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Strategic Research Fund

This is a University of Oxford fund and seeks to build lasting research capacity through major transformative investments in researchers and research.

The Strategic Research Fund (SRF) seeks to build lasting research capacity at the University through major transformative investments in researchers and research. It is designed to have impact at scale. The fund typically approves between one and five awards each year.

SRF awards can last up to five years and may for up to £5 million. Full details about the SRF objectives, remit, eligible costs and process can be found on the Research Services website.

The SRF is administered by Research Services, however bids must first be approved for submission by the host division. For applicants based within the Medical Sciences Division, bids are first considered by the Medical Sciences Strategic Research Fund sub-panel.

Guidance

On the SRF application process page (SSO login required) there are case study examples and a run-through of the full application process, as well as useful finance and FAQ guidance for applicants.

If you are considering an application to the Strategic Research Fund, please contact the MSD Research Funding team (research@medsci.ox.ac.uk) in the first instance.

Before applying to the SRF applicants must also have discussed their proposal with their Head of Department and Departmental research support team.

Deadlines

There are generally three SRF Board Meetings and associated submission deadlines per year. However these dates are not fixed or commonly pre-announced. If you are considering applying to SRF, please contact the MSD Research Funding team (research@medsci.ox.ac.uk) who will provide the most current information they have. The deadline for submission for divisional review will be at least five weeks before the date of the SRF Board meeting, to allow time for review by the MSD panel and submission to the SRD team.

It is essential that MSD has the opportunity to review any potential bid well in advance of this deadline in order to provide input. There are established expectations regarding the content and structure of an SRF application, and MSD recommends that SRF bids are developed with input from the host divisions (and potentially the SRD team which administers SRF) to ensure that the proposal is appropriately aligned with SRF requirements prior to submission. Where a bid is insufficiently developed, there is a significant risk and precedent that it will be rejected at the outline stage and will not be invited to resubmit.

In addition to the documents comprising the application to SRF, at outline stage applicants from MSD must also complete the Division's Financial Projection form and submit this to MSD with their application for divisional review. The aim of this form is to clearly identify the costs to the department and division of the proposed SRF activity in the long-term, as a result of for example picking up the staff costs as funding for salaries from SRF tapers off from year 3. 

Please also note that SRF usually only make around 2-4 new awards each year, so MSD seeks to coordinate the timing of applications so that they are not in direct competition with each other. MSD may not be able to support an application to the next deadline if it is felt to be beneficial to wait for a later round.

For further information on how to apply please refer to the SRF application Guidance on OxIntranet.

If you are considering a bid to the Strategic Research Fund, you must contact the MSD Research Funding team (research@medsci.ox.ac.uk) as soon as possible and before starting to prepare the application.

 

At a Divisional level the Medical Sciences Division Strategic Research Fund sub-panel reviews and approves applications to the Strategic Research Fund. Only applications that are supported by the MSD sub-panel will be considered by the main SRF Board. 

The Medical Sciences Division SRF sub-panel consists of the Associate Heads of Division and the Head of Research Strategy and Funding.

The main SRF Board comprises:

  • Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research)
  • Pro-Vice-Chancellor (People and Digital)
  • The Heads of all the academic divisions.

The SRF Board may draw on advice from external academic or other advisors as required. The SRF Board provides reports to Research & Innovation Committee.