FTMA4 is expected to support secondments and other activities that contribute to the mobility and development of researchers and technical staff. FTMAs are targeted at talented researchers and technical staff in industry and academia who have the potential to be the next generation of leaders within UK academic and industrial research.
FTMA should support the exchange of personnel, perspectives and knowledge, skills and expertise between the academic and industrial sectors, focusing on the exchange, development, and training of individuals.
Please note, the FTMA4 funding can only be used for employed researchers and technicians and cannot be used as bridge funding to support PhD students who have recently submitted their thesis.
There is flexibility in the usage of the FTMA, but activities undertaken must support the mobility and development of academic and industrialist researchers and technicians to new environments. The activities should aim to pump-prime the establishment of new academia-industry interactions and further develop existing ones. Furthermore, they can be used to support non-UK nationals to undertake short-term secondments and research collaborations that are hosted within a UK research organisation (and involve industrial partners, where appropriate).
Awards could be used to support:
- academia-industry exchanges
- interdisciplinary academia-academia exchanges
- international exchanges
- short term placements (e.g. day releases)
- longer term placements
- secondments
- placements with policy makers
- technology transfer
Guidelines
FTMA grants may be used to support mobility between academia and industry in a flexible manner.
Secondments should take place within the following guidelines:
- Outward applications can be submitted by postdoctoral researchers and technicians currently employed;
- Inward applications can be submitted by Principle Investigators who wish to host an industrial technician or researcher of postdoctoral-equivalent level in their research group.
- The secondments must have well-defined outcomes related to a research or technology development problem and/or development of the early career researcher involved.
- Applications are welcome for secondments which facilitate the development of partnerships to foster longer-term collaborations.
- Duration of the secondments is flexible but must complete by 31 March 2023, and the structure can be tailored if clear justification is provided, e.g. one continual period, two split periods, or one day per week for several months.
- Funding can be requested for direct costs ONLY, e.g. contribution to salary of the researcher undertaking the placement, reasonable travel and subsistence costs, consumables or other direct expenses.
This fund is now closed to applicaations
The fund has a fixed end date of 31 March 2023. All expenditure must occur by this date.
Eligible Costs
The costs awarded for each project may vary depending on the work proposed for the project but should not exceed £30,000.
FTMA grants will be made on the basis of individual project needs. The funding is intended to be flexible but covers direct costs (at 100% FEC) only such as staff costs (full- or part-time), travel and subsistence, consumables and any other direct expenses.
In all cases funds cannot be used for patent costs, estates costs, indirect costs or capital items of equipment. Please consult the attached guidelines for further details.
The application form has been split into 2 sections:
– Section 1 is to be entered using the online application form.
– Section 2 is to be uploaded as a Word file via the online application form that can be found here.
If you have any queries, please contact the Research Impact team at [email protected]