Published on 27 June 2012
Procedure for PVC Research Support Letters
There has been a marked increase in calls where sponsors request a support letter signed by the Pro-Vice Chancellor Research to be submitted with the application for funding. In order to allow sufficient time for the review and signing of letters, the requests for support letter are to be submitted to the Research Strategy Office 10 (ten) working days ahead of the sponsor’s deadline or other institution’s deadline (if another HEI is the lead on the application), whichever is sooner. We shall endeavour to return the signed letters as soon as possible and the latest 24 hours before the deadline.
When submitting the request to the Research Strategy Office, please:
- Confirm with the sponsor whether it is PVC Research that needs to sign the letter or could that be Head of School or Department.
- Submit the draft support letter, link to the call document and the outline of the proposal.
The support letter should include the following information:
- Title of the proposal
- Institutions participating in the application
- Vision and aims of the proposal
- Particular strengths and expertise that the researcher(s) are bringing to the proposal
- Strengths and expertise of relevant research centres / departments and divisions, links to their research strategy and / or key themes
- Links to University’s strategic research initiatives and networks (where applicable)
- What support / commitments can be offered (where applicable and relevant), e.g. allocation of space, allocation of studentships, facilities, staff time etc.
- Anything else that you feel would strengthen the support to the application.
Please send queries and requests to the Research Strategy Office using the contact address: researchstrategy@admin.cam.ac.uk