Up to 40 Early Career Conference Grants are available for ACU member university staff to attend both virtual (online) and in-person conferences. Applicants must identify a specific conference before applying for the grant and state whether they are applying for a virtual or in-person grant on the application form.
For emerging academics, taking part in conferences 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 connected with new knowledge that can be shared and multiplied amongst colleagues and students.
The ACU’s Early Career Conference Grants help to ensure that more emerging researchers – and the universities that employ them – can benefit from these valuable opportunities.
The final number of awarded grants will depend on the number of applications received for each format (virtual/in-person).
Application Process
- If you don’t have a MyACU account: please register here and then follow the instructions in the registration email to set up an account. You will then be able to log in to the system here to access the application form.
- If you do have a MyACU account: please log in to the system here to access the application form.
Required Documents:
As part of the application form, applicants must:
- Provide details of their chosen conference, including a copy of their abstract
- State whether the conference is to be delivered virtually or in person (for hybrid conferences, applicants must choose whether they wish to attend in-person or virtually)
- Choose the Sustainable Development Goal(s) which relate most closely to their research and describe how their research can contribute to achieving these goals (100-200 words)
- Explain the reasons for their choice of conference and how it links to their research interests (100-200 words)
- Explain how participating in the conference will benefit their career and professional development (100-200 words)
- Explain how they will share the knowledge gained by participating in the conference (100-200 words)
- Attach a detailed letter or email of support from their head of department
- If applying for an in-person conference, give a breakdown of the costs for which they are applying for funding