1. Research Council Collaboration
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. HEI – HEI Collaboration AHRC BGPs
Collaboration encouraged for BGP2 Type A and requirement for Type B
BGP1
BGP:CB
Total number of BGP type 48 34
Number of consortia 1 9
Total number of ROs involved 49

6. Specific focus areas: ESRC
Development of an Advanced Training Network
Ambition to create an integrated national network of advanced training for all social 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
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