Independent Researcher form This form is to be completed by staff on Research contracts only. For further information on the REF2021 definition of Independent Researcher and the criteria for determining Independent Research status please see the University of Exeter REF2021 Code of Practice

The REF2021 criteria requires an individual meet one or more of the following indicators:

Indicator 1: Leading or acting as principal investigator or equivalent on an externally funded research project

Indicator 2: Holding an independently won, competitively awarded fellowship where research independence is a requirement.

Indicator 3: Leading a research group or a substantial or specialised work package.

In addition, for UoAs in Mains Panels C and D the following criteria will also apply:

Indicator 4: Being named as a Co-I on an externally funded research grant/award

Indicator 5: Having significant input into the design, conduct and interpretation of the research.

The purpose of collecting this information is to evaluate eligibility for the University of Exeter’s submission to REF2021.

If you have previously received confirmation that you meet the REF2021 definition of Independent Researcher, you do not need to complete this form.

A preliminary review of staff on Research contracts was completed by each Unit of Assessment in June/July 2019. This review was completed with information on Indicator 1 and 4 (research awards held at Exeter), Indicator 2 (fellowships) and, where easily accessible, information relating to Indicator 3 and 5. Staff are being asked to complete this form if:

Additional information is required to decide if you meet the REF2021 definition of Independent Researcher

You meet the REF2021 definition of Independent Researcher but at the preliminary review stage, the University did not hold relevant information relating to any of the indicators above, e.g. because you have recently received an award for which you are a PI, because you arrived recently but held external research grants as PI (or Co-I for Panels C and D) in another institution

You meet the REF2021 definition of Independent Researcher but you are a new member of staff who arrived after the preliminary review was completed.

PRIVACY NOTICE

All data collected, stored and processed will be handled in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Personal information will be held in a restricted and dedicated area of the University’s REF focussed Share Point sites. These sites are owned by the Exeter REF team, and access control is in place. Information will be accessible for the REF team and Colleges (ADR, HoD, and DoR). Information will be shared through Share Point with the Eligibility Review Group, HR partners and the University Research Monitoring Panel appropriately for REF purposes.

☐ Yes, I accept that the information I give is used for REF purposes only.

Personal information

Title
First Name
Surname
Staff ID

Role

Job Title
College
Department
Unit of Assessment (if known)	Choose an item.
Additional Unit of Assessment (if relevant)	Choose an item.

Indicator 1 and Indicator 4

Are you (or have you been since 1st January 2014) a Principal Investigator on an externally funded research grant?	Yes ☐
No ☐
For Panel C and Panel D UoAs only Are you or have you been since 1st January 2014) a Co-Investigator on an externally funded research grant?	Yes ☐
No ☐

If your Research contract began at Exeter on or before 30th April 2019, please provide details of any new award(s) or awards held at another HEI prior to arriving at Exeter. Please include the funder’s name, the scheme name, the value, duration and start date of the award. Awards made solely to provide funding for travel, consumables, or for knowledge exchange or impact-related activities are not eligible.
For Panel A and B UoAs – please confirm that you are the Principal Investigator for this award:	Click here to enter text.
For Panel C and D UoAs – please confirm that you are the Co-Investigator for this award:	Click here to enter text.

If you joined Exeter on or after 1st May 2019, please provide details of award(s) now held at Exeter or awards held at a previous university. Please include the funder’s name, the scheme name, the value, duration and start date of the award. Awards made solely to provide funding for travel, consumables, or for knowledge exchange or impact-related activities are not eligible.
For Panel A and B UoAs – please confirm that you are the Principal Investigator for this award:	Click here to enter text.
For Panel C and D UoAs – please confirm that you are the Co-Investigator for this award:	Click here to enter text.

Indicator 2

Do you hold (or have you held) a competitive Research Fellowship?	Yes ☐ No ☐
If yes, please select from the drop-down list (list provided by Research England)	Funder Choose an item Fellowship Choose an item.
Please provide brief details of the competitive Research Fellowship in the box below, i.e. where the award was held (if held at a previous university), the value, duration and start date of the fellowship.
Click here to enter text.

Do you hold (or have you held) a competitive Research Fellowship of similar standing which is not listed in the drop-down list above?	Yes ☐ No ☐
Name of Funder	Click here to enter text.	Start Date	Click here to enter a date.
Name of Fellowship	Click here to enter text.	End Date	Click here to enter a date.
Please provide a justification why this funder/fellowship scheme is of a similar standing to those found in the drop-down list above.
Click here to enter text.

Indicator 3

Please provide a brief justification as to how you meet (or have met) the requirements of Indicator 3: Leading a research group or a substantial or specialised work package.
Click here to enter text.

Indicator 5 – for Panels C and D only

Please provide a brief justification as to how you meet (or have met) the requirements of Indicator 5:Having significant input into the design, conduct and interpretation of the research. NB. Indicator 5, in isolation, will not normally fulfil the criteria of “Independent Researcher” and will, typically, only be considered in conjunction with another indicator.
Click here to enter text.

Funder	Fellowship scheme
AHRC	AHRC Leadership Fellowships - Early Career Researchers
AHRC	AHRC Leadership Fellowships
BBSRC	BBSRC David Phillips Fellowships
BBSRC	BBSRC Future Leader Fellowships (from 2018 known as BBSRC Discovery Fellowships)
British Academy	BA/Leverhulme Senior Research Fellowships
British Academy	British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships
British Academy	JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships
British Academy	Mid-Career Fellowships
British Academy	Newton Advanced Fellowships
British Academy	Newton International Fellowships
British Academy	Wolfson Research Professorships
British Heart Foundation	Career Re-entry Research Fellowships
British Heart Foundation	Clinical Research Leave Fellowships
British Heart Foundation	BHF-Fulbright Commission Scholar Awards
British Heart Foundation	Intermediate Basic Science Research Fellowships
British Heart Foundation	Intermediate Clinical Research Fellowships
British Heart Foundation	Senior Basic Science Research Fellowships
British Heart Foundation	Senior Clinical Research Fellowships
British Heart Foundation	Springboard Award for Biomedical Researchers
British Heart Foundation	Starter Grants for Clinical Lecturers
Cancer Research UK	Advanced Clinician Scientist Fellowship
Cancer Research UK	Career Development Fellowship
Cancer Research UK	Career Establishment Award
Cancer Research UK	Senior Cancer Research Fellowship
EPSRC	EPSRC Early Career Fellowship
EPSRC	EPSRC Established Career Fellowship
EPSRC	EPSRC Postdoctoral Fellowship*1
ESRC	ESRC Future Cities Catapult Fellowship
ESRC	ESRC Future Leaders Grant
ESRC	ESRC/Turing Fellowships
ESRC/URKI	Early Career Researcher Innovation Fellowships
European Research Council	ERC Advanced Grants
European Research Council	ERC Consolidator Grants
European Research Council	ERC Starting Grants
Health Education England	Integrated Clinical Academic Programme Clinical Lectureship*
Health Education England	Integrated Clinical Academic Programme Senior Clinical Lectureship
Leverhulme Trust	Early Career Fellowship
Leverhulme Trust	Research Fellowship
Leverhulme Trust	Emeritus Fellowship
Leverhulme Trust	Major Research Fellowship
Leverhulme Trust	International Academic Fellowship
MRC	MRC Career Development Awards*
MRC	MRC New Investigator Research Grants (Non-clinical)*
MRC	MRC New Investigator Research Grants (Clinical)*
MRC	MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowships*
MRC	Senior Non-Clinical Fellowships
MRC	Senior Clinical Fellowships
NC3R	David Sainsbury Fellowship
NC3R	Training fellowship
NERC	Independent Research Fellowships
NERC/UKRI	Industrial Innovation Fellowships
NERC/UKRI	Industrial Mobility Fellowships
NIHR	Advanced Fellowship*
NIHR	Career Development Fellowship
NIHR	Clinical Lectureships*
NIHR	Clinician Scientist*
NIHR	Post-Doctoral Fellowship*
NIHR	Research Professorships
NIHR	School for Primary Care Post-Doctoral Fellowships*
NIHR	Senior Research Fellowships
Royal Academy of Engineering	RAEng Engineering for Development Research Fellowship
Royal Academy of Engineering	Industrial Fellowships
Royal Academy of Engineering	RAEng Research Fellowship
Royal Academy of Engineering	RAEng Senior Research Fellowship
Royal Academy of Engineering	UK Intelligence Community (IC) Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
Royal Society	Royal Society Wolfson Fellowship
Royal Society	Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship*
Royal Society	JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship
Royal Society	Newton Advanced Fellowship
Royal Society	Royal Society/Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowship
Royal Society	University Research Fellowship*
Royal Society and Wellcome Trust	Sir Henry Dale Fellowship*
Royal Society of Edinburgh	RSE Arts & Humanities Awards (for permanent staff)
Royal Society of Edinburgh	RSE Personal Research Fellowship
Royal Society of Edinburgh	RSE Sabbatical Research Grants (for permanent staff)
Sȇr Cymru	Research Chairs
Sȇr Cymru	Rising Stars
Sȇr Cymru	Recapturing Talent*
Sȇr Cymru	Research fellowships for 3 -5 year postdocs
STFC	CERN Fellowships
STFC	Ernest Rutherford Fellowship
STFC	ESA Fellowships
STFC	Innovations Partnership Scheme Fellowships
STFC	Returner Fellowships
STFC	RSE/STFC Enterprise Fellowships
STFC	Rutherford International Fellowship Programme
UKRI	UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships
UKRI	UKRI Innovation Fellowships
Wellcome Trust	Intermediate Fellowship in Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Wellcome Trust	Principal Research Fellowships
Wellcome Trust	Research Award for Health Professionals
Wellcome Trust	Research Career Development Fellowship
Wellcome Trust	Research Fellowship in Humanities and Social Science
Wellcome Trust	Senior Research Fellowship