Birkbeck, University of London

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Birkbeck, University of London 18 March
2005 Gail Lambourne Programme Manager
(Research) Polly Haywood Research Awards Officer
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History

• Founded in 1998 and funded by four HEFCs
• Response to Report of Dearing Committee
• UK Research Council from 1 April 05
• Higher Education Act 2004
• Why does it matter?
• esteem and recognition
• in Science Budget
• integration (incl. cross-Council initiatives)

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AHRB Programmes Expenditure 2004-05

• Postgraduate 31.625 m
• Research 33.800 m
• Museums and Galleries 9.192 m

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Research Council Expenditure 2003-04
MRC accounts not published yet - figure is based
on 2002-03 expenditure
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Spending Review 2004

• Context
• 10 year framework for science
• More money for research, not money for more
  research
• Some elements
• maintain success rates in responsive mode
• Roberts money
• museums galleries research for creative
  industries
• e-science

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What does the AHRBs research programme support?

• research process
• research questions or problems
• research context why are the questions or
  problems important?
• research methods how will you address your
  questions or problems?
• ultimately, dissemination of research outputs
• individuals, teams, resources, capacity and
  capability
• themes of particular intellectual and wider
  resonance

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Individuals Research Leave

• 760 applications last year
• 4.5m budget
• 50 success rate
• replacement teaching in partnership
• completion of significant research projects

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Teams Research Grants

• 480 applications last year
• 20m budget
• 20 success rate
• 1-5 yrs 5-500k additional costs
• new speculative route

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Resources Resource Enhancement

• 160 applications last year
• 5.5m budget
• 20 success rate
• 1-3 yrs 5-300k additional costs
• quality pressures ICT issues evaluation

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Capacity and Capability Fellowships and Small
Grants in the CPA

• Fellowships
• practice-led research
• 80 applications last year
• 2.5m budget
• 20-30 success rate
• Small Grants
• 200 applications last year
• 600k budget
• Aim to fund all A and A grades (60)
• Evaluation strategic commitment

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Main Stages of the Assessment Process- Part
1 NoteThis overview is not applicable to the
Small Grants and Fellowships schemes, for which
aspects of the full process will not be required.
Application and nominated assessment received.
Peer Group
Applications assessed by PRC
Peer-Review College assessors agreed
Peer-Review College (PRC)
Quality selection by AHRB based on PRC
assessments.
Applications with at least one grade other than
U given Right to Reply to assessments.
Applications with two U-grades unsuccessful.
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Main Stages of the Assessment Process- Part
2 Note this overview is not applicable to the
Small Grants and Fellowships schemes, for which
aspects of the full process will not be required.
Panellists individually assess, comment on and
assign grades to each application.
Applications, assessments and applicants
response to PRC assessments sent to subject panel.
Panel Meetings Grades and rankings decided, and
feedback for appropriate applications agreed.
Research Committee Final funding decision made
Unsuccessful
Successful
Board Finances
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Assessment Criteria

• In the context of the aims of the scheme and the
• AHRBs framework for defining the research
• process
• Quality and importance
• People
• Management
• Outputs and dissemination
• Value for money

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Birkbeck, University of London

• 2003/04 Apps Awards
• Research Grants 2 (4) (2) 2 (2) (1)
• Research Leave 9 (6) (7) 8 (4) (4)
• Small Grants 1 (0) (0) 1 (0) (0)
• Fellowships in CPA 0 (1) (0) 0 (0) (0)
• Res. Enhancement 2 (3) (3) 2 (0) (0)
• Innovation Awards 1 (1) (1) 0 (0) (1)
• Total 15 (15) (13) 13 (6)
  (6)
• Value of awards in 2003/04 1,112,958
• figures in brackets are those for 2002/03 and
  2001/02

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Themes Strategic Initiatives

• Issues
• Balancing responsive and strategic modes 85/15
• Supporting research in areas of intellectual
  urgency and significance
• Ensuring widespread and effective consultation
• Panels, College and other networks
• Building upon
• Cultures of Consumption (ESRC)
• Arts and Science Research Fellowships (ACE and
  SAC)
• Designing for the 21st Century (EPSRC)
• ICT in Arts and Humanities Research
• AHRB Research Centres

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Themes Strategic Initiatives

• Implementing
• Diasporas, Migration and Identities
• Landscape and Environment
• Also discussing
• Arts, humanities and medicine
• Cultural policy
• The interactive mind
• Stages of life
• Research Council collaborations

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Birkbeck, University of London 18 March
2005 Gail Lambourne Programme Manager
(Research) Polly Haywood Research Awards Officer