Funding for talented scholars who are embarking on a university career who need to build a research team of sufficient scale to tackle a distinctive research problem.
Each institution is limited to one bid only, meaning an internal selection process will apply to this call (see document below).
ELIGIBILITY
At the point of application, you must:
- Have had at least two years full-time or equivalent experience in a research or teaching post in a university after the date of your PhD award.
- Already hold a permanent academic appointment at a UK university at lecturer level or equivalent, or be nominated for the award by a UK university that undertakes to offer a contract for the duration of the award, with the expectation that a permanent role would be offered by the end of the award. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK and be resident in the UK during the tenure of the award.
- Be at an early stage of your academic career such that the trajectory of your research contribution has yet to become firmly established. This means that you must not:
- Have held an equivalent award or fellowship that provided funds to establish an independent research group
- Have held project grant funding in excess of £100k in a single award*
- Have led a team of research staff, or managed PDRA staff.
*Personal funding that exceeds £100k in a single award is allowable provided the award had no provision for managing staff.
Applicants at Senior Lecturer, Reader/Associate Professor or Professor level or equivalent are therefore not eligible to apply.
VALUE AND DURATION
Each grant runs for a period of four to five years and is worth up to £1 million for staff salaries and associated costs.
KEY DATES
University of Worcester internal selection deadline: 10 March 2025
Full application deadline: 30 May 2025
Guidance, application help notes and FAQs can be found below and on the opportunity webpage.