University Research Fund

The University Research Fund provides selective support for non-recurrent research activity which is considered to be of strategic importance to the University’s overall research profile. The Fund is looking to support projects that either:

  • Are clearly aimed at securing additional external grant funding. Applications should clearly identify the source of potential external funding
  • Are in line with the strategic priorities of major external funding agencies, such as UKRI, the individual Research Councils or Innovate UK
  • Or, are essential for outputs intended for the next REF and which would be demonstrably stronger through an award

The URF is concerned to support research which initially might not attract external funding, but which could reasonably lead to external support. All applicants will be asked whether they have applied (or could have applied) for external funding. Grants will not normally be given for services or equipment facilities that may be better funded by Departments or Faculties, or for projects for which external agencies could reasonably be approached (though supplementary support may be considered).

Projects must be ‘stand-alone’ i.e. must not be designed to supplement other external funding or reliant on the outcomes of other concurrent projects.

NOTE: Internal funds for Impact are available separately.

Eligibility

Support from the University Research Fund is restricted to academic staff who are members of academic departments, whose posts are not funded by external contracts and who are REF eligible through AU. Staff who are in the process of moving to a Teaching and Research Contract who have the support of their Head of Department and their Faculty Pro-Vice Chancellor to apply to the URF may also be eligible.

We particularly encourage applications from individuals who feel their research has been impacted negatively by the Covid-19 pandemic. Please use ‘section 5: Other information’ of the application form to provide more detail on how a URF award will positively impact your research portfolio’.

Awards

A maximum of £10,000 is available per award. This is an upper limit and not a target. The panel are keen to see value for money in applications and that requests for resources are well justified. All projects should be started and completed within the academic year. The earliest start date should be 4th November and be completed by the 31st of July at the latest.

There is no potential to "roll-over" finance from one financial year to another, so in your project planning you must make sure that your project can be completed (including processing of all expenditure) by the 31st of July at the very latest. If in doubt and there is a risk of slippage from the outset, then please plan a shorter-term project so this can be accommodated within the financial year.

Eligible Costs

Direct costs of research only, e.g. travel and subsistence, consumables, limited research assistance, and other justifiable directly incurred costs.

The fund will not support Open Access costs, estates, indirect costs, or directly allocated costs (e.g. staff time). If PhD students are to be employed as Research Assistants on the project, they must be undertaking a PhD at Aberystwyth University.

If research assistance is requested, this needs to be fully justified as to why additional staff resource is needed, and due to the time restrictions on the funding it is expected that this would be only short term in nature (e.g. up to 3 months). Normal HR recruitment procedures apply. See Aber Works for employing students.

Next deadline

4pm Thursday 5th September 2024

How to Apply

Applications should be made by emailing a completed form to drbi@aber.ac.uk by the deadline with the email subject title 'URF-[your Dept]-[your Surname]'. Applicants must have the approval from their Head(s) of Department(s), indicated by the Head of Department signature on the application form. Please download the Ffurflen Cais URF Application Form and save as 'URF-[your Dept]-[your Surname]'.

For budget purposes, please complete a ‘Standalone’ Budget on Worktribe from the ‘Projects’ drop down tab. (Please do not ‘Create Project’). 

Under the Details tab please select the following options:

  • Title: please use the following naming convention - ‘URF-[your Dept]-[your Surname]’
  • Funder: Prifysgol Aberystwyth / Aberystwyth University.
  • Activity Type: Research. 
  • Editors: please add Elizabeth Rowlands [ear4] and Connor Baker [cob36]

Whilst PI and Co-I time is not an eligible cost, please include PI and Co-I time in the Worktribe Standalone budget to match the hours requested on the application form. 

Please contact your RDO if you require support with your application and Worktribe Standalone Budget well in advance of the deadline.

For further information or queries about the URF contact rdostaff@aber.ac.uk

 

 

Final Report

Award holders will be required to submit a final report within 3 months of the project end for consideration by Research Committee

URF Final Report Form