Factsheet
Research-related acronyms and abbreviations
Updated on 8 March 2021
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| AHRC | Arts and Humanities Research Council |
| BBSRC | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council |
| BEIS | Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy |
| CAGE | Commercial and Government Entity, US unique identifying reference |
| CCR | Central Contractor Research |
| CDT | Centre for Doctoral Training |
| CI or Co-I | Co-investigator |
| CMA | Competition and Markets Authority |
| CPD | Continuing Professional Development |
| CSO | Chief Scientist Office |
| DAC | Development Assistance Committee |
| DCMS | Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport |
| DEFRA | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
| DExEU | Department for Exiting the European Union |
| DfE | Department for Education |
| DfID | Department for International Development |
| DfT | Department for Transport |
| DHSC | Department of Health and Social Care |
| DIIF | Dundee Interdisciplinary and Innovation Forum |
| DIT | Department for International Trade |
| DoD | Department of Defence, a US sponsor |
| DTC | Doctoral Training Centre |
| DTP | Doctoral Training Partnership |
| DUNS | Data Universal Numbering System, US unique identifying reference |
| DWP | Department for Work and Pensions |
| EC | European Commission |
| EIN | Employer Identification Number, US unique identifying reference |
| EoSREC | East of Scotland Research Ethics Service |
| EPSRC | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council |
| ERC | European Research Council, part of Horizon Europe |
| ESA | European Space Agency |
| ESF | European Social Fund |
| ESRC | Economic and Social Research Council |
| ETI | Energy Technologies Institute |
| EU | European Union |
| FCO | Foreign & Commonwealth Office |
| fEC | Full Economic Costing |
| FP9 | 9th RTD Framework Programme of the European Union, EC funding (running from 2021-2027 HORIZON EUROPE) |
| FSA | Food Standards Agency |
| FTE | Full-Time Equivalent |
| GAP | Grant Assessment Panel (ESRC) |
| GCRF | Global Challenge Research Fund |
| GDG | Grants Delivery Group (ESRC) |
| H2020 | Horizon 2020, 8th RTD & Innovation Framework Programme of the European Union, EC funding |
| HEFCE | Higher Education Funding Council for England |
| HESA | Higher Education Statistics Agency |
| IMI | Innovative Medicines Initiative (EU public-private partnership funding health research and innovation) |
| IPR | Intellectual Property Rights |
| IRO | Independent Research Organisation |
| ISCF | Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund |
| JCPSG | Joint Costing and Pricing Steering Group, group that developed TRAC and fEC |
| Je-S | Joint Electronic Submission, Research Council application system |
| KE | Knowledge Exchange |
| KTN | Knowledge Transfer Network |
| KTP | Knowledge Transfer Partnership |
| LLC | Library and Learning Centre (University of Dundee) |
| MHCLG | Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government |
| MoD | Ministry of Defence |
| MOJ | Ministry of Justice |
| MPIN | Marketing Partner Identification Number, US unique identifying reference |
| MRC | Medical Research Council |
| NAO | National Audit Office |
| NC3Rs | National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research |
| NCCPE | National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement |
| NERC | Natural Environment Research Council |
| NES | NHS Education Scotland |
| NETSCC | NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre, group name for many NIHR funders/awards |
| NHS SDO | (formerly NCCSDO) National Health Service – Service and Delivery Organisation Funder (part of DHSC/NHS) |
| NHS | National Health Service |
| NIH | National Institutes of Health, US sponsor |
| NIHR (CCF) | National Institute for Health Research (Central Commissioning Facility), manages research funding on behalf of DHSC and NHS |
| NIHR CCRCD | NIHR Coordinating Centre for Research Capacity Development (formerly NCCRCD), funder (part of DHSC/NHS) |
| NIHR HTA | NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme (formerly NCCHTA), funder (part of DHSC/NHS) |
| NPIF | National Productivity Fund |
| NSF | National Science Foundation, US sponsor |
| ODA | Official Development Assistance |
| ODPM | Office of the Deputy Prime Minister |
| OECD | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development |
| OPD | Organisational and Professional Development (University of Dundee) (now known as Talent and Development) |
| PDR | Post-Doctoral Researcher |
| PGR | Post-Graduate Researcher |
| PI | Principal Investigator |
| PIC | Participant Identity Code (for EC proposals) |
| PMO | Prime Minister’s Office |
| PRF | Project Registration Form (University of Dundee) |
| PVG | Protecting Vulnerable Groups |
| QA | Quality Assurance |
| RA | Research Assistant (post-graduate or doctoral researcher) |
| RAE | Research Assessment Exercise, superseded by REF |
| RCUK | Research Councils UK, superseded by UKRI |
| REF | Research Excellence Framework |
| REF | Research Excellence Framework, supersedes the RAE |
| RFS | Research Finance Services (University of Dundee) |
| RIS | Research Innovation Services (University of Dundee) |
| RTO | Research and technology organisation |
| SBRI | Small Business Research Initiative |
| SCREDS | Scottish Clinical Research Excellence Development Scheme |
| SFC | Scottish Funding Council; previously Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFCE) |
| SLA | Service level agreement |
| SREC | School Research Ethics Committee (University of Dundee) |
| STFC | Science and Technology Facilities Council |
| TASC | Tayside Medical Science Centre |
| TCTU | Tayside Clinical Trials Unit |
| TPIN | Trading Partner Identification Number, US unique identifying reference |
| TR | Transparency Review |
| TRAC | Transparent Approach to Costing |
| TTA | Teacher Training Agency |
| UIF | University Innovation Fund (University of Dundee) |
| UKRI | UK Research and Innovation (supersedes RCUK) |
| UREC | University Research Ethics Committee (University of Dundee) |
| YJB | Youth Justice Board (England and Wales) |
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