10/09/2003

Government earmark £23m for academic fellowships

The Science Minister, Lord Sainsbury, has announced plans for a new £23m fund to help UK universities keep their best scientists.

The scheme for 200 academic fellowships allocated each year, aims to address concerns that the career path between PhD researcher and University lecturer lacks logical progression and job security.

Announcing consultation on the scheme, Lord Sainsbury said: "It is vital that the UK maintains and expands upon its excellent science base, and one way of doing this is to provide more stable and attractive routes into academic careers in science, engineering and technology. These new fellowships will help UK Universities retain post-doctoral researchers and build upon their record of academic excellence.

"It is important that stakeholders have an input into how the scheme will operate, and I urge everyone with an interest in it to read the consultation document and take this opportunity respond."

Under the proposals each University will be able to submit one application per year. An application may include more than one Fellowship.

The format of any award will be flexible but will typically provide top-up funding for the first two years, the majority of funding in the third year, and a decreasing percentage thereafter in years four and five.

Currently, £23 million in funding has been earmarked for this scheme until the end of the current spending review period in 2006.

However, it is anticipated that the scheme will continue beyond that time.

(SP)

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