Research Mobility Programme (RMP) Guidelines
Partners you can visit:
Australia
• University of Sydney
• University of Western
Australia
Canada
• University of Alberta
China/Hong Kong
• Zhejiang University
• The Chinese University of
Hong Kong
Ghana
• University of Ghana
Netherlands
• Maastricht University
New Zealand
• The University of Auckland
Norway
• The University of Bergen
South Africa
• The University of Cape
Town
Switzerland
• The University of Basel
USA
• The University of Rochester
• The University of
Massachusetts Amherst
Who can apply?
Awards are on offer to PhD students, postdoctoral fellows and academic staff members.
Colleagues who have previously been successful in securing another WUN Fund support
are eligible to apply for funds for an entirely different project.
What is the duration of the visits to partner institutions?
The scheme enables visits of up to three months to be made. The average duration of
successful RMP visits, however, is usually around 2-8 weeks.
What does the award cover?
RMP awards provide funding for travel to and from the partner institution, subsistence and
accommodation costs as per the University financial regulations. Any normally payable fees
to the host institution are waived as a result of the reciprocal agreement between the
partners. However, any fees normally paid to the home institution (Sheffield) are still payable.
You will be required to provide a full breakdown of your anticipated costs as part of your
application, as well as confirmation of the fee waiver from your host department.
How do I go about finding a prospective collaborator or host supervisor?
It will be your responsibility to find a suitable contact in your chosen partner institution, and
negotiate the terms of your visit. Your Head of Department must be satisfied that you will be
adequately supported at the host institution and your teaching/administrative responsibilities
are well covered. For PhD students, you will need to submit support statements from both
host and home supervisors.
What do I need to include with my application?
Your application should include details of the proposed partner institution and collaborator,
dates and duration of the proposed visit and a detailed work plan outlining what you intend
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to do during your visit, your aims, objectives and anticipated outcomes. There should also be
a statement of support from your Head of Department and a statement of agreement to the
visit from your proposed collaborator. This may take the form of a letter, email or fax from the
host which should be attached to your application. You will also need to include a breakdown of your anticipated costs for the visit. Although the process is straightforward, it may
take some time to collate this information, so applicants should begin the application process
well in advance of the deadline.
Application submission and selection process
All applicants are advised to attend the briefing session or contact the WUN Coordinator in
the International Relations Office (Karen Tsui, k.tsui@sheffield.ac.uk) to discuss their
proposal prior to submission.
All application forms must be submitted electronically in one single pdf document and
need to include the following:
- Project proposal (no more than 1000 words)
- a complete breakdown of costs (which can be found on the first page of the application)
- Letters/emails of support from your home supervisor, head of the section and your host
supervisor in partner institutions
- Your CV (one page with up to three publications)
The selection panel has the discretion to direct applicants to alternative funding schemes,
internal or external to the institution, for which a project may be eligible.
NB. Please be aware that we will only process applications received in the specified format.
What is included in your budget?
You can include:
i) Travel expenses: RMP awards will only fund economy class travel rates (flights/train) to
the nearest international airport to your destination. All travel (flights/train) should be booked
as far in advance as possible. Quotes for international airfares should be obtained from at
least 3 companies (online or otherwise). Public transport (trains/bus) options should be used
to travel to/from airport to partner institutions, unless there are clear safety or legislation
considerations.
ii) Accommodation: please find a reasonable self-catered accommodation where possible.
For long term stays (more than two months) investigate alternatives such as studios, hostels,
rented accommodation, university residences or long term hotel room deals.
iii) Subsistence: include additional subsistence costs of up to £15 a day excluding days of
travel.
v) Departmental contribution: please indicate whether your department (or other sources)
is able to contribute towards the proposed visit.
Take up and duration of awards
Decisions will be made within a month of the deadline. Finance arrangements will be
outlined upon allocation. Awarded projects should commence within 6 months, with allocated
funding expended within 12 months. Staff members are required to submit receipts against
expenditure through usual expenses forms.
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Post visit report
Awardees will be required to submit a report within one month on their return.
Outputs Tracking
By completing and returning the Application Form, the applicant pledges, in the event of
receiving funding, to inform the International Relations Office of any direct and indirect
outputs resulting from this award during and beyond the lifetime of the award.
Where to submit the proposals
Please return completed single pdf document including application form and financial
statement, plus required supporting material, to the WUN Coordinator (Karen Tsui,
k.tsui@sheffield.ac.uk).
Further information
For further information on the fund or to arrange a meeting, please contact WUN Coordinator
(Karen Tsui, k.tsui@sheffield.ac.uk).
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