Tagged / prestigious

Scheme for salary support for ECR Fellowships

BU research, ECR Network

This scheme is for ‘Salary support for ECR Fellowships‘ to support the next generation of talented researchers delivering novel, fundamental research. The scheme provides support for salary shortfalls on early career researcher (ECR) fellowship applications to prestigious funders, if awarded.

Supporting ECRs is a key priority under BU2025. ECR fellowships provide important and strategic opportunities for ECRs to undertake a significant research project, increasing their research independence and providing development opportunities for them as future research leaders.

The scheme provides funding to make up salary shortfalls and by doing so aims to:

  • Provide support and development opportunities for ECRs
  • Encourage talented ECRs to join and develop a research career at the University
  • Build research capacity and capability in areas of strategic importance
  • Enhance the sustainability of the University’s research culture and environment

The RDS Funding Development Officers (FDO) will advise all eligible applicants of this opportunity when early career academic staff have identified the external funder fellowship call on an intention to bid (ItB) form.

This used to be a pathway under the ‘Prestigious Research Funders Scheme’ (PRFS). The PRFS has now been withdrawn as BU are looking to introduce a different scheme for providing internally funded postdoctoral research fellows in 2022. Watch this space.

Review and changes to BU Prestigious Funders scheme

BU research, Guidance

The Prestigious Funders scheme was launched in August 2017, revised in February 2018 and October 2018.  The revised policy document can be found here or on the BU staff intranet under ‘policy/ research/ pre-award’.

The main changes are as follows:

  • There is no longer a requirement for applicants to make a case for the BU costs of funding a PGR. If your application meets the eligibility criteria (based on value) then you will be advised by the RKEO Funding Development Officer when they receive the completed intention to bid form.
  • The BU income value threshold for ECRs applying to external prestigious research funders has been revised to £100k (before full economic costing (fEC)) for both pathways: PGR studentships and Postdoctoral research staff.
  • The value threshold for all those adding a BU funded PGR student when applying to an external prestigious research funder has been revised to £100k (before fEC).
  • Applications to other funders (from those listed in the scheme document) are now eligible to add a BU funded PGR to applications when costed at BU income over £350K (before fEC) or £100k (before fEC) for ECRS for the PGR studentship pathway only.
  • The value threshold for the postdoctoral research staff pathway 2 remains at £350k but has been revised to £100k for ECRs (both before fEC).  Only funders listed in the scheme document are considered for this pathway.
  • Clarification has been given that a postdoctoral researcher will normally be included within an application at 1FTE post for the duration of the project (applicants can choose to reduce this so that it is appropriate to their research plan).

No retrospective requests will be considered (i.e. any applications submitted before 25 October 2018 who now meet the new eligibility criteria will not be able to apply). The scheme continues to be open for applications where BU lead and where we are a Co-Investigator to another institution, as long as the eligibility requirements are met.

Please read the full scheme document for clarification of the above.  You will need time to build this into your application and so please speak with your RKEO Funding Development Officer as soon as you think you might meet the eligibility criteria for either pathway.

Review and changes to BU scheme to invest in research capacity for externally-funded projects with prestigious research funders

BU research

The scheme to invest in research capacity for externally-funded projects with prestigious research funders was launched in August 2017 and has been revised in February 2018.  The revised policy document can be found here or on the BU staff intranet under ‘policy/ research/ pre-award’.

The main changes are as follows:

  • Applications to prestigious funders when BU is non-lead, i.e. Co-Investigator, will now be considered as long as the value threshold for BU income is met (see below).  This is available for both pathways.
  • The BU income value threshold for ECRs applying to external prestigious research funders has been lowered to £75k (before full economic costing (fEC)) for both pathways: PGR studentships and Postdoctoral research staff.
  • The value threshold for all those requesting a PGR student when applying to an external prestigious research funder has been lowered to £75k (before fEC).
  • Other funders (from those listed in the scheme document) will be considered when projects are valued as BU income over £350K (before fEC) or £75k (before fEC) for ECRS for the PGR studentship pathway only.  A case will need to be made to the Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation (see scheme notes for case criteria).
  • The value threshold for the postdoctoral research staff pathway remains at £350k or £75k for ECRs (both before fEC).  Only funders listed in the scheme document are considered for this pathway.
  • Information on how to include details of the BU funding in your application for external funding have been made clearer.
  • No retrospective requests will be considered.

Please read the full scheme document for clarification of the above.

New BU scheme to encourage research projects with prestigious funders

BU research, Guidance, Research news

We recently advertised that BU is introducing a new scheme which encourages submissions to externally-funded research projects.  The below is a reminder of what the scheme entails with a few clarifications following on from queries received.

The aim is to:

  • demonstrate BU’s commitment to supporting research undertaken with prestigious research funders;
  • build research capacity and capability in areas of strategic importance;
  • enhance the sustainability of the University’s research culture and environment;
  • recognise and reward the research grant successes of academic staff.

The scheme has two pathways: i) PGR studentships; and ii) postdoctoral research staff. Each of these, and the relevant procedures and eligibility, are set out in the scheme document, which can be found here.

For the PGR studentship pathway, academics will need to make a case for a studentship to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (R&I), but with authorisation sought in advance from the Faculty Executive Dean. The second pathway for postdoctoral research staff will be automatically applied by RKEO to all eligible applications (following discussion with and consent by the PI).

Please read through the Scheme document (it is only two pages and answers most of your queries) and if any clarification is required then contact Jo Garrad, Funding Development Manager, RKEO.

Clarifications

The scheme notes have been amended to clarify that BU must be the lead institution and have a BU Principal Investigator.

The prestigious funders listed have been chosen as they carry added benefits, for example, provision of additional funds to BU, such as the RCUK open access fund; fellowships to academies, which open the door to greater peer review opportunities; and greater weighting in the REF submission and the HE-BCI report, which leads to HEFCE funding.  Whilst our aim is to strongly encourage you to submit larger applications to these funders, this shouldn’t stop you from applying to other funders.  BU is proud of all our academic successes.

The prestigious funders now include hyperlinks to the respective funders ‘funding opportunities’ page.  Please see the footnote for the links to the seven research councils, plus RCUK.

There have been some comments that this scheme is only available to a few people.  This is not true.  The point of the scheme is to support you in applying for longer and larger applications to the prestigious funders so that this becomes the greater proportion of our submissions for funding.

New BU scheme to encourage research projects with prestigious funders

BU research, Guidance, Research news

We recently advertised that BU is introducing a new scheme which encourages submissions to externally-funded research projects.  The below is a reminder of what the scheme entails with a few clarifications following on from queries received.

The aim is to:

  • demonstrate BU’s commitment to supporting research undertaken with prestigious research funders;
  • build research capacity and capability in areas of strategic importance;
  • enhance the sustainability of the University’s research culture and environment;
  • recognise and reward the research grant successes of academic staff.

The scheme has two pathways: i) PGR studentships; and ii) postdoctoral research staff. Each of these, and the relevant procedures and eligibility, are set out in the scheme document, which can be found here.

For the PGR studentship pathway, academics will need to make a case for a studentship to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (R&I), but with authorisation sought in advance from the Faculty Executive Dean. The second pathway for postdoctoral research staff will be automatically applied by RKEO to all eligible applications (following discussion with and consent by the PI).

Please read through the Scheme document (it is only two pages and answers most of your queries) and if any clarification is required then contact Jo Garrad, Funding Development Manager, RKEO.

Clarifications

The scheme notes have been amended to clarify that BU must be the lead institution and have a BU Principal Investigator.

The prestigious funders listed have been chosen as they carry added benefits, for example, provision of additional funds to BU, such as the RCUK open access fund; fellowships to academies, which open the door to greater peer review opportunities; and greater weighting in the REF submission and the HE-BCI report, which leads to HEFCE funding.  Whilst our aim is to strongly encourage you to submit larger applications to these funders, this shouldn’t stop you from applying to other funders.  BU is proud of all our academic successes.

There have been some comments that this scheme is only available to a few people.  This is not true.  The point of the scheme is to support you in applying for longer and larger applications to the prestigious funders so that this becomes the greater proportion of our submissions for funding.

New BU scheme to encourage research projects with prestigious funders

BU research, Guidance, Research news

BU is introducing a new scheme which encourages submissions to externally-funded research projects.

The aim is to:

  • demonstrate BU’s commitment to supporting research undertaken with prestigious research funders;
  • build research capacity and capability in areas of strategic importance;
  • enhance the sustainability of the University’s research culture and environment;
  • recognise and reward the research grant successes of academic staff.

The scheme has two pathways: i) PGR studentships; and ii) postdoctoral research staff. Each of these, and the relevant procedures and eligibility, are set out in the scheme document, which can be found here.

For the PGR studentship pathway, academics will need to make a case for a studentship to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (R&I), but with authorisation sought in advance from the Faculty Executive Dean. The second pathway for postdoctoral research staff will be automatically applied by RKEO to all eligible applications (following discussion with and consent by the PI).

Please read through the Scheme document and if any clarification is required then contact Jo Garrad, Funding Development Manager, RKEO.