Birkbeck College

1
Birkbeck College 17th May 2007 Gail
Lambourne Katherine Barkwith Programme Managers
(Research)
2
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)

3
AHRC Programmes Budgets2006-07

• Postgraduate 37.436 m
• Research 46.835 m
• University Museums Galleries
• (HEFCE funding) 10.049 m

4
Research Council Budgets 2006-07
5
Full Economic Costs

• fEC is the cost to the hosting university of
  conducting the research
• All research applications must be costed using
  fEC
• Research Council will pay 80 of fEC
• fEC Scheme limit defines scope of project

6
What does the AHRCs 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
• monographs editions or articles electronic
  data performances films or broadcasts
  exhibitions catalogues
• individuals, teams, capacity and capability
• themes of particular intellectual and wider
  resonance

7
Individuals Research Leave

• 840 applications last year
• 6-8m budget
• 50 success rate
• providing a period of matching leave
• completion of significant research projects
• salary and limited associated costs

8
Teams Standard Research Grants

• 530 applications last year
• 40m budget
• 25 success rate
• Up to 5 yrs up to 1m total fEC
• 4 routes
• standard route
• route for speculative research
• route for early career researchers and
• route for practice-led and applied research

9
Research Networks and Workshops

• stimulating intellectual exchange across and
  between disciplines
• research workshops for 1 year up to 15k total
  fEC
• networks for 2 years up to 30k total fEC
• extra resources available for international
  participation from certain countries/regions
• success rate
• strategic mode

10
Capacity and Capability Research Grants
practice-led and applied route

• refocussed Small Grants scheme
• practice-led research, or
• applied research, or
• research that theorises contemporary practice
• up to 20k total fEC
• aim to fund all A and A grades (60)

11
Capacity and Capability Fellowships in the
Creative and Performing Arts

• practice-led research
• 80-90 applications each year
• supporting a programme of research
• full-time or part-time
• salary and associated costs only
• 20-30 success rate

12
Main Stages of the Assessment Process- Part
1 NoteThis overview is not applicable to all
schemes, for which aspects of the full process
will not be required.
Proposal and nominated review received.
Peer Group
Proposals assessed by PRC
Peer-Review College (PRC)
Peer-Review College reviewers agreed
Quality selection by AHRC based on PRC reviews.
Proposals with at least one grade other than N
or U offered PI response to PRC reviews.
Proposals with a combination of N and/or U grades
unsuccessful.
13
Main Stages of the Assessment Process- Part
2 Note this overview is not applicable to all
schemes, for which aspects of the full process
will not be required.
Panellists individually assess, comment on and
assign grades to each proposal.
Proposals, reviews and PIs response to PRC
reviews sent to subject panel.
Panel Meetings Grades and rankings decided, and
feedback for appropriate proposals agreed.
Research Committee Final funding decision made
Unsuccessful
Successful
Council Finances
14
Assessment Criteria

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

15
Proposal hints and tips

• Tips
• Use your research office / colleagues
• Read the AHRC Research Funding Guide
• Read the Je-S helptext
• Common pitfalls
• Jargon
• Scheme aims are not met
• The proposal is unrealistic, overambitious or
  unconvincing

16
Strategic Initiatives

• Grant awards and related activities within a
  thematic framework
• Intellectual urgency and wider resonance
• Informed by consultation and Strategic Advisory
  Group
• Open calls with outline and full applications

17
Independent

• ICT in Arts and Humanities Research
• Diasporas, Migration and Identities
• Landscape and Environment
• Museums and Galleries Research
• Beyond Text

18
Collaborative

• Cultures of Consumption (ESRC)
• Designing for 21st Century (EPSRC)
• New Dynamics of Ageing (BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC, MRC)
• e-Science (EPSRC and JISC)
• Religion and Society (ESRC)
• Science and Heritage (EPSRC and others)

19
Birkbeck College 17th May 2007 Gail
Lambourne Katherine Barkwith Programme Managers
(Research)