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Economic & Social Research Council 2005-06 Annual Report And Joint Statement by Chair and Chief Executive, Highlights, Research, Building Capacity for the Future, Engaging Society and Performance The Economic and Social Research Council’s Role is: To promote and support, by any means, high-quality basic, strategic and applied research and related postgraduate training in the social sciences. To advance knowledge and provide trained social scientists who meet the needs of users and beneficiaries, thereby contributing to the economic competitiveness of the United Kingdom, the effectiveness of public services and policy, and the quality of life. To provide advice on, and disseminate knowledge and promote public understanding of, the social sciences. Contents Joint Statement by Chair and Chief Executive 02 Highlights 2005-06 04 Who’s Who at the ESRC 17 Research Overview of Research Funding Schemes 23 Report by Strategic Research Board Chair 24 Research Partnerships Across the Councils 25 Case Study 26 Research Centres and Groups 27 Case Study 33 Research Programmes and Priority Networks 34 Report by Research Grants Board Chair 38 Case Study 39 Research Grants 40 Professorial Fellowships 43 Building Capacity Overview of Capacity Building Funding Schemes 45 Report by Training and Development Board Chair 46 Case Study 47 Knowledge Transfer Partnerships 48 New Standard Studentships 50 Submission Rate Survey 52 CASE Studentships 54 ESRC/NERC Studentships 58 ESRC/DCLG Joint Studentships 59 Centre Linked Awards 60 Research Resources Overview of Research Resources 61 Report by Research Resources Board Chair 62 Case Study 63 Research Resources 64 Engaging Society Engaging Society Overview 69 Making a Difference 70 Making Headlines 71 Supporting our Investments 74 Science in Society 75 Performance Performance Overview 77 Accounts 78 Health and Safety 109 Evaluation 110 RCUK (PEG) Performance Indicators 111 In accordance with Schedule 1 to the Science and Technology Act, 1965, the Economic and Social Research Council submits the following Report on its activities from 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006, on Wednesday 19 July 2006. Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on Wednesday 19 July 2006. HC1412 £21.75 London:The Stationery Office Frances Cairncross, Chairman Professor Ian Diamond FBA, AcSS, Chief Executive Joint Statement by Chair and Chief Executive In 2005, the Economic and Social Research Council School of Economics have shown that, contrary to some beliefs, celebrated its 40th anniversary. As this report shows, investment in information technology does enhance productivity. the ESRC is more lively and relevant in its fifth Another well-received policy intervention was the publication, during decade than ever before. National Science Week 2006, of our commentary on improving science education in schools. This document was produced by our Teaching A highlight of our activities during 2005-06 was the launch in and Learning Research Programme, working with the Association November of our Strategic Plan for 2005 to 2010. The plan sets out for Science Education. It outlines research-based evidence for ways ambitious targets for the next phase of the ESRC’s development. Its aim in which science can be taught better, and looks at ways of getting is to ensure that in coming years, we are supporting the very best social more science graduates into teaching careers. science research in the UK, and addressing questions of fundamental importance to the full range of social scientific disciplines. This will Supporting Future Social Science happen both in response mode and in directed mode. Here we have Alongside our support for research, ensuring the future capacity of identified seven key priorities including the global economy, education, UK social science is of critical importance to us. We recognise that the structure of the UK population, the environment and energy, and some areas of the research we support are in need of strengthening. the provision of public services such as health and transport. Because During the year we carried out a new survey of the age structure the scientists we support are the best judges of promising directions of UK social scientists. In some subject areas, the average age of for research, we are putting more of our resources than ever into researchers is high. So we have decided to increase the resources we responsive-mode funding. The responsive mode accounts for most devote to strategic areas such as economics, statistics and social work, of our research spending and allows us to support the best projects with a view to bringing more young academics into these subjects. put to us by social scientists. There are likely to be more such initiatives in future. We would like to thank Dr David Mills of the University of Birmingham and his The priorities set out in the Strategic Plan were arrived at after careful team for their hard work on this review. consultation within and beyond the UK. As well as talking to social scientists themselves, we spoke to people from industry, government This demographic review has guided the allocation of quotas of and the non-profit sector about what they want from social science postgraduate students to the higher education institutions we support. research. We also consulted international partners about their views on We also launched a ‘First Grant’ scheme to ensure that researchers the strengths and weaknesses of UK social science research, and found near the start of their academic careers have a fairer chance of winning that the researchers we support are in high demand as collaborators support from ESRC. around the world. We are confident that the completion of this exercise has given us a solid base of knowledge about the challenges we face. We are aware that public expectations of scientific research are rising. There is an increasing need to show that the research we support During the year we also published ESRC’s Delivery Plan for the current meets high ethical standards. It is extremely rare for the researchers spending review period. It describes how we will meet the demanding we fund to apply any but the highest standards to their research. targets in our Strategic Plan. We are already starting to do this. During the year, we implemented our Research Ethics Framework to ensure that participants in our research are treated in an acceptable Research Highlights fashion. It relies upon institutions to put procedures in place to ESRC researchers continue to work in key areas of policy concern. guarantee the ethical standards of their research. We would like to During 2005-06, one highlight was Dr Nick Bloom’s work on thank Professor Andrew Webster of the University of York, who led productivity in the UK economy. He and colleagues from the London the development of the Framework. 02 Economic and Social Research Council Annual Report The year was marked by increased efforts on our part to enhance the between government and universities. We are sure that this will capacity of UK social science research. The resources we support are benefit the individuals and departments concerned. The connection available to all researchers, not only those supported by ESRC. Our will also make us better-informed about the needs of government for decision to continue funding the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) research and for trained social scientists. We are exploring similar until 2009 will guarantee this major survey at least 18 years of life, forms of joint working with the business sector. making it one of the longest-running and most valuable surveys of its kind in the world. We intend that the BHPS will be greatly increased ESRC’s success depends on the contributions of its council members, in size in the next few years. This will enhance the opportunities for its staff, and many others who make up its boards and committees. research on subgroups of the UK’s increasingly diverse society. We would like to thank them all for their efforts, which have been especially strenuous during this phase of rapid growth in our activities. Working With Others Social scientists now regularly work in teams that cross international In particular, we wish to thank two retiring council members for boundaries. We have instigated agreements with partner organisations their hard work. We are sure that Professor Andrew Chesher, Professor in several other European countries and in Australia, Korea, New Zealand of Economics at University College London and former chair of the and the United States with the aim of making this vital form of Research Grants Board, and Professor Stephen Wilks, Professor of working simpler. Politics at the University of Exeter and former chair of the Strategic Research Board, will remain valuable allies for ESRC. In this context, it is a pleasure to congratulate Professor Roger Jowell of City University on becoming the first social scientist to win the Finally we note with sadness the death of Michael Posner (1931-2006). European Union’s Descartes Prize. It is appropriate that Professor Michael was chairman of the then Social Science Research Council Jowell, the founder of Social, Community and Planning Research, during the inquiry in 1982 that threatened its closure, under a won the prize for his involvement in the European Social Survey. government that doubted the necessity for social science and perhaps even the discipline’s existence. The flourishing ESRC whose activities The study of important languages and cultures is a further area in are encapsulated in these pages is here because of his political skills, which we are working with others to improve UK capacity. New which enabled this threat to be averted. collaborative efforts which we have launched jointly with the Higher Education Funding Councils for England and Scotland and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) will allow university research in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and other languages and cultures to be enhanced at five major research centres.
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