Academic Career Development in NIHR Infrastructure and NIHR Schools

Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration (SPARC)

The SPARC scheme offers NIHR Academy members (from pre-doctoral to early career post-doctoral researchers) supported by NIHR Infrastructure (ARC, BRC, PSRC), a Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) or an NIHR School, an opportunity to spend time in other parts of the NIHR; to network, train in a specific skill or collaborate with other researchers/specialists. The scheme is designed to optimise and enhance the individuals’ research training as well as their CV and academic career.

Individuals can apply to the SPARC scheme for up to £15,000 to undertake a bespoke short placement. The SPARC competition opens annually in September/October. Exact dates are available closer to the time of the competition scheme launch.

Applicants are encouraged to explore the wide range of facilities, expertise and opportunities available to them across the NIHR for their personal and professional development, and develop a placement that is bespoke to their individual training needs, background, skills/experiences, as well as their proposed career trajectory.

Check funding opportunities for details of the latest funding rounds.

Useful resources for applicants

• SPARC: Where can I go?
• SPARC: Round 10  Guidance Notes - September 2023
• SPARC advice from awardees
• SPARC case study: placement at BRC
• SPARC Selection Committee

"I have a newfound appreciation of the value of collaboration. On this placement I have formed relationships with public contributors and colleagues at Imperial that, I hope, will continue beyond the scope of this placement."

Carmel McGrath, Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration

Read Carmel's story

NIHR Local Authority Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration (LA SPARC) Scheme

It is crucial to develop the next generation of researchers to address the 21st century public health and social care challenges. The LA SPARC scheme has been designed to support individuals working in local authority settings and NIHR Academy members to design and apply for funds to undertake short placements, allowing them to move between NIHR and local authority settings in either direction.

The main aim of the award is to enhance individuals research careers, and develop skills and capabilities to co-create research that is more meaningful and better connected with practice; with the intention that this will lead to enhanced partnerships and collaborations between the NIHR and local authority settings.

The scheme supports:

• NIHR Academy members (pre-doctoral/masters students, PhD or early career post-doctoral researchers) funded in a part of NIHR Infrastructure, HPRU or an NIHR School who would like to undertake a short placement in a local authority setting. This may appeal to individuals who want to work alongside service commissioners and providers to hear the issues and challenges being faced at the local level, to share knowledge and experience to shape their future research or to develop possible collaborations and joint ways of working.
• Individuals based in a local authority setting who would like to undertake a short placement in a part of the NIHR.

Individuals can apply to the LA SPARC scheme for up to £15,000 to undertake a bespoke short placement. Applications are short/light-touch and will be assessed in open competition. 

The LA SPARC competition opens annually in September/October. Exact dates are available closer to the time of the competition scheme launch.

Check funding opportunities for details of the latest funding rounds.

Useful resources for applicants

• LA SPARC Round 3 Guidance Notes - September 2023
• New LA SPARC  - Which Local Authority can I go to document

Visiting Speaker Award (VSA)

The VSA offers NIHR Academy Members based in a part of the NIHR Infrastructure (ARC, BRC, PSRC), HPRU or NIHR School the opportunity to present their research in another part of the NIHR. The award provides early career researchers with the opportunity to gain valuable skills and experience in presenting and debating their research findings, and encourages networking and collaboration within the NIHR.

We are inviting NIHR Academy Members based in a part of the NIHR Infrastructure, HPRU or NIHR School (who meet the eligibility criteria) to apply for up to £300 to support the costs of presenting their work within another part of the NIHR.

Check funding opportunities for details of the latest funding rounds.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible to apply for these training awards individuals must:

• meet the be NIHR Academy members’ criteria for individuals based and funded within NIHR Infrastructure, a NIHR HPRU or an NIHR School
• be pre-doctoral training award holders/Masters students, PhD or early career post-doctoral researchers
• not already hold an NIHR Academy Fellowship or NIHR Clinical Lectureship

The placement must be focused around early translational (experimental medicine), clinical and applied research that pertains to health, public health and/or social care, and meet the NIHR remit for personal awards.

At pre-doctoral level, the SPARC selection committees will be looking to ensure the proposal adds to the individuals current Masters and future career prospects, and that this doesn’t detract from current studies.

Useful documents for applicants

• Find your Academic Career Development Lead
• VSA advice from previous awardees
• VSA case studies