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ESRC Key Priorities & Future Strategy Adrian Alsop 2 nd Feb 2011

ESRC Key Priorities & Future Strategy Adrian Alsop 2 nd Feb 2011. Excellence with Impact. ESRC enduring values – clear commitment to: Quality Impact Independence. Government Spending Review 2010.

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ESRC Key Priorities & Future Strategy Adrian Alsop 2 nd Feb 2011

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  1. ESRC Key Priorities & Future StrategyAdrian Alsop 2nd Feb 2011

  2. Excellence with Impact • ESRC enduring values – clear commitment to: • Quality • Impact • Independence

  3. Government Spending Review 2010 • Spending Review outcome for Science Budget announced 20th October ‘maintaining resource spending in cash terms’ – equates to an 8-9% reduction in real terms • ESRC allocation published with Delivery Plan on 20th December. Figures represent an approx 3% cut in cash terms – a 12% cut in real terms

  4. Government Spending Review 2010 • Capital also reduced but not by the amount feared – we will be able to protect our unique core data infrastructure • Administrative costs being reduced over the CSR period, about 20% in real terms

  5. Delivery Plan 2011-15 • Strategic Priorities • Delivering our priorities • Excellent social science research • National capability • Research infrastructure • Partnerships • International collaboration • Cross Council Themes • Economic and Societal Impact

  6. Strategic Priorities • Seven key challenges, now focus on: • Three strategic priorities • Economic Performance and Sustainable Growth • Influencing Behaviour and Informing Interventions • Vibrant and Fair Society • These will apply across the ESRC’s business including research, training, resources, knowledge exchange etc

  7. Restructuring Schemes • Focusing resources on longer, larger grants – ambitious social science. • Halt Small Grants, Mid-Career Fellowships schemes • Increase lower and upper thresholds for Standard Grants scheme • Streamlining: fewer but more flexible research competitions • Merge Large Grants and Centres • Replace First Grants PDFs with New Research Leaders

  8. Doctoral Training • DTCs – deliver postgraduate training through more strategic allocation of studentships • A cohort of students in each DTC • Move from accreditation to allocation • Discontinue open studentship competitions • Concentrating the majority of studentships in strategic areas • Announced outcome in January

  9. Managing Demand • Current system is unsustainable – manage around 3000 applications and success rates around 15% • May require more self regulation in HEIs • Considering a range of options: • Measures including tougher sifting, no resubmissions • Institutional sanctions • Institutional quotas • Charging for submission of applications • Overall strategy may include range of measures

  10. Data Infrastructure • Strong data infrastructure is an essential core resource • We support some of the world’s leading studies • Underpin research and training, and provide evidence to both academic and non-academic researchers • Only ESRC supports these kinds of large, long-term investments • The longitudinal ‘jewels’ appreciate in value • Despite cuts to capital, we will protect a ‘core’ data infrastructure

  11. Partnership • Deliver a comprehensive co-funding strategy • ‘Ventures’ – now the standard model for collaborative research funding • Involve the public with ESRC research-practice what social science advocates in terms of upstreaming involvement and co-production of knowledge

  12. Partnership • Build on existing proven mechanisms and extend role of ESRC as a knowledge broker • Continue to see public sector and third sector as important audiences with which to engage and collaborate • Business/private sector a priority for increased engagement - aim to increase business co-funding to 5% of external income by 2015

  13. International Collaboration • Continue to encourage and promote international collaboration across all our activities • Focus on key international partners – 3 RCUK offices • Rationalise existing targeted schemes • Develop innovative new ways of enabling international collaboration (e.g. Open Research Area) • Actively encourage social scientists to engage with international funding opportunities e.g. FP8 • Continue successful partnership with DfID

  14. RCUK Collaboration • Social science remains essential and central to all seven cross-Council themes (we contribute to all) • The value of social science is recognised by all the Research Councils • Inter-disciplinary research will continue to play an important role • ESRC will remain committed to ensuring social science features in the whole RCUK research agenda

  15. Impact Agenda • We want to support our researchers in engaging and collaborating with users throughout the life cycle of projects – including before and after • We are specifically interested in working with our major investments, including DTCs, to address • engagement with the business sector • the three key priorities

  16. Impact Agenda • Will focus our Knowledge Exchange schemes on key areas where specific support is required e.g. in follow-on funding • New Impact Toolkit: • an expansion of the Communications toolkit • A practical tool • draws on best practice from investments (and will continue to do so) • Launched with new ESRC website January 2011

  17. ESRC Key Priorities & Future StrategyAdrian Alsop 2nd Feb 2011

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