Have you previously applied or interested in applying for the next round of UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships funding? The Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) have published their reflections on round one of the scheme.

The ESRC want to enable potential applicants to understand the characteristics of a good social science application. Helpful points to consider include:

• Quality/excellence is vital but must be evident across all of the assessment criteria.
• Applications that don’t address all aspects will not be competitive.
• Applicants need to be clearer on why they will gain from a long-term, flexible, fellowship as opposed to other mechanisms.
• Strong applicants consider leadership and career development not only for themselves, but also for the staff they plan to employ on the ward. Host commitment is crucial.
• Candidates need to be able to articulate their research and the intended impact of such an award on their career to an interview panel from range of different backgrounds.
• The scheme is for Early Career Researchers, not established academics.

You can read the full published article  here

The scheme aims to attract, develop and sustain research and innovation talent in the UK with two future rounds of funding taking place in May 2020 and October 2021.

Please visit the UKRI website or speak to a member from the RIFS team if you are interested in applying for the next round of funding.