MRC Senior Non-Clinical Fellowships to become seven year awards
01 June 2011
The MRC is pleased to announce that it is to increase the duration of new Senior Non-Clinical Fellowships (SNCF) from five to seven years.
MRC fellowships provide outstanding scientists with exceptional opportunities to develop their careers, by concentrating on challenging research and gaining the broader experience that is essential to a future leadership role.
The decision to lengthen the SNCF has been driven by current senior and intermediate fellows who, as part of a recent consultation, told the MRC about the challenges of establishing themselves as independent scientists. A survey of Career Development Award fellows indicated that a longer, seven-year Senior Fellowships would offer a highly attractive choice for them.
Sir John Savill, MRC CEO, said:
“Our decision to lengthen SNCFs represents a confident investment by the MRC in some of the UK’s most talented new scientists. MRC fellows are exceptionally successful. He also added a word of warning: “But these are personal awards and portable. So, while I encourage our fellows to take greater responsibility for shaping their careers, it is clear that some universities need to up their game in nurturing and developing their next generation of research leaders - or they risk losing them.”
Evidence shows that senior non-clinical fellows go on to have double the success rate in applying for further MRC grants than the overall competition average. Furthermore, over the past ten years, around sixty per cent have gone on to hold professorships within two years of the end of their award.
Lengthening the SNCF is just one of several new opportunities for senior non-clinical fellows: in the past two years, the MRC has also introduced the well-received annual MRC Fellows' Symposium and is planning a mid-term MRC mentorship scheme for holders of the seven-year fellowship.
As Peter Dukes, Head of MRC Research Careers Awards summarises:
“We are strengthening Fellows’ opportunities to make new connections within the wider MRC community.”
The first deadline for applications for the new 7 year SNCFs will be in September 2011. Applicants will normally hold a PhD/DPhil and have at least six years' post-doctoral research experience. Applications from current MRC career development award holders are particularly welcome. The increased fellowship length will only be for new SNCFs, awarded from January 2012.
For more information go to:
www.mrc.ac.uk/Fundingopportunities/Fellowships/Seniornonclinical/MRC001826
