  • Support lead applicants with rebuttals and practice interviews.

Head of Research Engagement & Impact: Dr Anne Sofie Laegran

We work in partnership with researchers, research leaders and other professional services across the University to develop the inclusive and vibrant culture that underpins our ability to engage with organisations and people to create research impact. We lead on coordinating policy and public engagement with research. We work with Edinburgh Innovations to harness impact from industry engagement.

We:

  • Work in partnership with academic and professional leadership in Colleges to develop and implement University strategy for research engagement and impact.
  • Convene peer support networks for colleagues across the University working in public engagement, policy engagement and research impact.​
  • Provide a learning and development programme for researchers on research engagement and impact, working with Edinburgh Innovations and Institute for Academic Development.
  • Develop and target opportunities for policy engagement and broker connections with colleagues in local, devolved and UK governments and legislators.
  • Coordinate public engagement across the University, providing platforms for researchers to engage with the public including at the Edinburgh Festivals.
  • Provide funding for projects through the University’s Economic and Social Research Council Impact Acceleration Account (ESRC IAA) and work with the other UKRI IAAs to ensure our funding for impact is used effectively. 
  • Work with colleagues in Schools and Colleges who support research engagement and impact to provide comprehensive advice to researchers.
  • Work with Schools and Centres, identify, develop and monitor prospects with potential for impact of high reach and significance, with a view to maximizing potential and submitting case studies for the Research Excellence Framework.

Operations

The Research Operations Directorate is responsible for delivery of a high quality, integrated, user-focused and resilient service which covers applications, contracting and awards. We provide the research operations services that underpin the University Research Strategy and associated growth plans.

Head of Research Funding: Dr Jennifer Hazelton

We work with researchers, and the local professional services colleagues who support them, at all stages of research grant proposal preparation.

We are connected across the University which enables us to provide advice to researchers in all disciplines and to support interdisciplinary research projects.

We:

  • Share information and give advice on funding sources.
  • Liaise with our key research funders and coordinate strategic interactions.​
  • Contribute to learning events on research funding.​
  • Provide budget development for research proposals, including liaison with other institutions for collaborative proposals.​
  • Help draft and proof-read non-technical aspects of proposals.​
  • Provide layman’s critique for technical aspects of research proposals.​
  • Check scheme compliance and provide advice on eligibility criteria.​
  • Arrange mock interviews.​
  • Help draft and secure signatures on letters of support from the Vice-Principal Research and Enterprise.​
  • Process certain contracts, e.g. funder and collaboration agreements.​
  • Conduct due diligence on overseas partners.​
  • Submit research proposals on behalf of the University.
  • Accept research funding awards on behalf of the University.
  • Provide research Project Management services.​

Head of Research Grants: Libby McCue

We work with researchers, local professional services colleagues and funders to provide specialist knowledge and guidance on all aspects of research grant management and reporting.

We work closely with finance colleagues in Schools, Centres and Institutes in order to deliver high-quality, joined-up support.

We:

  • Provide post-award administration, support and guidance on all financial matters relating to research grants.
  • Are your first point of contact for all post award matters.
  • Provide advice on the financial aspects of managing your research grant.
  • Run training on research grant management processes and systems.
  • Ensure compliance with funder terms and conditions.
  • Are responsible for claiming research income from funders, contractual & statutory compliance, audit and close of grants.

Head of Research Contracts: Alan Shanks

We work with you to support your research by providing expert legal advice for your research related contracts.

We provide a professional University wide contracts service where our experts and solicitors offer expertise and legal advice including drafting, negotiating, reviewing and signing research-related contracts on behalf of the University.

We support activity across the whole University and work closely with a wide range of stakeholders across the UK and international research and funding communities to ensure we optimise the University’s research activity.

Typically, in a given year we sign off on between 2,500 and 3,000 different contracts supporting research across the University.

We work closely with colleagues in Edinburgh Innovations and with NHS Lothian (through the ACCORD partnership) in order to deliver high-quality, joined-up support to our researchers.

We:

  • Are experts on the full range of research-related contracts, including funding agreements, collaborations, assignations, European Union consortium agreements,  clinical trials, confidentiality agreements, heads of terms, memoranda of understanding, material (including human tissue) transfer agreements, donation agreements and data-related contracts.
  • Provide legal advice and advise on all aspects of research contracts, including data, confidentiality (non-disclosure), intellectual property, publication, risk assessment, jurisdiction and liability.
  • Negotiate contractual terms to ensure optimum terms are agreed and comply with funder terms.
  • Provide expert and legal advice to professional services colleagues across the University.
  • Ensure that all contracts which are entered into on behalf of the University comply with legislation, University policies and best practice.

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