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Fellowships

• Eligibility Criteria
• How to apply
• Application process
• Research project
• Retraining programme
• Guidelines for Candidates
• Extraordinary expenses
• Special discretionary fund
• Guildelines for referees
• Distribution Map
• Case Study

Guidelines for Candidates

Designed to improve employability through the updating or gaining of new skills.

Normally carried out flexibly over two years within a university research laboratory or in a suitable research division in an industrial establishment in the UK.

The Fellowship Application Process
Applying for a Daphne Jackson Fellowship takes involvement and commitment over a period of time, but candidates will receive guidance and support throughout. Once eligibility is confirmed, candidates will be requested to submit a draft proposal within a given timescale. The Writing a Proposal guidelines give advice on how to write and present your proposal, comprising of a research project and training programme.

The Two Types of Daphne Jackson Fellowship
There are two types of Daphne Jackson Fellowship, sponsored fellowships and fellowships which require sponsorship. Sponsors for sponsored fellowships may specify the host or subject area and occasionally the project.

Determining your Fellowship Programme
Unless specified by the sponsor, candidates are expected to find a suitable host organisation, department and supervisor, and secure their co-operation. The candidate should identify and plan a suitable fellowship programme, to include a substantial research or development project with associated retraining, under the guidance of a supervisor.

Candidates should choose a department that will welcome their skills and experience. Find out all about them, look on the web. Ask the departmental secretary for current and past research reports. Find out what papers have been published that might be of interest. Talk to members of the department or division about what is going on - try to match interests and skills.

It may not be possible to go back to exactly what you were doing before your career break. It may be necessary to consider a change of direction - many fellows have done this.

A future job in academia may not always be possible. Look into all other options.

The aim is to become employable; look for subject areas that can provide skills needed for future employment. Identify prospective employers in the local area. Identify job vacancies that would be open following the completion of a Daphne Jackson Fellowship.

Fellowships are usually carried out at an academic institution. Occasionally a candidate will decide to carry out an industrial based fellowship. Please contact the Daphne Jackson Trust office before contacting a proposed industrial host to obtain further advice.  

Choose Your Supervisor
Both University and industry based fellowships will involve the guidance of a supervisor who
will work with you to finalise the project and retraining programme.
You should choose a supervisor who will support you and be available when needed; a good
supervisor will guide you through your research project and retraining.

Identify a Good Area for Fellowship Work

Make contact with one or more members of staff in your chosen area.

Let them know you are enthusiastic about the work you want to do.

Is technical support available?

Are the necessary materials and facilities available?

Are there people who can easily be consulted?

Is there a good working atmosphere?

Your working environment should be supportive not competitive.

Ensure the supervisor and department or division know that the Daphne Jackson Trust
cannot support bench fees.

Your Project and Retraining
Whilst planning the fellowship programme, consider how your employability will be improved. How it will build on past experience and enhance the strengths of the department or division? The fellowship should be beneficial, and this should be demonstrated in the application.

Retraining:

What new techniques will have to be learnt in order to carry out the fellowship programme?

What is needed in order to become up-to-date in the research field?

What is needed in order to increase employability after a Daphne Jackson Fellowship?

What training will be available?

Future employment:

What industrial links are available through the department or division?

Think carefully about opportunities for future employment

Making a Formal Application
Your draft proposal will be assessed by your Fellowship Advisor. The Trust only allows candidates to continue with the application process if they reach the required standard, and there is a genuine likelihood of a fellowship being award and sponsorship being obtained.  If successful, you will receive a letter formally inviting you to apply for a fellowship. There is a Memorandum of Understanding and also an application form which should be completed and returned to the Trust Office with the appropriate signatures.

A copy of the guidelines for candidates can be downloaded by clicking on the link below:
Guidelines for Candidates