2016/17 International Placement Scheme Application Guidance: The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin
INTRODUCTION
The International Placement Scheme (IPS) is an annual programme, providing funded research fellowships for AHRC and ESRC*-funded doctoral students, early career researchers and doctoral-level research assistants. In 2016/17, IPS fellowships are available at seven world-leading, international partner institutions:
• Harry Ransom Center (opens in a new window), The University of Texas at Austin, USA • The Huntington Library (opens in a new window), California, USA • The Library of Congress (opens in a new window)*, Washington DC, USA • National Institutes for the Humanities (opens in a new window), Japan • Shanghai Theatre Academy (opens in a new window), Shanghai, China • Smithsonian Institution (opens in a new window), Washington D.C., US • The Yale Center for British Art (opens in a new window), Connecticut, USA
*ESRC-funded candidates are eligible to apply to The Library of Congress only.
IPS fellows can spend up to six months at their IPS host institution, with access to their internationally renowned collections, resources, facilities and staff expertise. IPS fellowships also provide opportunities for fellows to network and meet potential research collaborators. IPS fellowships include a travel and living stipend, while the existing AHRC/ESRC stipend continues to be paid.
A total of 379 IPS awards have been made to date. Rules regarding eligibility, entitlements, award duration etc., differ for each IPS host; please see the table on page 2 for an overview. Detailed, institution-specific information, including application guidance and IPS awards made to date, are published on the IPS host’s AHRC webpages (opens in a new window). IPS OVERVIEW
Harry Ransom Huntington Library of National Shanghai Smithsonian Yale Center for Center Library Congress Institutes for Theatre Institution British Art the Humanities Academy Year joined IPS 2014 2012 2005 2008 2015 2014 2014 Who can apply AHRC AHRC AHRC & ESRC AHRC AHRC AHRC AHRC 2016 awards 5 10 25 11 4 5 5 available 2015 awards 23 (17 AHRC, 6 10 3 4 5 2 made 6 ESRC) 2015 30 (23 AHRC, applications 23 16 5 5 13 5 7 ESRC) received 3 - 4 months Fellowship (plus 2 weeks of 2 – 3 months 3 – 6 months 3 – 6 months 3 – 6 months 3 – 6 months 3 – 6 months duration language training if required) st st 1 Sept 2016 - 2016/ 17 st st 1 Oct 2016 – st st st st 1 Sept 2016 – 1 July 2016 – th 1 July 2016 – 31 Dec 2016 OR 1 Oct 2016 – 1 July 2016 – fellowship 30 Sept 2017 st 31st May 2017 30th June 2017 30th June 2017 1 March 2017 - 30th Sept 2017 30th June 2017 th date cycle 30 June 2017 Travel stipend Up to £750 Up to £750 £600 £800 £600 £600 £600 Monthly £1200 £1200 £1200 £1200 £1200 £1200 £1200 stipend Application Application form Application form Application form Application form Application form Application form Application form documents 2 page CV 2 page CV 2 page CV 2 page CV 2 page CV 2 page CV 2 page CV required Second reference Candidates NO, but it is recommended must contact NO, but it is NO, but it is No, but it is (contact to be YES YES YES recommended recommended recommended IPS host before initiated by 1st Dec applying 2015)
ABOUT THE HARRY RANSOM CENTER
The Harry Ransom Center is a world-leading research institution, dedicated to advancing the study of the arts and humanities by acquiring, preserving, and making accessible original cultural materials.
Specializing in literature, photography, film, art, and the performing arts, the Harry Ransom Center’s extensive collections include: 42 million manuscripts; nearly one million rare books; 5 million photographs – including the first ever photograph; 100,000 works of art and design; as well as major collections in film and the performing arts. The Center's collections are searchable on their website (opens in a new window).
The Center’s notable holdings include: • The Magnum Photos Collection • A large collection of rare and valuable comic books • The Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein Watergate papers • Three copies of the First Folio of William Shakespeare's plays • Paintings by Frida Kahlo; a complete set of Picasso's Vollard Suite • Extensive manuscript collections of David Foster Wallace, Lewis Carroll, Doris Lessing, Aleister Crowley, James Joyce, D. H. Lawrence, Anne Sexton and Graham Greene • Archives of Robert De Niro, Tom Stoppard, Harry Houdini and David O. Selznick - including Gone with the Wind costumes, scripts, storyboards and screen tests.
The Harry Ransom Center (the Center/HRC) supports research through symposia and fellowships and provides education and enrichment for scholars, students, and the public through exhibitions and programs. The Center has its own Conservation Department which is charged with the care and preservation of its collections; its staff are active and expert researchers in conservation techniques.
In addition to the Center’s world-class collections, facilities and scholars, IPS fellows can take advantage of the world-class resources at the University of Texas at Austin, including access to university libraries and a reduced-rate gym membership, among other privileges. More information is available in A Guide for HRC Fellows (PDF 488KB, opens in a new window) on the AHRC IPS webpage on HRC's website (opens in a new window). Short videos and blogs from past HRC fellows are available on the Ransom Center’s website (opens in a new window).
THE INTERNATIONAL PLACEMENT SCHEME
Aims of the Scheme
1. The aims of the International Placement Scheme are: • to provide early career researchers (ECR), doctoral level research assistants and AHRC/ESRC*- funded doctoral students, with dedicated access to the internationally renowned collections/ programmes/ expertise held at the four IPS institutions; • to enhance the depth, range and quality of research activities conducted by scholars; • to create opportunities for networking with other international scholars at those institutions.
Harry Ransom Center Placement Information
2. For 2016/17, there are up to five IPS placements available at the Harry Ransom Center.
3. IPS HRC fellowships are for two to three months and must take place in one block of time. Fellows can start from 1st September 2016 and must finish by 31st May 2017. When choosing dates, applicants should consult the holiday and closure dates on the AHRC IPS page on HRC's website (opens in a new window).
4. In addition to access to HRC’s research collections, facilities and scholars, IPS fellowships include: An IPS stipend comprising: - Travel stipend of up to £750, plus visa fees paid - Living stipend of £1200 for each month of the fellowship A shared office
5. The IPS stipend will be paid as a lump sum to IPS fellows’ ROs in the financial quarter after their fellowship starts. IPS fellows will therefore need to arrange with their RO to receive their funds in advance of their placement start date to allow them to pay for flights etc prior to leaving for their placement. IPS fellows will continue to receive any stipend/salary they receive as part of any current AHRC award funding.
6. IPS fellowships are to carry out primary research; placements cannot be used for writing up. Applicants’ proposed research must be within the remit of the AHRC and, for doctoral students, must be relevant to their AHRC-funded research.
7. IPS placements must be accommodated within the funded period of a PhD student’s AHRC award. This disqualifies students, who are not ECRs, from applying in their unfunded writing up year.
8. For candidates with current AHRC funding, no additional time will be added to the AHRC award end date or submission date to compensate for time spent on the IPS.
9. Before applying, candidates must ensure that their RO/supervisor/Head of Dept/mentor etc will be content to release them for the placement should their application be successful.
10. IPS fellowships cannot be extended or reduced, so careful consideration must be given to the time required to do the proposed research. Applicants should discuss their work plan with their supervisor and the HRC to ensure that the research can be completed within a realistic timescale, and will appropriately feed into the applicant’s current research or any AHRC parent project
11. Deferred entry applications are not permitted. Applicants should only apply to HRC if they are able to accept a placement of two to three months, between 1st September 2016 and 31st May 2017. Should a successful applicant be unable to go during this time, they would have to decline their place and re-apply the following year. In this instance, their application would be re-assessed alongside all the new applications for that year and a successful outcome could not be guaranteed.
12. Applicants MUST identify the HRC collections they propose to consult. Familiarising themselves with the collections relevant to their own research, and demonstrating in their application how and why the identified collections are relevant to their proposed research should be a priority for applicants. Only after they thoroughly researched the Center’s in-depth collection descriptions and finding aids online, may candidates contact the Harry Ransom Center to discuss their application. The Center cannot support speculative requests for information where the candidate has not carried out their own research on the Center’s collections. The deadline for candidates to initiate contact with the Center is 1st December 2015. After that, the Center cannot guarantee a response before the IPS deadline. Please contact only one curator or librarian to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort. If more than one collection is involved, Center staff will ensure that your message is properly forwarded. Candidates may check with the Center that the time they request is appropriate, and that the materials they wish to consult will be available. Further information on the Center’s collections and departmental staff contacts is available (opens in a new window).
13. Applicants should carefully consider which IPS institutions they wish to apply to depending on the fit to collections/resources/scholars. ESRC candidates may only apply to LoC. AHRC candidates may apply to multiple IPS institutions in each round, but they must make a separate application for each institution. If multiple applications are made, each application must be distinct, non-concurrent, and not inter-dependent, both in terms of the research to be conducted and the collections/ resources/scholars to be consulted. If the AHRC consider that dates/research overlaps, we reserve the right to reject all related applications. Applicants making multiple applications may be awarded a fellowship to one or more of their chosen IPS institutions, but this will be determined by the reviews for each separate application (see Appendix C for the Reviewer Grading Scale) and the funding available.
14. IPS fellows are responsible for arranging all other aspects of their trip, including booking accommodation (HRC will provide a list of available local accommodation), travel, insurance and securing appropriate visas (although many RO’s can assist with this; AHRC and HRC provide the necessary paperwork for fellows to make their visa application). Visa interviews take place at the US Embassy in London, for which fellows must make their own arrangements. IPS fellows requiring help with any of these practical arrangements should contact their RO.
15. On completion of the IPS fellowship, fellows must submit a report to the AHRC. This will cover how their fellowship contributed to broader professional development outcomes, and include reference to academic connections made, key resources used, and how the experience added value to the scholars’ own research. They are also invited to give general feedback on the IPS.
Harry Ransom Center is on the University of Texas at Austin campus
HARRY RANSOM CENTER ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA RANSOM CENTER ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 16. Applicants must be resident in the UK.
17. Applications may only be submitted by students or staff at approved UK Research Organizations (RO) or Independent Research Organizations (opens in a new window) (IRO). There is no cap on the number of applications that an RO/IRO may submit.
18. AHRC candidates may apply to all hosts. ESRC candidates may apply to LoC only.
19. Applicants may be PhD students, doctoral level research assistants or early career researchers (ECR).
20. Research assistants must be of doctoral standing and have a PhD or equivalent research experience.
21. Doctoral students must be enrolled at an approved UK RO and be in receipt of AHRC fees only or fees and maintenance PhD funding. Their IPS research must be relevant to their current AHRC-funded research. Their AHRC PhD funding must be ‘live’ from the point of application until the end of the IPS fellowship. This disqualifies students in their unfunded writing up year, unless they qualify as an ECR.
22. We are using AHRC’s definition of ECRs as researchers who are either: within eight years of the award of their PhD or equivalent professional training; or within six years of their first academic appointment (i.e. a paid contract of full/part time employment, with research and/or teaching listed as the primary function). This includes postdoctoral fellows and research assistants. ECRs are required to have a contract of employment with an AHRC-approved UK RO. This contract must be in place at the time of application and must extend beyond the duration of the IPS fellowship.
23. AHRC ECRs applying to the Harry Ransom Center must meet ECR eligibility requirements as above AND must either: - hold, or have previously held AHRC funding, including postgraduate funding OR - have formally worked, or be currently working as a researcher on an AHRC-funded research project, including at an LBAS Centre.
24. IPS fellowships cannot be used for writing up. Applicants must be applying to do primary research in an AHRC subject area/s.
25. Applications are open to full and part-time students/ECR staff; IPS fellows are expected to dedicate full time hours to the IPS placement.
26. Applicants may apply to multiple IPS institutions in this round, but they must make a separate, distinct and non-concurrent application for each institution.
27. Applicants may hold an IPS fellowship at the same IPS host once in each stage of their career i.e. once as a student and once as an ECR.
28. Resubmission of a previously unsuccessful application is permitted.
29. Deferred entry applications are not permitted.
For eligibility rules for other IPS hosts, please see the ‘Application Guidance’ on the IPS hosts’ webpage (opens in a new window).
APPLICATION, ASSESSMENT AND OUTCOMES
Application Submission
30. The application deadline is 16:00 on 21st January 2016. Late applications cannot be accepted.
31. Applicants and their Research Organisation should consult Appendices A, B and C of this document for detailed guidance and terms and conditions on submitting an application.
32. Applications must be submitted via the RCUK Je-S system and must go through the appropriate institutional submission process (see Appendices A & B for details).
Assessment Criteria
33. Candidates are advised to refer to the ‘Grading Scale for Reviewers’ (Appendix C) to ensure that they submit the highest quality application possible. Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the aims of the scheme as well as the following criteria: i. the extent to which the proposed research fits the specific Harry Ransom Center collections identified in the application; ii. the extent to which the fellowship and collections to be consulted would ‘add value’ to their research (especially if the collections are unique to the Center or rare); applicants may suggest how their fellowship may be of value to the Harry Ransom Center; iii. the extent to which the fellowship would be an effective use of the applicant’s time - applicants may include a timetable; iv. the extent to which the proposal identifies personal development opportunities through networking with other Harry Ransom Center research scholars. This might include the presentation of on-going work or immediate or longer term collaborative opportunities; v. if the intended research at the Harry Ransom Center is to be practice-led, the applicant’s own practice must be an integral part of the research proposal and the creative/performative aspects of the research must be made explicit. The applicant must explain how practice is an integral part of the project and not just the outcome; vi. where appropriate, the applicant must demonstrate that they have the necessary expertise required to undertake the proposed research, for example, language proficiency if the applicant wishes to research works written/spoken in a language other than English.
Applications will be assessed by curators at the Center. The reviewers will assess, along with the above criteria, the fit of the proposed project with the Harry Ransom Center’s collections and mission. These reviews will be the basis upon which the AHRC and Harry Ransom Center make the funding decisions.
Outcome Announcement
AHRC will email outcomes for Harry Ransom Center applications by 1st April 2016. Applicants should consider this alongside the visa requirements for their relevant nationality when choosing a start date. As per clause 5, the IPS stipend will be paid to fellows’ ROs in the financial quarter after the fellowship starts, so fellows will need to arrange advance payment of their funding from their RO.
HRC requires IPS fellows to complete HRC paperwork as part of the IPS acceptance procedure. A list of required forms and A Guide for HRC Fellows (PDF 488KB, opens in a new window) are published on the AHRC IPS webpage on HRC's website (opens in a new window).
CONTACT INFORMATION
For queries about the scheme or making an application, please contact [email protected] or 01793 416060.
Appendix A: Applicant and Research Organisation Guidance on Submitting an Application
A1. Applications must be submitted online via the RCUK Je-S system (opens in a new window).
A2. The AHRC cannot accept applications directly from students: the application may not be in the student’s name and the student’s RO must physically submit the application on their student’s behalf. (Direct applications from early career researchers are permitted.) Student applicants must contact their RO prior to commencing the application form to check their internal submission process and deadline (some ROs have internal submission deadlines far in advance of the AHRC deadline), and to find out who to use as the named person on their application (see Appendix B, ‘Guide to Completing the Application Form’ for further details).
A3. When creating a Je-S account it is vital that the named applicant enters an e-mail address where they wish AHRC IPS correspondence to be sent. It is important that this is kept up-to-date as we may need to contact them during the processing of their application.
A4. Parts of the application form have character limits which cannot be exceeded (see Appendix B, ‘Completing the Application Form’ for further details).
A5. All sections of the application form should be fully completed; we are unable to accept incomplete applications. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all parties have completed the relevant sections of the form in time for it to reach the AHRC by the closing deadline of 16.00 on 21st January 2016.
A6. A sample application form is available for information only on the AHRC IPS website (opens in a new window); this form cannot be used to make an application.
A7. To ensure that applicants submit by the deadline of 16.00 on 21st January 2016, they should allow time for their RO to approve and submit the application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that they are aware of their ROs submission process and deadline, and that applications made on their behalf by their RO are submitted by the deadline. Applications received late, even if not the fault of the applicant, will not be accepted.
A8. AHRC rules on the IPS scheme require ROs to pay their successful applicants in advance of the RO receiving the payment from the AHRC. In submitting an application on behalf of the applicant, the RO is confirming their acceptance of this requirement (see article 5 of this guidance).
A9. In submitting an application on behalf of the applicant, the RO is confirming their support of the application and undertaking to provide the support outlined in article 14 of this guidance.
A10. All IPS awards require the RO to submit a Final Expenditure Statement (FES). Fellows are not required to submit receipts for living costs.
A11. Once the RO submits the application, Je-S will automatically send an email acknowledgement to the submitter. If this is not received within 24 hours of submitting an application, the RO/ applicant should check with the Je-S helpdesk (opens in a new window).
Application Technical Support - Je-S Helpdesk
There is a dedicated Helpdesk for the Je-S application system. Telephone and email support is available between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, via 01793 444164 or [email protected].
Appendix B: Applicant & Research Organisation Guidance on Completing the Application Form
Guide to Creating the Application Form
Applicants will need to ‘create’ the application form as follows: 1. Log into Je-S (opens in a new window) once their account is set up 2. Select ‘Documents’ from the menu on the left of the page 3. Select ‘New Document’ 4. In the ‘Add New Document’ page please select as follows: - Select Council: AHRC - Select Document Type: Studentship Proposal - Select Scheme: International Placements - Call/Type/Mode Select your desired placement organisation 5. Select ‘Create Document’
A Document Menu will be presented displaying a list of sections that need to be completed. In addition to these sections there are a few functions available to help during or after completion of the form. These are accessible from the Document Menu (the main menu):
• Validate Document Selecting this will display at the bottom of the screen a list of any sections which have not yet been completed or which have been completed incorrectly. Applicants will not be able to submit the form to their RO’s approver/submitter pool until these issues have been addressed.
• Create Document for Printing Applicants can print the application form at any time using this function and can also save a non- editable version to their computer for future reference.
• User Access Privileges Applicants can allow other people to edit this application form by using this function and selecting ‘Add Editor’. For example, an applicant may wish to allow their supervisor/mentor/Head of Department etc., access so that they can edit, check or complete some of the sections.
Guide to Completing the Application Form
GRANT HOLDER Person name Early Career Researchers should use their own name as the ‘Grant Holder’.
RCUK rules do not allow students to be named on grants; for students, the ‘Grant Holder’ must be a designated contact at their home RO. Students must check with their RO who the contact person is (it is likely to be the contact on the student’s BGP/CDA/DTC award, or a member of staff in the Research/ Grants office. We recommend that students DO NOT use their supervisor or an academic contact.) The ‘Grant Holder’ must be employed at the applicant’s RO; they and the RO must be registered on Je-S.
Research Organisation & Department These sections will be pre-populated from the nominated person’s Je-S account details so are not editable. If the information is incorrect, the nominated person should update their Je-S account details.
If a student’s PhD is funded through a consortium of ROs, the application should be submitted by the student’s home RO, and a contact there, rather than the consortia lead RO.
QUALIFICATIONS Early Career applicants should provide details of their highest/most relevant HE qualification.
Students should provide details of their current doctoral level of study.
PROJECT DETAILS
Start Date Applicants need to enter their intended IPS fellowship start date. They should check the ‘Application Guidance’ document for their chosen host to ensure that their proposed dates and duration fit with the host’s IPS date cycle. For 2016/17, the earliest start dates for IPS hosts are:
· For Harry Ransom Center the earliest start date is 1st Sept 2016. · For Shanghai Theatre Academy, the earliest start date is 1st Sept 2016 or 1st March 2017. · For Huntington, Yale Center for British Art and NIHU, the earliest start date is 1st July 2016. · For LoC and Smithsonian, the earliest start date is 1st October 2016. LoC fellows must start on the first working Monday of a month.
Duration Once the applicant has entered their start date, they should enter their duration in whole numbers and select ‘calculate’; this will automatically populate the end date. Applicants must check the ‘Application Guidance’ for their chosen host to ensure that the duration they choose is permitted. For 2016/17, the permitted durations for IPS hosts are:
· For Harry Ransom Center, the durations may be from 2-3 months. · For Shanghai Theatre Academy, the durations may be from 3-4 months. · For Huntington, Yale Center for British Art, NIHU, LoC and Smithsonian, the durations may be from 3-6 months.
End Date Applicants need to check the ‘Application Guidance’ document for their chosen host to ensure that the end date they choose fits with the hosts IPS date cycle. For 2016/17, the latest end dates are:
· For Harry Ransom Center the latest end date is 31st May 2017. · For Shanghai Theatre Academy, the earliest end dates are 31st Dec 2016 or 30th June 2017. · For Huntington, Yale Center for British Art and NIHU, the latest end date is 30th June 2017. · For LoC and Smithsonian, the latest end date is the earliest start date is 30th September 2017.
Award durations cannot be changed once an application is successful, although start/end dates may be changed - subject to the approval of the host institution.
Your Reference If you wish to give the application your own reference number, please state it in this field.
Project title (150 characters including spaces) Applicants MUST prefix their proposed IPS project title with their full name in parenthesis e.g. (Alan Gordon) Historical contexts of the pedestrianisation of Norwich City Centre.
Placement Organisation Applicants should indicate their chosen IPS institution by selecting their chosen host from the ‘Closing Date’ drop down box.
PROJECT SUMMARY (up to 1000 characters including spaces) Applicants should provide a summary of the research they propose to conduct on their IPS fellowship. PhD applicants should indicate how the proposed research relates to their current research.
APPLICANT STATEMENT (up to 4000 characters including spaces) The ‘Applicant Statement’ should include: • a brief summary of the applicant’s current research; • the stage in the research at which the IPS fellowship would take place, e.g. details of the research undertaken to date, the number of months/years of study completed on the project, and the timescale for completing the research; • the duration and dates being applied for (see ‘Start Date’ section on the previous page of this document); they should also include a breakdown of how the time would be used; • if particular collections or resources are to be used these must be mentioned in the application. It is essential that the applicant demonstrates the relevance of the identified aspects of the collections to the applicant’s own research; • whether alternate institutions could offer equal or greater access to similar collections; • how access to the identified collections/expertise would add value to the applicant’s current and future research; if applicable, how the applicant’s research may be of value to their IPS host; • whether the fellowship would provide personal development opportunities other than those arising directly from the research (e.g. networking with other scholars, giving presentations of current work, or immediate or long term collaborative opportunities); • if the intended research is to be practice-led, how practice is an integral part of the project. They may also include up to 2 pages of visual evidence - see ‘Attachments’ section on next page; • whether the applicant has the necessary skills, for example, language expertise, required to undertake the proposed research.
APPLIED PREVIOUSLY Applicants who have previously made an unsuccessful IPS application should provide the reference no.
GRANT REFERENCE NUMBER AHRC & ESRC student applicants must provide the reference number for their AHRC/ESRC award. If that award is part of an institutional block grant or consortia grant (BGP/DTP/DTC/CDA/CDP etc), we require that grant reference number.
ECRs should provide the reference number for the AHRC grant they hold/held. AHRC ECRs applying to NIHU & STA, who do not hold/have not held AHRC funding, should leave the grant reference field blank.
AHRC grant numbers begin AH/... ESRC grant numbers begin ES/… Applicants unsure of their grant number must contact their RO to check the correct number.
SUPERVISOR STAFF Applicants choose their own referee, depending on the person they feel is most appropriate (likely to be their supervisor/ mentor/Head of Department etc). They should enter the name and institutional information of their referee, and then use the ‘Select Supervisor’ button to search for them in the list of existing Je-S accounts. If the person is not listed, they should use the ‘Add New Person’ button to manually enter their details.
SUPERVISION DETAILS (up to 4000 characters including spaces) The applicant’s supervisor/ mentor/ Head of Department etc., should provide a statement in support of the application, which includes: • an account of how the proposed research and time spent at the IPS institution will add value to the current and on-going work of the applicant; if applicable, how the applicant’s research may be of value to the IPS institution; • confirmation that the applicant has the skills necessary, for example language proficiency, to exploit effectively the resources available; • information on whether the chosen IPS institution is the most appropriate institution for the applicant to conduct their research; • details of the supervisory arrangements that will be in place whilst the applicant is undertaking their research during this placement, including assurance that the time spent at on the IPS will not result in extra time being required to complete the current research funded by the AHRC/ESRC.
If the applicant is making an application to more than one IPS institution, the applicant’s supervisor/mentor/HoD must ensure that their supporting statement for each application is distinct.
PROPOSAL CLASSIFICATIONS Using the subject classification list in Je-S, the applicant should state which AHRC subject area their application relates to, plus provide six ‘key words’ which best identify the focus of their research. Additional guidance on subject classifications is published in the AHRC Funding Guide.
ATTACHMENTS All applicants must attach a 2 page academic CV with their application. Huntington applicants must also attach a 1 page second academic reference.
Applicants are also required to complete an Equality & Diversity monitoring form. A link will be emailed to them once their applicant has been eligibility checked by the AHRC.
Practice-led candidates may include up to 2 pages of visual evidence to support their application. This should be in word or .pdf format.
Proposals containing attachments exceeding the stated limits, or not adhering to the specified format, will not be considered. Other types of attachments than those listed above will not be considered.
NOTES & COMMENTS Application is a collaborative process between the applicant and RO staff. This section allows either party to make notes for themselves or the other. Comments included in this section will NOT be included with the application.
Guide to Application Submission
Once an application and its attachments are complete in Je-S, the application needs to be sent to the RO’s approver and/or submitter pool for the RO-approved Je-S contact to submit the application. Applicants are responsible for familiarising themselves with their RO’s submission process and timing, and ensuring that applications made on their behalf by their RO are submitted by the deadline. Late applications, even if not the fault of the applicant, will not be accepted.
Appendix C: IPS Grading Scale for Reviewers
Candidates should familiarise themselves with the following Grading Scale, which IPS reviewers will use to grade applications:
Grade Descriptor A proposal that is outstanding in all of the following: scholarship; originality; quality; and significance. It fully meets all the assessment criteria for the scheme and excels in many or all of these. It provides full and consistent evidence and justification that the 6 collections/programmes/scholars attached to this institution are essential to the proposed research; that this institution is the only place where the research can be carried out; and that the research to be carried out here is essential to the applicant’s wider research.
It should be funded as a matter of the very highest priority. A proposal that is excellent in all of the following: scholarship, originality; quality; and significance. It provides full and consistent evidence and justification that the collections/programmes/scholars attached to this institution are important to the research; that this institution is the best place for 5 the research to be carried out; and that the research to be carried out here is important to the applicant’s wider research.
It should be funded as a matter of priority, but does not merit the very highest priority rating. A very good proposal demonstrating high standards of scholarship, originality, quality and significance. It provides full and consistent evidence and justification that the collections/programmes/scholars attached to this institution are important to the research; that 4 this institution is a relevant place where the research could be carried out; and the research to be carried out here is of value to the applicant’s wider research.
It is worthy of consideration for funding, but in a competitive context may not be a priority for funding. A satisfactory proposal in terms of the overall standard of scholarship and quality, but which is not competitive and/or is more limited in terms of originality/innovation, significance and/or its contribution to the research field. It satisfies at least minimum requirements in relation to the 3 assessment criteria for the scheme, and provides reasonable evidence and justification that this institution is a relevant, but not the only, place where the research could be carried out; and that the research to be carried out here is relevant to the applicant’s wider research.
The proposal is not considered of sufficient quality to recommend for funding. A proposal of inconsistent quality which has some strengths, innovative ideas and/or good components or dimensions, but also has significant weaknesses or flaws in one or more of the following: conceptualisation; design; methodology; management and/or relevance to the 2 institution’s collections/programmes/scholars. As a result of the flaws or weaknesses identified the proposal is not considered to be of fundable quality. (A proposal should also be graded 2 if it does not meet all the assessment criteria for the scheme.)
It is not recommended for funding. A proposal which falls into one or more of the following categories: • has unsatisfactory levels of originality, quality and/or significance • falls significantly short of meeting the assessment criteria for the scheme • contains insufficient evidence and justification for the proposal • displays limited potential to advance the research field 1 • the potential outcomes or outputs do not merit the levels of funding sought • is unconvincing in terms of its management arrangements or capacity to deliver the proposed activities • does not identify institutional collections/programmes/scholars relevant to the research.
It is not suitable for funding.