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Research Development manage restricted calls and support researchers through funding streams.
Internal Funding Opportunities
The Research Development Strategic Fund (RDSF)
Funding is available to support early stage activities leading to the submission of an external research grant application supported by your Research Development Manager. This may include, but is not limited to, activities such as consortia building, visits to a partner institution and/or collaborative meetings to prepare a grant application. Attendance at conferences and seminars must be directly related to a specific research grant application.
Funding for the 2025-2026 financial year, will be available from the 1 August 2025 from your Faculty ring-fenced budget. Each faculty will therefore consider and process applications for consideration of funding and final sign off for all applications will be by the Head of Research Development.
Restricted Calls
What are Restricted calls?
In order to ensure that external research grant applications submitted by Ulster University are of the highest quality, we are sometimes required to initiate a process for restricted calls or demand management.
Restricted calls are a funder requirement and managed in line with the funder guidelines and capped number of applications. Non-adherence to the funder requirement may result in all applications being rejected.
BBSRC: Mid-range equipment for biosciences research: Alert 2025
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has announced the Mid-range equipment for biosciences research to support bids for capital equipment between £200,000 and £1.5 million (including VAT) with projects to be started by 3 August 2026 and last no more than 12 months and aligns with the BBSRC infrastructure strategic framework and the BBSRC forward look – UKRI.
In developing your application for this funding opportunity, you may wish to consider the eligibility criteria on the funders website and attend an information webinar being held at 10:30 on 5 November 2025.
Each institution have been asked to conduct their own prioritisation exercise.
If you are interested in applying for this call, please submit an Outline Application via email to Andrew Harbinson by 4pm Friday 28 November 2025.
