Internal funding opportunities

Career Support and Bridging Support Schemes

In certain circumstances, the University can provide continuing support for the employment by the University of contract research staff where outside funding is not immediately available.

The purpose of the Bridging Support Scheme is to enable continued employment of academic-related research staff between fixed-term contracts at the University.

The purpose of the Career Support Scheme is to enable continued employment of long-serving academic-related contract researchers whose research contribution is of particular value to the University.

Both schemes are administered by Personnel Services and further information can be found at http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/ps/staff/codes/cssbss.shtml.

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CNRS - Oxford Collaboration Scheme

The Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and the University of Oxford have established the CNRS-Oxford Collaboration Scheme to enhance existing collaborations, and to facilitate the development of new collaborations, between researchers at the two organisations.

The Scheme provides small grants to support

  1. joint research workshops between researchers from CNRS-affiliated units and Oxford to identify and develop new collaborative opportunities; and
  2. short research visits as part of a collaborative activity that researchers from CNRS-affiliated units and Oxford wish to pursue together

The Scheme is open to researchers across all disciplines at CNRS and Oxford.

For further information, including a list of projects funded under the 2012 Round, please see the programme overview. The next Round is expected to be launched in early 2013.

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Departmental Funds

Departments usually have some funds available to held fund travel to conferences and for collaborative visits, short-term emergency support etc. Please contact your Departmental Administrator for further information.

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Erasmus funding for academic teaching staff

Erasmus is the European Commission's flagship educational programme for Higher Education students, teachers, and institutions and was introduced with the aim of increasing student mobility within Europe. Erasmus funding is not only available for students but for staff as well. Members of academic teaching staff employed by the University of Oxford may be eligible for funding to undertake a short period of teaching at another institution that participates in Erasmus.

Details about the Erasmus Staff Mobility Scheme can be found at http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/personnel/staffinfo/academic/erasmus.  Please note that an agreement between two institutions holding an Erasmus University Charter needs to be in place by the summer before the academic year in which the staff mobility is due to take place.

Further information can be obtained from the Erasmus Co-ordinator (Erasmus@ox.ac.uk).

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EPSRC Additional Sponsorship to Universities (Grants available to support equipment sharing between institutions.

Background

The EPSRC has kindly offered 'Additional Sponsorship for targeted Universities in support of EPSRC delivery plan' through to March 2013 in four areas:

  1. Delivering Impact: Sponsoring Pathways to Impact    
  2. Developing Leaders:  Widening the pool of research experience
  3. Shaping capability:  Bridging the gaps and priming new transformative research
  4. Efficiency and effectiveness: Enhancing equipment sharing between institutions

    The strategic use of this funding allocated to Oxford to support and enhance Oxford’s contribution to the achievement of EPSRC's 'strategic and delivery plan goals' is being overseen by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), in consultation with senior colleagues.

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    EPSRC PIA Internal Grants to support Knowledge Exchange and Impact activities (internal deadline: 5 pm, 18 Jan 2013)

    As part of a generous further Institutional Block Grant from the EPSRC, the University invites Oxford PIs who currently hold or have recently held EPSRC grants or who conduct research within the EPSRC programme landscapes to apply for grants to support Knowledge Exchange and Impact activities.

    Heads of EPSRC DTCs at Oxford and supervisors of other EPSRC-supported DPhil students are also invited to apply to support student activities. Individuals, departments and sub-departments and centres are encouraged to collaborate and propose joint KE/impact activities.  Activities involving other universities are very welcome.

    The EPSRC stresses that the funds are to 'support the full range of impact activity that delivers or promotes the benefits of research and PhD training to a full range of end users across industry, the public sector, the third sector and the wider public.'
    The EPSRC requires that the funds be fully expended by 31 March 2013. The activities proposed must fit within these timelines. No carry-forwards are permitted.

    Isis Innovation must be consulted on any proposals involving IP that may be commercially exploitable by the University.
    Grants will be awarded from £250 to £5,000. The funds cannot be used to support research.

    Potential KT and Impact activities are many and varied. Ideas include but are not limited to:

    • Early stage proof of concept studies as part of an intellectual property (IP) commercialisation plan
    • Market assessment as part of an IP commercialisation plan
    • Workshops/seminars and networking events with the general public, industry, the 3rd sector and/or public policy makers exploring key issues arising during or from your research
    • Lectures for the public
    • Engagement with policy makers and opinion leaders
    • Impact fellows
    • Knowledge Transfer Associates targeted at promising research areas
    • Media event(s)
    • Industry event(s) (workshop, seminar, showcase, joint academe-industry planning days etc)
    • Industry secondment/people exchange
    • Visits to research users (incl. industry labs)
    • Marketing and communication of research results, incl. e.g. via newsletter, leaflet and other publication costs, dedicated web site, podcast, DVD, etc
    • Production of videos to increase accessibility to research outputs and dissemination to next stage investors

    Max. 2 page applications are invited by 5 pm on Friday, 18 January 2013.

    Documents

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    Flexible Small Grants Fund: Identifying and Responding to Emerging Opportunities and Threats in Global Health (deadline: 5 pm, 28 Jan 2013))

    A flexible small grants (FSG) Fund has been established under the University's Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF). The scheme will support pilot multi- and inter-disciplinary research projects involving cross-divisional activity at Oxford addressing research opportunities in global health.

    The FSG Fund is designed to address three particular challenges identified in Oxford’s institutional biomedical strategy:

    • that research in this area is ultimately problem-focused drawing on and integrating outputs from a number of scientific disciplines
    • that as the problems are human, effective solutions require social science and humanities research, and
    • both the problems and solutions require some global consideration

    In order to ensure that this FSG Fund supports the institutional biomedical strategy and creates value from Wellcome Trust investment, each research project team must include one member working on existing Wellcome Trust-funded research, and one member from either the Social Sciences or Humanities Divisions.

    Total project costs must not exceed £40k and will be funded 50% from the Wellcome Trust ISSF contribution, 25% from the John Fell OUP Research Fund and 25% through contributions from the participating Departments.

    For details on how to apply please see www.issf.ox.ac.uk/flexible-small-grants. The closing date for applications is 5 pm on Monday, 28 January 2013. For enquires please contact Sharron Pleydell-Pearce, Research Facilitator, Social Sciences Division; tel. (6)14882.

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    Institutional Strategic Support Fund

    The Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF) is a block grant provided to the University, which is managed by a small central committee. The ISSF Committee receives applications for funding from any department in the University. Research projects must fall within the remit of the Wellcome Trust, as well as the strategic remit of biomedical research at Oxford.

    The fund was first awarded in 2011-2012 with a £1.5M grant from Wellcome, to be matched by £1.5M from the University. The fund was recently renewed for 2012-2013 for an additional £1.5M, following a successful first year report to the Trust. Awards in future years will be contingent on the track record of projects funded, as well as continued investment on the part of the Wellcome Trust.

    Information on strategic research priorities, eligibility, procedures, and previous awards can be found on the ISSF website. Any general enquiries about the nature of the fund or applications can be sent to Jennifer Bardsley.

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    John Fell OUP Research Fund

    The John Fell OUP Research Fund is administered by the Planning & Resource Allocation Section. The purpose of the Fund is to foster creativity and a proactive approach to research opportunities in all subject areas, and particularly in interdisciplinary fields. It will make seedcorn and start-up grants, and provide staff and funds to stimulate applications to external agencies. The Fund will thus build on the success of the former Research Development Fund. Please see the John Fell Fund web page for deadlines and further details.
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    Junior Research Fellowships (JRFs)

    These posts are generally affiliated with particular colleges, and are advertised via their websites. Some posts are advertised in the Appointments section of the Gazette and/or in the Research section of the University job site.

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    Medical Research Fund

    The Medical Research Fund supports research conducted in the clinical departments of the Medical Sciences Division through provision of bridging support grants, pilot project grants and start-up funds. Please see the MSD Intranet for further information.

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    Oppenheimer Fund (deadline: 12 April 2013)

    The Oppenheimer Fund provides grants to assist the academic exchange of senior members between the University of Oxford and institutions of higher education in South Africa. Grants may be awarded to assist with travel costs and living expenses for a maximum of three months. The next deadline will be 12 April 2013.

    Please see the programme overview for details.

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    Oxford Martin School

    Applications are invited periodically from individuals and groups within Oxford University for grants from the Oxford Martin School.

    For more information about the School, see http://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk.

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    Oxford-Canterbury (NZ) Exchange Programme

    The Oxford-Canterbury Exchange Programme, pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Oxford and Canterbury in 2002, enables academic staff from Oxford University to visit the University of Canterbury for up to 3 months to give lectures to students and contribute generally to the teaching programme.

    Please note: from 2011/12 onwards Oxford departments will be responsible for 30% of the costs of either sending or receiving a visitor. Also, any Oxford academic thinking of applying for a Fellowship must contact the relevant department at Canterbury and obtain a supporting letter from the Head of Department. Further information on this can be found on the Programme Overview page.

    Deadline: Applications are invited for the 2012 round of funding, and close on 16 December 2011.

    How to apply: Please see the programme overview for guidelines and the application form.

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    Oxford-Princeton Collaborative Research Grants

    The Oxford-Princeton Collaborative Research Grants Program, pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Oxford and Princeton in 2001, provides 'seed-corn' funds supporting interactions between researchers to build the basis for new research projects and to develop proposals for external funding (to help sustain and enlarge collaborative activity).

    In the most recent round (2012), 6 new projects were funded. A listing of the projects funded in 2012, 2011 and 2010 is available.

    The Oxford Grants Committee plans to apply to the John Fell Fund for a further block of funding to enable future calls (in 2013). The Committee is working with Princeton’s Council of International Teaching and Research to evaluate the grants program and make the case for continued funding.

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    Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities: Cultural Engagement Partnership Fellowship for Early Career Researchers (deadline: 12 noon, 16 Jan 2013)

    The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities seeks to stimulate and support research activity that engages with non-academic partners.
     
    To this end, the Centre invites applications from early career researchers for fellowships of up to three months to establish, or consolidate, research partnerships with cultural or civic organizations. Funding has been provided by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) for Oxford. This scheme is primarily being funded by the AHRC so is open to those wanting to undertake projects in many of the Social Sciences as well as Humanities. Deadline: 12 noon, Wednesday, 16 January 2013.

    Please find details of the scheme and an application form below. Further information can be found at http://www.humanities.ox.ac.uk/TORCH/funding_opportunities/cultural_engagement_fellowship. 

    Documents

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    Proof of Concept and Seed Funds

    During 1999 Oxford University was awarded one of 15 seed funds that were established as part of the Government's University Challenge Seed Fund Scheme (UCSF). The aim of the Scheme is to fill a funding gap in the UK in the provision of finance for bringing university research discoveries to a point where their commercial usefulness can be demonstrated and the first steps taken to ensure their utility. The Scheme's primary focus is the exploitation of science and engineering research outcomes.

    The UCSF is adminstered by Isis Innovation. Please see the ISIS website for further information.

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    Scholarships and Prizes

    The Sources of Funding web pages include useful information about scholarships and prizes available to undergraduate and graduate students.
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    Contacts

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