The John Vane Academy
International Scientific Exchange Schemes
About the Programme
Sir John Vane valued international collaboration and maintained many important relationships with colleagues across the world. We hope to facilitate similar connections for our members by funding lab visits to and from institutions which were meaningful to Sir John and his research.
We began these fellowships by welcoming Dr Ebi Maleki, a visiting researcher from JCET at Jagiellonian University (Kraków). Dr Maleki joined Dr Neil Dufton's lab team in Sep 2025. We are now expanding our programme to other countries and hope to continue annually, with the aim to foster international scientific collaboration with lab visits of up to three months.
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"The experience had a lasting impact on my scientific outlook and future plans. It contributed directly to the advancement of both my PhD project and Preludium grant, while also shaping my approach to research through renewed confidence, broader perspective, and strengthened international connections. The skills and insights gained during the exchange will continue to inform my work and contribute to capacity building at my home institution." -Dr Ebi Maleki |
Where can I go?
We are currently looking for researchers to visit labs in Poland. We are also working with colleagues in Brazil, Sweden and Greece and hope these exchange schemes will become available soon.
What is included?
There is an overall budget for each visit of £10-£15k GBP. In general, the award aims to fund the following:
Travel
Return airfare from London as well as travel to and from the airport. Reimbursement of any required visa costs will also be considered.
Accommodation
The scheme will either pay for or reimburse accommodation costs during your stay of up to three months. Candidates will be asked to find appropriate accommodation and provide their estimated budget for consideration ahead of their visit. The exact amount will depend on the type of accommodation, which must be approved by the JVA Management Committee before booking.
Lab Consumables
A grant of up to £3,000 will be provided to the Principal Investigator(s) to support your research in their labs during your visit.
Please note that additional costs during your stay, e.g. meals and commuting, are not covered by this award. We advise that you discuss your plans with your institute to determine whether your current stipend or salary will continue to be paid whilst you are away and that you will be able to afford these types of expenses.
Questions about these schemes can be sent to the WHRF Programmes Manager, Mrs Amanda Craddock, at a.craddock@qmul.ac.uk.
