ESRC Regional Visits 2017Professor Jane Elliott, CEO @JaneElliott66

External Context and Challenges

▶ Globalisation▶ General Election 8 June 2017

– New government and ministers (though some continuity)

– Potential spending review/ allocation process

▶ Brexit – Impact on social science and wider research

community– Opportunities for research and contribution of the

social sciences

▶ UK Research and Innovation…

Overview

▶ ESRC in context – portfolio and external challenges▶ UK Research and Innovation ▶ Celebrating the successes of social science▶ Current and planned priorities▶ Global Challenges Research Fund▶ What next?

– current funding opportunities– policy development– engaging with the ESRC

ESRC Strategic Plan 2015

▶ Cross-disciplinary work to answer major societal issues

▶ Greater awareness of international perspective

▶ Collaborative working (in the UK and beyond)

▶ Full exploitation of existing resources▶ Investing in the next generation▶ Focused priorities will follow in the

next Delivery Plan

ESRC priority areas▶ Developed as a pipeline▶ Core social science themes and major interdisciplinary challenges▶ Ongoing, current and developing priorities

1. Urban Transformations2. Anti Microbial Resistance3. Productivity4. Understanding the Macro-Economy5. Mental Health6. Housing7. Brexit/ Governance and the future of liberal democracy8. Automation, AI and robotics9. Climate Change10. Innovation in health and social care systems

Collaboration and Engagement▶ We are committed to encouraging collaboration

between researchers and the business, public and civil society sectors

▶ Working with other Research Councils to commission independent researchers to carry out work to inform policy and practice

▶ Leveraging c£23m additional co-funding ▶ Major initiatives to support non-academic engagement:

– What Works– POST– Impact Acceleration Accounts

Institute for Government

We combine research and learning activity looking at how government should improve and helping it to do so. We do this publically and privately.

Our programmes of work are:• Whitehall: making Whitehall more effective• Policy-making: improving the process, competence and

principles• Brexit: making Brexit work better• Public services: improving planning, management,

outsourcing and delivery• Devolution: managing devolution of power to UK nations,

regions and cities• Parliament: strengthening accountability of government• Professional development for government: offering

high-level advice and seminars for Ministers and their advisers

For more information please see www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk or contact Katie.Thorpe@instituteforgovernment.org.uk

An independent, award-winning, non-partisan charity and think tank. Our mission is to promote a more effective government. We were established in 2008 and came to 2, Carlton Gardens in 2009.

We have around 35 permanent staff, working on research, learning and development, communications and events and operations

Staff have backgrounds in the Civil Service, consulting, think tanks, academia and the private sector.

International collaboration▶ International collaboration remains a key priority,

increasingly given expansion of Newton Fund and establishment of GCRF

▶ Embed international in all we do • International Co-Investigator policy

▶ Work with European partners • Open Research Area (ESRC, NWO, DFG, ANR) • Calls under NORFACE partnership

▶ Collaborations with key partner countries • 3 RCUK teams (US, India and China)

▶ Leading role in the Newton Fund and GCRF• Importance of ODA requirements

ESRC – global engagement

Strategy for Early Career Researchers

▶ Revised Strategy for ECRs launched in August 2016▶ Aims to provide a more integrated support system▶ A number of different activities at different stages of

implementation within 3 key areas: – Doctoral– Immediately post doctorate– Transition to independent researcher▪ Initial investigator scheme (£100K - £300K)

Cambridge Social Science DTP

Grand Union DTP

London Interdisciplinary Social Science DTP

London School of Economics DTP

Midlands Graduate School DTP

Northern Ireland and North East DTP

North West Social Science DTP

Scottish Graduate School of Social Science DTP

South Coast DTP

South East Network for Social Sciences DTP

South West DTP

UCL, Bloomsbury and East London DTP

Wales DTP

White Rose Social Sciences DTP

Doctoral Training Partnerships

ESRC income since 2013

£50M

£100M

£150M

£200M

£250M

2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018

Inco

me

Financial Years

Other BEIS funding (AME, non-cash, etc)

BEIS admin

GCRF

Co-funding and income

BEIS capital funding

BEIS Programme Funding

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

AHRC

BBSRC

EPSRC

ESRC

MRC

NERC

STFC

Ratio of QR to RC funding

Most social science funding in the UK is not awarded through ESRC

Based on RCs' 16/17 resource, GCRF and capital allocations as specified by BEIS (4 March 2016), estimates of FTEs by Council based on REF 2014 data , and QR funding by HEFCE, HEFCW and SFC in 16/17 - all figures are approximate and indicative only due to difficulty in mapping FC to RC data.

AHRC (0%)

BBSRC (15%)

EPSRC (6%)

ESRC (13%)

MRC (5%)

NERC (11%)

STFC (23%)

£0

£50,000

£100,000

£150,000

£200,000

0 4,000 8,000 12,000 16,000 20,000

Fundingper academicresearcher

Number of academic researchers (FTE)

RCUK funding does not scale with community size

Based on RCs' 16/17 resource, GCRF and capital allocations as specified by BEIS (4 March 2016), estimates of community FTEs by Council based on REF 2014 data, and QR funding by HEFCE, HEFCW and SFC in 16/17 – bars show estimated range of funding per FTE, and all figures are approximate and indicative only.

(X%) = proportion of funding that is capital

UK Research and Innovation

UKRI

MRC

ESRC

BBSRC

NERC

STFCEPSRC

AHRC

Innovate UK

Research England

UKRI: What is it and why are we doing it?

Promote commercialisation of research

Foster and develop the talent pipeline

Create and sustain the best infrastructure

Increase engagement between research and all sectors

Invest in the highest quality research and innovation

Deliver a collaborative environment for all to leverage additional funding

Support a healthy and high integrity culture

Enable an efficient research and innovation landscape

Progress to date▶ Higher Education Research Act – passed 27 April

2017▶ Will be established in April 2018▶ Transition work underway across 7 Research

Councils, Innovate UK and HEFCE ▶ UKRI Board appointments underway▶ Key appointments:

Sir John Kingman, interim Chair of UKRI

Sir Mark Walport, CEO designate of UKRI

Rebecca Endean, Strategy Director designate of UKRI

Anne Dixon, Programme Director, UKRI Transition Programme

Interdisciplinarity

▶ ESRC and the social sciences already well positioned to flourish in this new structure.

▶ Current interdisciplinary working:– 10% of ESRC budget being committed to cross-Council

activities and growing each year– Diverse interdisciplinary portfolio – across all other

Research Council remits and as contributor to all previous cross-Council challenge areas

– Major new investments under GCRF providing extra stimulus for new interdisciplinary activities

UKRI – Next Steps▶ ESRC is engaging across all Research Councils, Innovate UK,

HEFCE and BEIS to help develop:– Final organisational design of UKRI – Strategic Centre, Corporate

Services, Councils – UKRI governance arrangements – especially around the transfer

and transition between current and future governance

▶ Sir Mark Walport’s initial priorities:– International strategy for UKRI– Allocation of the £4.7bn for research from the Autumn Statement– Build an effective UKRI

▶ Maintaining business as usual – including GCRF and ISCF

A tale of two challenges…

▶ Global Challenges Research Fund– £45m ESRC funding (Phase 1) – 4 calls led by ESRC alone, 2

calls led by ESRC in collaboration, 3 calls led by other Councils with ESRC contributing

– Collective Fund Phase 1 – a third of all awards social science led

▶ Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund– Phase 1 funding – focused on skills– Challenge for Phase 2

What is GCRF?▶ £1.5 billion fund to be delivered by the Research

Councils and other delivery partners over five years▶ Aims to:

– address global challenges through cutting-edge disciplinary and interdisciplinary research

– strengthen capability for research and innovation, within both UK and developing countries

– provide an agile response to emergencies and opportunities

▶ Forms part of the UK's Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitment

▶ Further information on RCUK website(http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/funding/gcrf/)

GCRF allocation to Research Councils

RCUK GCRF Collective Fund: priority challenge areasLeave no one behind Sustainable economies and societies

▶secure and resilient food systems supported by sustainable marine resources and agriculture▶sustainable health and well being ▶inclusive and equitable quality education▶clean air, water and sanitation ▶affordable, reliable, sustainable energy

▶sustainable livelihoods supported by strong foundations for inclusive economic growth and innovation▶resilience and action on short-term environmental shocks and long-term environmental change▶sustainable cities and communities▶sustainable production and consumption of materials and other resources

Support peace and justice

▶understand and respond effectively to forced displacement and multiple refugee crises ▶reduce conflict and promote peace, justice and humanitarian action ▶reduce poverty and inequality, including gender inequalities.

ESRC’s GCRF calls have funded

▶ 7 Secondary Data Analysis Initiative (SDAI) projects maximising use of existing data

▶ 23 uplifts to ESRC Impact Acceleration Accounts to support ODA-focused impact

▶ 22 strategic networks to build towards future research agendas

▶ 30 post-doctoral fellowships to support early career researchers

▶ 2 centres, on refugees and on conflict-affected and fragile states

Cross-Council Commissioning

Alongside other Research Councils, ESRC has funded:▶ 11 pump-priming grants on AMR (with MRC, BBSRC, Defra,

NIHR & VMD) & 3 AMR collaborative grants ▶ 21 foundation awards on resilience (with NERC & AHRC)▶ 15 research projects on forced displacement (with AHRC)▶ 13 innovation awards on conflict & international development

(with AHRC)▶ 27 foundation awards on infection & on non-communicable

diseases (with MRC, AHRC, BBSRC, NERC)▶ 27 foundation awards on agriculture & food systems (BBSRC)

Developing a risk mitigation strategy for sinkhole collapse in South Africa

• Sinkhole collapse is a major problem in South Africa with 2600 documented cases since the 1960s.

• The project aims to develop a strategy against the risk of sinkhole collapse in South Africa, working in collaboration with engineer and practitioner partners including Jones & Wagener Engineering and environmental consultants and implementing their recommendations with stakeholders and policymakers.

• Envisioned changes to current regulations on land development in South Africa and potential to help the poorest people, often found living on land not suitable for development.

ES/P500719/1 Durham University – PI: Ashraf Osman

Supporting the mental well being of bonded labourers in Nepal

• Bonded labour is a form of modern day slavery indebting agricultural workers to landlords. It affects more than 20.9 million people globally.

• Facilitating access of bonded labourers in Nepal to community-based resources for mental health support .

• If successful, the intervention for 50 bonded labourers would be rolled out in all six partner organisations in south eastern Nepal and across other slavery programmes of project partner the Freedom Foundation.

• Establishing partnerships with the Centre for Mental Health and Counselling (CMC) and local organisations in the South Eastern Terairegion in Nepal helped create a training programme for community facilitators and a pilot study protocol which can be feasibly implemented in Terai.

ES/P500872/1 University of York Martin Webber

Distribution of Co-investigators

Distribution of projects (number)

Sustainable economies and societies -20Livelihoods, growth and innovation - 13Environmental resilience - 5Production and consumption - 1Cities and communities – 1

Support peace and justice - 40Forced displacement and refugees - 19Conflict, peace and justice - 14Reduce poverty and inequality - 7

Leave no one behind - 35Health and wellbeing - 25

Education - 7Food, agri and marine

resources - 2Energy - 1

NB Analysis excludes GROW call

Distribution of spend for all ESRC ODA-related investment

Secure water supply with smart hand pumpsOver 60,000 rural Kenyans have benefited from ‘smart’ hand pumps using mobile phone technology and remote monitoring, combined with a community-based payment model and local maintenance, to ensure secure water supplies.Over300 smart hand pumps are operating in Kenya across three counties, providing data that dramatically improve water supply reliability for over 60,000 rural people.Only three per cent of smart hand pumps are estimated to be out of action at any one time, compared with up to a third of non-monitored pumps across Africa.The smart hand pumps enable a 72-hour guaranteed repair service or refunds are made, but most are repaired within 48 hours – compared to over a month previously.The smart hand pumps have significantly reduced the time spent collecting water, especially for women and girls in the dry season.Rwanda is testing a similar approach with a view to developing institutional and financial models similar to those in Kenya.With the backing of UNICEF, Bangladesh is planning installations in 2016, with Ethiopia and Zimbabwe also expressing an interest.

Jointly funded by ESRC and the Department for International Development, University of Oxford researchers led by Dr Rob Hope developed a mobile-enabled transmitter that can be fitted to a hand pump. The transmitter sends pump usage data to a central server, providing an immediate alert in case of pump breakdown.BBC News report on 24 Feb 17

Ebola response with local engagementRapid real-time advice and guidelines during the Ebola crisis increased the effectiveness of medical and humanitarian responses, saving lives and reducing the spread of the disease.

The Ebola Response Anthropology Platform (ERAP), accessed by more than 16,000 users, delivered online and face-to-face advice to policymakers and practitioners on identifying and diagnosing cases, managing death and funerals, caring for the sick, improving communications and community engagement.ERAP shaped UK and international strategy; its members formed a social science sub-group of the UK Government Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), advising the Government's Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientist, and presenting evidence to three UK Parliamentary Inquiries on Ebola. ERAP members joined three core World Health Organisation committees and produced more than 40 briefings for the Department for International Development, the Ministry of Defence, Christian Aid and others.ERAP directly shaped response activities in Sierra Leone, including implementation of locally appropriate Community Care Centres, safe burials, social mobilisation approaches and vaccine trials, and pre-departure training for 362 clinical personnel on engaging effectively with socio-cultural practices.

Professor Melissa Leach and her team were shortlisted for Outstanding International Impact in the ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize 2016.

ESRC GCRF – what comes next?▶ Scoping the next phase of ESRC-led GCRF calls▶ Guided by input from the ESRC International

Development Expert Group (EIDEG)▶ Four key priority areas:

– Mental health– Education and skills– Decent work– New economic challenges

▶ Expecting calls to open between Nov 2017 & Jan 2018

RCUK GCRF interdisciplinary hubs

▶ Cohort of large-scale hubs delivering integrated and innovative international research programmes

▶ Flagship investments bringing together UK and DAC-list country researchers

▶ Expected to redefine how we approach development challenges

▶ Overseas ROs expected to play very significant role in hub leadership and development

▶ RCUK GCRF TeamTel: 01793 444014 or email: gcrf@rcuk.ac.uk

Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund▶ Industrial Strategy and RCUK response▶ ISCF - interdisciplinary fund to support UK industries

work with research base on major societal challenges▶ Part of £4.7bn over 4 years▶ 6 initial challenges:

– healthcare and medicine– robotics and artificial intelligence– batteries for clean and flexible energy storage– self-driving vehicles– manufacturing and materials of the future– satellites and space technology

▶ ESRC and social science response and engagement

National Productivity Investment Fund▶ Investment in Research Talent - £300m from NPIF

– £90m for 1000 PhDs aligned with the Industrial Strategy– £160m for new fellowships aligned with the Industrial

Strategy– £50m for fellowship programmes to attract global talent

▶ Investment through ESRC– 77 studentships, allocated across DTPs which will:▪ address key skills gap areas identified in the Industrial Strategy – quantitative methods and data skills

▪ develop research capacity to address research challenges in the Industrial Strategy

– Bidding for funds for new fellowships – cross-Council

Discussion

▶ What are the opportunities for social science under UKRI?

▶ What are the challenges for social science under UKRI?

▶ How might social scientists best engage with the Industrial Strategy and Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund?

Celebrating success in the social sciences

Quality and Impact: ESRC Impact PrizeDr Kath Murray, University of EdinburghChanging stop and search legislation in Scotland

Professor Melissa Leach, Institute of Development Studies, University of SussexEbola response with local engagement

Professor Theresa Gannon (team application), University of KentPioneering treatment for firesetters

Briony Turner, King’s College LondonInspiring new explorers with tales from the field

Dr Rachel Aldred, University of WestminsterChanging the policy mindset on cycling

Responsiveness and independence: Brexit▶ UK in a Changing Europe – informing the debate▶ Brexit Priority Grants – understanding the outcome

and informing the implementation▶ Longer term priority – continuing to understand,

inform and challenge in a politically charged environment

▶ Representing concerns within the social science community – RO engagement

▶ Response to consultations and inquiries

Interdisciplinarity and international reach: GCRF▶ Responsiveness, interdisciplinarity and impact▶ 203 authorised grants including:

– 65 ESRC led projects/ networks– 23 IAA uplifts– 30 postdoctoral fellowships– 80 grants led by other Councils with recognised ESRC interest

▶ Over 30% RCUK Collective Fund awards led by social scientists

▶ Interdisciplinarity and impact:– Supporting the mental well being of bonded labourers in Nepal– Developing a risk mitigation strategy for sinkhole collapse in

South Africa

ESRC: other current priorities

Demand Management▶ Where are we now (2016/17 data):

– Number of funding decisions – 1284– Success rate – 24%

▶ But…– Variability in demand means wide fluctuations in success rates – Median grant size continuing to increase (up 50% since 2012)– Current uncertainties - European funding sources, move to UKRI

▶ Managing demand - current policies– Self regulation – working directly with ROs– Some scheme quotas

Demand Management

▶ Where next?– Continue with self-regulation– Close monitoring of trends – working with ROs– Continue scheme quotas where appropriate to the

scheme – Review of international best practice to develop

evidence base– Move to UKRI – potential to align policies

Peer review▶ Long term trend of falling response rates – down to

low of 47% in 2013 (from 73% in 2010)▶ Some recovery – but progress now reversing:

▶ Tools and training available – vital for academics to engage for the system to work

Total

No

Response

Respons

e

FY 2014/15 Count 2367 2793 5160

% within FY 45.9% 54.1% 100.0%

2015/16 Count 2715 3206 5921

% within FY 45.9% 54.1% 100.0%

2016/17 Count 2256 2471 4727

% within FY 47.7% 52.3% 100.0%

Where next? Funding opportunities and other reasons to engage

Current Funding OpportunitiesSpecific▶ Open Research Area (ORA) for the social sciences - 2017 call

(Closing date 5 July 2017)▶ National Coordinator for the European Social Survey (Closing date

July 2017)▶ Antimicrobial resistance in a global context (Closing date 11 July

2017)▶ ESRC-ICSSR Newton call for collaborative research on urban

transformations in India (Closing date 1 August 2017)▶ ESRC/Alan Turing Institute Joint Fellowship Scheme (Closing date,

21 September 2017)▶ EqUIP call for collaborative research on sustainability, equity,

wellbeing and cultural connections (Call for full proposals opens August 2017)

ESRC future funding opportunities

Open Calls▶ Standard Grants – Grant Assessment Panels (March, July,

November), including Secondary Data Analysis Initiative and New Investigator Grants

▶ Impact Acceleration Accounts (25 ROs)▶ Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Future Strategic Calls▶ Calls under Phase 2 of GCRF – ESRC funded and RCUK

collective funded – expected late 2017▶ Calls under new GCRF priority areas – expected late 2017

Developing policy areas▶ Leadership

– Considering ESRC’s role in supporting research leadership for increasingly complex investments – funding, guidelines and partnership with ROs

▶ Centres and infrastructure investments– Review considering sustainability of major ESRC

investments – both research centres and infrastructure

▶ Demand management– Continue to monitor trends in demand and mechanisms for

managing it

▶ Peer review– Reviewing the current approach to peer review by assessing

best practice across the UK and internationally

Where next…?

▶ We need a strong social science community prepared for UKRI: – Ambitious ideas and proposals – core social science and at the

boundaries with other disciplines– Training – on methods (NCRM), media (ESRC media training),

working with non-academic partners (e.g. though IfG)– Make use of the resources we have – wealth of data available

through UKDS, longitudinal studies, European Social Survey…– Responsive to new opportunities – whether around GCRF, ISCF

or the next major interdisciplinary funds– Engaging with consultations and enquiries – make your voices

heard in key areas such as the Industrial Strategy and Brexit

Engaging with ESRC

▶ Not just as applicants and award holders▶ Look out for future opportunities to join our:

– Peer Review College– Grant Assessment Panels– Committees– Council

▶ Look out for our next:– ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize – 2018 competition– ESRC Festival of Social Science – 4-11 November 2017

▶ Follow ESRC on social media