Secondments

There are many reasons why you may consider undertaking a period of research in a different institution:

• to learn a new method
• to learn a new skill
• to broaden your experience
• to foster collaboration
• to boost your reputation and profile as a researcher (it looks good on your CV, especially if it is a prestigious group/Institution)
• some funders actively encourage it
• demonstrates proactivity and independence

Plan the following:

• Contact the institution and group in advance to ask if you can join them. You may need a letter of support. You may need to pay Institution fees.
• Work with them and your supervisors to decide what specifically you want to get out of the visit and the optimum timing of the visit (when and how long for).
• Consider the following costs:
  
  
  • transport
  • visas
  • accommodation
  • cost of living i.e. food
  • consumables
  • Institution fees
  • insurance (this may be covered by your University)

You may cost this within a larger grant (e.g. a Fellowship grant) or apply for a separate travel grant e.g.

• https://www.pathsoc.org/index.php/grants-lectures-awards/research-grants/visiting-fellowships
• http://bdiap.org/educational-fellowships/
• the ACP Travel Fund

• Consider the following practicalities:
  
  
  • passport (when does it expire?)
  • visas
  • vaccination or health checks
  • insurance
  • local currency
  • local travel adaptors
  • local safety (ask for advice about where to stay and the surrounding neighbourhood from the group you will be visiting)
• On your return consider:
  
  
  • how you can best share the skills you’ve acquired e.g. creating a new lab protocol, hosting a workshop
  • the requirements of your funder e.g. do you need to produce a report?
  • how you will continue the collaboration
• Update your CV