BU Research Blog

The UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships will grow the strong supply of talented individuals needed to ensure a vibrant environment for research and innovation in the UK. The scheme is open to researchers and innovators from across business, universities, and other organisations and from around the world.

This scheme is looking for early career researchers and innovators who are either:

• looking to establish or transition to independence
• developing their own original and ambitious plans within a commercial setting.

UKRI are offering funding to support ambitious research or innovation programmes across UKRI’s remit. The fellowship will enable fellows to tackle ambitious research and develop their careers.

There is no minimum or maximum award value.

Your project can last for up to four years, with the option to apply to renew for a further three years.

The external deadline for this call is 18^th June 2025.

BU internal competition:

​For Round 10 we are running an internal process at BU to ensure we support and encourage submissions from the highest standard of candidates. For this round, BU is capped at a maximum of 3 applications.

The focus is to ensure candidates are eligible and have a high chance of success, providing them with comprehensive advice and support, to develop a high-quality programme of research and proposal for submission. Applications are welcome from internal academics (both as prospective fellows and/or mentors of prospective fellows) and external academics to be hosted by BU.

Prospective applicants should complete an Expression of Interest form and send to Research Development by COB on 11th February 2025. A panel of subject experts and Deputy Deans of Research will review each EoI and selected applicants will be notified by 28th February.  All documents relating to this internal competition are available on the I Drive here: I:\RDS\Public\FLF Round 10 or please contact Eva Papadopoulou or Kate Percival.

Selected applicants will then be supported to progress with their application and receive internal and external support as required.

A briefing on this call will be held on  21st January 2025 at 11am, including an overview of the scheme and a Q&A session. For those who cannot attend on the day, please email and we can share the slides. Please email Eva Papadopoulou or Kate Percival if you would like to attend. We also have Professor Matt Ryan (previous FLF) visiting on 28th January 2025 at 2pm at the Talbot Campus.

Process for selecting applications timeline:

Please contact Eva Papadopoulou or Kate Percival with any queries on the above.