Innovation project funding 2025-2026

What we’re looking for

We’re inviting proposals that pioneer and evaluate innovative dual professionalism models through active partnerships between one or more further or higher technical education providers and employer partner(s) based anywhere in the UK.

The successful project must be delivered during the 2025/26 academic year and aim for sustainable, long-term impact. Your proposal should show how your approach will:

• Trial innovative methods |In key growth sectors (advanced manufacturing, engineering, digital), projects should actively experiment with new approaches to integrating classroom teaching and workplace learning, in line with Invest 2035’s call for high-impact solutions.
• Maintain technical currency | Provide technical teachers with hands-on, immersive industry placements that update and deepen their knowledge of the latest sector technologies and practices.
• Build pedagogical expertise | Equip industry mentors with teaching and assessment skills through structured co-teaching or training, underpinned by WorldSkills UK world-class teacher training methodologies.
• Measure impact | Set out an evaluation plan with baseline/endline assessments, stakeholder feedback (learners, educators, employer mentors), and KPIs to demonstrate gains in learner outcomes, educator and mentor capability, and alignment between skills provision and industry needs.
• Demonstrate potential for scalability | Outline how the proposed model(s) could be adapted for use in other sectors, regions, or institutions. Identifying enablers and barriers to scaling and describe how learning will be captured and shared to support future wider adoption.

Who can apply

Funding will be awarded to the successful project group made up of one or more further or higher technical education providers and employer partner(s) based anywhere in the UK.

To be eligible:

• Education providers must be registered members of the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence and may belong to the same college group
• Projects must include at least one employer or industry partner
• Projects must focus on one or more of the following growth sectors – advanced manufacturing, engineering or digital.
• Each application must name all partner organisations involved
• All partners must have senior leadership support to apply for funding

What’s expected

Project leads must:

• Develop a clear project and evaluation plan with measurable outcomes.
• Ensure the project is designed and delivered in a way that supports equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Commit to working collaboratively towards agreed timelines and deliverables, maintaining flexibility while ensuring momentum and quality across all stages of delivery.
• Co-design and co-deliver activities that reflect genuine collaboration between educators and industry mentors.
• Attend bi-monthly online meetings.
• Submit quarterly progress updates and a final report.
• Share findings through agreed WorldSkills UK channels and forums.

Funding and payment profile

The total innovation funding available is £35,000 (inclusive of VAT). This will be paid in instalments aligned to key project milestones 85% by March 2026 and 15% by September 2026.

Project timeline