British Academy Post-Doctoral Fellowships

1. British Academy Post-Doctoral Fellowships

2. Who should apply? Outstanding early career researchers who: • will be in possession of a doctoral degree by 1st April 2010. • have not held their doctoral award for more than 3 years, i.e. on or after 1 October 2006 (exemptions are considered for special circumstances). • have never held a permanent academic position before And most importantly • have a significant piece of publishable research to complete.

3. Who should apply? • You should have some association with the UK academic community – three usual routes: • British citizens • Applicants of any nationality who have obtained (or expect to obtain by 1st April) a doctorate from a UK university • Applicants who are European Economic Area nationals (regardless of whether or not they have a UK doctorate). • If you do not meet the criteria above you are unlikely to be eligible. However, you can make an argument for eligibility on the basis of a strong prior association with the UK research community. Contact the British Academy to discuss.

4. What should you be applying for? Outstanding early career researchers should demonstrate how a fellowship would: • Enable them to develop their CV and improve prospects of obtaining an academic position. • Enable them to complete a significant piece of publishable research. • Enable them to participate in an active and critical research environment relevant to the proposed research fellowship project (why Nottingham?)

5. Application Basics - timetable A two stage application procedure. • Stage 1 – deadline 26th November 2009, outcomes given in January 2010 (est. 20% of applicants – c. 140 people - will make it to stage 2). • Stage 2 – deadline March 2010, outcomes given in May 2010 (c. 45 awards out of c. 140 shortlisted applicants).

6. Crucial first steps • Talk to the School/Department in which you hope to undertake the fellowship – have you got their support? • Is that School/Department the best fit for your proposed research? You will need to state why within your proposal. • Do you have the language skills required to complete the project? If not how will you manage this and demonstrate competence to the BA? • Who will you use as referees? Ask them as soon as possible so that they have time to do you justice.

7. Eligible Referees • Both referees should be acquainted with your academic career. • The BA’s advice is that one should normally be your doctoral supervisor, and the other must be from a different institution, ideally not that at which you undertook doctoral research nor your present institution (if different). • Normally the external examiner will be the most appropriate second referee. • It is unacceptable, in any circumstances, to have two references from scholars working in the same institution. • It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that two references are received on time (by 26 November 2009). Applications may be withdrawn from consideration if one or both references are not received.

8. Criteria of assessment - how you will be judged 1.     Is the proposed research project of outstanding academic merit? 2.     Has the applicant demonstrated the capacity to make a significant contribution to research in the chosen field through his or her work and/or publications to date? 3.     Does the applicant have the potential to go on after the award to a successful academic career? 4.     Is the applicant proposing to work in a suitable host institution?

9. At the final stage of selection, the following additional points may be taken into account: 5.     How strong is the case for support in comparative value for money terms? 6.     Has the applicant demonstrated necessary language competence where the understanding of material in a foreign language is crucial to the achievement of the research objectives? Your project should be original, viable, specific, achievable and significant to your field.

10. Previous successful application titles (last year) Al-Andalus in Exile: Regional Identities of Andalusian Scholars in the Eastern Mediterranean (11th - 14th Centuries) (Oriental Studies); Geographies of Transition in the Mekong Region: Gender, Labour and Domestic Life in Cambodia and Vietnam – (Geography) Personal Laws in the British Empire: A Comparative History (History) Transnational Moral and Market Entrepreneurs: Carriers, Drivers and Products of Globalisation (Sociology) Consequentialist Evaluation of Security for Cooperative International Society (Politics) The Roots of Arithmetic: Linking Numerical Cognition With Mathematics Education (Psychology – UoN success)

11. Finally The second-stage application will require the submission of an example of written work, a published article, submitted article or extract from a doctoral thesis. Make sure you have a really good example of your written work ready or in preparation in time.

12. How to apply • This year, applications will be made via the BA’s new electronic system, e-GAP, accessed via the website: www.britac.ac.uk • Your application will need to be approved by the University’s research office (RIS) before it goes to the British Academy, so ensure you allow time for this process. • Alert your School and HSSRC as soon as possible if you plan to apply and leave plenty of time before the closing date to allow for administrative procedures to be completed.

13. Support in developing your application • Talk to your School • It is crucial that you gain support from your School in putting in your application. • Send your proposal to others: your supervisor, other academics (esp. those who have previously gained BA funding) and peers, for feedback on: • Clarity of language and terms • Academic content • Whether the proposal fits the scheme (i.e., 3 years, realistic timetable, major research output etc.)

14. Support in developing your application • At the HSSRC, we can support you in: • Giving your proposal a final read through and providing feedback (please provide us with proposals by 17th Nov for this purpose) • Answering queries on specific aspects of the scheme • Contacts: • Arts/Humanities: sally.bowden@nottingham.ac.uk or sue.hopcroft@nottingham.ac.uk • Lisa.mccabe@nottingham.ac.uk • Social Sciences: paula.gurteen@nottingham.ac.uk or rosamund.aubrey@nottingham.ac.uk

15. Alternatives • Think carefully before applying to the scheme: • Is the time right? Might you be better off applying next year (esp. if have publications in the pipeline or if there is doubt about whether your viva will be held before April 1st)? • Is the project right? Will you produce a significant piece of research? Will it occupy 3 years of your time? • Have you got access to the appropriate academic support? • Is your research field within the British Academy’s remit? (If on the ‘science’ side of social sciences may wish to consult the BA on eligibility)

16. Alternatives • For discrete research projects: • The BA offers a small grants scheme: up to £7.5k for discrete research projects. • The ESRC offers a small grants scheme in responsive mode which is open to post-doctoral researchers. Up to £100k FEC. • The ESRC offers a first grants scheme with an annual deadline for a significant piece of research. Up to £400k FEC.

17. Alternatives • Other sources of fellowship funding: • ESRC post-doctoral fellowships (one year to consolidate PhD research in the social sciences) • Leverhulme Early Career fellowships (2-3 years to carry out significant piece of research – should bear in mind Leverhulme criteria on originality and breaking down of traditional disciplinary boundaries) • Bear in mind that you may not be successful first time around and be prepared to revise your proposal for other funding sources.