UCET Travel Scholarship

GORDON KIRK INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS

The Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) offers scholarships of up £3,000 to allow colleagues from UCET member institutions to investigate aspects of teacher education or undertake educational research in partnership with one or more overseas universities/HEIs or for colleagues from overseas HEIs to undertake research in partnership with UCET member institutions. The research can, from January 2026, be conducted either from within the UK using on-line resources or involve overseas travel.

The scholarships are named in honour of our former Academic Secretary, Gordon Kirk, and are supported using funds generously donated by the former trustees of the Hewett Driver Trust.

Applicants should apply in writing for the scholarship, outlining the research they propose to undertake and show how the scholarship would assist them in doing so. They will be expected to have made contact with either the:

• overseas institution(s) they wish to visit;
• or, for overseas colleagues, the name of the UCET member institution(s) they want to work in partnership with.

Statements of support from these institutions should be obtained prior to submitting the application.

All subsequent arrangements will be the responsibility of the scholarship holders and their host institution(s).

On completing their research, scholarship holders will submit a brief reflective report of their activities for publication on the UCET website and will lodge with UCET a copy of any publication resulting, together with appropriate acknowledgement. Recipients will also have the opportunity to present their findings at a workshop session at the UCET annual onference.

Scholarships will be paid to the successful applicant's institution. Half the scholarship will be paid immediately and the rest on presentation of an itemised invoice and receipts. The award will be repaid if the research does not take place. Applicants will be eligible for the scholarship even if they attract other sources of funding.

Applications for next year’s UCET scholarship, including a brief CV and the statements of support, should be made by email by 31 March 2027 to executivedirector@ucet.ac.uk. The applications (excluding the statements of support) should be no longer than 1,000 words. Applicants may be asked to make a further submission.

Current Winners (2026) are:

• Dr Karan Vickers-Hulse (University of West of England)
• Professor Tanya Ovenden-Hope (Plymouth Marjon University)
• Daniel Dennis (Liverpool John Moores University)

For further information contact our Executive Directors, Stef Sullivan and Jo McIntyre at executivedirector@ucet.ac.uk

UCET, February 2026