ACU Early Career Conference Grants – For emerging academics, taking part in an international conference can have a profound impact on their teaching and research.

Conferences are a chance to share research, learn about the latest developments in an area of work, and build valuable professional networks.

Researchers find themselves better informed and better connected with new knowledge that can be shared and multiplied amongst colleagues and students.

25 Early Career Conference Grants are available for university staff at ACU member universities. The grants help to ensure that more emerging researchers – and the universities that employ them – can benefit from these valuable opportunities.

To reflect the current times, this year’s grants will solely fund participation in virtual (online) conferences.

ACU Early Career Conference Grants Eligibility

Applicants must:

Be employed by an ACU member university as a lecturer, post-doctoral researcher, professor, associate professor, or equivalent
Be within seven years of the start of their academic (research/teaching) career
Have previously never travelled for work purposes (including conferences) outside their region of employment since the start of their academic career. Please see this page for the definition of regions.

What is covered?

Conference registration fee: up to GBP 500
Data grant of GBP 50 if needed
Free access to virtual presentation training

Applicable conferences

Grants can be used for a virtual (online) conference of the applicant’s choice. Applicants can specify their conference of choice on the application form.

The conference must take place between 1 June and 31 December 2021. High quality conferences organised by universities or academic bodies of good standing will be prioritised for selection.

Applicants should therefore carefully research their chosen conference before submitting an application.

ACU Early Career Conference Grants Application requirements

As part of the application form, applicants must:

Provide details of their chosen conference, including a copy of their abstract
Choose the Sustainable Development Goal(s) which relate most closely to their research and describe how their research can contribute to achieving these goals
Explain the reasons for their choice of conference and how it will benefit their career goals
Explain how they will share the knowledge gained by participating in the conference
Attach a detailed letter or email of support from their head of department

Reporting requirements

Successful applicants must provide a short, written report on the use of their grant three months after participating in the conference. The report form will be provided by the ACU.