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Please circulate throughout your networks as appropriate and direct any queries to researchstrategy@imperial.ac.uk unless stated otherwise.

 BBSRC ALERT 2026 - internal deadline 23 November 2026

The BBSRC has launched the to purchase items of multi-use, mid-range research equipment, deadline 14 January 2027.

Imperiais only permitted to submit three applications.

Therefore, anyone intending to submit a proposal to this call should complete the internal Expression of Interest form (docx) and return to (researchstrategy@imperial.ac.uk) by midday 23 November for review and selection.

Applications should be for a single piece of capital equipment - if your application involves multiple items of equipment that form a connected whole (pipeline/platform), please also provide a copy of approval from BBSRC to progress with this bid. 

Applications must cost £200K - £1.5M (including VAT) and must enhance the capability of the UK research base in areas of science in the BBSRC remit.

Please direct any queries to researchstrategy@imperial.ac.uk unless stated otherwise.

AXA Chair and Fellowship

There is one opportunity a year to put someone forward for an AXA Chair or Fellowship position (note Fellowship calls are for specific research areas). Imperiais only permitted to submit one candidate per call, and the process is managed centrally. More information about these opportunities can be found on the .

AXA Chair

2026 call CLOSED. Internal deadline midday 26 March 2026

AXA Postdoctoral Fellowship ("New Gen" Program)

2026 call CLOSED. Internal deadline 4 November 2026

EPSRC Strategic Infrastructure Outlines

EPSRC have relaunched their . Imperiais permitted to submit 3 applications per "batching period". Confirmed periods are:

• Batching period 1: September 2026 to end of December 2026
• Batching period 2: January 2027 to end of April 2027

Call overview

Funding is for either:

• purchase and set-up of infrastructure
• resources to support existing infrastructure

The full economic cost (FEC) of your infrastructure must be at least £400,000 (inc. VAT).

Resource-only applications must have a maximum duration of two years.

Internal process

Interested parties should complete the EPSRC Strategic Infrastructure Outline Proforma (docx).

The completed form should be submitted to researchstrategy@imperial.ac.uk, outlines will be considered at º£½ÇÉçÇø’s Research Advisory Group (RAG).

Outlines will be considered as per the following timetable (to be updated for future batch periods when these are confirmed by EPSRC). Additional assessment dates may be added if the limit for any particular batch period is not met.

Applications should be submitted to EPSRC by the end of the relevant batching period. Any approved bids not submitted by the end of the batching period will need to be resubmitted to the internal process for consideration in the next period. 

Below are the calls that have been pre-announced and are expected to need management. A process for these calls will be announced as soon as possible.

Leverhulme Research Centres

Leverhulme preannounced its call. The call will open in February 2027 with a deadline of June 2027, and Imperiais allowed to submit one application as lead (although can partner on an unlimited number of proposals led by other universities).  An internal selection process will be launched around December 2026.

British Academy International Fellowships

The British Academy’s International Fellowships are a flagship opportunity for early career researchers anywhere in the world to come to the UK for two years to pursue their research in any area of the humanities and social sciences. The 2027 round of International Fellowships will see institutional demand management put in place of eight applications per institution. It is expected that the next call for the International Fellowships will open in early- to mid January 2027, and close in early- to mid- March 2027. An internal selection process will be launched around December 2026.

UKSA International Bilateral Fund (Call 3) 

Imperiawas permitted one proposal as lead. Internal deadline was 23 September, funder deadline 4 November.

Innovate - Advancing innovation in accelerated cancer diagnostics 

Imperiawas permitted to submit one proposal as lead, and two as co-lead. Or unlimited as co-lead. A strategic decision was made where Imperiadid not lead on any proposals in order to allow as many as possible to be submitted. This was possible as proposals had to be collaborative with an SME. Funder deadline was 4 November

MRC Mid range Equipment 

Imperiawas permitted to submit 5 applications. Internal deadline was 14 September, funder deadline 5 November. 

AHRC Design Generators Round 2

Imperiais permitted one application as lead and one as co-lead. Selection was ratified by RAG on 4 September. Funder deadline 29 September 2026

STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellowships

Internal selection complete July 2026, funder deadline 30 September 2026. More details on the managed fellowships page

BBSRC Early Independence Fellowships

Imperiawas permitted to submit two applications. Selection was made in July 2026, funder deadline 3 September 2026.

Please circulate throughout your networks as appropriate and direct any queries to researchstrategy@imperial.ac.uk unless stated otherwise.

Doctoral Focal award: EPSRC and MHCLG Fire Engineering Skills Hub

EPSRC and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have launched a call to fund a skills hub to deliver high quality, cohort based doctoral training, and design of high-quality postgraduate level taught programmes in fire engineering. Institutions have been invited to lead on 1 bid only.  

In light of the focused nature of this opportunity, we are launching a light-touch call for interest. 

1. Monday 14 September 12pm noon [INTERNAL DEADLINE]: Internal interest submitted to researchstrategy@imperial.ac.uk
1. Applicant name
2. 1-2 sentences to describe expertise and/or input to a proposed program

Once interest has been received, all respondents will be connected to discuss and agree the proposed institutional response to this opportunity and the nominated institutional lead.  It is anticipated that those who are keen in this call will work together to agree the leadership structure and prepare the bid

Any questions about the internal process, please contact (researchstrategy@imperial.ac.uk).  Queries about this specific funding opportunity can be directed to EPSRC (TeamEngineering@epsrc.ukri.org)

 UKRI Doctoral Focal Award: Venture Doctorates

UKRI has launched the . Institutions may submit only one lead application; as such, an internal process is being conducted to develop º£½ÇÉçÇø's institutional proposal. The institutional proposal is being coordinated by the ImperiaEnterprise team and the Faculty Associate Deans for Enterprise, under the leadership Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise) Mary Ryan.  Those who are interested in contributing to the institutional proposal are invited to use the attached form. Completed forms must be submitted to researchstrategy@imperial.ac.uk (attention Suzanne Husein) by noon Friday 21^st August. Submitted outlines will inform discussions regarding the content and scope of the institutional proposal.

UKRI webinars

UKRI will be hosting a series of webinars to provide more information about the funding opportunity. These will take place on 20 August (3.00-4.00pm), 26 August (10.00-11.00am) and 10 September (2.00-3.00pm). Further details, including the registration process, can be found on the

2026/2027 Apple Scholars in AI/ML PhD fellowship program 

Apple has launched the 2026/2027 Apple Scholars in AI/ML PhD fellowship program to recognize and support PhD students in computer science and engineering who are pursuing cutting edge research in artificial intelligence and machine learning. A number of universities, including º£½ÇÉçÇø, have been invited to submit three students for this program. As such, an internal selection process has been established to identify the Imperianominees.