**UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Introduces Streamlined Fellowship Investment Framework**
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has launched a new fellowship investment framework aimed at organizing and aligning fellowship programs, thereby improving efficiency for applicants, award recipients, and the overall administrative workflow. Announced on October 14, the framework is developed based on extensive input from the research and innovation community. This strategic initiative seeks to simplify the fellowship funding process, making it more available and transparent for all parties involved.
The new framework is designed to categorize fellowships into three specific types: career transition, capacity building, and discipline transition, or sector transition. This classification aims to offer clarity and support tailored to the varied career trajectories of researchers and innovators. Additionally, a set of standardized fellowship eligibility requirements will be put in place, increasing accessibility and inclusion for a broader range of applicants.
The framework’s implementation is planned for late 2025, impacting all new UKRI fellowship opportunities, including those overseen by its councils. Existing fellowship programs will evolve to align with the new framework coinciding with the launch of their next relevant funding opportunities. However, the framework will not apply to ongoing long-term investments with multiple intakes of fellows until a new funding cycle begins, nor will it be retroactively enforced.
With a solid support system that accommodates approximately 350 new fellows each year and over 2000 fellows across the UK, the fellowship investment framework is a crucial element of UKRI’s larger initiative to shift towards collective talent funding—first introduced in May 2022. This transition is anticipated to improve the ability to tackle emerging opportunities, reduce bureaucratic processes, and enhance the efficiency of obtaining and managing research funding.