We are still awaiting confirmation from UKRI that there will be another round of the Future Leaders Fellowships (FLF) scheme. Details of the previous round are listed below:
The FLF scheme has the following objectives:
• To develop, retain, attract and sustain research and innovation talent in the UK.
• To foster new research and innovation career paths including those at the academic/business and interdisciplinary boundaries, and facilitate movement of people between sectors.
• To provide sustained funding and resources for the best early career researchers and innovators.
• To provide long-term, flexible funding to tackle difficult and novel challenges, and support adventurous, ambitious programmes.
The Fellowship:
• Will support early career researchers and innovators (senior academics and innovators are not permitted to apply) to transition to or establish independence in any area supported by UKRI.
• Applications exploring difficult challenges and those crossing disciplinary or sectoral boundaries are particularly encouraged.
• Open to applicants from universities, UK registered businesses, and other research and user environments.
• Open to international applicants, applicants from diverse career paths, including those returning from a career break, and those wishing to work part-time.
• Offers long-term support (4+3 years) with a review in year 4.
• Applicants are expected to hold a doctorate by the start date of the FLF, or be able to demonstrate equivalent experience.
• No eligibility rules based on years since PhD, or whether the applicant currently holds a permanent/open-ended academic position or job role.
• Applicants must have significant support from their hosting organisation(s) (see below).
• Support for researchers, visiting researchers, technicians, travel and subsistence, training and development, and equipment, are all eligible costs.
• Applications exceeding £1.5 million (at 80% FEC) in the first four years need to be discussed with UKRI office staff before submitting.
There are no restrictions on the number of applicants that a hosting organisation can submit. However, since hosting organisations need to be prepared to commit to the long-term potential of all fellows, applicants must have the support of the University. Given this, the expected competitiveness of the call, and the expectation on organisations to have a strategic approach to support candidates, there will be an internal selection process, which for Round 6 is as follows (note that all Colleges will be running similar processes):
• Confirm Head of School support, and contact the Research Facilitator in your School for grant development support a.s.a.p. All supported applicants are expected to also work with an academic mentor, identified by the School, in the development of their proposals.
• Completed, 1) 2 page CV, 2) 4 page Internal Outline Case for Support (templates for both required), and, 3) an outline cost (Excel or Word) to be sent to your EPS Research Development Manager, Iwona Spill (i.spill@bham.ac.uk) by 20th of September 2020.
• College Panel selection: between 21st of September and 9th of October 2020.
• Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Transfer review of College shortlists and confirmation of University candidates invited to submit full proposals: by early November 2020.
• Submission of outline proposals to UKRI: expected early January 2021
• Deadline for submission of full applications: expected end January 2021
UKRI Future leaders Fellowship