UK Research and Innovation, GB and other funders: Future leaders fellowships

28/07/2022

18/10/2022

UK Research and Innovation, together with the research councils, invites outline proposals for its future leaders fellowships. These enable early-career researchers and innovators to transition to or establish their research or innovation independence in any area supported by UKRI. The total budget is £100 million. Fellowships are tenable for four years in the first phase, with the option to renew for a further three years later on. There is no limit to the amount of funding applicants can request, but requests must be appropriate to the project. Applicants must include justification for costs over £1.5 million total UKRI contribution within the cover letter attached to the full proposal. In previous rounds the scheme has funded fellowships between £300,000 and £2m.

The scheme aims to: •develop, retain, attract and sustain research and innovation talent in the UK; •foster new research and innovation career paths including those at the academic or business and interdisciplinary boundaries, and facilitate movement of people between sectors; •provide sustained funding and resources for early-career researchers and innovators; •provide long-term, flexible funding to tackle difficult and novel challenges, and support adventurous, ambitious programmes.

Applicants do not need to hold a PhD and there are no eligibility rules based on the number of years since the PhD. However, if they do not hold a PhD, they must be able to demonstrate equivalent research or innovation experience or training. There are no eligibility rules based on whether applicants currently hold a permanent or open-ended academic position or job role. The fellowship offers flexibility to support outstanding individuals: from diverse career backgrounds; returning from a career break or returning to research or innovation following time in other roles; wishing to work part-time or in job shares in order to combine the fellowship with personal responsibilities; coming to the UK from abroad.