MANCHESTER UKRI IAA Secondment Scheme Instructions

: June 5, 2024
: manchester

Table of Contents

MANCHESTER UKRI IAA Secondment Scheme
About IAA Secondments
About Your Project
About Your Application
Assessment
Submitting Your Application
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Application Checklist
Further Information
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

MANCHESTER UKRI IAA Secondment Scheme

About IAA Secondments

Flexible support for secondments between The University of Manchester and External Organizations
The Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) provides flexible support of secondments between The University of Manchester and external organizations that focus on the commercialization and/or translational development and adoption of university research.
The aims of the scheme are:

To encourage the transfer of knowledge, skills and expertise between academia and external businesses/organizations
To enhance the external links of the academic, researcher, research group or department and build long-lasting relationships with external stakeholders
To provide the secondee with experience and knowledge of working within a non-academic environment

Funding for secondment projects is available via the AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, MRC, and STFC IAAs. We encourage you to apply for co-funding were appropriate for multidisciplinary projects.

About Your Project

Eligibility:

IAA projects are no longer required to be directly related to previous funded research, but must fall within the remit of the relevant Research Council(s):
We welcome applications from early career academics. Fellows may be eligible to apply as PI,please check with your Research Services Team
PDRAs are expected to spend a minimum of 50% of the overall project length seconded to the project partner. Where this is not possible, projects must demonstrate sufficient engagement to support commercialization and/or translational development and adoption, whilst also providing
an external learning opportunity for the PDRA.
Eligible partner organizations:
- UK-based businesses, or UK sites of international businesses
- UK charities
- UK public sector organizations such as the NHS
- Non-UK-based businesses may be eligible where there is demonstrable evidence of the intention for inward investment during or beyond the lifetime of the project (e.g. establishing a UK site, job creation)

Contact the Knowledge Exchange Partnerships team if you have any queries about eligibility

Secondment Direction: IAA Secondments can be inward (an employee of the external partner seconded to the University of Manchester) and/or outward (a University of Manchester researcher seconded to the partner organization), providing the secondment supports the commercialization
and/or translational development and adoption of University of Manchester research. Secondees will maintain the terms and conditions (including annual leave) of their own organization.
Duration: IAA Secondment projects will typically run for 12 months in duration and can be full-time or part-time, though each case will be considered on its merits.
Funding Criteria: The partner organization must contribute actively to the project through the provision of direct and in-kind resources (including finance, facilities, equipment, consumables and technical expertise)
You are expected to negotiate with the partner organization a deal that minimizes the support necessary from the IAA, and considers the value to the University and partner.
Dates: IAA awards to the University end on 31 March 2025 and no extensions will be permitted. All IAA project spending must be completed by this date. Project Costs after IAA deadline cannot be covered by the IAA and must be covered by the partner organization.

About Your Application

Completing the Application Form:
The Knowledge Exchange Partnerships team can provide active support for your submission. You are strongly advised to contact the KE Partnerships Team for support before applying, and at least 1 month before the call.

Word limits are strictly applied. If you exceed a section word limit by more than 10%, your application will be rejected.
Applications are anonymized for assessment. Please include the names of academic project partners on the first page and signature page only. Use the terms “PI”, “Co-I” or “PDRA” throughout the rest of the application. Do not include hyperlinks to sites where you may be identified, such as grant awards and research profiles.
Remember to write your proposal for a non-specialist audience. For specific guidance on completing the different sections of the form, please refer to the IAA Handbook.

Costing:
Eligible Costs: Secondment projects are expected to be costed on a full Economic Costing (fEC) basis.
IAA funding can be used to cover the following:

Directly incurred:

PDRA Costs
Equipment and Consumables (maximum £10k, with justification)
Travel and Subsistence (maximum £5k, with justification)
PDRA training and development (maximum £2k, with justification)
Other costs as required (subject to approval from KE team, with justification)

Directly Allocated:

Investigator time (maximum 20%)
Technician time (maximum 30%)

All Estates, Technician IS and Indirect costs are ineligible and must be allocated as Department Sustainability.

BlackDackel Costing Report:
Select appropriate research council as ‘funder’ with 100% fEC’d income template. This will ensure that inflation costs are included.
To produce a submission report, please use ‘submission reports’, ‘project proposal details’ and select ‘income template rules

Total Project Costs:
The costs directly associated with the project, in the eligible cost headings (see above). These should include all staff costs, estates, indirect costs, technician IS, travel and subsistence, and consumables

Company Contributions:
The direct (invoiceable) partner contributions to the total project In-Kind Costs: These may include staff time, access to equipment, provision of consumables

For inward secondments, the IAA may be used to support reasonable University of Manchester support costs, e.g. academic or PDRA time, equipment access and consumables (purchased through the University). The external partner is expected to fund the secondee’s salary and make a direct and
in-kind financial contribution to the project.
A direct (invoiceable) partner contribution is mandatory. The University’s IAA panel will consider cases where there is justification for a reduced/no direct contribution. The maximum contribution from the IAA Secondment funds is £60k.

Assessment

Your application will be anonymized and assessed by the University’s IAA Knowledge Exchange Schemes Panel. Applications will be assessed on the following criteria:

Potential for impact
Quality of the work plan
Demonstrable potential for follow-on activity
Value for money
The nature of the secondment (ideally, the secondee should be based at the partner organization and well supported)

The panel will consider:

The benefits to the partner, the university, and the staff involved
The likelihood that the project plans will deliver the expected outputs and benefits
The contribution the University is expected to make relative to the partner (gearing)

Submitting Your Application

Contact the Knowledge Exchange Partnerships Team at least one month prior to submitting your application.

All projects should be costed (fEC) and input onto PURE by your Department Research Services Hub, prior to completion of the IAA application.
Completed applications should be submitted via email to: kepartnerships@manchester.ac.uk

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The University of Manchester aims to have an inclusive environment for all staff and students, by identifying and removing barriers in our practices. As part of UKRI’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion initiative, completing the monitoring form will help us to achieve this, and also help us to meet our
obligations under the Equality Act 2010. While it is voluntary to disclose this information, doing so will enable us to better understand the composition of our workforce/student body and examine our practices fully. The ED&I survey is anonymous and can be accessed on the following link: IAA Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Survey
Data we want to capture include Gender, Age range, Ethnicity, Disability Status and Sexual orientation. Your answers will be treated in the strictest confidence, and all data disclosed will comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. All data is handled in accordance with University Policy and more
details can be seen here.
To find out more about the work The University of Manchester is doing to meet the requirements of the Equality Act, please contact equalityanddiversity@manchester.ac.uk or visit: https://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/equality-and-diversity/data/

Application Checklist

Signed Application Form in PDF format
A signed letter of support from the collaborating partner, confirming the company contribution
Evidence of approval authorized by your Head of Department (e.g. a screenshot of the approval on PURE), to confirm that the proposal is supported by your Department and is in line with Department policy for the costing of collaborative research projects
EC BlackDackel Costing
We strongly encourage you to complete the research risk profiler tool
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Survey