Applications for UCL Healthcare Engineering's Impact Fellowship scheme 2021-22 now open

Do you want to… 

• Build your skills in policy, communications, public or patient engagement? 
• Receive personalised training and paired mentorship? 
• Enhance your CV with a year-long Fellowship position?

UCL Institute of Healthcare Engineering's year-long Impact Fellowship scheme will be welcoming its next cohort in October 2021. The scheme will train and guide its Impact cohort to build their engagement skills and grow their network beyond university walls, building up to a tangible impact-driven, engagement output at the end of the year. 

Deadline to apply: 7 October (extended).

What will I learn?

• The first months of the Fellowship will be focused on training and skills-building. The focus will be on making this as personalised to the needs of the Fellows as possible, but our Impact Fellows will explore ideas like how to measure their impact, how to engage new voices, values of co-production, how to engage with policymakers, how to communicate their research to different audiences, how to work with community groups and patients. 
• Fellows will receive additional advice and guidance, including mentorship from experts, peer-to-peer learning activities and opportunities for external network-building and secondments. 
• Crucially, all Fellows will be supported to take part in at least one structured activity each term that will allow them to practice the skills they've just learnt. They will also have access to funding pots in Summer 2022 to take the lead on individual activities as a culmination of their learning. 
• The scheme is intended to be personalised around the needs of the Fellows, and so we hope that the cohort will also shape the scheme’s development and the specific support and resources that are needed for them. We are always open to new ideas and want you to be active leaders in making the Fellowship experience the best possible! 
• The Fellows will be expected to act as Impact ambassadors within their respective research groups and communities, and contribute to a wider objective of culture change in research. 

Who is eligible?

• All UCL researchers whose work is related to digital and medical technologies are able to apply for the scheme. Preference will be given to early-career researchers (PhDs, postdocs, early-level PIs) with an interest in building their skills to deliver impact. 

What time commitment does this involve?

• Time-commitments will be flexible around the Fellows' exisiting research, teaching and clinical/other commitments throughout the year, but Fellows can expect to commit an average of 1-2 hrs per week during term. Most training will be delivered virtually.
• There will be opportunities to take on additional opportunities beyond the core training for those interested. As always - the more you put in to this scheme, the more you will get out!

How does this benefit me?

• You will build your engagement skills and learn how to increase the impact of your research by receiving personalised training and mentorship
• Build a network of UCL and external stakeholders and experts 
• Put this training into real practice in 'safe' and supported activities throughout the year 
• Enhance your CV with a Fellowship position including certificate upon completion