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Narrative CVs

Increasingly more funders are requesting narrative CVs for their funding applications. As funders will often use their own narrative CV templates, and schemes may specify particular requirements, it is strongly recommended that applicants refer to the funder’s guidance where a narrative CV is a requirement for an application.

UKRI implementation of their narrative CV: Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI)

UKRI embed a narrative CV, known as the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI), which supports applicants to evidence an array of skills and experiences when applying for funding and replaces the traditional CV and track record section. The R4RI provides an alternative mechanism to the traditional CV and aims to be more inclusive and supportive within the research and innovation culture. The R4RI covers the following four modules:

  • contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge
  • the development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships
  • contributions to the wider research and innovation community
  • contributions to broader research or innovation-users and audiences, and towards wider societal benefit.

These modules enable an applicant/or team to detail their achievements, contributions and its impact. The purpose of the R4RI is to show that the applicant/team can undertake the proposed project by addressing the following question: Why are you the right individual or team to successfully deliver the proposed work? When applying through UKRI's The Funding Service (TFS), applicants are to provide information using the R4RI modules within the 'applicant and team capability to deliver' section of the online TFS system. The specific opportunity call-page will detail further information as to who to include in this section and indicate what the assessors are looking for in the response.

Further to the modules, applicants are given the option to provide additional information. For the additions section, applicants should not detail further outputs or skills in this section; rather, this section can be used to give further context to the R4RI, such as career breaks, etc., should an applicant wish to disclose this. To note: panel members and reviewers will see this section, even where a sensitive issue has been detailed.

Internal Resources:

  • There is an example of an R4RI section within our . This example is from a successful application to a BBSRC themed call (submitted via Je-S) and covers the whole team involved in delivery of the proposal. - (this has been kindly shared by fellow ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï colleagues for the benefit of ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï applicants and therefore, it must not be shared with collaborators external to the University).
  • DRI held some Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) workshop sessions (during the Academic Year: 2023/24) and the combined outputs from the group discussions have been put together into this '' document. This document will be updated/added to following future workshops.

External Resources:

  • UKRI's
  • The Lab for Academic Culture at the University of Glasgow has provided a free 25-minute online course which provides practical advice: .
  • In March 2022, UKRI held an international event ‘Narrative CV approach: the what, why and how organisations can engage with it’. The recording can be accessed via their .

Other resources