The NIHR Infrastructure and NIHR Schools include centres with a remit to grow future research capacity, which are:
More than 1000 individuals are training as health and care researchers in the NIHR Infrastructure and NIHR Schools. These individuals include those enrolled in Masters, Doctoral and other formal training/career development awards.
Please note the term ‘training’ has been replaced with the term ‘Academic Career Development’ to help clarify the focus of the support being provided by the NIHR Academy and through the local leads at each centre/unit/school.
For information on how to find your local Academic Career Development Lead, please view our Academic Career Development Lead document.
Email: icbs@nihr.ac.uk, and detail which Infrastructure and Capacity Building Structures programme you are enquiring about in the subject area.
The SPARC scheme offers NIHR Academy members (from pre-doctoral to early career post-doctoral researchers) supported by NIHR Infrastructure (ARC, BRC, PSTRC), 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 £5,000 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.
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:
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.
The VSA offers NIHR Academy Members based in a part of the NIHR Infrastructure (ARC, BRC, PSTRC), 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.
To be eligible to apply for these training awards individuals must:
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.
NIHR Researchfish Update 2021
Guidance notes for the first round of the NIHR Local Authority Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration (LA SPARC) Scheme
The NIHR SPARC scheme offers NIHR Academy members the opportunity to spend time in other parts of the NIHR; to network, train in a specific skill or collaborate with other researchers/specialists.
Members of the Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration (SPARC) Selection Committee
Information about Round 1 VSA case studies
All Infrastructure and Schools documents
This scheme is 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.
All Infrastructure and Schools funding opportunities
