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The RCUK Academic Fellowships Scheme provides 800 of the UK's best researchers with a pathway to a permanent academic position. The scheme has successfully driven a culture change in the academic community, encouraging HEIs to develop their policies for the support of researchers and improve career paths. A number of HEIs have created their own schemes analogous to the Academic Fellowships model.
As a result, Research Councils UK will be looking to define its future approach and has no immediate plans to award new RCUK Academic Fellowships in the near future, but will continue to work with the sector to attract the most creative minds into research and to help research organisations manage their staff and develop their careers.
The Research Councils are committed to working with the cohort of 800 RCUK Academic Fellows through an annual meeting, which aims to share practice in their training and development of the skills required for future academic leaders. The next meeting is on 11 January 2008.