Royal Society Industry Fellowship 2027 Round 1

The experience can also help researchers build professional relationships that continue beyond the fellowship itself.

Who can apply?

Applicants generally need to hold a PhD or equivalent professional standing appropriate to their field.

They are also generally expected to hold a permanent or open-ended position at an eligible:

• UK university
• Not-for-profit research organisation
• Industry organisation

The programme is open to applicants of any nationality, provided they meet the relevant institutional, employment and other eligibility requirements.

Because eligibility can depend on the applicant's position and the organisations involved in the proposed collaboration, prospective applicants should carefully check the current Royal Society requirements before preparing an application.

The type of researcher this opportunity can suit

The Industry Fellowship may be particularly relevant to researchers whose work has a clear connection with real-world applications.

This can include scientists and engineers working in areas such as:

• Engineering
• Materials science
• Biotechnology
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Environmental technology
• Digital and emerging technologies
• Manufacturing
• Medical and applied technologies
• Energy
• Advanced research and development

The relevance of a particular research area will depend on the current scheme requirements and the proposed collaboration.

Applicants should therefore focus less on simply identifying their discipline and more on explaining how collaboration with an industrial or academic partner could advance their research.

Why an industry placement can be valuable

Moving between academic and industrial environments can expose researchers to different approaches to problem-solving.

An academic researcher may gain experience with:

• Industrial research priorities
• Product or technology development
• Commercial research environments
• Applied problem-solving
• Industry-specific technical challenges
• Research translation
• Professional networks

At the same time, an industrial partner may gain access to academic expertise, research approaches and knowledge that can contribute to the development of new ideas or technologies.

This two-way exchange is an important part of the fellowship's purpose.

Developing the collaborative project

Applicants need to identify a suitable partner and develop a project that provides a meaningful reason for collaboration.

The project should go beyond simply placing a researcher in another organisation.

There should be a clear intellectual or technical purpose behind the collaboration.

A useful project should explain:

1. What research or development problem is being addressed.
2. Why the problem is important.
3. What expertise each participating organisation contributes.
4. Why collaboration is necessary or particularly useful.
5. What the researcher will do during the fellowship.
6. What knowledge or skills will be exchanged.
7. What outcomes are expected.
8. How the collaboration could develop after the fellowship.

From research to practical application

One of the potentially important aspects of an academic–industry fellowship is the opportunity to explore how research can move beyond the laboratory or academic publication.

A scientific discovery may have potential applications but require additional development before it can be used in a practical setting.

Industry collaboration can help researchers understand issues such as scalability, technical requirements, implementation, user needs and development timelines.

For researchers working in applied science and engineering, this experience can therefore complement their existing academic expertise.

Benefits of the fellowship

The Royal Society Industry Fellowship can provide several forms of professional and research development.

1. Academic–industry secondment

The fellowship enables researchers to work across academic and industrial environments through an approved collaborative arrangement.

2. Research support

Participants receive support associated with the approved fellowship arrangement and collaborative research project.

3. Professional development

Working in a different research environment can help researchers develop skills that may not be gained through conventional academic research alone.

4. Knowledge exchange

The programme encourages the movement of knowledge and expertise between academic and industrial organisations.

5. Industry networking

Researchers can establish professional relationships with scientists, engineers and organisations outside their usual academic environment.

6. Longer-term collaboration

A successful fellowship can provide a foundation for continued cooperation between the participating organisations after the fellowship period.

What applicants should demonstrate

A strong application should make the reason for the collaboration clear.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate that the proposed project is more valuable because it involves both academic and industrial expertise.

The application should also explain what the researcher expects to learn from the secondment and what knowledge they can contribute to the host environment.

The collaboration should therefore be presented as a genuine exchange rather than simply as an opportunity for the applicant to work somewhere else.

Choosing the right partner

Partner selection is an important part of the application.

Applicants should consider whether the proposed partner has expertise, facilities, technologies, data, equipment or practical experience that complements their own research.

The organisations should ideally bring different but complementary strengths to the project.

For example, an academic researcher might contribute specialist research knowledge while an industrial partner provides access to development facilities, industry data, engineering expertise or a practical application environment.

The precise arrangement will depend on the research field and project.

Professional development beyond research

The value of an Industry Fellowship can extend beyond the immediate research project.

Researchers who spend time in an industrial environment may gain a better understanding of career opportunities outside traditional academic pathways.

They may also develop experience in areas such as:

• Project management
• Research translation
• Communication with non-academic stakeholders
• Industrial research and development
• Technology development
• Collaborative problem-solving
• Intellectual property considerations
• Commercial research environments
• Cross-sector communication

These experiences can complement an established academic research career.

What should be included in the proposal?

The research project should provide enough detail for reviewers to understand the purpose and expected outcomes of the collaboration.

Applicants should consider addressing:

Research problem: What scientific or technical problem will the project address?

Rationale: Why is the problem important?

Collaboration: Why do the academic and industrial partners need to work together?

Roles: What will each organisation contribute?

Research activities: What will the researcher actually do during the fellowship?

Knowledge exchange: What knowledge, methods or expertise will move between the organisations?

Outcomes: What results, developments or new capabilities are expected?

Future potential: Could the relationship lead to further research, development or collaboration?

Required documents

Applicants should prepare the materials requested by the Royal Society for the current application round.

These may include:

• Research project proposal
• Academic or professional CV
• Details of the host organisation
• Information about the academic or industrial partner
• Description of the proposed collaboration
• Supporting documentation
• Information relating to the applicant's current position
• Other documents specified in the current application guidance

Because fellowship requirements can change between application rounds, applicants should use the current official guidance when preparing their submission.

Application process

The application begins with identifying an appropriate academic or industrial partner and developing a collaborative project.

The applicant and participating organisation(s) should establish how the proposed fellowship will work in practice, including the research activities, exchange of expertise and expected outcomes.

The application is then submitted through the Royal Society's Flexi-Grant system.

Applicants should allow sufficient time to coordinate information from partner organisations and obtain any required institutional approvals before the submission deadline.

A fellowship built around exchange

The Industry Fellowship is particularly distinctive because the researcher is not expected to remain within a single professional environment.

The movement between academia and industry can expose participants to different research cultures and expectations.

For an academic researcher, this may mean gaining a better understanding of how industrial organisations identify technical problems and develop solutions.

For an industrial researcher, the academic environment may provide exposure to fundamental research, alternative methodologies and longer-term scientific investigation.

The fellowship therefore supports a two-way exchange rather than treating one side as simply a host for the other.

Potential longer-term impact

The end of the fellowship does not necessarily have to mark the end of the relationship between the participating organisations.

Researchers may use the experience to establish future collaborative projects, joint research programmes, technology-development partnerships or other forms of cooperation.

The professional networks developed during the fellowship may also become valuable throughout the researcher's career.

For this reason, applicants should consider not only what they want to accomplish during the fellowship but also what the collaboration could make possible afterwards.

Duration

The duration of an Industry Fellowship depends on the approved fellowship arrangement and the requirements of the specific application.

Applicants should consult the current Royal Society call for the applicable duration options and conditions before finalising their proposed project.

Who should consider this opportunity?

This opportunity may be particularly relevant to researchers who already have an established academic or industrial research position and want to gain experience working across the boundary between research and practical application.

It can be relevant to researchers who want to:

• Develop an existing academic–industry relationship
• Establish a new collaborative partnership
• Gain industrial research experience
• Bring academic expertise into an industrial setting
• Bring industry experience into an academic environment
• Develop applied research
• Explore technology development
• Strengthen research translation
• Build longer-term cross-sector partnerships

Before applying

Applicants should first confirm that both their own position and the proposed partner organisation satisfy the current eligibility requirements.

They should then discuss the project with the prospective partner and establish a realistic plan for the fellowship.

Particular attention should be given to the division of responsibilities, research objectives, knowledge exchange and expected outcomes.

The proposal should demonstrate why the project requires collaboration and what both sides stand to gain from participating.

Application platform

Applications are submitted through the Royal Society's Flexi-Grant application system.

Applicants should consult the current scheme guidance for application opening dates, deadlines, eligibility rules, required documents and submission instructions.