Opportunities for Academy Members
The Academy builds on and adds value to the investment in training and academic career development that is happening throughout the NIHR.
The NIHR Infrastructure, Schools and wider capacity building structures which have a remit to support and grow future research capacity include:
- Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs)
- Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs)
- Health Protection Research Units (HPRUs)
- Patient Safety Research Centres (PSRCs)
- School for Primary Care Research (SPCR)
- School for Public Health Research (SPHR)
- School for Social Care Research (SSCR)
- Programme Grants including Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) and Research Programme for Social Care (RPSC)
More than 1,500 of our Academy Members are studying and training across our infrastructure, schools, and wider capacity building structures. This includes Academy Members who are enrolled in:
- Masters and predoctoral awards
- doctoral awards
- postdoctoral
- other formal training and career development awards
Academic Career Development (ACD) Leads
Each of our infrastructure and school sites has an ACD Lead to provide local support to our Academy Members. They are a first point of contact to:
- get advice about your academic career development needs
- find out about relevant NIHR career development opportunities
- check whether your training meets the eligibility requirements to become an NIHR Academy Member
Eligibility for NIHR Academy membership
An NIHR Academy Member based within our infrastructure or capacity building structures should satisfy all 3 points of eligibility:
- be undertaking a formal training/career development award, which should meet all of the following criteria: be competitive, include a training plan and have a defined end point (such as an application for further funding)
- receive at least 25% funding from the NIHR for salary/stipend over the lifetime of the individual’s award. If you work in an ARC or HPRU, funding can be from NIHR or from an official collaborating partner
- be hosted in a setting with a remit for research capacity development. This includes: NIHR BRCs, PSRCs, ARCs, HPRUs, SPCR, SPHR and SSCR
What academic career development opportunities are available to you?
If you’re an Academy Member based within our research infrastructure, you could be eligible for additional awards and events opportunities through the NIHR Academy.
Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration (SPARC)
This scheme provides an opportunity to design and undertake a short placement in a part of the NIHR. The placement should be bespoke to you and meet your individual research training needs and background, and enhance your career, skills and networks.
SPARC is open to you if you’re a predoctoral to early-career postdoctoral researcher.
You could access up to £15,000 to undertake a short placement. The funding can include:
- salary or stipend support for the time you undertake the placement
- training course and conference fees
- placement travel, accommodation and subsistence costs
More information on SPARC
Local Authority Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration (LA SPARC)
This scheme provides an opportunity for you to design and undertake a short placement in a local authority setting. You will work alongside service commissioners and providers to hear first-hand the issues and challenges being faced at the local level. You will have the opportunity to further your skills and knowledge to work at the interface between practice and academia. This scheme will also enable you to develop your ability to co-create meaningful research that is better connected with practice.
You could access up to £15,000 to undertake a short placement. The funding can include:
- salary or stipend support for the time you undertake the placement
- training course and conference fees
- placement travel, accommodation and subsistence costs
More information on LA SPARC
When to apply
The SPARC and LA SPARC competitions open annually in September. You can plan to take your award flexibly between April and the following February.
“I have a new found appreciation for the value of collaboration. During my placement, I built relationships with public contributors and colleagues at Imperial Biomedical Research Centre that and I hope it will continue beyond the scope of my time here.”
Doctoral Training Camp
Our Doctoral Training Camp is an annual summer event for PhD candidates who are hosted within our infrastructure or schools, or an NIHR supported incubator.
This event offers delegates:
- access to workshops
- inspirational speakers
- practical experience in preparing funding proposals via a group activities
Please contact your ACD Lead to explore your eligibility to be nominated for this opportunity.
Postdoctoral Event
Our Postdoctoral Event provides dedicated support for individuals based within our infrastructure, schools or affiliated with an NIHR supported Incubator. The focus of this event is on navigating your postdoctoral career.
A committee of postdoctoral researchers develops and delivers the event. They will ensure the content is tailored to our audience, with funding and logistical support provided by us.
We first held this hybrid event in 2023. The event programme included discussions on:
- grant application development
- PPIE
- career progression
- funding opportunities
Academy Members' Conference
We invite all of our members to our annual NIHR Academy Members' Conference. It is a 2 day hybrid event held annually in autumn/winter. It includes inspirational speakers, networking opportunities, skills sessions and workshops.
We select a new theme each year. Previous themes include:
- equality, diversity and inclusion in research
- non-linear career pathways
- Team Science
ACD Leads
Call 0113 532 8444 or email us.