APEX Awards (British Academy)

Notify Faculty of intention to apply by: 23 October 2024 

Deadline: 27 November 2024 

Applications are invited from established researchers with a strong track record of independent work to apply to the APEX award (Academies Partnership in Supporting Excellence in Cross-disciplinary research award) scheme to pursue genuine interdisciplinary and curiosity-driven research to benefit wider society. Offered in partnership by the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society ("the Academies"), and with generous support from the Leverhulme Trust, the objectives of the APEX award scheme promote collaboration across disciplines, particularly between science and engineering and the humanities and social sciences, support outstanding interdisciplinary research, and enable outstanding researchers to focus on advancing their innovative research through seed funding.

Eligibility

Applications must be within the remit of more than one of the Academies. Applications that span the remit of The British Academy and The Royal Academy of Engineering are particularly encouraged. Applicants must be based at a UK university or not-for-profit research institution for at least the duration of the project, and have a strong track record as established independent researchers. Applicants will be expected to collaborate with a research partner (co-applicant) from a different discipline to their own, who is based at the same institution or a different university in the UK. All applications must be supported by the applicant’s Head of Department, who will be asked to provide assurance that the researcher will be permitted to use the institution’s facilities during the period of the award and can be released/partially released from teaching duties (if required). Applicants may only submit one application per round.

Value and duration

Awards of up to £200,000 can be held for up to 24 months, to fund staff costs for the lead applicant and the co-applicant and associated research costs representing no more than 25 per cent of the total award value. Successful applicants will also have the opportunity to separately apply for up to £10,000 to create and lead public engagement projects linked to their APEX Award. Awards are expected to commence between 1 October and 1 December 2025.

Application process

Applications are expected to be required to be submitted through the Society’s grant management system Flexi-Grant® by 3:00pm on Wednesday 27 November 2024. For more details on how to apply, please see the scheme guidance notes. 

Internal deadlines:

Research Services: 20 November 2024

Notify Faculty of Intention to Apply: 23 October 2024