Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is a fellowship?
A. A fellowship grant by UKRI definition is a monetary award made through a fellowship competition, providing a contribution to the support of a named individual to conduct research work to enhance their career whilst solving problems in society.
It covers the cost of time dedicated by the fellow to their research work and their personal development including; receiving mentoring and training, enhancing their opportunities and developing their leadership.
Q. What is the Knowledge Exchange and Impact Fellowships Scheme?
A. This is an internal UoS funding scheme to support research work with non-academic partners to generate projects that support participatory or co-produced work by “making change together” and generating ‘value’.
Q. How many fellowships are on offer and funding available?
A. The KEI Fellowships will be awarded in the following FOUR (4) categories:
- Public and Community Engagement (up to £5K per proposal)
- Innovation (up to £15K per proposal)
- Policy (up to £6K per proposal)
- Business Development (from 10K to £50K per proposal)
Q. What kind of proposal applications are eligible?
A. Applications should meet the definitions of ‘Knowledge Exchange’ and ‘Impact’ and contribute to at least one of the four strategic aims of the Sussex Knowledge Exchange and Impact strategy outlined below:
- Knowledge Exchange: ‘two-way flow of knowledge (skills, expertise, technology and/or information) between the university and users of research’.
- Impact : ‘the effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life, beyond academia.’
Strategic Aims of Knowledge Exchange and Impact Strategy
- To maximise opportunities to transform practice through our entrepreneurial research, innovation and enterprise work
- To become embedded as valuable knowledge partner in enabling change in place
- To inform, challenge and influence public policy
- To lead on and influence local, regional, national and international discourse concerning the efficacy, sustainability and impact of proposed solutions for the UN SDGs
Q. How different is this scheme to others in the KE and Impact space?
A. The KEI Fellowships provide flexible and agile support especially for early project work especially as part of a journey to build sustainable impact and is complimentary to other existing funding schemes such as School based HEIF and the AHRC-IAA.
We especially encourage using these Fellowships as a way of planning the sustainability of your work. The Fellowship is a way of demonstrating the value, both externally and internally, of your approach to KE and Impact.
Q. When is the application deadline?
A. The submission window for applications is from 9th October until 31st December 2023. However, project activity can begin from Oct 2023 and must be completed by 30th June 2024.
Q. When should Fellowship activity be completed, and funding used by?
A. All funded activity must be complete by 30th June 2024, with all spending received on the University Finance System by 31st July 2024.
(Please inform Programme Manager Nana Yankah; ny95@sussex.ac.uk on issues regarding activity timelines and spends)
Q. Who can apply?
A. The fellowship scheme is open to all academic staff. However professional staff can collaborate with academic staff in their applications as co-applicants. Early Career Researchers are highly encouraged.
Q. Can PhD students apply for a Fellowship?
A. Not at this time. We are exploring ways in which we might be able to support PhD students to undertake policy engagement activity.
Q. Can a PhD student be contracted on a proposal as a research assistant?
A. Yes, If a PhD student is employed part-time as a Research Assistant on a project, you can apply to buy-out their time for a non-research activity that aligns with the criteria of a Fellowship fund. However, note that RAs whose part-time work or studentships are funded by UKRI are not eligible.
Q. Can I use the KEI Fellowship for new activities and/or innovation area?
A. Yes. You will need to clearly articulate the impact goal and how this will benefit users of your research.
Q. I’ve previously had funding from a Fellowship (eg KE Policy Fellowship). Can I apply again?
A. The intention is for these Fellowships to support researchers to generate new or renewed momentum behind their KE activity, with a view to using the outcomes to unlock further funding opportunities.
Applications from researchers who have previously received funding from any of these schemes will need to outline a strong rationale as to why they are applying again, what other sources of funding they have considered, and the future development and funding pathway beyond these Fellowships.
Q. Can a Fellowship be used to fund an external partner?
A. Yes. Where you believe the involvement of an external partner will enhance the effectiveness of your knowledge exchange activity, you can include relevant costings in an application. Where an organization (eg a thinktank or consultancy) is costed into an application under a high day rate, the panel will look closely at the figure in terms of the activity and value for money. Note that a Fellowship cannot be used to fund primary research undertaken by an external partner.
Q. Can a group of researchers apply for one Fellowship?
A. Yes. An application can support multiple researchers. However, there must be a lead applicant, who takes responsibility for all administration and co-ordination of the reporting associated with a Fellowship.
Q. Can the Fellowships be used to buy out academic time?
A. Academic time is an allowable budget item. However, there are some important caveats to be aware of:
1. An application that includes a request for academic time will not be reviewed unless an appropriate conversation has taken place with explicit permission granted from the HoD and/or HoS sign-off (whichever is appropriate within the School. There is a section on the form for this.
2. Academic time is an allowable time as an enabler, that is, it is strictly for those for whom time allocation is a barrier to getting the work done (that is, it sits outside of any other allocation that you may have for knowledge exchange) - there must be a good justification for why is it a barrier. There is a relevant section on the form that needs to be present this justification.
3. Time allocation is treated on the same basis as we would do for PIs in other mainstream grants - that is, it is a recognition that time is being specifically allocated to a project and it is not a budget for teaching cover. That is, it covers academic time directly allocated to a project, but it cannot be used for teaching buy-out.
If a Fellowship application is successful,it is then up to the department as to how they adjust workloads(e.g. reducing teaching load or admin load.).Fellowship budgets cannot be used to directly allocate money to teaching or admin loads.
4. The review panel will have the option to challenge budget requests, including academic time, and we may as part of the review process decide not to grant requests if there is not enough justification for this, or it is not judged to offer good value for money. We may on this basis request a revised budget.
Q. Can I get further development support on a working application?
A. Yes, the scheme offers support for further development and mentoring to further develop the quality of your work for assessment. Also drop-in sessions will be facilitated for applicants.
Q. I want to apply for funding from more than one of the Fellowship schemes? Do I need to fill out a separate form for each Fund?
A. If there are more than one proposal in different categories of the scheme, please use different forms. However, one application can be used where the proposal falls under more than one category. In this instance the highest amount offered can be used as a budget guide.
Q. If my application is not successful, can I apply again?
A. Yes you can apply again, however, funding availability is on a first come- first serve basis and future funding availability is not guaranteed.
Q. Who do I contact if I have any queries?
A. Please direct any queries to: Nana Yankah, Programme Consultant-Knowledge Exchange and Impact Support Programme, via ny95@sussex.ac.uk.