Industrial CASE training grants: terms and conditions

The following additional terms and conditions apply specifically to EPSRC Industrial Cooperative Awards in Science and Engineering (ICASE) training grants.

Where they contradict UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) training grant conditions (TGC), these additional conditions take precedence.

Failure to uphold the terms and conditions applicable to ICASE may affect your future involvement in this scheme.

In these grant additional conditions (GACs), ‘we’, ‘our’ and ‘us’ refers to EPSRC, and ‘you’ and ‘your’ refers to the university holding the ICASE grant.

GAC 1: use of funds

Each ICASE grant comprises a number of ICASE awards.

Alongside the financial contribution of the industrial partner (GAC 4), each ICASE award represents funding for one studentship and is to be used in support of a specific student or project.

ICASE funding may only be used to support ICASE doctoral studentships of four years’ duration, though you must offer the option of part-time study.

ICASE grants have a five-year duration. Studentships must begin by the start of the academic year following the year in which the grant offer is made.

ICASE 2023 grants have a fixed start date of 1 October 2023 (the associated voucher references begin 230…), and the associated students should start by 1 October 2024.

If a student terminates their studies before completion of the project, We must be informed via industrialcase@epsrc.ukri.org.

If there is sufficient time and money remaining on the grant, the original industrial partner should be approached in the first instance with a view to identifying a suitable replacement student.

The replacement must receive the same ICASE studentship entitlements as the original student.

Any shortfall in the studentship funding will be covered by you or the industrial partner, or both, providing the UKRI 50% funding minimum is met (UKRI TGC 4.5). It may be possible to request a no-cost extension if more time is needed. Please contact us via industrialcase@epsrc.ukri.org.

The approximate cut-off for permitting recruitment of a replacement student is once 15 months of spending has been drawn from an award. After this point, there will likely be insufficient funds remaining for the EPSRC contribution to meet UKRI TGC 4.5.

Studentships must not continue beyond the end date of the grant as ICASE students must be covered by UKRI terms and conditions which persist only while the grant is active.

If the industrial partner withdraws, we must be notified via industrialcase@epsrc.ukri.org.

We will continue to fund the student or students through the ICASE grant, but it is expected that, where possible, another cooperating body is sought to maintain the industrial dimension of the ICASE award.

Please note, the same expectations apply to replacement industrial partners as to an original industrial partner, and they must contribute in the manner described in these ICASE GACs.

You must not be charged a fee to apply for our ICASE studentships. In line with TGC 4.7 and 4.9, costs associated with recruitment, such as advertising and open days, may be charged to the grant.

GAC 2: visits to the industrial partner

When accepting ICASE vouchers, industrial partners commit to offering at least three months’ worth of placements to the students associated with their projects.

Students must be offered a placement opportunity (which they may choose to decline).

Placements are expected to occur on the premises of the industrial partner associated with their project.

If a placement with the industrial partner is not possible or appropriate, then an alternative experience should be sought, such as a virtual placement with the partner, a policy internship, or a placement with an alternative partner.

Where more than one industrial partner is involved, placements may be with whichever is most appropriate.

Students can spend longer periods on placements, subject to your minimum attendance requirements for students to remain registered for the higher degree as well as any conditions associated with the doctoral qualification.

The placement should be tailored to the project and be appropriate for all parties. It does not necessarily need to be delivered in one full-time block and may be split into as many instances as are deemed appropriate and optimal for the project and dissemination of knowledge.

Placements may be at partner premises outside the UK, providing a risk assessment is completed, the student’s expenses are covered, government travel guidelines are followed, and the student remains in contact with their host university.

GAC 3: responsibility of the industry project supervisor and academic supervisor

Contact should be maintained between the industry project supervisor, the academic supervisor, and the student throughout the duration of the award.

Please refer to the statement of expectations for postgraduate training for other principles and expectations, many of which apply to industry project supervisors as well as academic supervisors.

GAC 4: financial contribution of the industrial partner

As a measure of its interest and involvement, the industrial partner must make a financial contribution to the project.

Where there is an additional industrial partner on a project, the industrial partner which was allocated the ICASE voucher is considered the lead industrial partner.

The lead industrial partner remains responsible for ensuring the minimum cash contribution is delivered and student expenses are covered, as outlined.

Contributions from an additional partner may form part of a collaboration agreement (GAC5). Sharing of project outputs with the industrial partner is contingent upon receiving their cash contribution.

The industrial partner’s contribution must cover:

  • an annual cash contribution paid to you which is at least one third of the funding provided by us. For ICASE 2023, our funding for a single studentship is £104,903, so the total industrial contribution must be at least £34,968. You and the industrial partner should agree together how to support the industrial partner’s project and associated student with this contribution, noting that the same cost eligibility policy applies to the one-third minimum cash industrial contribution as to our funding (see also GAC6). Any contribution above the minimum may be spent as agreed by the parties involved. We strongly support using part of the contribution to enhance the student’s stipend
  • all expenses incurred by the student as a result of periods spent with the industrial partner, for example, travel and accommodation costs. This is in addition to the cash contribution described above. The student should not be out of pocket as a result of undertaking the project. Expenses can be paid directly to the student or via you as agreed by the parties involved

GAC 5: collaboration agreements

Further to TGC 11, the basis of collaboration between you and the industrial partner or partners, including the allocation of resources throughout the grant (or individual student project as appropriate) and ownership of intellectual property and rights to exploitation, is expected to be set out in a formal collaboration agreement.

This agreement must also formalise exactly how any additional industrial partner’s contribution (GAC4) is delivered (for example, via the lead industrial partner, or directly to the university).

It is your responsibility to put such an agreement in place before the relevant project begins. The terms of collaboration agreements must not conflict with UKRI’s terms and conditions nor prevent the future progression of research or the dissemination of research results in accordance with academic custom and practice.

We are not able to advise on collaboration agreements and intellectual property issues. We suggest referring to the Lambert Toolkit on the UK government website.

GAC 6: international students

The industrial partner’s annual cash contribution to you cannot be used to contribute to the difference between home and international fees. The industrial partner can provide additional support to contribute to the difference between home and international fees, or it can be sought from other sources.

As per the UKRI training grant conditions, the cap on international recruitment applies to all the students registered on a single ICASE grant held by the university.

The cap is dependent on the number of studentships that can be supported by the ICASE grant.

Where 30% of the number of studentships on the ICASE grant is equal to or greater than one (meaning, if there are four or more studentships on the ICASE grant), then the cap of 30% applies.

If 30% is less than one student (meaning, if the ICASE grant comprises one, two or three studentships), a maximum of one international student can be recruited.

GAC 7. exemption from start date flexibility

As this grant has a fixed start date it is exempt from UKRI’s policy allowing a six-month period of flexibility in which to start.

GAC 7: parties’ awareness of grant conditions

These GACs, as well as the main UKRI training grant conditions, must be made available to all relevant parties involved in the ICASE projects associated with this grant:

  • industrial partners
  • academic partners
  • students

Last updated: 27 July 2023

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