NBIC Flexible Talent Mobility Account Call – Now Open

Due to changes in the award conditions from the BBSRC, we will be providing our NBIC-FTMA differently in comparison to previous years. Please read the guideline carefully before applying. 

Summary of the main changes  

• NBIC-FTMA will be awarded at 80% FEC. Previously, we were able to provide 100% FEC funding. 
• NBIC-FTMA is open to NBIC-acceded organisations (and those on track to accede by the time funding is decided) and industry partners having NBIC membership (or willing to become NBIC members before the award commences). 
• NBIC will deliver the FTMA by launching a yearly open call for projects, that would be available throughout the year, with the application assessment by NBIC review panels carried out ad-hoc, upon submission of the applications. 
• The NBIC-FTMA awarded projects could be undertaken at any time of the year on a full time and part-time basis. 
• As per the BBSRC requirements, a minimum of 25% of the overall NBIC-FTMA budget must be dedicated to early career researchers, with an additional 25% allocated to research technical professionals. While presently, any research or supporting staff (both in the UK and overseas) can benefit from NBIC-FTMA awards, the allocation of FTMA projects to various career groups within the NBIC consortium throughout the funding period will be closely monitored. Should there be a deficiency in meeting these specified proportions, adjustments will be made to the NBIC-FTMA call to prioritise funding for the deficient group(s). 

Call Summary 

The FTMA should support the exchange of personnel, perspectives and knowledge, skills, and expertise between the academic and industrial sectors, focusing on the exchange, development, and training of individuals. 

Activities proposed must align with one or more of the NBIC Strategic Themes to Prevent, Detect, Manage and Engineer biofilms. While not mandatory, we particularly welcome applications within the UKRI’s ‘Tackling Infections’ Strategic Theme.  

FTMA funding can only be used for employed researchers, technicians and other staff. It cannot be used to support undergraduate, masters and PhD students, unless they posses an employment contract.

Applicants for FTMA funding will be asked to present a case for support that includes clear objectives and outputs from the proposed work, as well as identifying further routes for development and leverage of awarded funding. 

Applications will be reviewed by our independent group of assessors from across academia and industry. The assessment will be based on the project relevance to the FTMA and UKRI Strategy objectives, potential sustainability through further funding leverage, the involvement of a research / industrial partner and consideration of EDI principles.    

There is flexibility in the usage of the FTMA, but activities undertaken must support the mobility and development of academic and industrialist researchers, technicians, and other professional staff. The activities should aim to pump-prime the establishment of new interactions and further develop existing ones. Furthermore, they can be used to support non-UK nationals to undertake short-term secondments and research collaborations that are hosted within a UK research organisation (and involve industrial partners, where appropriate). In line with the principles of the Researcher Development Concordat and the Technician Commitment applicants should consider how the FTMA might be used to support individuals in their career development. 

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion  

At NBIC, we believe that diverse perspectives contribute to more comprehensive and robust research and innovation outcomes we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment through an effective Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) framework that benefits our employees, research and industry partners.  

At the application stage, you will be asked to complete our EDI survey. We ask diversity monitoring questions to understand the diversity profile of our funded FTMA awardees taking placements and exchanges. NBIC will share this data as part of of our post-award reporting process to BBRSC. The data collected will also be used to help NBIC identify areas for improvement as well as understand the effectiveness of our procedures in eliminating discrimination. Data collection will be carried out in line with relevant Data Protection laws and the University of Southampton’s Data Protection Policy.

Please, see our NBIC-FTMA Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy. 

Eligibility 

Who can apply?

All researchers, research technical professionals or other staff from NBIC-acceded institutions OR from institutions on track to accede by the time funding is decided. 

Researchers and technical professionals or other staff from industry organisations with active NBIC membership OR ready to become NBIC Industry members by the time funding is decided. 

Outward applications can be submitted by researchers and technical staff, or other staff (academic and industry) currently employed, to support placement, exchange or secondment.   

Inward applications can be submitted by a project lead (academic, industry) who wish to host the person undertaking mobility activity in their group. 

Who is eligible to benefit from NBIC-FTMAs? 

Any research or supporting staff (UK and overseas), working within a biofilm area or pursuing an FTMA activity within a biofilm area, including but not limited to: 

• postdoctoral researchers 
• research technical professionals (including technicians) 
• academic research staff 
• knowledge exchange and commercialisation professionals 
• professional enabling staff 
• staff from non-academic organisations. 

Who is not eligible to benefit from NBIC-FTMAs? 

Students (including undergraduate, masters or PhD), unless they posses an employment contract.

What we will fund 

Types of mobility 

We will fund short-term placements and exchanges of up to six months duration. Funds can be used to support outgoing or incoming research professionals to undertake an exchange. The activities should aim to establish or further develop partnerships between academic, business, public sector and third sector organisations. Activities could include (but not be limited to): 

• exchanges between academic institutions and businesses, public sector and third sector organisations  
• interdisciplinary academia to academia exchanges 
• international placements and exchanges 
• placements and exchanges with policymakers 
• shorter placements, for example, day releases 
• longer placements, up to six months maximum 
• secondments, up to six months maximum 
• technology transfer and knowledge exchange development opportunities 

FTMA can be used to support existing investments or partnerships or establish new collaborations. The funds should be used to build and further develop those collaborations to enable knowledge exchange between sectors and institutions. 

Eligible costs

Funding requested can be used to cover the direct costs of mobility activities, for example, travel, accommodation, reasonable subsistence, training, consumables, salary. 

Funds can be used to support non-UK nationals to undertake short-term placements and research collaborations that are hosted within a UK research organisation, subject to UK visa requirements. 

Costs for small grant specific consumables, for example, laboratory consumables or costs for transcription services, are also eligible, but should not exceed 15% of the award. Larger costs will be taken into consideration if duly justified. 

All applications must be fully costed and approved by your institution’s finance office. Please liaise with your departmental finance team to obtain a costing for your proposal. 

Non-eligible costs

Funds cannot be used for patent costs or capital items of equipment.   

Activities (placements, exchanges or training) for students are not eligible. 

NBIC-FTMA Grant Application Process 

Applications must be prepared on the provided application form and submitted to us by sending the application to nbic@biofilms.ac.uk 

Alongside your completed application form (case for support), you will be required to provide the following supporting documents: 

• Your approved institutional costing (both signed-off versions and email communication are acceptable). 
• A letter of support from the collaborative partner(s).  

Please submit all attachments in PDF format.  

NBIC will aim to review your application and provide the decision on funding within a month of your submission. 

If your proposal is successful, you will receive an award letter via Docusign. Applicant and Department/Finance signatures need to be submitted via Docusign before the project begins or within two weeks of receipt of award letter, whichever is the earlier date. 

Assessment process 

Assessment panel 

The review panels for NBIC-FTMA proposals will be chosen based on the proposed activity type and will consist of members of the NBIC Industrial Advisory Board (IAB), NBIC Executive Management Team (EMT) and representatives of early career researchers and technical professionals, as appropriate. The diverse review panels will provide a range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to ensure a more equitable evaluation process. All proposals will be ratified by the NBIC EMT. 

Assessment criteria 

Applications will be considered against the following criteria: 

• Relevance to FTMA objectives.

• Relevance to objectives of NBIC and UKRI Strategic Themes

• Potential benefits to industrial partner (if applicable) 

• Potential development benefits to the technician or postdoctoral researcher 
• Plan for further translational activity as a result of the placement 
• EDI considerations 

Award Conditions, Final Report & Funding Arrangements 

Funding will be dispersed using the usual financial regulations and systems. Funds must be spent in accordance with the terms and conditions of the BBSRC. 

Those receiving awards will be required to work with their institutional Research Support Office to ensure appropriate protection of intellectual property, if relevant. 

As a condition of the grant, a final report and invoice, alongside expenditure statement, must be submitted to nbic@biofilms.ac.uk, within one month of your project end-date. Invoices will not be paid until receipt of the final project report. 

Invoices must not include items for activities that have taken place outside of your project timeframe.   

A template of final report is available to download below. We will also request image(s) of the projects to use in reporting outcomes of the FTMA to BBSRC and in NBIC communication materials. 

Potential applicants are advised to contact the NBIC Team at nbic@biofilms.ac.uk before submitting their application if they have any questions.  

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