UKRI Lead Agency Agreement with Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR)

An agreement between the UK and Luxembourg enabling UK principal investigators to submit collaborative applications with co-investigators employed by institutions in Luxembourg.

This memorandum of understanding (MoU) between UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR) establishes a lead agency agreement whereby UKRI will receive and assess joint applications from eligible UK and Luxembourg applicants on behalf of both organisations.

Under the agreement, joint UK-Luxembourg applications can be submitted to the UKRI council’s responsive mode funding opportunities, in some cases named standard research grant opportunities.

Collaborative research applications led by UK applicants, with Luxembourg researchers, may be submitted in any single or cross-disciplinary area which fits within the remit of the participating research councils.

Joint UK-Luxembourg applications are eligible to the following funding opportunities:

• AHRC’s standard research grant scheme. Other AHRC schemes might also accept applications under the UKRI-FNR agreement. Applicants should refer to the AHRC-FNR specific guidance.
• BBSRC standard research funding opportunity. Further guidance can be found in BBSRC’s research grants guide
• EPSRC standard research funding opportunity. Applications received under the terms of this agreement will be subject to the same terms and conditions and assessment procedures as all EPSRC grants. Further guidance can be found in EPSRC’s standard research guidance and in EPSRC’s guidance on working with overseas scientists.
• ESRC’s research grant scheme. Other ESRC funding opportunities also utilise the agreement. Applicants should refer to the ESRC-FNR specific guidance (PDF, 134KB)
• MRC’s partnership, programme and research grant funding opportunities. Applications received under the terms of the agreement will be subject to the same terms and conditions and assessment procedures as all MRC grants.
• NERC discovery science funding opportunities: Pushing the Frontiers and Large grant. Joint applications may also be submitted to NERC research programme opportunities upon prior agreement between NERC and FNR. NERC grants handbook provides further information on these funding opportunities.
• STFC will consider applications to any of its funding opportunities. Information relevant to specific STFC funding opportunities is available via UKRI’s website.

Conditions will vary depending on the research council and funding opportunity to which an application is being submitted. Applicants should refer to UKRI’s funding finder for further details on individual funding opportunities.

Applicants should consult the specific funding opportunity guidance and the relevant research council’s guidance to applicants for further information. For key contact details of each of the participating research councils, applicants should refer to the ‘Contact’ section.