Ideas and EoIs for New Sprints Invited

The Agile Initiative is inviting Oxford University researchers to come forward with ideas for new Sprint research projects.

Updated 15th June 2023
Agile’s first round of Sprints (our ‘pioneers’) has launched at staggered starts over the past eighteen months. Some are now reaching their conclusion, while others are just starting out. With the learning generated by the Sprint teams and their stakeholders, as well as an evolution of the Agile team’s understanding of the Sprint process, we are now ready to begin co-creating new Sprints. Sprint PIs could be lecturer (or equivalent) level or above, or be Post-Doctoral Research Assistants or Research Fellows at the University of Oxford. If you want to confirm your eligibility to submit an EoI or Idea for a Sprint, or have any other questions about the process please contact agile@oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk

EoIs are invited for ‘mini’ Sprints

We aim to fund up to four small-scale interdisciplinary research projects to start between September and November this year. These projects will involve researchers and decision-makers in the public or private sector co-creating a response to a pressing environmental policy question, with at least one project focused on addressing environmental issues important to minoritized groups.

These ‘mini’ Sprints will have a very focused question, a clear goal, a small team, and a defined timeframe in which to deliver research results for use, which will be achievable within a budget of up to £150,000.

Ideas are invited for a process of Sprint co-creation

Agile will fund further full-scale Sprints in 2024, starting in February at the earliest. These Sprints are likely to be more substantive in terms of budget (ca. £300-500,000) or team, commensurate with the research challenge and what is needed to deliver a rapid solution.

In the first instance, we are looking for Oxford University researchers to come forward with ideas that might be suitable for an Agile Sprint. These ideas will form the basis for co-creation activities, whereby researchers, decision-makers, and stakeholders come together to refine research questions and co-construct viable Sprints, thus ensuring that the design is stakeholder-driven and responds to a significant and urgent policy or practice need.

What to do next

Register your interest to download our funding call document and access a video of our online briefing. This will give you more detailed information about what defines a Sprint, who can apply to lead a Sprint (ECRs welcome!), and how to put forward your idea. In the briefing video Rachel Hayman, Programme Manager for the Agile Initiative shares learning to date from the pioneer Sprints and gives more detailed information about how the co-creation process will work.

Finally submit your ‘mini’ Sprint EoI by the end of 9^th July or your Sprint Idea by the end of 16^th July, following the process detailed in the funding call document.

You’ll get a rapid response, with co-creation to start from August for ‘mini’ Sprints to enable a launch date between September and November, and Sprint co-creation to begin in September to enable launches in early 2024.

If you do not receive the email with your funding call document and it is not in your ‘Spam’ folder please contact comms@oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk for support.