Recent Advances and Developments in Communication Systems

 Summary of the workshop

This workshop aims at exploring recent advances and developments in modern wireless and optical communication systems along with the advanced multimedia signal processing methodologies that are used to improve the performance of automated classification, identification, recognition, synthesis, coding and transmission. These are of particular relevance to the economic success of both the UK and Vietnam. 

The workshops will provide a unique opportunity for sharing research expertise and networking. There will be a focus on building links for future collaboration. During the workshops early career researchers will have the opportunity to present their research in the form of short oral/Powerpoint presentations (approx 15 mins presentation plus 5 mins for Q&A) and engage in discussions with more established and experienced researchers from the UK and Vietnam. The participants will be selected on both the basis of their research potential and their ability to build and foster international cooperation.

The workshop is being coordinated by Dr Des McLernon from the University of Leeds, UK and Assoc. Prof Tuan Pham, University of Science and Technology - the University of Danang, Vietnam. There will be contributions from other leading researchers, including from the UK: Prof Alan Marshall, Liverpool University and Dr David Harle, University of Strathclyde; and from Vietnam: Assoc. Prof Thanh Nguyen, Hanoi University of Science and Technology and Dr Cuong Huynh, HCMC University of Technology. 

We are now inviting “Early Career Researchers” from both the UK and Vietnam to apply for funding to attend this workshop. 

The British Council will cover the costs related to the participation to the workshop, including: travel (both international and local), accommodation and meals. Costs for the visa will be covered; however participants will be responsible for making all the necessary arrangements to obtain the appropriate visa. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Although this cost will not be covered by the British Council, participants are encouraged to purchase an adequate travel and medical insurance. The British Council accepts no responsibility for any problems which may occur when the participants are in-country.

Upon acceptance of the application, information will be provided by the British Council regarding the practical aspects of how money will be provided to cover travel costs, how to be reimbursed, etc. 

Application and Deadline

The full application below must be completed and submitted by the 6 January 2014 to Ms Hoang Hong at hong.hoang@britishcouncil.org.vn.
Applicants will be notified by the British Council about their application by 10 January 2014 and they will be expected to submit their full research report by 4 February 2014. 

Eligibility Criteria

• Applications must be submitted using the Researcher Links application form below. 

• Application must be submitted before the above deadline.

• Participants must be early career researchers: Early Career Researchers are defined as holding a PhD and having up to 10 years post-PhD research experience. They are equivalent to the ‘Recognised Researcher’ and sometimes ‘Experienced Researcher’ categories in the EU framework for researchers’ careers. Leading Researchers as defined by the EU Framework for researchers careers are research group leaders who are internationally recognised in their field.

• Participants must have a research, academic position (permanent post, research contract, or fellowship etc) at a recognised research institution either in the UK or in Vietnam.

• Full researcher report (up to six pages) is expected to submit using IEEE format which can be downloaded here.

  While papers on any aspect of communications will be encouraged the following topics will be of particular interest: 
  - Communications Track: Cognitive and software defined radio, energy efficiency, cooperative communications, MIMO systems, space-time coding, multi-carrier systems, source and channel coding, wireless security, optical communication, QoS and resource allocation, satellite and space communications.
  - Signal Processing Track: Signal processing for communications, speech and language processing, image and video processing, human-computer interface and interaction, multimedia systems, bio-signal processing.
  - Networks Track: Femtocells and heterogeneous networks, distributed processing, capacity and performance issues, ad-hoc and sensor networks, optical network systems, network operation.
  - Microwaves & Antennas Track: Antennas & propagation, microwave theory and techniques, microwave system and applications, mm-wave technology for future systems.
  - Electronics Track: Reconfigurable computing, embedded systems, FPGA implementation, IC design, and bio-electronics.

Quality Assessment

• Experience and relevance of the applicant’s research area to the workshop.
• Motivation and contribution to the aims of the workshop.
• Description of the long term impact expected through the participation in the workshop. 
• Ability to disseminate workshop’s outcomes. 

Selection Procedure

• Eligibility check.
• Quality assessment.

Equal Opportunities

The British Council is committed to equal opportunities and diversity in all its activities and this includes the avoidance of any bias in the assessment of applications due to gender, disability, racial or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or religious belief. Participants’ selection undertaken by workshop organisers must not contravene this policy.  Extra support to enable participation of early career researchers with special needs will be given. 

Contacts