Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellowships

2.1. The job description and person specification will provide the relevant details for the Fellowships. Documentation associated with these posts will emphasise the university’s family friendly policies and specifically encourage women and members of minority ethnic groups to apply.

2.2. Applicants will apply through the usual recruitment website. Applicants wishing to discuss the opportunity will be invited to contact the PVCR.

2.3. As part of their application, individuals will be required to describe the research programme they wish to pursue. Pump priming funds will be available to support exciting research initiatives. Candidates should identify what support they would like from the University and what they will seek to fund themselves through external funding.

2.4. It is the normal expectation that Fellows will achieve successful promotion to grade 8 before the end of their Fellowship and this must be borne in mind when recruiting Fellows.

2.5. Applications will be considered in the first instance by the DVC and the PVCR, with appropriate advice from senior academics in the relevant field(s). They will draw up a long-list of potential candidates.

2.6. There will be a two-stage recruitment process. At stage one the candidates will be invited to discuss their research plans with appropriate Deans and senior academics from their discipline area.

2.7. Following feedback from the Deans, the DVC and PVCR will draw up a final short-list for interview. This will include the identification of a senior academic within the university who will act as an adviser to each candidate should they be successful and who will act as a point of contact for the applicant during the second stage of the recruitment process.

2.8. Short-listed candidates will be invited to attend an interview comprising:-

• The Vice-Chancellor
• The Provost & Deputy Vice-Chancellor
• The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research)
• The relevant Dean(s)

The interview will include a 20-minute presentation by the candidate of their proposed research programme.

2.9. Early Career Fellows will be appointed onto grade 7.

3.1. All new Fellows should be given an induction to their School and attend the University’s Welcome to Loughborough event.

3.2. Fellows will have access to a range of staff development opportunities, including leadership training.

3.3. Fellows will be subject to a 3-year probation period, focused exclusively on research. Probation will be managed in the normal way for new academic staff. During this period, the Fellowship adviser will act as the probation adviser.

4.1. Research-informed teaching is fundamental to Loughborough University’s approach to student learning.

4.2. Although the purpose of the Fellowship is to enable the individual to concentrate on his/her research, it is the expectation that the Fellow will enhance their development as an academic by spending a limited amount of time on teaching and associated management duties during the latter period of the Fellowship. They will be expected to complete the Associate Teaching Programme.

4.3 The proportion of the Fellow’s time spent on teaching and associated management duties will normally increase over the duration of the Fellowship. The exact details of the workload will be agreed within Schools, but Fellows will not be expected to carry out any teaching or associated management duties during the first three years (though they may, with the agreement of the PVCR).

5.1. All Fellows are expected to apply for external funds to support their research during their Fellowship. Normally this would include applying for an externally funded Fellowship. A lack of success in attracting significant external funding prior to the point when the University would serve notice of termination of employment would normally result in the individual’s employment lapsing at the end of the Fellowship since this will be a key component of the promotion criteria for Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellows.

5.2. Initial objectives will be set by the Dean and the adviser, in conjunction with the Fellow, as soon as practicable once the Fellow has commenced employment. These objectives must be approved by the PVCR.

5.3. The Fellow’s performance will be monitored through the probation process and then subsequently through annual Performance Development Reviews carried out by the adviser. The overall objective of the Fellowship will be kept under review as the Fellowship progresses. Particular attention will be paid to the progress towards securing an externally funded Fellowship.

5.4. After completion of probation, the Fellow should be given clear direction on the action needed for promotion to Senior Lecturer. If the Fellow has not been promoted to Senior Lecturer by the end of the fourth year, the Dean is required to meet with them formally to review the situation and to set clear objectives. Three monthly reviews must then be conducted and a final review must take place after nine months.

6.1. Extensions of Fellowships will normally be granted only in circumstances where the Fellow has been absent for a considerable period of time, e.g. maternity, paternity, adoption or long-term sickness.

6.2. In the case of maternity, paternity, or adoption leave of more than 3 months, the expectation would be that the Fellowship would be extended by the period of absence plus an additional 3 months.