EPSRC Discipline Hopping in ICT: Responsive Mode (November 2023)

Document research last revised 2026-08-12.

Grant Name

EPSRC discipline hopping in ICT, Nov 2023: responsive mode

Last Updated

17 October 2025

Discipline-Hop Requirement

Applicants must be ‘hopping’ into or from one of the ICT research areas covered by the opportunity.

Research Track Record

Applicants should have a proven track record of research in their home discipline and demonstrate how they will develop skills and collaborations with other disciplines or users.

International Collaboration Requirement

International applicants, project partners or collaborators may be included where relevant, subject to UKRI guidance on trusted research and effective international collaboration.

Project Partner Eligibility

Project partners may be from industry, academia, the third sector or government organisations in the UK or overseas, including organisations based in the EU.

International/Industry Co-Lead Restriction

Project co-leads or project partners from overseas or industry cannot be funded through this opportunity, although overseas and industry collaborators may participate in the application.

Research Category

Interdisciplinary research and ICT skills development

Discipline-Hop Activities

Applicants may work in another university department, move to another research institution or company in the UK, travel abroad, or undertake reskilling/training in a relevant area.

Immersion Requirement

The pattern of work should be appropriate to the proposed research, and EPSRC expects applicants to immerse themselves in the discipline, for example by moving location or department.

Training Costs

Training and development opportunities can include activities relating to commercialisation and knowledge exchange.

Project Co-Lead

A project co-lead at the host institution may be funded to provide necessary training and guidance.

Equipment Limit

Equipment costing more than £25,000 will not be funded.

Third-Party Contributions

Direct and in-kind contributions from third-party project partners are encouraged.

Research Organisation Funding

Host organisations must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities, including research facilities and staff training and development.

Subcontractors

Not specified

Je-S Eligibility

Applications cannot be submitted through the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.

Application Process

The project lead completes the application through the Funding Service. The completed application is then sent to the applicant's research office for checking, after which the research office submits it to UKRI.

Lead Submission Rule

Only the lead research organisation can submit the application to UKRI. Applications cannot have more than one lead organisation.

Core Team

Available roles include project lead, UK project co-lead, specialist, grant manager, professional enabling staff, research and innovation associate and technician. Only one individual can be listed as project lead.

Thematic Area Alignment

Applicants must select the EPSRC thematic area most closely aligned with the application, based on where the majority of the novelty in the research lies.

EPSRC Thematic Areas

Artificial intelligence (AI); digital security and resilience; energy and decarbonisation; engineering; healthcare technologies; information and communication technologies (ICT); manufacturing; mathematical sciences; physical sciences; and quantum technologies.

Vision and Approach

Maximum 6 sides of A4, single-spaced, in 11-point Arial or equivalent sans serif font, with margins of at least 2cm. An additional one-page diagrammatic work plan may be included.

Vision and Approach File

Must be submitted as a single PDF of no more than 8MB.

Vision Assessment

Applicants should demonstrate that the proposed work is of excellent quality and importance, can advance understanding or generate new knowledge, is timely, and has potential impact on research, society, the economy or the environment.

Approach Assessment

Applicants should demonstrate that the approach is effective, feasible and appropriate, identifies delivery risks and management measures, uses a suitable methodology where applicable, builds on previous work where relevant, and maximises translation into outcomes and impacts.

Project Plan

A project plan showing milestones and timelines should be provided as a Gantt chart or similar, using the additional one-page A4 allowance.

Applicant and Team Capability

Maximum 1,500 words, comprising up to 1,000 words for R4RI modules and up to 500 words for optional Additions.

R4RI

Applicants should use the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) format to demonstrate the relevant skills and contributions of the applicant and team.

R4RI Areas

Contributions to new ideas/tools/methodologies/knowledge; development of others and effective working relationships; contributions to the wider research and innovation community; and contributions to research or innovation users, audiences and wider societal benefit.

References

Maximum 1,000 words. References should be included only in the dedicated references section.

Project Partners

Applicants must provide details of each project partner, including organisation, contact details, type and monetary value of contribution. Contributions may be direct cash or indirect/in-kind.

Project Partner Letters

A single PDF containing letters or emails of support from named project partners must be uploaded. The file must not exceed 8MB.

Project Partner Support

Support letters should confirm the partner's commitment, explain the value and relevance of the project to them, and describe the additional value they bring.

Facilities

Maximum 250 words. Applicants requiring facilities must follow the facility's normal access procedures and obtain prior agreement where required.

Sensitive Information

Applicants can indicate whether sensitive information needs to be provided to UKRI confidentially rather than shared with assessors.

Resources and Cost Justification

Maximum 1,000 words. Applicants should provide high-level costs and justify significant resources rather than providing a detailed line-by-line breakdown.

Resources Requiring Justification

Project staff; significant fieldwork or collaboration travel; equipment costing more than £25,000; exceptional consumables; facilities and infrastructure costs; and resources costed as Exceptions.

Ethics and RRI

Maximum 500 words. Applicants must identify relevant ethical or responsible research and innovation issues and explain how they will be managed.

Peer Review

At least three independent peer reviewers are invited to assess each application against the published criteria.

Reviewer Nomination

Applicants cannot nominate reviewers through the UKRI Funding Service. UKRI selects expert reviewers.

Applicant Response

Applicants may respond to reviewers' comments if their application receives enough support to proceed.

Panel Assessment

Applications receiving sufficient reviewer support, together with reviewer comments and the applicant response, are sent to the appropriate prioritisation panel, which scores and ranks applications against the assessment criteria.

Responsive Mode Panels

Mathematical Sciences, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), Engineering, and Physical Sciences.

Panel Frequency

Panels are expected to run quarterly after September 2024.

Application Timing

Applicants should submit when their application is ready rather than wait for a closing date. UKRI states that applications are processed throughout 2025 and 2026.

Application Amendment Rule

UKRI will not return applications for amendment. If an application is withdrawn before peer review or office-rejected because of substantive errors, a new application must be submitted.

Important Notes

EPSRC does not publish individual round closing dates for this responsive-mode opportunity. A closing date may appear in the Funding Service approximately 28 months after publication because of system requirements, but applicants should not wait for that date.

Current Status Check

Open as of the latest official UKRI page checked

Official Last Update

17 October 2025

Application deadline in source document

Open - no closing date

Official source

Read the funding authority guidance