Parents at the University of Southampton are entitled to take maternity, paternity, adoption or parental leave, but extended periods of leave can disrupt careers and on-going research and pedagogical projects.
ERE staff who take extended periods of leave can find that their contribution to research or pedagogical development projects stalls or stops and this can be damaging to their careers. It can also be difficult to kick-start their research when they return from extended leave. Academic staff who employ staff on fixed-term contracts or grants who then take extended leave can experience considerable disruption to their projects. This can sometimes deter fixed-term staff from taking their full entitlement to leave. It can also lead to subconscious gender bias when recruiting staff for research projects.
Some funding bodies (such as RCUK) do provide funds to cover costs associated with family leave. However, when such funding is not available, the Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences will provide funding of up £3000 per application to ensure support for ERE staff throughout periods of extended leave and to minimise the impact on academic, research or pedagogical activities.
Funding is available for the following purposes:
- to hire (including via a PhD) an individual to continue laboratory work on specific research projects if no suitable technical resource can be deployed from elsewhere;
- to hire an individual to continue the development of original pedagogical and practitioner projects;
- to facilitate continuity of research activity, including an element for child-care costs to cover time at conferences, on cruises and in the field;
- to provide funds to cover time lost by staff on fixed-term contracts that are not covered by the funding body to ensure that projects are completed.
Applications to cover undergraduate and postgraduate taught student project supervision or lectures do not fall within the remit of this scheme.
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for funding under this scheme, staff must fulfil the following criteria:
- be an existing member of academic, research or teaching staff;
- have completed one year’s service;
- be taking family leave for a minimum of 6 months;
- if on a fixed-term contract, have 6 months remaining on their contract following their return from family leave.
Application Process
- Applications for support from the scheme should be made by academic staff and independent research fellows. If an application is made to cover leave for a researcher on a fixed-term contract, the application should be made by the Principle Investigator
- Applications should be made in advance of the support being required, preferably at least 3 months.
- The attached form should be completed and forwarded to the Head of Academic Unit who will consult with the Dean, who will make final decision.
- The decision will be made within one month of the application.
Proposals
Applications should contain the following:
- Outline of the resource needs and associated staff costs requested
- Timeline and details of how the extended period of leave will impact specific objectives and career progression
- Detail of the specific activities to be covered by the person that is being hired