 EPSRC would like to thank all College members who have reviewed proposals for the New Horizons call and the COVID-19 call.
UKRI Principles of Assessment and Decision Making
UK Research and Innovation have published UKRI-wide Principles of Assessment and Decision Making. The Principles are an overview of processes that UKRI Councils currently adopt in assessment of funding applications and decision making. The Principles outline UKRI’s expectations and ambition for assessment processes and provide transparency to its’ commitment to robust decision making.
These replace EPSRC’s current Principles of Peer Review, but all existing safeguards will be upheld through guidance to assessors.
 Considering the impact of COVID-19 and Flexible working
COVID-19
We recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused major interruptions and disruptions across our communities and are committed to ensuring that individual applicants and their wider team, including partners and networks, are not penalised for any disruption to their career(s) such as breaks and delays, disruptive working patterns and conditions, the loss of ongoing work, and role changes that may have been caused by the pandemic. We acknowledge that COVID-19 will have an unequal impact on career paths and have published guidance for applicants and reviewers on how to take account of this when writing and reviewing grant applications.
Flexible Working
It is important that researchers and their research teams are able to work flexibly and in a way that meets their personal circumstances. EPSRC therefore allows applicants to tailor the support that they request in order to facilitate this. When requesting support for flexible working applicants do not have to describe the personal circumstances that result in the need for this support, rather they should describe the support required.
 College member online training
The College member online training has been updated to reflect the new core assessment criteria following the removal of Pathways to Impact. The training also now reflects the new UKRI Principles of Assessment and Decision Making.
Please do take the time to look at the updated online training modules to ensure that your contributions are as helpful as possible in reaching sound decisions.
Matched Funding
With the increased pressures of COVID-19, EPSRC would like to stress that support from the university for a grant is regarded as a benefit to building partnerships but doesn't have to equate to cash or it's equivalent. Unless it is specified in the scheme or call, EPSRC does not require matched funding, either cash or in kind to secure funding.
EPSRC assessment processes including expert reviewing and panels may acknowledge the impact of university contributions, but should not consider the level of matched university funding as a factor on which to base funding decisions.
Changes to EPSRC Fellowships
Following an extensive consultation process over the last year, EPSRC Fellowships are changing and the new scheme will comprise:
- EPSRC Post-doctoral Fellowships
- EPSRC Open Fellowships
EPSRC fellowships will support talented and ambitious researchers to deliver research excellence and lead our research base in the evolution of a modern working culture.
Key characteristics of the new funding opportunity include:
- Increased opportunities at early career stage onwards;
- Opportunity for applicants to focus on discovery science, innovation, instrumentation/technique development or software engineering or to include non-technical elements to create positive change in the research community
- Allows a high degree of freedom, flexibility and support for talented and ambitious researchers.
As part of the update we would like to encourage College members to update their expertise in Je-S, particularly in relation to topics related to Research Culture including, but not limited to, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion; Responsible Research and Innovation or Public Engagement.
Transition between existing and new fellowship schemes
- Applications that are already under development can continue to be submitted under the existing scheme until 14 December 2020, should candidates wish to do so.
- Applications under the new scheme will also be accepted from 30 November 2020 onwards.
- Researchers that currently hold an EPSRC Fellowship will be not be affected.
A new guidance document contains details of the assessment criteria and applications process so that applicants can work on their proposals in advance of the scheme formally opening for applications.
Queries relating to the new scheme can be submitted to researchcareers@epsrc.ukri.org
 The UKRI Funding Service needs your input
UKRI are building a new funding service that will eventually replace the existing Je-S system. If you have any experience of applying for funding, or are likely to apply for or assess funding in the future we would like you to help us design the service in a way that will meet your needs.
If you would like to input into the design of the new service please click on the button below to provide us with your details. We may then contact you to participate in a user research session, which typically would involve you commenting on some proposed designs and takes no longer than an hour. Sessions are arranged at a time convenient to you.
|
