MATHS DEGREES FOR THE FUTURE GRANTS
Maths Degrees for the Future Grants will be administered by the London Mathematical Society, which is partnering with CaMS to deliver the grants. There will be an open process, which will welcome ideas from universities of all types. There will be broad criteria, but successful applications will be expected to demonstrate the following:
1
A clear vision for the mathematical knowledge and skills that the programme will develop for students over the next 10 years, and how this relate to the needs of academia, industry and/or teaching.
2
That the programme will retain a core focus in foundational mathematics and equip graduates with the flexibility to move into a wide range of future careers.
3
How the programme will attract a wider pool of students into the mathematical sciences, including from related fields and diverse backgrounds.
4
How success will be measured and tracked, and how best practice will be shared with other universities and the wider mathematical sciences community.
5
That there is a clear justification for how the funds will be used to develop the current provision and ensure its long-term sustainability.
Further information
A frequently asked questions which will be regularly updated can be found below.
For any queries about this scheme please contact mathsfutures@lms.ac.uk
The Maths Degrees for the Future Grants will be funded through a donation from XTX Markets to the London Mathematical Society, which will administer the programme on behalf of CaMS.
Value
The maximum grant value is £500,000. The award is not made on a full economic costing basis and will only cover directly incurred costs related to the design and implementation of new programmes. These may include salary and equipment costs, student support and outreach activities. Estate costs and administrative overheads will not be supported. Funding cannot be used to fill budget gaps or pay for existing schemes.
Duration of Award
The funding period is three years, with a starting date in the period 1 April 2025 – 1 October 2025. The award holder must demonstrate a commitment to the long-term sustainability of the programme beyond the initial three-year funding period, including plans for on-going delivery.
Eligibility
UK higher education institutions can submit up to one application per institution. Joint submissions of several institutions are permissible, but each institution can participate in one bid at most.
How to apply
First round applications have now closed.
Assessment
Shortlisting by the panel will take place in January 2025, and shortlisted applicants will be notified by 7 February 2025.
Interviews of shortlisted applicants will be held via Zoom in the week commencing 24 February 2025.
Panel membership
Simon Coyle
Head of Philanthropy, XTX Markets
Paul Glaister CBE
Professor of Mathematics and Mathematics Education, University of Reading
President-Designate, Mathematical Association of the UK
Honorary Secretary, Institute of Mathematics and its Applications
Sir Martin Hairer KBE FRS
Professor of Pure Mathematics, EPFL Lausanne and Imperial College London
Catherine Hobbs
Chair, Heilbronn Institute for Mathematical Research
Professor of Mathematics and Director of the Institute for Learning and Teaching in Mathematics, University of Bristol
Vice-President, London Mathematical Society
Honorary Secretary, Institute of Mathematics and its Applications
Frequently Asked Questions
We are looking for significant step changes to current provision that will equip mathematical sciences graduates with the skills needed for the challenges of tomorrow. This might range from specific enhancements to existing degree programmes through to re-imagining what a mathematical sciences degree could look like.
Please indicate on any multi-institutional applications which organisation is leading the bid as all grant agreements will be with one institution. Joint submissions of several institutions are permissible, but each institution can participate in one bid at most.
The panel will only review information provided in the application form. Any additional information submitted will not be considered.
Any applications up to £500,000 will be considered. Applications do not have to request the maximum funding available. Applications must comply with the rules on eligible expenditure, including that the funding is used within three years. Award holders must demonstrate a commitment to the long-term sustainability of the programme beyond the initial three-year funding period, including plans for on-going delivery
We expect successful bids to start between the 1 April 2025 and 1 October 2025. Funding will be released each year subject to the submissions of a progress report at the end of each year of the grant.
We are focussed on receiving applications for undergraduate degree programmes only. This is the level where we believe we will have the biggest impact in increasing the future pipeline into the mathematical sciences.
The panel will consider innovative outreach and retention measures as part of any bids as it is recognised that recruitment and retention of students is part of strengthening the overall pipeline. Applications will need to make the case for each aspect of their bid. Outreach should not be the main focus of the proposal.
An application must contain a real element of innovation and change the dial on the mathematical sciences degree offering. This does not have to be a new degree programme but must include a significant element of innovation over the existing offering. It needs to address the call’s key objectives. However, the provision could be collaborative involving other subject areas, or more than one institution. The application must have a core focus on foundational mathematics.
We want to support outreach activity if is targeted specifically at increasing student recruitment to the provision. If financial support is offered to students from underrepresented groups, it can only be done during the 3-year funding period. The case needs to be made how any financial support to students will be sustained by the institution beyond the initial funding period.
We don’t think is it helpful to be prescriptive about the content, recognising the diverse nature of provision across the sector. Within institutional contexts, there will be an understanding of the fundamentals of the subject students will need in order to successfully progress through an institution’s degree course. Any proposed programmes should give flexibility and incorporate problem-solving skills, while providing opportunities for students to choose different career paths. Applications should not be constrained by a rigid definition of the mathematical content. However, mathematics needs to be a core component of the provision and not an add on.
We will require a short update report at the end of each year of the grant before we release funding for the next year, and a final report at the end of the grant. We may follow-up after the grant has concluded to find out how the programme is developing but have yet to define what this may involve. We aim to share good practice that emerges from the initiative.
We will consider applications that involve integrated mathematics degree programmes. The Maths Degrees for the Future Grants Programme is focussed on undergraduate-level mathematics degree programmes.
Richard Horne
CEO, National Cyber Security Center (NCSC)
Apala Majumdar FRSE
Professor of Applied Mathematics, University of Strathclyde
Jens Marklof FRS (panel chair)
Professor of Mathematical Physics, University of Bristol
President, London Mathematical Society
James Maynard FRS
Professor of Number Theory, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford
Mary McAlinden
Deputy Dean and Professor, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University
Chair of the Heads of Departments of Mathematical Sciences in the UK
Education Secretary, London Mathematical Society
Panel members will declare any potential conflicts of interest with submitted applications and will not be involved in their assessment.
Get Involved
Please email cams@connectpa.co.uk if you want to get involved in the campaign or if we can help with your work. You also can sign up for the CaMS newsletter using the form on this page.
We are always looking for help and suggestions to advance the mathematical sciences, including from new campaign supporters and industry partners.
We are always happy to help by sharing data and insights about the mathematical sciences, and with media queries and speaking opportunities, and policy briefings and visits.
