NERC Pushing the Frontiers
The NERC Pushing the frontiers of environmental research (NERC PtF) funding opportunity supports researchers’ curiosity and imagination to enable discoveries that unlock new knowledge with a degree of adventure previously unrealised. The scheme is always open, and the University of Glasgow follows a quality management process that runs twice a year in order ensure the quality of applications submitted to the scheme and to help manage demand across College research support offices. All applications led by University of Glasgow staff must be submitted to this process.
University of Glasgow Process and Timings - Autumn 2026
The internal NERC PtF Autumn 2026 quality management timeline can be found below. If you wish to submit for the Autumn 2026 cycle, you must complete the very brief Notification of Interest form by 4pm on Wednesday, 23 September 2026. Link to form: NERC PtF Autumn 2026 - Internal Quality Management Notification of Interest (NoI) form
Applicants will be expected to attend an online Pushing the Frontiers workshop held on Wednesday, 7 October 2026 tentatively from 13:00-15:00, where they will be asked to give a short presentation on their proposal and receive feedback from NERC-remit and research development colleagues. Please hold this date in your calendar and if you are unable to attend, please let us know in advance.
Internal applications are reviewed by a quality management panel that will assess quality and fit to call, provide formative feedback, and assign applications into one of three bands:
- Competitive: Application is likely to be competitive at NERC panel and may progress straight to funder, with advisory formative feedback provided from panel.
- Competitive with further development: Application could be competitive at NERC panel if the panel's formative feedback can be taken on within the timeframe for submission and should be read again by the panel for a final stop/go decision before submission.
- Not Competitive: Application is unlikely to be competitive at NERC panel in its current form due to the extent of revisions required in the timeframe for this round and is recommended to resubmit at future quality management round or reconsidered for different scheme.
Applicants should contact the named contact within their College Research Support Office for the Internal Application Form:
- College of Arts & Humanities: Dr Sam Sherry - Samantha.Sherry@glasgow.ac.uk
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences: Iain Taylor - Iain.Tylor@glasgow.ac.uk
- College of Science & Engineering: David Nisbet - David.Nisbet@glasgow.ac.uk
- College of Social Sciences: Suzannah Turner: Suzannah.Turner@glasgow.ac.uk
NERC Pushing the Frontiers Autumn 2026 Timeline
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| Mon 10 August 2026 |
Quality management process and Notification of Interest form opens: NERC PtF Autumn 2026 - Internal Notification of Interest (NoI) form |
| Wed 23 September 2026, 16:00 (UK time) |
Notification of Interest deadline. All applicants to be invited to Online PtF workshop |
| Wed 07 October 2026, 13:00-15:00 (UK time) |
Online PtF Applicant workshop (link will be circulated after NoI close). |
| Wed 04 November 2026 |
Internal full application deadline (NERC PtF Autumn 2026 Internal Application Form) - to be submitted to researchinitiatives@glasgow.ac.uk |
| Week commencing 23 November 2026 | Decisions communicated shortly after internal Panel Meeting |
| Mid/End March 2027 (before Easter break) | Applicants will be expected to submit their external application within three months of panel decision |
Notification of Intent Form
NERC PtF Autumn 2026 - Internal Notification of Interest (NoI) form
Use of AI in Application Development
Applications submitted to internal demand management and quality management processes at the University of Glasgow are expected to comply with the University of Glasgow's Generative AI Guidance for Researchers and the Funders joint statement: use of generative AI tools in funding applications and assessment.
All applicants should review these documents and are responsible for ensuring any application they submit complies with the guidance and parameters provided. Key points we would like to highlight from these resources include:
- Any use of generative AI tools must be accompanied by critical analysis and oversight on the part of the user
- Work that is not your own effort or is without appropriately transparent acknowledgement of sources or tools used (e.g. work submitted that is the product of Generative AI) does not meet crucial requirements for assessment or academic/research integrity
- Applicants must not use generative AI tools to generate an entire application, or sections of an application, without human involvement
- Reviewers must not input our confidential funding applications into generative AI tools to develop their reviews