AI Futures Grant - coordinated bids process
If you cannot access the Excel file on this page for any reason, please contact communications@mpls.ox.ac.uk
Overview
AI Futures Grants will provide funding to help the next generation of AI leaders meet the costs of relocating to the UK. The scheme is run by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). Eligible organisations can apply for funding up to £100,000, with a maximum award of £10,000 for each international hire.
The scheme is open to organisations only; individual researchers and engineers cannot apply. The MPLS Research Support team (research@mpls.ox.ac.uk) will therefore be coordinating and submitting Oxford’s application to the scheme.
Full details of the scheme can be found on the Find A Grant portal which includes an FAQs document.
Eligibility criteria
Costs - The funding will reimburse successful applicant organisations for eligible costs including:
- Costs of visas (including for their partner/dependents)
- Immigration health surcharge (including for their partner/dependents)
- Travelling and subsistence
- Transporting belongings
- Disposal of old residence and acquisition of new residence
- Domestic goods for new residence
Roles - Eligible roles must primarily involve work related to artificial intelligence, with AI defined broadly as “machines that perform tasks normally performed by human intelligence, especially when the machines learn from data how to do those tasks.” Roles can relate to the development, application or governance of AI.
Eligible roles must be aimed at early to mid-career professionals, indicatively defined as those within the first 15 years of their career. Indicative examples of role types in this bracket may include (but are not limited to): Associate Professor, Postdoc, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Machine Learning Engineer, Research Associate, Research Scientist, Data Scientist, AI Researcher. Applicants can make a case for certain roles with job titles that do not appear to fit this criteria. The grants cannot be used for undergraduate, masters or PhD students.
Posts must have a contract that is at least 12 months in length, fixed term and permanent contracts are both eligible to be included. Only posts that will have live jobs adverts after 30 April 2024, and will have started by March 2025 are eligible to be submitted.
UK citizens relocating - For this scheme, relocation of UK citizens who lived abroad can be supported. If awarded, supporting evidence as part of the payment claim may be required, for example evidence that the UK citizen was resident overseas.
Internal Expressions Of Interest (EOI)
University departments are invited to download and complete a single internal EOI form (Excel doc) outlining hiring plans for posts that meet the above eligibility criteria. Individual researchers/academics cannot apply and should liaise with their departmental or faculty research facilitation/grants team indicating their interest.
Completed forms must be submitted to research@mpls.ox.ac.uk by Monday 4th March, midday.
Departments are encouraged to include as much detail as possible on the role responsibilities and person specification (in particular for mid-career level roles), however if it is not feasible please include details on the AI research remit the role will work in.
Under “estimated number of international hires”, the DBT is requesting an estimate based on previous experience/average for the sector.
Due to the funding constraints of this call, please note it is not guaranteed that all posts submitted will be supported. An internal panel with representation from all four divisions will review the roles submitted.
Queries
For queries related to the scheme or internal EOI process, please contact research@mpls.ox.ac.uk.