TII Fellowship Programme

 

TII is committed to developing long-term research and initiated a Research Fellowship Programme in April 2007 as part of its ongoing Research Strategy. This Programme allows universities and institutes to apply for financial support for PhD and post-doctoral programmes, relevant to TII's aims. Proposals should align with research topics identified by TII, though other topics may be considered. PhD programmes typically last three years, while post-doctoral programmes range from one to three years.

Calls for Proposals have been published since April 2007, with projects viewable on the TII website under Research Profiles. Calls are not annual but are initiated based on specific needs identified by TII.

Evaluation and Selection

Fellowships are awarded to academic institutions following TII's evaluation of applications, which are assessed based on:

  • Track record of supervisors
  • Quality of applications
  • Relevance to TII's goals

Project costs are considered in relation to TII's budget. The TII Research Manager coordinates the assessment, with technical evaluations by TII staff and possible external reviews. Submissions are ranked and selected for the programme.

An initial meeting with the top-ranked project team will clarify objectives, costs, and timescales. Projects must meet TII's quality, cost, and timescale requirements to be included. TII may reassess submissions if necessary.

Form of Submission

Submissions are accepted from qualified academic researchers in universities or equivalent institutions, using a standard TII form that includes:

  • Project description, objectives, justification, work plan, and timescale
  • Methodology
  • Expected outcomes
  • Funding breakdown
  • CVs of relevant staff

Applications must be made in conjunction with a third-level institution that has relevant experience and a proven track record in the selected area(s). Fellowships are supervised, where appropriate, by experts from the university/institute and TII personnel.

Submissions can include costs for setting up the project. An annual budget for each Fellowship comprises a fixed stipend (expected to be about €20,000 for PhD, €40,000 for post-doctoral) and other acceptable costs, which may vary according to institutional pay structures.

Acceptable costs might include

  • Student fees
  • Equipment for the project
  • Travel and subsistence for presenting research results
  • Conference fees (subject to TII approval)
  • Overhead expenses

Further information

Please contact Richella Mulvihill, Senior Engineer Research and Standards, at richella.mulvihill@tii.ie , and Ester Madden, Head of Research and Standards, at esther.madden@tii.ie.