Online Resources

The Fellowship and Grants Academy has compiled a list of online resources that may be helpful for early career researchers. 

Research Support

  • EMBO – EMBO aims to support talented researchers at all stages of their careers, stimulate the exchange of scientific information, and help build a European research environment where scientists can achieve their best work.
  • Gateway to Research – UKRI website providing data about successful grant and fellowship applications including size of grant, project abstract and technical summary.
  • Research Professional – A helpful online database of research funding opportunities and research policy news which provides a quick and easy way to search for a wide range of funding opportunities from research councils, charities, and many other funders.
  • Jisc – University of Birmingham researchers have access to Jisc.ac.uk. Jisc champion the importance and potential of digital technologies for UK education and research; and do three main things:
    1. Operate shared digital infrastructure and services
    2. Negotiate sector-wide deals with IT vendors and commercial publishers
    3. Provide trusted advice and practical assistance for universities, colleges and learning providers

Career Development and Support

  • People and Organisational Development (POD) – POD provide a wide range of learning and development opportunities for staff at the University.  This includes specific training courses for research staff aimed at helping you identify how you wish to move on in your career and develop the skills you need to do so.
  • Journal and Grant writing sessions – The Journal Article Sessions are open to all disciplines. Grant Writing sessions will be tailored to broad discipline themes. Delivery method has changed to 2 x 3½ hour sessions over 2 weeks. We have places available on the next Journal Article session beginning on 9 January. For more information and to register for a place please follow the link below.
  • LinkedIn Learning – Staff and students of the University of Birmingham have access to LinkedIn Learning, online learning offering video courses taught by industry experts in software, creative, and business skills.
  • An Academic Career – This award-winning resource from the University of Manchester contains advice and information about career paths, job searching and making applications.
  • Elsevier Early Career Resources – Career development resources from the publisher Elsevier. Includes a series of webcasts on topics including publishing, ethics, reviewing and grant writing.
  • Jobs.ac.uk Career Development Toolkit – A helpful toolkit for developing reflective practices to encourage career development.
  • Nature Careers – An extensive career toolkit including information sheets on CVs, presentations, mentoring, salaries and more.
  • Vitae – Advice on career planning with CV samples and career stories, as well as access to the Research Development Framework (RDF) – a framework of skills designed to help researchers identify the professional skills they have, and need to cultivate. Vitae also offer training opportunities and an annual free research staff conference.
  • Daphne Jackson Trust – The UK’s leading organisation dedicated to realising the potential of returners to research careers following a career break of two years or more taken for a family, caring or health reason.

Researcher Communities

  • UKRI - Home of UK Research and Innovation. Operating across the whole of the UK with a combined budget of more than £7 billion, UK Research and Innovation brings together the seven research councils, Innovate UK and Research England.
  • Applied Health at Birmingham ECRAG – An early career researcher community within the Institute of Applied Heath offering online advice and support alongside events and meet-ups.
  • ECR Chat – Blog and international Twitter community for early career researchers. Features weekly themed chats which are also summarised in the blog.
  • PERCAT – PERCAT aims to foster a group identity among Postdocs and Early Career Researchers and promote Postdoc and Early Career Researcher participation in decision making processes at the University of Birmingham.
  • The Research Whisperer – Blog for early career researchers with international contributors. Features contributions on topics such as applying for funding and networking.