Ashpit Think Tank University of Oxford 28 May 2012 Research Council Collaboration Sue Carver

1. Ashpit Think Tank University of Oxford 28 May 2012 Research Council Collaboration Sue Carver Head of Research Careers, Training and Peer Review AHRC (on behalf of AHRC and ESRC)

2. 7 Research Councils and RCUK

3. RCUK Programmes • Social Science and Arts and Humanities is embedded in cross-Council programmes • ESRC leads – Global Uncertainties

4. HEI-HEI Collaboration: ESRC DTCs

5. Collaboration encouraged for BGP2 Type A and requirement for Type B HEI – HEI Collaboration AHRC BGPs

6. Specific focus areas: ESRC • Development of an Advanced Training Network • Ambition to create an integrated national network of advanced training for allsocial science postgraduate researchers, • Currently mapping provision across the DTC network and the National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) • Consultation from May to July 2012 to identify requirements and gaps in provision, additional training provision to be commissioned in Autumn 2012 • Postgraduate researchers can register for any of these courses, at a maximum cost of £30 per day

7. Facilitating Skills Development: AHRC • Collaborative Research Training (CRT) – subject-specific training provision • A number of HEIs working together to provide specific training for groups of students • Skills Development – collaborative approach to developing student skills in strategically important areas

8. Collaborations beyond HEIs: Impact through partnership • ESRC collaborates with private, public and third-sector bodies through co-funding of research and people exchange • ESRC attracts £23m of co-funding • Collaboration ensures research is better placed to inform policy and practice • ESRC DTCs have a 20% collaboration target- 20% of each cohort of students should have a collaborative element to their studentships • ESRC Internships- we run a scheme two or three times a year to provide our students with the opportunity to spend up to 6 months in a non-academic host institution. Partnership and collaborations between our postgraduate students and non-academic bodies ensure future leaders are well positioned to make impact with their research

9. Collaborations beyond HEIs: Impact through partnership • AHRC’s annual Collaborative Doctoral Awards Scheme – doctoral awards in collaboration with non-academic partners • Knowledge Exchange Hubs for the Creative Economy • International Placement Scheme • AHRC/POST Fellowships

10. Why collaborate? • Efficient and effective way of working • Economy of scale • Draw on best practice • Small communities – cohort-building • Build critical mass • Enrich student experience • Increase overall network

11. To be aware... • Time commitment • Reconcile different practices, approaches or terms and conditions • Different ‘language’ • Competition?

12. Thank you for attention For further information on ESRC: • Visit our website: www.esrc.ac.uk • Email: RebeccaFairbairn@esrc.ac.uk For further information on AHRC: • Visit our website: www.ahrc.ac.uk • Email: s.carver@ahrc.ac.uk