Training budget for Faraday Institution affiliated PhD researchers and PDRAs

The Faraday Institution provides a training budget for affiliated PhD researchers*, PDRAs, technicians and PRISM staff working on its research projects.

*An affiliated PhD researcher is someone who is making a significant contribution to a Faraday Institution research project, as agreed by the Project Principal Investigator, Project Lead or Project Manager, and is included on the project’s approved list of affiliated PhD researchers. 

What is available?

Each affiliated PhD researcher is eligible for £2,000 per year to support training and professional development.

In addition to the annual training budget, the Faraday Institution offers:

• A training catalogue of professional development and chartership opportunities.
• Faraday Masterclasses.
• Early Career Researcher Conference and Training Events.
• The opportunity to apply for a place at WMG Battery School.
• Training days via Faraday Institution research projects.
• Signposting to expert training providers.
• PhD internship opportunities.
• Career guidance.
• Networking opportunities, including Faraday Career Week and the Faraday Institution Conference.

For further information, please contact your project’s Project Manager or Dom Grantley-Smith, Head of Skills and Talent Development at the Faraday Institution.

The training budget runs from 1 April to 31 March each year and is allocated on a pro rata basis according to the period of affiliation within that financial year.

Eligible Training 

Training should support your research, your role within the battery sector, or your longer-term career development. Activities should fall within one or more of the following areas:

• Technical (personal) development – Developing technical skills required for your current role, such as learning to use specialist equipment or receiving training in research techniques (for example, XRD training).
• Professional (soft) skills – Developing transferable skills that support success in the workplace, including presentation skills, grant writing, leadership and project management.
• Battery knowledge – Expanding your understanding of battery science and technology through specialist courses, battery schools or other relevant technical training.
• Career development – Building skills that support progression into your next role, such as management training, fellowship writing, entrepreneurship or leadership development.

The training budget may also be used to cover reasonable costs directly associated with approved training courses, including:

• Travel
• Accommodation
• Subsistence (food)

Funding may also be used towards professional chartership or accreditation. If applying for support towards chartership, you should demonstrate how it will benefit your professional development and provide evidence of the outcomes achieved.

What cannot be funded?

Training must have a clear and justifiable link to your research, current role or career development within the battery sector.

The following will not normally be funded:

• Attendance at conferences where you are not presenting your research and there is no significant training element. This includes attending the Faraday Institution Conference as a delegate only.
• Language courses.
• Generic training that is unrelated to your research, role or career development.

Training budgets cannot be carried over between financial years. The maximum amount that can be claimed in any year is £2,000, including all associated travel and accommodation costs.

Before booking training

Before committing to any training, please:

1. Confirm with your Project Manager that you are affiliated with the relevant Faraday Institution project and send your Project Manager the details of the proposed training, including the dates and a brief explanation of how it will benefit your research or professional development. This enables the training to be approved and recorded.
2. Book and pay for the training using your university’s normal purchasing and approval procedures.
3. Once you have completed the training, please notify your Project Manager and provide a short summary (approximately one paragraph) describing the training aims, outcome and impact:

This information is used to maintain the Faraday Institution’s training records and demonstrate the impact of the training programme.