BBSRC Flexible Talent Mobility Accounts

Funding to support placements and exchanges for bioscience research staff from and to universities, BBSRC institutes, businesses, policy, or other settings, in the UK and overseas.

BBSRC Flexible Talent Mobility Accounts (FTMAs) aim to enable cross-sector and interdisciplinary knowledge exchange within the biosciences by facilitating mobility between academic, business, public sector and third sector organisations. The ambition of these awards is to enhance sector porosity and allow movement between fields as well as providing professional development opportunities for bioscience research staff, and supporting staff, at all career stages.

To ensure the effective allocation of available funding and address the strategic training requirements of the bioscience’s workforce, BBSRC has identified six key priority areas. While applications covering multiple priority areas are welcomed, applicants must select a single priority area for their submission from the following:

• Cross-remit: data-intensive bioscience.
• Cross-remit: engineering biology.
• UKRI strategic theme: securing better health, ageing, and wellbeing.
• UKRI strategic theme: tackling infections.
• UKRI strategic theme: building a green future.
• UKRI strategic theme: building a secure and resilient world.

Short-term placements and exchanges of up to six months duration are permitted. Funds can be used to support outgoing or incoming research professionals to undertake an exchange. The activities should aim to establish or further develop partnerships between academic, business, public sector and third sector organisations. Activities could include (but not be limited to):

• Exchanges between academic institutions and businesses, public sector and third sector organisations.
• Interdisciplinary academia to academia exchanges.
• International placements and exchanges.
• Placements and exchanges with policymakers.
• Shorter placements, for example, day releases.
• Longer placements, up to six months maximum.
• Secondments, up to six months maximum.
• Technology transfer and knowledge exchange development opportunities.

Flexible Talent Mobility Accounts can be used to support existing investments or partnerships or establish new collaborations. The funds should be used to build and further develop those collaborations to enable knowledge exchange between sectors and institutions. Eligible investments are encouraged to include a broad range and diversity of partners or suggested partners within their bid.