MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research

Candidates are invited to submit a “Request for Sponsorship” with the following information:

• An outline of the fellowship project you intend to develop (max 2 pages). This should detail your research vision. You should include your aims and research questions and the expected outcomes from your work and explain how your vision is timely and impactful.
  • External candidates should explain how their vision will synergise with the research at the CVR. 
  • Internal candidates should explain how their vision will differentiate their research from their PI.  

• A 200-word summary of your project outline which will be used at the triage selection stage. 
• A career plan (1 page)
• Your CV in a narrative form (max 1,500 words) using the following four section headings –
  • How have you contributed to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies or knowledge? (please provide a list of up to 10 of your publications or outputs, and in a couple of sentences for each, explain your contribution and why it is impactful. For publications, please give the citation in full).
  • How have you contributed to the development of others?
  • How have you contributed to the wider research and innovation community?
  • How have you contributed to broader research, and towards wider societal benefit?

Please send these as Word documents. Requests should be emailed to cvr-fellowships@glasgow.ac.uk

The following review criteria will be applied to all requests:

• Is the candidate likely to be competitive for an external fellowship based on their track record to date?
• Is the proposed research project novel, innovative and feasible?
• Is the proposed project complementary, yet sufficiently distinct, when viewed alongside existing CVR programmes?
• Is this a sustainable area of research with strong prospects for future funding?
• Is this research area synergistic with the CVR’s research strategy?
• Is the CVR the most appropriate place to undertake this project, is suitable laboratory space available, together with the necessary facilities?
• Will the candidate contribute to a positive research culture?

In all cases, we will do our best to clearly communicate to candidates the reasons for the decisions made. Candidates might find the information provided on the MRC website 'Skills needed to win support' helpful when evaluating your track record and assessing whether you meet the skills and experience required.

To give you the best chance of obtaining a fellowship, the CVR offers support with application writing via a comprehensive internal review process. A timeline is prepared for you to ensure you are aware of the relevant deadlines for budget submission and proposal drafts. The scientific case for support is sent to Principal Investigators within the CVR (or appropriate researchers from other university departments) who will provide detailed feedback. There are normally 2-3 rounds of review of your case for support, with the aim being to incorporate any changes and improvements into the next draft.

The ‘non-science’ sections will be reviewed by Research Support and suggestions will be provided. Advice and support for establishing a budget will be given by our project coordinator, who will also provide you with details of the budget deadlines.

If you are shortlisted for interview, we will assist you with your preparation by conducting mock interviews giving you an opportunity to develop your interview skills in a realistic and supportive way. We usually aim to have a minimum of two, usually three, mock interviews and constructive feedback will be given to allow you to improve your responses. The mock interview panels will be made up of CVR PIs, research support and any other researchers with relevant expertise. The aim of these mock interviews is to improve your confidence before the real interview and hone your understanding of the information fellowship panels are looking for.

Interview Presentation

Many fellowship interviews will include a requirement for you to make a short presentation. Depending on the funder and fellowship scheme, the presentation can have varying length and content requirements. You should ensure you read the presentation instructions carefully and adhere to the guidance given. We recommend you also use the following as a guide – 

• Use a simple and uncluttered layout
• Ensure you have addressed all the questions in the guidance
• Have headings on all slides which state the ‘take home message’ of the slide
• The text should only cover the main points – more details can be given verbally
• Avoid being overly technical – not all the panel will be experts in your field so pitch it at the right level
• Aim for the ‘big picture’ to communicate the potential impact of your research
• Convince the panel that you are the best person to do this research, your host institution is the best research environment for this work, and that the project is both timely and exciting
• Practice delivering your presentation to family/friends/colleagues to improve your delivery, timing and confidence

Interview Question Session

Depending on the fellowship you have applied for, the focus of the questions can vary from research orientated questions about your proposal, to a broader range of questions on career development and goals, readiness for research independence and leadership. You should do some research on the funder to familiarise yourself with their priorities and write out and practise your responses to potential questions. If you already have feedback from the fellowship reviewers, you should be prepared to address any of the points raised.

During the mock interview, you will be asked a variety of questions by members of the panel, and at the end of the question session, feedback on your answers will be provided along with suggestions of how they could be added to or improved.

The following links may be useful -

• MRC fellowship interview assessment, including interview videos
• UKRI FLF Interview Questions

Successful applicants with transition-to-independence fellowships will be encouraged to enrol in the University’s Early Career Development Programme. They will be fully supported throughout the process of establishing their independent research programme. They will also be supported to develop skills in budgeting, people management, objective setting and any other training or development requirements that are identified.