Changes to AHRC Fellowships: Blackout Ahoy!

The AHRC has announced that it will be making some significant changes to its Fellowships scheme, in line with its Delivery Plan 2011-15 (pdf), during the final week of September 2011. As a part of implementing these changes they will be amending their application forms. Accordingly the last date for submitting Fellowship applications will be 17 October 2011, and they will reopen again in January.

Another application blackout! Whey-hey! The AHRC does like its blackouts. Remember the move to the Shared Services Centre? That necessitated a month long blackout. Before that, their move to Swindon required a three month blackout. A cynic might suggest that they're a bunch of work-shy fops, wilting at the first sign of disruption, the whole office flaked out on day beds.

But that's cynics for you.

Anyway, what are the gnomic 'significant changes' that the press release refers to? Looking at the Delivery Plan, there are 12 references to fellowships, the most relevant of which are:

'The AHRC will allocate the majority of its Fellowships to areas of strategic priority and national capability (e.g. languages, digital humanities, creative economy, heritage, and interdisciplinary research with science subjects) and to deliver research of exceptional scale and importance' (section 1.4, p4)

and

'The Fellowship scheme will be further developed. Fellowships will be used for particular purposes as above and to develop research leadership skills, collaboration (where appropriate) and early-career support' (section 1.7, p5)

So come the end of the blackout expect a much closer grilling on how your research ties in with their strategic priorities or (ahem) 'particular purposes'. I've also heard that the AHRC will be expecting universities to do more of the filtering of fellowship applications, as the Council moves into line with the ESRC and EPSRC demand management strategies, and that they will allow ECRs an additional year post-doctoral experience to qualify for the early career route.

ESRC Launches Future Leaders Scheme

The ESRC has officially launched its Future Leaders scheme. This scheme was announced in the Council's Delivery Plan in December, and discussed at the London workshop and regional events.

The scheme will use a two part application process, which suggests that the ESRC expects a high number of applications, despite limiting the eligibility to less those with less than four years experience since their PhD (measured as the thesis submission date). This might be a narrow window, but the view's far-reaching (if you'll excuse the tortured metaphor): it's open to people from anywhere in the world, as long as they've got the support of a UK institution.

You can apply for up to £215k (100% fEC - or £172k at 80% fEC, which is what they'll actually give you), for support for up to three years. They aim to fund 70 awards. The deadline for applications is 15 September 2011.

So what will a successful FL project look like? Well, you'll need to have the following:

• a mentor 'of high international research standing';
• a programme of research skills development;
• a programme of knowledge exchange skills development;
• plans for maximising potential impact, and a 'clear strategy to build relationships and networks with potential beneficiaries and users';

In terms of the type of research they want, it's open, but they're keen on:

• research proposals involving secondary analysis of existing datasets and the application of innovative research methods;
  
• inter/multidisciplinary working both within and beyond the social sciences;
• international working;
• strong impact.

That's not much to ask, is it? So really, it's an international multidisciplinary analysis of existing datasets involving end users, or nothing. Get your thinking caps on.

Proposals will be assessed using the following criteria:

• Originality;
• Academic potential of applicant;
• Research design and methods;
• Collaborations;
• Outputs and dissemination;
• Knowledge exchange, including impact plans;
• Organisational support, including mentor, and commitment of organisation to applicant's career development.

Finally, from what I understand they're not so much looking for applications from established academics, but more from those hoping to enter the profession with the potential to be 4* researchers, who will move into a permanent position when the grant finishes. In addition they expect the applicant's salary to be (at least 40%) match funded by the host university. So in essence it's a little like a combination between the RCUK's erstwhile Academic Fellowships, and the Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships.