Opportunity status:
Open
Funders:
, , , , , ,
Co-funders:
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), Coefficient Giving
Funding type:
Grant
Total fund:
£6,000,000
Maximum award:
£350,000
Publication date:
12 February 2026
Opening date:
12 February 2026 9:00am UK time
Closing date:
23 April 2026 4:00pm UK time
Apply for funding to undertake cutting-edge Metascience research into more effective ways of conducting and supporting research and development (R&D), including the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), how to optimise research institutions and the challenges of measuring research excellence.
You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding, however, collaborations with international researchers are strongly encouraged.
The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £250,000, or £350,000 with an international partner. UKRI will fund 80% of the FEC.
Who can apply
This opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility. .
International researchers
As UKRI is a lead funder for this opportunity, international researchers can apply as ‘project co-lead (international)’. You should include all other international collaborators (or UK partners not based at approved organisations) as project partners.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.
We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:
career breaks
support for people with caring responsibilities
flexible working
alternative working patterns
for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.
Remit
If you are unsure whether your proposed research falls within the remit of this funding opportunity, email a brief summary to and we will get back to you.
What we're looking for
Aim
This funding opportunity aims to accelerate the generation of evidence on how we can improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and inclusivity of the R&D ecosystem. For this round, we are interested in how the adoption of AI is changing the research landscape, how to optimally design and lead research institutions, and how to measure and understand scientific progress at scale.
Scope
Metascience, a rapidly expanding research field, draws on a wide range of disciplinary expertise to understand how research is conducted, funded and supported, and how these practices can be enhanced or improved. For a deeper understanding of what metascience means to UKRI, please see the .
The Metascience Grants Programme, jointly funded by UKRI and Coefficient Giving, supports innovative and ambitious metascience research projects that use scientific methods to deepen our understanding of how different incentives, institutional structures, and funding practices within the R&D system influence scientific research outputs and career outcomes. This funding opportunity will support empirical and theoretical research that is focused on generating actionable insights for decision makers, including those in government, funding bodies, and research organisations.
In this funding opportunity, we are focusing on three themes to build our metascience portfolio. Applications should fit under one of the following:
Science of AI for Science
This theme looks at how:
the adoption of AI is changing the research landscape
this helps or hinders scientific progress and how governments, industry, and funding organisations should respond
Effective design and leadership of research organisations
This theme includes the:
empirical comparison of institutional models
drivers of programme manager and research performance
application of evidence from management and behavioural science to improve organisational structures and practices in research environments
effectiveness of interventions to support inclusive, high-performing research cultures
Scientometric approaches to understanding research excellence, efficiency, and equity
This theme includes the:
development, validation, and generalisable use of metrics and indicators to assess research quality, influence, and impact
development or application of indicators to advance the curation and synthesis of science at scale
behavioural consequences of metric use in research evaluation and funding decisions
We will not fund applications that do not fit under one of these three themes. In your application, you should clearly state the theme your proposal fits within alongside providing a clear justification.
The funders strongly welcome projects involving collaborations between researchers and organisations (for example research funders, research organisations, charities, think-tanks, journals) interested in implementing findings or approaches from the proposed research in their practices.
Science of AI for Science
As an emerging area, it is our experience from other funding opportunities that AI for Science requires further guidance to ensure common understanding.
We define AI broadly as ‘software which learns by example’, including generative AI and machine learning, and applications of these in hardware, for instance, self-driving laboratories. We define ‘AI for Science’ as the application of AI in scientific research itself (including social science) and in activities undertaken within a research ecosystem, for instance, peer review or research portfolio evaluation.
This funding opportunity aims to fund projects that contribute to the embryonic ‘Science of AI for Science’, or ‘AI Metascience’. These are projects that will generate broad understanding and evaluations of the use of AI and its impacts that is relevant across multiple scientific fields and contexts.
We will reject projects focused primarily on the application of AI in industrial settings like clinical medicine, law or fintech. We will also reject proposals focused on conducting frontier computer science research (that is, the ‘science of AI’, as opposed to ‘AI metascience’), or on general AI ethics, security, safety and society-related topics, not because these are not important, but because they are covered much more substantially in other programmes funded by UKRI.
Duration
The duration of this award is between six months and 24 months.
Funding available
The FEC of your project can be up to £250,000 if all organisations are UK-based and eligible for funding. The FEC of your project can be up to £350,000 if you have an international partner, but the additional funds should be used solely to cover costs relating to the international partners and not the UK elements of the project. If the UK costs are found to be over £250,000, your application will be considered as overbudget and will be rejected.
UKRI will fund 80% of the FEC. The remaining 20% is expected to come from the project lead’s research organisation.
What we will fund
In this funding opportunity, we are focusing on three themes to build our metascience portfolio. Applications should fit under one of the following areas, as outlined in the ‘Scope’ section above:
Science of AI for Science
effective design and leadership of research organisations
scientometric approaches to understanding research excellence, efficiency, and equity
The funders strongly welcome projects involving collaborations between researchers and organisations (for example research funders, research organisations, charities, think-tanks, journals) interested in implementing findings or approaches from the proposed research in their practices.
What we will not fund
We will not fund applications that do not fit under one of the three themes, as outlined in the ‘Scope’ section. In your application, you should clearly state the theme your proposal fits under alongside providing a clear justification.
Data requirements
UKRI recognises the importance of data quality and provenance. Data generated, collected or acquired by UKRI-funded research must be well-managed by the grant holder to enable their data to be exploited to the maximum potential for further research. See our for details and further information on . The requirements of the research data policy are a condition of UKRI research funding.
Where relevant, details on data management and sharing should be provided in the ‘Data management’ section. See and on the UK Data Service (UKDS) website for further guidance. We expect applicants to provide a summary of the points provided. The UKDS () will be pleased to advise applicants on the availability of data within the academic community and provide advice on data deposit requirements.
Impact, innovation and interdisciplinarity
We expect you to consider the potential. Outputs, dissemination and impact are a key part of the criteria for most expert review and assessment processes. We also encourage applications that demonstrate (research combining approaches from more than one discipline).
Knowledge exchange and collaboration
We are committed to knowledge exchange and encouraging collaboration between researchers and the private, public and civil society sectors. Collaborative working benefits both the researchers and the individuals and organisations involved. Through collaboration, partners learn about each other’s expertise, share knowledge and gain an appreciation of different professional cultures. Collaborative activity can therefore lead to a better understanding of the ways that academic research can add value and offer insights to key issues of concern for policy and practice. We expect successful grant holders to participate in cohort events as we look to build the UK metascience community.
Knowledge exchange should not be treated as an ‘add-on’ at the end of a project but considered before the start and built into a project.
Research ethics
UKRI requires that the research we support is designed and conducted in such a way that it meets ethical principles and is subject to proper professional and institutional oversight in terms of research governance. We have agreed a Framework for Research Ethics that all submitted proposals must comply with. Read and guidance on compliance.
Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)
UKRI is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.
As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.
, including where you can find additional support.
How to apply
We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.
The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.
Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.
To apply
Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page:
Confirm you are the project lead
Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password. If your organisation is not listed, email
Please allow at least 10 working days for your organisation to be added to the Funding Service. We strongly suggest that if you are asking UKRI to add your organisation to the Funding Service to enable you to apply to this opportunity, you also create an organisation Administration Account. This will be needed to allow the acceptance and management of any grant that might be offered to you.
Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page.
Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.
Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.
Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.
Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.
When including images, you must:
provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit)
insert each new image on a new line
use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
Images should only be used to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words. The following are not permitted, and your application may be rejected if you include:
sentences or paragraphs of text
tables
excessive quantities of images
A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column.
For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:
References
References should be included within the word count of the appropriate question section. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.
Hyperlinks can be used in reference information. When including references, you should consider how your references will be viewed and used by the assessors, ensuring that:
references are easily identifiable by the assessors
references are formatted as appropriate to your research
persistent identifiers are used where possible
General use of hyperlinks
Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information. You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI)
Use of generative AI tools to prepare funding applications is permitted, however, caution should be applied.
For more information see our policy on the .
Deadline
UKRI must receive your application by 23 April 2026 at 4:00pm UK time.
You will not be able to apply after this time.
Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines.
Following the submission of your application to this funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and submitted applications will not be amended. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.
Personal data
Processing personal data
UKRI will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications.
We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our .
UKRI will need to share the application and any personal information that it contains with DSIT and Coefficient Giving so that they can participate in the assessment process. For more information on how DSIT and Coefficient Giving use personal information visit:
Sensitive information
If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email
Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].
Typical examples of confidential information include:
individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave)
declaration of interest
additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section
conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection
the application is an invited resubmission
For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read .
Institutional Matched Funding
There is no requirement for matched funding from the institutions hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the application, beyond the standard 20% FEC. Expert reviewers and panels assessing UKRI funding applications must not consider levels of institutional matched funding as a factor on which to base recommendations. Direct and in-kind contributions from third party project partners are encouraged.
This policy does not remove the need for support from host organisations who must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities funded by UKRI. For example, research facilities, training and development of staff.
Publication of outcomes
.
If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the.
Summary
Word limit: 550
In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.
We may make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example:
opinion-formers
policymakers
the public
the wider research community
Guidance for writing a summary
Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:
context
the challenge the project addresses
aims and objectives
potential applications and benefits
Core team
List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:
project lead (PL)
project co-lead (UK) (PcL)
project co-lead (international) (PcL (I))
specialist
grant manager
professional enabling staff
research and innovation associate
technician
Only list one individual as project lead.
UKRI has introduced a new addition to the ‘Specialist’ role type. Public contributors such as people with lived experience can now be added to an application.
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