ACU Human Resources in Higher Education (HR in HE) Community Challenge Grants 2022

Applications are open for the second round of the Human Resources in Higher Education (HR in HE) Community Challenge Grants.

HR professionals continue to play a vital role in supporting university leaders, staff and students to navigate the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as exploring future ways of working and learning.

In light of this, the ACU introduced the HR in HE Community Challenge Grants in 2021. The grants aim to support university HR practitioners in the ever-changing world of work by encouraging collaboration and promoting the sharing of good practice.

The grants can be used to support a diverse range of virtual or in-person projects, workshops, or events, such as:

• Creating and delivering relevant training and development for HR practitioners
• Co-creating approaches/policies on HR issues, such as workforce planning, inclusion, mental health, international recruitment
• Co-creating HR processes
• Delivering webinars on pressing issues for HR practitioners
• Research projects
• Benchmarking of good HR practice across the Commonwealth

• Table of Content
• About The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)
• HR in HE Community Challenge Grants
• Aim and Benefits of HR in HE Community Challenge Grants
• Requirements for HR in HE Community Challenge Grants Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for HR in HE Community Challenge Grants
• Documents Required for Application
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)

In 1912, on the initiative of the University of London, representatives of 53 universities assembled in London, UK, to hold a Congress of Universities of the Empire. The office of the Universities Bureau of the British Empire was accordingly opened in London in 1913. In 1948, the Bureau’s name was changed to the Association of Universities of the British Commonwealth. In 1963 (our jubilee year), the Association received a Royal Charter under its new name: The Association of Commonwealth Universities. In 1986, Her Majesty The Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, became Patron of the ACU. Afte... continue reading

HR in HE Community Challenge Grants

Aim and Benefits of HR in HE Community Challenge Grants

A total budget of GBP 10,000 is available for this grant scheme.

Requirements for HR in HE Community Challenge Grants Qualification

 The grants are available to staff at ACU member universities working in the area of human resources.

Interview date, Process and Venue for HR in HE Community Challenge Grants

Applications will be assessed on the following criteria (with equal weighting):

• Project goals and feasibility
• Impact and outputs
• Experience and skills of the project lead and institutional support
• Alignment to the HR in HE Community’s aims

Documents Required for Application

To apply, you will need to:

• Provide an outline of the project, an action plan and a budget. You should include details of what the project involves and how it will address the aims of the HR in HE Community and benefit its members. The project action plan is requested for a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 12 months.
• Submit a letter of support from the Executive Head or other senior member of your institution to verify their support of your proposed project.
• Attach the project lead’s CV.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

If you already have a MyACU account, you can access the grant application form here.

If you do not already have an account, please ensure that you first register for a MyACU account here and then follow the instructions in the registration email to log in to the system before accessing the application form.

For more details, ACU website.