INFORMATION & UPDATES
UPDATES & INFORMATION
News briefs
DEMAND MANAGEMENT – LISTENING TO YOUR VIEWS In June 2011 we introduced changes to our existing peer review practices and submission policies, as well as self-regulation with the academic community taking the lead in quality assuring and regulating the number of funding applications submitted to us. Our expectation is that this combination of self regulation and changes to our policies and processes will reduce demand. We will continue with this approach until at least autumn 2012, when we will review progress.We conducted an extensive consultation
NEW DATA OFFERS EXCITING RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES Data from Waves 1 and 2 of the Understanding Society Innovation Panel are now available to download from the Economic and Social Data Service. The Innovation Panel is used to test questions, procedures and methods in a context that is similar to the main Understanding Society survey and other household panel surveys. But with 1,500 households this data also has a sample size that is sufficiently large to enable quantitative evaluation in its own right. The data are unique in that they cover the longitudinal data, the retrospective histories about people’s lives before the start of the panel as well as the experimental and methodological data. For more information see
www.iser.essex.
ac.uk/2011/09/15/new-innovation-panel-data- offers-exciting-research-opportunities
CELEBRATING THE CENSUS A one-day conference organised by the National Archives looked at all aspects of the census in its historical setting. The census is a rich source of information on individuals, families, communities and whole nations. It tells us about occupations, migration patterns, family size and structure, and much more. Speakers looked at the censuses of Scotland, Ireland and further afield as well as how to make use of the census in research.
exercise over the spring and summer, collecting views on what further steps might be taken to manage demand. The consultation offered four main options – individual researcher sanctions, institutional sanctions, institutional quotas and charging for the submission of applications. We received a positive response, including detailed comments from 44 institutions giving a valuable range of opinions from the social science community. Respondents supported our desire to avoid the need to take further steps. However, if these were needed, the vast majority of respondents judged that the fairest
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS We invited applications for the first round of the International Partnership and Networking Scheme, aimed at fostering the development of long- term relationships with overseas social scientists. The scheme awards are
intended to provide flexible support for a programme of activity with the objective of establishing sustainable collaborations, leading to the development of joint research proposals. This year we expect to make approximately 15-20 awards of up to £25,000 (100 per cent fEC) each for a period of between two and four years. Successful grants will be announced in February 2012. For more information, see
www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/ funding-opportunities/15752/ESRC_International_ Partnership_and_Networking_Scheme_
2011_.aspx
INTERNATIONAL PHD INITIATIVE We launched an international PhD initiative in November to support up to 150 ‘twinning’ arrangements between PhD students at ESRC Doctoral Training Centres and institutions in emerging countries including China. The initiative aims to build social science research networking to tackle global issues and concerns. For more information see
www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/ funding-opportunities
method would be to limit for a certain length of time the applications from researchers who consistently fail to meet our required standards. Given this clear message, it is likely that any further steps will reflect these views. We remain confident that by working in partnership with HEIs there will be no need to take further steps. There has been a very positive response from institutions to our call for greater self-regulation, and we expect that this will lead to a reduction in uncompetitive proposals. For more information see
www.esrc.
ac.uk/news-and-events/news/15034/demand- management.aspx
THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWLEDGE BROKERS ‘Knowledge brokers’ are intermediaries who promote the use of academic research by non-academics, including policymakers, professionals, charitable organisations, business, industry and the general public. Many UK university social science departments and research centres are now employing dedicated knowledge exchange staff to ensure their research creates an impact in the outside world. The ESRC Genomics Policy and Research Forum is organising an event on 7 December focusing on knowledge brokerage in the social sciences. For more information see
www.genomicsnetwork.
ac.ukesrcgenomicsnetwork/events/title,24718,
en.html
GLOBAL UNCERTAINTIES LEADERSHIP FELLOWS The RCUK Global Uncertainties Programme announced a call for Leadership Fellows to develop a suite of activities to maximise the value and impact of the Global Uncertainties Programme, alongside personal research. The programme helps governments, businesses and societies to better predict, detect, prevent and mitigate threats to security, focusing on six core areas. For more information see
www.esrc.ac.uk/funding- and-guidance/funding-opportunities/16083/latest-
opportunity-17.aspx
AUTUMN 2011 SOCIETY NOW 29
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