Collaborative Project Call
(formerly iCASE)

Projects must align to one of the three MRC DLA Themes:  

• Mechanisms of Health and Disease and Experimental Medicine (MHD-EM) 

• Neuroscience and Mental Health Innovation (NSMH-I) 

• Biomedical Engineering, Imaging and AI for Precision Health (BEI-AI)  

Project descriptions should be written so that third year undergraduate students can understand them and should outline the contribution of each supervisor.  

Projects can emphasise discovery/basic or translational/applied research. Projects which are translational should involve supervisory input from a clinician/clinician scientist (EITHER the two supervisors can be a combination of a basic scientist and a clinician/clinician scientist OR two basic scientists with an associated clinician/clinician scientist).  

College regulations indicate that post-doctoral researchers are not normally eligible to act as first or second supervisor for research degree students. Senior post-doctoral researchers who meet specific criteria may apply, with the support of their faculty Associate Dean for Doctoral Studies, to be considered for an exemption to this regulation to act as a second supervisor. In addition, College regulations indicate that members of staff who hold a post-doctoral researcher position, can be appointed as a third supervisor.  

Co-supervisors can submit project proposals to both the Standard and Collaborative project calls as long as the projects are different. Any current MRC DTP student commitments will not impact a co-supervisor’s eligibility to secure a MRC DLA Collaborative studentship from this call.    

• UK-based organisations can be considered as the non-academic partner if they can provide students with distinctive research training and experience not available in an academic setting.
• Organisations eligible for UKRI funding (such as NHS Trusts) cannot act as a non-academic partner.
• Organisations must demonstrate that they have the expertise, environment and capacity to provide the distinctive research training and experience required for the proposed studentship.
• Organisations based overseas are eligible but must demonstrate that they can provide the student with skills training not currently available in the UK.

Non-academic partner organisations are classified as either Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs), defined as an organisation with <250 employees, a turnover not exceeding €50m and/or a balance sheet total not exceeding €43m, or as non-SMEs (>250 employees).

• • Co-funded projects require an annual cash contribution from the non-academic partner of £17,500 (£70,000 total for the full length of the studentship). This contribution goes towards the cost of the project.  
  • Part-funded projects require an annual cash contribution from the non-academic partner of £8,750 (£35,000 total for the full length of the studentship). This contribution goes towards the cost of the project. 
  • Fully-funded projects do not require a cash contribution from non-academic partners that meet the definition of a Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) as set out in Recommendation 1996/280/EC, regardless of sector. However, the number of fully-funded studentships available is limited to two per intake year. Therefore, non-academic partners that are able to provide a financial contribution are encouraged to consider submitting a part-funded or co-funded project proposal, enabling the MRC DLA programme to support a greater number of collaborative studentships. 
  • A placement opportunity for the student. The MRC mandates a cumulative period of no less than three months working within the facilities of the non-academic partner. This three-month period may take place at any point during the studentship and can consist of a number of shorter visits where appropriate. The non-academic partner’s commitment to supporting this placement must be detailed in a letter of support submitted with the project proposal. 
  • All costs while the student is visiting and working within the partner establishment.   
  • All additional expenses, such as the cost of travel and accommodation incurred by the student as a direct result of placement attendance.  
  • Non-academic partners are expected to review the MRC DLA Collaborative Studentship contract template, Part and Co-funded studentship agreement or Fully-funded studentship agreement, between KCL and the partner prior to project submission, confirm their agreement to the contract (and identifying any exceptions) in the supporting letter. 
  • If a project is selected for advertisement, the contract between KCL and the partner must be agreed and finalised before interviews for the studentship take place; if the contract cannot be signed by this time, the MRC DLA reserves the right to withdraw the studentship awarded to the PIs and partner.  
  • The non-academic partner may wish to provide additional in-kind support (which might include things such as access to research subjects, field sites, office space, seminar or non-academic expert groups, data etc.)  
  • The involvement of the non-academic partner must constitute a genuine collaborative partnership, provide real added value to the studentship while also advancing the activities of the partner organisation. In addition, the partner must provide co-supervision during the studentship. A named partner supervisor must be assigned to the project and who will be involved from the student recruitment stage through the completion of the studentship.  

  An overview of the MRC DLA Collaborative Funding Models, for studentships starting in the 2027-2028 academic year, outlines the contributions of the MRC, KCL and non-academic partners in the three types of collaborative studentships, one of which must be selected in the Project Proposal Form. 

The MRC DLA, together with the relevant departments and the supervisory team, have overall responsibility for the student and the management of the studentship award, including the following: 

• Manage student recruitment process. 
• Work with the contracts team to develop the studentship agreement. 
• Monitor student progress. 
• Offer a vast range of training and monitor registration and attendance of student to follow DLA requirements. 
• Offer workshops tailored to Collaborative Studentships subjects i.e. “Translation and Commercialisation Process for Healthcare Technologies” and “Careers in Academia and Industry”. 
• Offer access to MRC flexible benefits upon completion of successful application. NB: eligibility applies. 
• Ensures the academic co-supervisor team fulfils MRC requirements.
• Organise yearly meetings with the MRC DLA Advisory Board, composed of academics and collaborative partners members.
• Communication of collaborative-related updates circulated bi-annually via the Commercial Partner Newsletter.
• Offer access to a yearly Idea’s Commercialisation Fund competition.
• Organise an annual Industrial Networking Day open to all current and new non-academic partners, KCL academics and collaborative students. 

• • The MRC DLA operates a co-supervision model. Both supervisors must be eligible to act as a first supervisor and are expected to make an equal contribution to supervision of the project. As per College regulations, at least one co-supervisor must have supervised a PGR student to completion, and one must hold a doctoral degree themselves.  
  • Both supervisors must have undergone supervisory development or be enrolled onto this course. This will be verified when the project submission is reviewed.  
  • Both supervisors must be primarily appointed at KCL/KHP (50% or higher) to be eligible to be a co-supervisor.  
  • The co-supervisors must be able to demonstrate they have the resources to undertake the project. For lab-based work, this typically means that one co-supervisor must be a primary grant holder, and the grant must be specified on the application. 
  • Co-supervisors can submit up to two projects to the Collaborative Project Call, provided that at least one project is submitted through the co-funded route and each project involves a different non-academic partner. Only one project may be submitted to the fully funded Collaborative Project Call per co-supervisor. Co-supervisors can also submit a project to the Standard Project Call in addition to their Collaborative Project Call submission(s), provided that all projects are distinct. 
  • It is the responsibility of the supervisory team (co-supervisors 1A and 1B) to check they meet KCL academic regs on supervisor eligibility as a pair.  

The MRC DLA will evaluate Collaborative Project Proposals according to the five below criteria; percentage weightings are detailed. All applications will be assessed using the same criteria:  

1. Quality of research proposal: Is the topic relevant and likely to produce high-quality biomedical science? Is the research area likely to provide a stimulating and manageable topic for the student? (e.g., are the research topic and questions well formulated?) Is there a feasible plan of action? Does the work offer genuine scope for doctoral research? (40% weighting).

2. Quality of student training: Describe the specific training and development opportunities the student will gain trough the project, highlighting both academic and non-academic partner collaboration aspects. Include how the project will enhance the student’s analytical and technical skills, support their professional development, and provide opportunities for networking and collaboration within academic and non-academic partner settings. (15% weighting).

3. Relevance of research to the DLA: How well does the research project resonate with the aims and themes of MRC DLA and the strengths and priorities of the KCL department in which it will be based? (10% weighting).

4. Supervisory Team: For example, why is this combination of academics and partner organisation optimal for the proposed project? Are the research areas of the supervisors relevant to the proposed work? Do the supervisors have PhD supervisory experience? (15% weighting)

5. Quality of proposed collaboration with non-academic partner: What is the added value of the research collaboration? What is the nature of the commitment from the partner organisation? For example: what additional training or developmental opportunities will arise through the collaboration for the student? Will the partner institution offer distinctive forms of experience in areas which would be unobtainable without the partner? How will training opportunities be structured? Please note it is a condition of all Collaborative Studentships that the Partner provide a 3-month placement for the student; provide details of this placement and when the placement will take place (20% weighting). 

Note: Applications will automatically be rejected for consideration where the Non-Academic Partner:  

• Has not submitted a letter of support  
• Has not met the minimum financial contribution required (part and co-funded projects only)  
• Has not committed to offer a 3-month placement as part of the studentship  
• Has not confirmed their agreement to the draft contract between KCL and the partner (including any exceptions).  

The following wording must be included in letters of support for part-funded and co-funded proposals:  

I write to confirm that (insert partner name) will meet the MRC’s current expectations of a non-academic partner contribution to this Collaborative studentship for October 20XX (insert entry year). 

(Insert -partner name):  

• Will make an annual cash contribution of £17,500 (£70,000 total for the full length of the studentship) or £8,750 (£35,000 total for the length of the studentship) (delete the option that is not applicable).  
• Will offer the student a cumulative period of no less than three months spent working in our facilities during the studentship and further shorter visits if appropriate.  

• Will cover the  partner’s costs while the student is visiting or working at the premises of our organisation.  

• Will cover all additional expenses, such as the cost of travel and accommodation incurred by the student as a direct result of attendance at our premises.  

• Agree to draft contract shared by King’s College London (non-academic partner to include exceptions…)  

• Understand that the contract between KCL and (insert  partner name) must be signed before interviews take place. We understand that the MRC DLA reserve the right to withdraw the studentship award if the contract cannot be agreed and finalised prior to interviews.  

The following wording must be included in letters of support for fully-funded proposals:  

I write to confirm that (insert partner name) will meet the MRC’s current expectations of a non-academic partner contribution to this Collaborative studentship for October 20XX (insert entry year). 

(Insert -partner name):  

• Will offer the student a cumulative period of no less than three months spent working in our facilities during the studentship and further shorter visits if appropriate.  

• Will cover the  partner’s costs while the student is visiting or working at the premises of our organisation.  

• Will cover all additional expenses, such as the cost of travel and accommodation incurred by the student as a direct result of attendance at our premises.  

• Agree to draft contract shared by King’s College London (non-academic partner to include exceptions…)  

• Understand that the contract between KCL and (insert  partner name) must be signed before interviews take place. We understand that the MRC DLA reserve the right to withdraw the studentship award if the contract cannot be agreed and finalised prior to interviews.