R. D. Roberts Bequest Fund

The R. D. Roberts Bequest exists specifically for the following purpose:-

To enable senior members of academic staff, usually after a period of sustained and unbroken senior administrative and managerial duties, of not less than six years, to apply for research leave and support, for a period of not less than six months, on full salary, a substitute being paid out of the income of the fund. It is envisaged that this period of time would be to “top up” a period of accrued Departmental leave of six months, thereby making the total time for research leave one year.

The purpose of this research leave from University duties would be to enable the academic to refresh his/her research portfolio by teaching and administrative buy-out, supporting archive visits, field trips, equipment, travel and/or accommodation requirements. There will be one annual award made through internal competition. The process for applicants is as follows:

• A pre-application conversation from appropriately qualified academic members of staff should be held with the PVC Research, some time before the application deadline
• Using the standard University Research Leave application form accompanied by a letter that outlines the applicant’s case for eligibility, applications by appropriately qualified members of staff for assistance from the Bequest Fund should be addressed to the Pro Vice-Chancellor in the first instance, for report to the Research Committee
• A Concluding Report addressed to the Chair of the Research Committee held in January, must be submitted at the termination of the period of research leave

Applications must be submitted in time to be considered at the annual January meeting of the Research Committee of the academic year before which the period of research leave will be taken.