The DUT partnership focuses on three critical urban sectors (and their interrelationships) which are laid out in its roadmap as Transition Pathways.
The Transition Pathways are used as the framework for this funding opportunity. There are several topics defined under each pathway.
Since urban transition issues are intrinsically interconnected, proposals that address topics from more than one Transition Pathway are encouraged. However, each proposal needs to choose one topic in a Transition Pathway that is closest to their subject as a guide. The proposal will be evaluated against the scope of its main Transition Pathway. Crosscutting characteristics will be considered in the assessment.
UK funding will only be available for UK-led components of proposals that address the topics within the 15-minute City Transition Pathway (15mC TP).
15-minute City
Mobility provides city dwellers with essential opportunities to organise and satisfy their daily needs. However, at the same time, the mobility sector is responsible for several challenges to sustainability, such as high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, air and noise pollution, which are significantly worse in urban areas. In this context, the 15mC TP Pathway in DUT promotes concepts, evidence and interventions that support urban mobility transitions.
To make our cities more liveable, inclusive and climate-neutral, the focus is set on 15-minute neighbourhoods that recognise different urban contexts. The focus lies on knowledge creation, transferability and implementation. Multiple, diverging pathways are necessary for reaching sustainable mobility and transport in different contexts, applying place-sensitive approaches.
This funding opportunity aims to motivate efforts to extend beyond typical scenarios, encouraging projects that enhance experimentation and practical application. It seeks to address challenging obstacles in implementing the 15-minute City concept, and related fields of policy for urban mobility transitions.
It underscores the need to acknowledge diverse starting points for cities and adaptability among various social groups. It emphasises the significance of considering lifestyles, inclusiveness, social cohesion and social justice within the proposed ideas and proposals.
The 15mC TP topics in this funding opportunity are focused on innovations for inclusive and youth-centric mobility systems, system innovation and proximity policies for sustainable city-regions as well as evidence for the urban mobility transition through data and indicators for effective decision-making, which specifically encourages approaches across the three Transition Pathways.
The themes in the 15-mC TP are:
- sustainable urban mobility
- people-centred urban planning
- smart logistics
The three topics within this pathway are:
- 15mC topic one: advancing urban mobility: innovations for inclusive and youth-centric mobility systems
- 15mC topic two: reconsidering urban mobility systems: towards system innovation and proximity policies for sustainable city regions
- 15mC topic three: evidence for the urban mobility transition – data and indicators for effective decision-making
Read more about the transition pathways on the DUT website.
The UK research part of the project must be social science led (at least 50% within ESRC’s remit). However, we strongly encourage the inclusion of arts and humanities and engineering and physical science researchers in projects.
UK components must be predominantly research based, meaning the UK applicants should be conducting research that meets the wider project objectives, which could take a research or innovation approach.
Funding available
We aim to support five to seven projects. Up to £2,100,000 is available from UKRI for UK applicants within this funding opportunity. The full economic cost of the UK part of the project can be up to £400,000. ESRC, AHRC and EPSRC will typically fund 80% of the full economic cost.
Funding is available for additional eligible UK collaborators, including other research entities such as not for profit or public sector organisations. See the who can apply section. The inclusion of such collaborators is not mandatory for the UK but is strongly encouraged.
Please ensure you have read section five, project implementation in the funding opportunity text published on the DUT website to understand all the costs you need to include in your budget related to DUT programme activities that successful projects must engage with. For example, mandatory project events and support for the DUT knowledge hubs.
