Chancellor's fellowships - FAQ
FAQ to the Chancellor's fellowships
How many years of post-doctoral experience is required for the post?
The Chancellors Fellowships are relatively senior postdoctoral fellowships and at least two years of postdoctoral experience at the time of application is one of the essential criteria. Applicants should be clear about dates of eligibility on their application CV. There is no upper limit for the number of years of postdoctoral experience.
Are there firm criteria for identifying as an early career researcher?
The fellowships do not have firm criteria to identify as an early career researcher and an applicant’s research may have been interrupted by caring obligations or other extenuating circumstances. An applicant may self-identify as ECR with appropriate justification.
Is it possible for a Chancellor’s Fellow to apply for a future round of the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship?
Yes, this would be permitted.
Are applicants able to identify and approach prospective mentors in their proposed schools/department to discuss their research?
Whilst it is not a requirement to have a formal mentor or sponsor, applicants are encouraged to make contact with prospective mentors and collaborators in the preferred host school.
Is it possible to transfer an externally-funded postdoctoral fellowship to the University of Edinburgh to undertake a longer contract as a Chancellors Fellow?
This may be possible but would need to be confirmed with the external fellowship provider.
Are applications welcomed from joint collaborators who can demonstrate interdisciplinarity?
The scheme does encourage interdisciplinary collaboration; but all applicants should apply independently, and each application would be assessed according to its standalone merits.
Which grade will applicants be appointed to?
Appointments will normally be made on the grade 8 academic scale (£43,314-£51,805), dependent on experience, but in exceptional circumstances a more senior appointment may be made at grade 9 (£54,949 - £61,823). See Academic Grade Profiles. It is anticipated that following a successful review at the end of year three or four, Fellows will get the opportunity to transition to an open-ended post at an appropriate grade.
When are the interviews to be held?
The interviews are expected to be held in the week commencing 6th November 2023.
What should an applicant do if their application might potentially cross College or cross School boundaries?
Chancellor’s Fellows are being recruited by all three Colleges and by several Schools at this time and applicants can submit an application to more than one College or more than one School if they wish. The applications will be considered separately.
Who is reviewing the applications and how technical should the proposal be?
Applications will be reviewed by disciplinary experts within prospective host Subject Areas/Schools and by interdisciplinary panels within the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
When are the Chancellor Fellowships due to start?
The intention is that CFs would take up their posts ASAP: ideally before the end of the 2023/24 academic year.
Are applicants who were unsuccessful in the earlier round of Chancellor’s Fellows recruitment (Round 1 in 2022) able to apply again to this current round ?
Yes, applications will be welcomed from anyone who applied to the earlier round.
Should candidates provide references as part of their application?
Yes, candidates are expected to provide the names of two referees. [For internal candidates, it would be preferable, but not essential, to include one referee from within the University of Edinburgh and one external referee.]
Will references be sought prior to interview?
No, references will not be sought in advance of the interviews, but please include the names of two referees in the application.
Should candidates include details of their teaching experience in the application?
‘Experience and achievement in teaching’ and an ability to teach within the discipline is outlined as an essential criteria for the role (also highlighted in the JD) and this should be stated in the application.
Will impact/commercialisation activities form part of the Chancellor's Fellowship role and should relevant experience in these activities be highlighted in a candidate’s application?
For the purposes of the application “research” also includes knowledge exchange and impact activities (KEI); and please include relevant experience across a range of RKEI activities (including e.g. commercialisation).
There is a two-page limit for the proposed research programme. Are these two pages in total inclusive of the bibliography, or is the bibliography additional to the two pages?
The bibliography should be included within the two-page limit.
What is meant by “National Identifier” in the online application system?
This is the UK National Insurance number (or equivalent for other countries).
What is meant by Licences, Certifications and Registrations in the online application system?
This section is not mandatory but provides an opportunity for candidates to include any professional registrations where relevant to the post.
What is the maternity leave policy for Chancellor’s Fellows, particularly if the fellow is on maternity leave at the point of the mid-term review?
University policy applies to all employees of the university, and therefore includes fixed term employees such as Chancellor’s Fellows. Employees are entitled to enhanced maternity pay if they are employed at the baby’s due date and also if they return to work for at least 3 months after the maternity leave.
The Chancellor’s Fellowships are 5-year fixed term contract but with the support to progress to an open-ended contract following a mid-term review. If a Fellow is absent for a considerable period of time (i.e. including maternity leave) prior to the mid-term review, they can choose to either defer to year 4 or attend the review at the end of year 3. The same standard of performance is required but the volume of output can be pro-rated to account for absence.
Are non-UK citizens eligible to apply for the fellowship?
Yes, the University of Edinburgh is able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. Successful international applicants who require sponsorship to work in the UK would need to satisfy the UK Home Office’s English Language requirements and apply for and secure a Skilled Worker Visa. There’s more information on this route here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/global/staff-visas/working-in-the-uk/skilled-worker.
Are the Chancellors Fellowship strictly full-time posts or are applications welcomed for part-time post?
CAHSS would certainly consider applications for part-time positions, and would encourage applicants to indicate their preferred FTE in the application materials.
Will the Chancellor’s Fellows be expected to relocate to Edinburgh?
Although there is not a requirement about where University staff must live, staff who live further away do have to commute further to meet their in-person obligations. It would perhaps be worth approaching your preferred host Subject Area/School to find out what the teaching commitments and in-person obligations of the role would be.
Are candidates without a monograph published likely to be considered?
This is a University-wide call, and disciplines have such different expectations in terms of publications – e.g. some Subject Area even within CAHSS do not routinely publish monographs – so there are no specific publication requirements. However, these are relatively senior postdoctoral fellowships and competitiveness depends on a strong publication track record from one’s disciplinary perspective and at one’s career stage.