Support

Secondment Scheme

We support placements between universities and industry, healthcare organisations, civic partners or regulatory bodies. Secondments can facilitate knowledge transfer, build collaborative relationships, and accelerate research translation through embedded expertise.

Programme Overview

Facilitating Knowledge Transfer Through Personnel Exchange

Supporting knowledge exchange and accelerating the impact of academic research, this scheme is open to commercial, healthcare, local authority and regulatory bodies who wish to host or be hosted by a university within the Yorkshire region.

We can offer funding support towards two types of secondment:

  • ‘outgoing’ secondments from regional universities into other organisations
  • ‘incoming’ secondments into regional universities from other organisations

Secondments between universities are also in scope. Outgoing secondments from universities can be to organisations outside of the region, so long as there is evidence of benefit for the Yorkshire region.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible during 2026 to avoid disappointment.

Our final deadline is December 2026 – but if you are a planning longer, part-time secondment, you should apply by July 2026 at the latest.

Eligibility and Requirements

Secondments are open to a wide range of organisations and individuals – as long as they support activities relating to accelerating the impact of academic research in medical technologies.

Review our guidance notes to confirm your eligibility before applying.

Eligible Costs

University colleagues going out on secondment
  • Funding can be used to support salary costs of the secondee, provided the secondee is not a permanent member of academic staff.
  • For permanent members of staff, the scheme can be used to support teaching and/or administrative buy-out (i.e. through the provision of replacement cover for these duties) for the duration of the secondment
  • Travel expenses between organisations
  • Accommodation costs if relocation required
  • Consumables directly supporting secondment objectives
  • Training costs specific to placement activities
External colleagues being hosted by a university

For incoming secondments, involving an industrial/clinical placement within a university, Yorkshire MedTech would not normally support salary costs. 

We can provide support for additional costs incurred by the host or secondee to facilitate the secondment (e.g. travel costs).

Other eligible costs across both types of secondment:

Costs associated with attendance at workshops / conferences will be considered – but must be detailed in the justification of resources section of the application and be directly related to the aims of the secondment.

Duration
  • Standard duration: up to 3 months full-time which can be undertaken flexibly to work around existing commitments
  • Longer placements can be considered where the additional time is funded by an external partner

Eligible Participants

Host Organisations
  • Commercial and industrial organisations in the medical technology sector
  • Healthcare organisations, local and regional authorities, regulatory bodies
  • Universities and research institutions
Secondees
  • Academic researchers, including PhD students in their write-up period and post-doctoral researchers subject to our guidelines
  • Industry and innovation professionals
  • Clinicians of all disciplines

Placement Requirements

  • Clear objectives and deliverables for the placement – this should include at least one of the following: knowledge exchange; acquisition of specific knowledge and skills relating to medical technologies; progressing academic technologies emanating from engineering and physical sciences research
  • Collaboration agreement between participating partner organisations to be put in place after a successful application to Yorkshire MedTech
  • Impact on existing grant delivery must be managed and mitigated before secondment commences

Frequently Asked Questions

Yorkshire MedTech secondments operate as a rolling call.  We encourage interested participants to apply by 27 February to be part of our first wave of secondees.

Start by reviewing the full Secondment Guidance Document to confirm your proposed placement is in scope. Then download and complete the relevant application form from our application documents below.

The secondment call remains open until December 2026. Final submissions are due by December 2026; those planning longer, part-time secondments should apply by July 2026. Applications are assessed on a rolling basis, typically within 4-6 weeks of full submission.

Part-time arrangements are acceptable if they meet placement objectives. Specify the working pattern in your application and explain how objectives will be achieved within this timeframe. Part-time placements can extend beyond 3 months provided total funded time doesn’t exceed the equivalent of 3 months full-time. This flexibility helps accommodate existing commitments whilst facilitating valuable knowledge exchange.

Internal secondments (moving between departments in the same organisation) aren’t supported. The placement must involve genuine knowledge exchange between distinct organisations. If the secondee has previous connections to the receiving organisation, explain how this secondment provides new learning opportunities or transfers different expertise than previous engagements.

Application Materials

Secondment Guidance Document

Comprehensive guidance covering eligibility, objectives, application requirements, and example scenarios.  Essential reading before starting your application.

Application form - 'outgoing' secondments

Use this application form if you are planning an ‘outgoing’ secondment from a university to another organisation.  Return your signed and completed form to pbiaa@leeds.ac.uk

Application form - 'incoming' secondments

Use this application form if you are planning an ‘incoming’ secondment to a university.  Return your signed and completed form to pbiaa@leeds.ac.uk

External organisation seeking secondee

Use this form if you are an external organisation seeking a secondee.  Return your signed and completed form to pbiaa@leeds.ac.uk

Discuss a Potential Secondment

Contact our team to explore how a secondment could support your knowledge exchange objectives.