Profile

Bluebell Research was originally founded by Richard Tomlin in 1997 to exploit the RACE project costing program he had written. RACE was adopted by over 20 UK universities. The rights to RACE were later licensed to STCS Ltd who have carried out substantial development to create RACE-2.

Since Richard took early retirement from Newcastle University in 2002, Bluebell Research has been the entity through which he has carried out a variety of projects and assignments, broadly centred on research management and with a special emphasis on the EU's successive Framework Programmes.

Training for EU Projects

A substantial part of Bluebell's activities has been concerned with delivering training linked to EU programmes and projects. The current Workshops programme in collaboration with Yellow Research in The Netherlands is set out in the Events section. These events attract participants from all across Europe.

Bluebell Research provides in-house training for universities and research establishments. Clients have included:

National Physical Laboratory Building Research Establishment University of Cambridge (with YR) University of Turku (with YR) University of Southampton University of Surrey Open University University of Kent University of Northumbria

University of the Aegean University of Newcastle Nottingham Trent University University of Exeter Imperial College London Rowett Research Institute Universidad Carlos III Madrid University of Warsaw

University of Lodz Archimedes Foundation, Estonia Helsinki University of Technology University College Dublin Dublin City University University of Cork University of Limerick University of Central Lancashire National University of Ireland, Galway University of Strathclyde

Workshops and training events have also been run in collaboration with other organisations including:

Single Image Ltd Frameworks Northwest RTC North Ltd

UNICA (Universities of Capital Cities of Europe) Finnish EU Liaison Officers Israel Framework Programme Office

KOWI (German EU Liaison Office) Spanish EU Liaison Officers Swiss EU Liaison Officers

Support for Individual Projects

In addition to training, Bluebell Research gives expert advice on project proposals and project management issues, including helping to resolve problems that can arise in the course of complex projects. Clients here have included:

• Building Research Establishment - negotiation with other partners to conclude Consortium Agreement for EU project
• Universidad Carlos III - advice on intellectual property issues arising from EU project
• Ai2 Ltd - advice on financial and IPR aspects of EU project
• Rowett Research Institute - restructure finances of EU project
• Scottish Fisheries Research - drafting of Consortium Agreement
• National Physical Laboratory - drafting of Consortium Agreement
• Open University - drafting of Consortium Agreement
• University College Dublin - drafting of Consortium Agreement
• Warwick University - reshaping of EU project and management systems (with YR)

Consultancy Assignments

Bluebell Research can also undertake more substantial projects. These have included continuing business support to Community of Science (now part of CSA); developing a strategic plan for ARMA; assisting the engagement of academic institutions in the Regional Innovation Stategy of the South Great Plain Region of Hungary; evaluating the research services of the University of Turku and the University of Glasgow; advising the Rektor of the University of Indonesia on research development.

Bluebell Research has been an active member of the UNITE group of experts on EU research policy, and Richard has acted in his individual capacity as an expert advisor and evaluator for the European Commission.

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