The UK Funding Landscape – What You Need to Consider As a Research Fellow

The UK funding landscape – What you need to consider as a research fellow

Who? What? Why? Useful starting points

The main funders of research in the A range of organisations that provide As a fellow and future research leader The Research Office overview of UK, too many to mention here, but funding opportunities to researchers your success depends on your ability Types of Research Funding provides there is a useful list on the Research in the UK. A relatively small number to attract funding for excellent information on commercial and non- Office web pages. of funders contribute the majority of research – stay aware of the commercial funders. research funding. opportunities and diversity of funders In particular, note the UK Research and have a strategy for how you will Stay up to date with the latest Councils and other Government opportunities by registering for alerts find out about them. Departments, Wellcome, European from Research Professional. Commission, and private sector funders.

The Higher Education Funding Council HEFCE funds and regulates As a research fellow (and future Getting ready for the REF - Advice (HEFCE) universities and colleges in England. leader of research) in the UK it is from jobs.ac.uk (Scotland has the SFC and Wales has essential that you know how REF and HEFCW and Northern Ireland has HEFCE funding affects you as a DELNI). researcher, and what you need to do to prepare for the next REF exercise. They assess excellence in Research Institutions through the Research Also be aware that HEFCE are now Excellence Framework (REF). consulting on a 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). REF is used to directly determine funding distribution to universities, which has a major influence over

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Research Councils UK (RCUK) The strategic partnership of the UK's Each year the Research Councils Make yourself familiar with the RCUK Research Councils covering all invest around £3 billion in research website in general, as well as the discipline areas, including: covering the full spectrum of council for your specific research academic disciplines. area. • Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council RCUK are extremely influential in Learn how funding is awarded and (BBSRC) driving the research agenda and assessed. • Engineering & Physical informing policy in the UK. Knowledge Understand the implications of key Sciences Research Council of these policies will help you to write policies and concordats for you as a (EPSRC) better proposals, be more strategic research leader and practitioner: • Economic & Social Research and find opportunities. Council (ESRC) • Policy on research governance • Medical Research Council • Expectations for Equality and (MRC) Diversity • Natural Environment • Concordat for engaging the public Research Council (NERC) with research • Science and Technology • The Concordat to Support the Facilities Council (STFC) Career Development of • Arts and Humanities Research Researchers Council (AHRC) • Pathways to Impact • Policy on Open Access

Universities UK Universities UK is the voice of Universities UK influence the policy Overview and commentary on key universities, helping to maintain the agendas that could affect you as a research policies world-leading strength of the UK researcher. In particular: Concordat to support research

PDC ©Imperial College London university sector and supporting its • Promoting the impact and value integrity members to achieve their aims and of universities Facts and figures about UK higher objectives. • Internationalisation and immigration education • Influencing the future of research Conferences and events relating to policy HE and research policy

UK University mission groups: Types of institution: not all The reason that this is important to The University of Exeter has a useful Institutions have the same level of know as a fellow is that different summary of the four main mission • Russell group focus on research and teaching. universities will have priorities for groups in the UK. • 1994 group (now disbanded) There are several ‘mission groups’ of teaching and research. This is • University Alliance universities, which share common important to remember when you • Million+ interests in relation to research and think about your future career teaching options. It is worth thinking about the type of research and teaching culture and environment you want to work in. Academic posts do not feel the same in every university. Aside from these are the Research Institutes where there is no teaching.