Ŝer Cymru Future Generations Industrial Fellowships

The Ŝer Cymru Future Generations Industrial Fellowships are aimed at strengthening the relationship between Welsh Academic Researchers and UK and global industrial partners.

It is envisaged that these partnerships will lead to more formal collaborations between HEI’s and commercial enterprises which may lead to joint funding bids for example, to the SMART schemes and the Industrial Challenge Fund.

The fellowships will enable a Welsh academic researcher to spend time in a commercial organisation or facilitate the release of a commercial researcher to spend time working within a university.

There are 6 fellowships available, 2 in the East Wales Region, 4 West Wales and valleys

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants can come from any discipline within WEFO’s strategic Priority Areas; Life Sciences and Health, Low Carbon, Energy and Environment, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing and ICT and Digital Economy.
• Awards will be provided for 12 months to the lifetime of the programme, and will provide funding to cover salary cost (Pro rata against the amount of time spent with industry/academic host.
• The awardee must be able to return to their original post.
• Awards would be in the region of £150, 000 (excluding overheads)
• Fellows going from a Welsh Institution to a commercial organisation may spend time outside of the target regions as long as they return to the Welsh Institution. Any such proposal will need to comply with the Geographic Eligibility of ERDF operations.
• Applicants can be of any nationality.
• Applicants must submit a completed application form and associated documents (supervisor form, ethics form, and CV).
• Applications must comply with the fundamental ethic principles as detailed in the ethics section.
• Applicants must have and be able to evidence the support of their chosen host commercial/academic institution prior to application.
  (Please check eligibility within State Aid Guidance)

Application Process

Applicants will need to propose a suitable project to be carried out in a Welsh host institution in the list.  

The research project will be created by the applicant but they must discuss this with their potential host institution before submission. 

All projects will be subject to ethical scrutiny and applicants will need to complete the ethical issues section within their application form.

Applicants should also include in their application form a copy of their most recent CV, no more than 3 pages in length.  This should include information about their education, previous employment and other relevant experience, information about any career breaks taken for maternity or caring responsibilities and so on, and a list of all their publications and grants awarded. 

Applicants should also provide in the covering email the names of 2 referees who know their work and the proposed area of research.

Host institutions should provide a breakdown of the costs for the fellow using the tables within the application form.