Enhancing UK Social Science Research Capacity: Challenges and Solutions

1. BUILDING RESEARCH CAPACITYProfessor Chris PhillipsonESRC Training and Development Board

2. Training and Development Board Challenges and Responses • The role of the Board is: to support the growth and development of a high quality UK social science research base wherever it exists • Challenge - maintain the long term health of a world class UK social science research base • Future developments in the structure of training provision

3. ESRC Studentship Support • Current stock of 2275 research studentships with 700 new awards each year • Not funding students to do a PhD • Funding the training of new researchers

4. Research Careers for a New Strategy On-going Training and Development Professorial Fellowship Centres Priority Networks/ Groups Mid-career Fellowship Large Grant Small Grant First Grant Scheme Postdoctoral Fellowship +3 Studentship Research Masters Research Opportunities

5. How to maintain the long term health of a world class UK social science research base • Demographic Review – To get a picture of research capacity in the social sciences • Largest and most diverse population across the science and engineering base • Yet quality and strength of that social science base is highly variable

6. Key messages from the Demographic Review • One size does not fit all • Different entry points into research in some disciplines • Different disciplines face different challenges and require more tailored solutions

7. Responding to the Challenge • Training and Development Board needs to be: • more strategic in its capacity building activities through a process of targeted interventions • more flexible in developing training provision to meet the different needs and challenges of specific disciplines

8. Responding to the needs of individual disciplines – Example - Management • ‘One size does not fit all’ • Management - 46% of business school staff entering from outside the education sector, usually recruited directly from business sector because of practical experience • Impact on quality of research base and career structure • Challenge of building training and development solutions that can combine the benefits of a sound research training with experience of business

9. Responding to the needs of individual disciplines – Example -Economics • Need to sustain strong, internationally renowned research base • Problem with those leaving the sector after acquiring well grounded training for better paid jobs in the public and private sector • Challenge to develop strategies aimed at early career recruitment and retention

10. Responding to the needs of individual disciplines • Policy based on strategic targeting has led to major re-allocation of studentship awards between disciplines • For some disciplines – strategy will move beyond studentships and include fellowships and other training and development activities • No quick fix solutions but will require on-going discussion with disciplines

11. The Researcher Development Initiative(RDI) • New £3M scheme introduced in 2005 • The purpose of the RDI is to provide opportunities for • deepening and refreshing the skills base • development throughout the academic life-course • How will it do this? • a range of training and development activities • link activities with other activities and resources funded by ESRC e.g. National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) • development of a robust training infrastructure

12. Future of ESRC Training Provision • Commitment to more flexible pattern of training provision that moves beyond ‘one size fits all’ approach • Review of 1+3 model as part of strategy to develop more flexible training and development packages • Adopting this strategy will enable the ESRC to address the challenges and needs of individual social science disciplines

13. Some Key Questions • What is the ESRC not doing that it should be doing to respond to its primary challenge of sustaining the health of the social science base? • What is the ESRC doing that it should not be doing if it is to respond to its primary challenge of sustaining the health of the social science base?