Please comment on my (ready-to-submit) application for exceptional promise

Hi everyone,
hope you are doing well.

I plan to apply for the Global Talent Visa -Tech nation: Exceptional Promise

I got my PhD in Computer Science 2 years ago. Now I work as an adjunct professor (part-time) and as a software developer in TCI.

95% of my achievements and outcomes are in Cybersecurity, That’s why I want to choose “Cybersecurity” sector and specialist skill as “researcher”.
I would appreciate it if you can rate my profile and suggest any areas to strengthen my evidence or change.

Letters of Recommendation

• LOR1 - A Full professor who was my PhD supervisor in in the faculty of Computer Science.
• LOR2 - Associate Professor and Research Chair. He has been my academic mentor.
• LOR3 – Assistant Professor and dean of computer department from where I teach now.
• LOR4 – Project manager and founder of a software company that I programed one of their android app.
• LOR5 – App Developer and AI researcher who was my co-authors in several papers and we developed a shopping web together.

My main 8 pieces of evidence:

1- Teaching at University:
I teach key courses like AI, Java Programming, Systems at IAU university for 3 semesters. Proof 1:- employment letter, 2- support letter from computer department dean that I teach the mentioned courses. 3- some screenshots of university teacher panel website+ some pictures of different classes while I am teaching. And explain why teaching at university shows I have been recognized as a leading talent. And I explained my teaching impact and how contributes to the sector.

2- High Salary
Please Tell me do you think they accept this evidence? because it is from my software developer job not from university. I provide “certificate of employment” and “salary statement”. I gave 3 website proves that shows my salary is in the top 25% my country salary payment that’s shows I am recognized as a leading talent that’s why I’m being paid well.

3- Reviewer
I explained this in a table with details with google drive links and I said this voluntary and out of official working hours I did reviews for 10 sci-indexed journals in my field. I explained how I contributed and what the impact is, and provided 3 proofs: 1 ORCID, web of science links, 2- screenshots of emails and review panel websites, 3- Official Reviewer Certificates. + citations and views of my reviewed works.

4-Publications
I explained this in a table with details (title, journal, date, main author or co-author) and official links and I explained that my 8 papers published in top-tier peer review journals and I explained my impact: citations, download and views with links. Besides, I explained one innovative algorithm.

5- Public Talk
I had a Talk in “codementor virtual events” few days ago with over 200 attendees about future camera systems with official link that has all detail about attendees and talk video is available on the website. + I had a 2 hours online workshop on cryptocurrency, blockchain technology and NFTs with official link. And support letter. I explained the impact and how I contribute.

6- Research Endorsement letter
A letter from an associate professor (who cited my papers in his papers) with excellent reputation and high citations and he explained my contributions and skills and confirms my research achievements and that I am an exceptional research leader in cybersecurity. This person is not from my recommendation letters.

7- Scholarship
I have doubt whether they accept this evidence or not?! I was awarded a full scholarship to study PhD in China in 2016. But the scholarship lasted from 2016 to 2020. So they consider the awarded date? Which is past more than 5 years, or they consider the length that lasted till 2020? I have official documents and links proofs.

8- Contributions
I have developed an android app and shopping website that I prove it by official letters + code screenshots. Moreover, Provide a Tech weblog about cybersecurity with few months’ posts. Being active on research gate with screenshots. How I contribute and my impact from this point of view. I’m not sure whether they accept it or not?!

This how I want to arrange my evidences for 3 criterions:

Mandatory Criteria (MC):
1- Teaching at University
2- High Salary
3- Reviewer
4- Publications
5- Public Talk
6- Research Endorsement letter
7- Scholarship
8- Contributions

Optional Criteria 2 ( OC2) : at least 1 example of proof of recognition for work beyond the applicant’s occupation that contributes to the advancement of the field”:
1- Reviewer,
2- Public Talk,
3- Publications,
4- Contributions,
5- teaching at university.

Optional Criteria 4 ( OC4 ) “Evidence of at least one significant contribution to the field in the form of a paper published in a top-tier peer-reviewed journal “.
1- Publications
2- Reviewer
3- Research Endorsement letter,

Questions

1-Do I have a good chance to get exceptional promise?
2-Can I use “high salary” evidence from my software developer job? or I should not mention that?
3- Can I use my PhD scholarship evidence which was given from 2016 to 2020 in my mandatory criteria? Im worry that don’t accept it Because it was given in 2016 but lasted till 2020.

4- My 3 examples for optional criteria 4 is enough? or should I prepare more? what’s your suggestion?

5- I heard overlap (repeat ion) evidences for different criteria is okay? and some people did like this in this forum and they got endorsement.

6- getting endorsement for “Cybersecurity” sector skill “researcher” has a low chance in comparison with other sectors?

Thank you for taking the time to read my application and your comments would be sort of grate pleasure for me.

Are you aware you are limited to using 10 piece of evidence and 3 LORs?

LORs should be senior people in reputable tech organisations. Check if LOR5 fits in that category. You’ve to consider using mix of academic and industry recommenders.

Why are you going got exceptional promise with Tech Nation not through RAEng as most of your evidence if academic.

Your evidence should be more of software developer

MC1 & MC2: This profile might inspire you:

MC6: how does this demonstrate you’re a leader in digital technology with an endorsement letter from a post doc?

MC7: Tech Nation guide for award states:
“You have received nationally or internationally recognised prizes or awards for excellence specifically in the digital technology sector, as evidenced by the award itself, reference letter(s) from leading industry expert(s) describing your achievement, or as evidenced by news clippings or similar evidence.”

Would this scholarship show national or international recognition in digital technology?
To be on a safe side, you should use evidence within 5 years as stated in the guide.

MC8: the guide states
“Published material in professional or major trade publications or major media about the applicant related to the applicant’s work in the digital technology sector. You must include the title, date and evidence that you are the author of such published material and any necessary translation.”

You’ve to demonstrate that these venues are well known in tech and what is the evidence of significant impact of your publication that shows you’re a leader in digital technology sector?

Ultimately, you’ll need to read the guide very well and streamline your evidence to 10 in total.

I’ve answered most of your questions, but for others:

Q3: There are people who have gotten this visa who could fit into multiple skill area. However, what’s more important is to show how you’ve consistently demonstrated leadership and contributed to the sector which should come across in all your evidence and documents like CV and online profile.

Q4: Aim for talks that have high attendance and which are also impactful in the digital technology sector. Important thing is to provide enough evidence to support this.

Q6: It’s still not clear which evidence you’re using for mandatory and optional as there seems to be repetition. For the journals you should be able to show high citation to demonstrate impact so course carefully.

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Dear May,
Im very appreciated and Thank you so much for your given valuable time and sharing your experience with me.
Yes Teck nation online form allows to introduce more than 3 LOR, and I want to provide 5 LORs , just in case if they don’t accept some of them.
Because im not in UK and I don’t have research position from UK , I prefer tech nation rather than RAEng , and as far as I know, Teck nation accepts researchers as well, as I saw in their reports and also also providing “research” item in their registering form.


I edited my application topic to show a more clear picture of my evidences.

Thank so much for emphasizing on the main points including: how to show impact, contributions and LOR and showing consistently demonstrated leadership and contributed to the sector, etc.

Your comments are very useful and valuable for me, I revise my application based on your advice.

Wish you all the best

My concern is with your recommendation letters most are from the academia, you may want to consider the research route. Research endorsement snd scholarship letters do not meet the mandatory criteria. The award should be specifically in the digital technology sector. I think you should try RAENG, it does not matter if you got your Phd outside the UK. @somdipdey since you are a researcher yourself, kindly critic is list as i believe it is strong enough for endorsement.

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Thank you so much for your valuable comments dear @Francisca_Chiedu
I have prepared all my documents based on the tech nation official guide and I have already paid the application fee and I have 15 working days opportunity to submit my application for tech nation.

Dear @somdipdey is the only person from this forum that I know has obtained endorsement as a researcher, I hope that @somdipdey has time to evaluate my application and share with me his opinion.

He is not the only person, May who gave an extensive feedback on your document also has a research degree. Both Somdipey and May did not apply as researcher, they chose other specialism like AI and Machine learning.

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for the case of @somdipdey , I am sure he applied as a researcher as he clearly mentioned that in his following topic :

" Q. Please indicate your sector : AI & Machine Learning
Q. Please indicate your specialist skill : Research “”

OK then. Goodluck with you application!

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With the help of friends like you, I hope I can get it, Thanks for your kind support.

With solid evidence and good recommendation letters you will get a better outcome.

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Sure, i try my best, thank you so much

The guide still mentions that only 3 letters of recommendation are needed.

As pointed out by others, applicants can submit up to 10 documents. You list around 16 but I guess you list all you have.

There seems to be a repetition of the same documents in all the criteria. Doesn’t say anywhere that this isn’t allowed but note that each criteria evaluates the evidence against a different standard.

You mention you are going for promise, at least 1 evidence is needed for each optional criteria AND you must be in the early stages of your career so there’s that.

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Dear @westside
thank you so much for given useful comments, especially for pointing about that “…but note that each criteria evaluates the evidence against a different standard.”

To increase my chance and in case if the assessor doesn’t accept one of my recommenders, I am going to provide more than 3 recommenders.

I have only 8 pieces of evidence (documents) and with regards to the type of the criteria, I want to use them with repetition in MC , OC2 & OC4.

According to my given application details, In your opinion, how much chance do I have to get the endorsement?

Hi @Sajjad_Bagheri_Baba, Great that you are applying for the GTV.

Few concerns related to your evidences:

LORs - 3 LORs are from academia. I would suggest you to choose more people from the industry for your LORs rather than from academia to support your case. In my case, I chose the academic for my LOR who has also cofounded companies that have successful exits (so, he will still be considered from the industry rather than in academia). As TN GTV guidelines specify that the LORs need to be from industry leaders and should be from different institutes as well. Try to arrange LORs from such people.

1- Teaching at University - GTV case officer might not accept this as an evidence for endorsement. For example, I have seen cases here where people has used their lecturing position to show mentorship/leadership in their sector. However, as being an academic in an University is considered as a job, hence, the evidence don’t show that you have mentored or shown leadership outside your day-to-day working activity (as per TN GTV guidelines). When I applied for my GTV I was a lecturer in a UK University and a Chair Professor in an Indian University but for the said reason I did not provide evidences related to it. Instead, show a different evidence, maybe focused on the Android app or shopping website that you have developed. Show metrics to show how these technologies are positively affecting people’s lives. For example, I wanted to cofound the company in the UK based on the mobile app that I have created to reduce food waste. I have focused on showing metrics how my app was changing people’s lives. Showed metrics such as number of downloads, the amount of food saved, amount of carbon emissions reduced, monthly usage, etc. Also showed news clippings on the app to show its effect in the society.

7- Scholarship - I would also refrain showing this as you have already shown evidences through publications, public talks and research endorsement to prove the OC criteria. Showing scholarship might be an overkill for the OC criteria and GTV case officer might say that you have provided a lot of evidences in the OC criteria but not in Mandatory Evidence criteria. So, may be you can use a different evidence that shows your Mandatory Evidence criteria to make your evidences more balanced. For example, I did my PhD with scholarship as well but I chose not to show that as I wanted my application to be balanced in all Mandatory Evidence and OCs criteria.

8- Contributions - This could be considered as very important evidence for your application. So, I would suggest that if you could break this into 2 and show evidences and metrics to prove that you have created and grown tech products that are effectively changing lives of others. Please refer to the tech contributions that I have mentioned above.

If it helps, have a look at how I have arranged my evidences for GTV endorsement: This is how I got my Endorsement for Global Talent Visa under Exceptional Talent Route (AI/ML Researcher)
I tried to use evidences to show that I am already a leader in the tech sector and keep my evidences well balanced in al Mandatory and OC criteria. Though I have academic evidences but I only showed them for the OC criteria whereas I have focused most of my other evidences on my tech contributions in the tech sector.

P.S. @Francisca_Chiedu and @May have also made great points. Please do keep them in mind as well.

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