Overview of AHRC’s Future Research Strategy and Themes
RCUK review of current cross-Council themes, gaps & emerging areas for the next Spending Review period in 2008/9, informed by Councils’ own emerging strategies consultations
Further consultations (e.g. AHRC Future Directions & Advisory Board, cross-Council expert workshop in June 2009, discussions with a range of stakeholders) in 2009/10
In parallel growing policy timeliness (e.g. current debates localism, ‘Big Society’ etc)
To mobilise the potential for increasingly connected communities to enhance self-prosperity, sustainability, health & well-better connecting research, stakeholders communities.
To contribute to:
community self-reliance
community resilience
active citizenship
flourishing diverse & cohesive
communities health & well-being
regeneration
cultural vibrancy
sustainable development
For the purposes of this Programme, and subject to further consultation, we are currently thinking of ‘communities’
“cooperative or interactive groups sharing a virtual or physical environment and aspects of identity (such as location, ethnicity, age, history, occupation), culture, belief or common bonds and/or a shared interest in particular issues outcomes”.
We recognise that such communities are nested and overlap are interested both in the relationships within these communities and the interactions between communities their outcomes for broader society and economy.
In terms of the research:
Improve understanding of both the changing connections between individuals and groups within communities and connections between different communities – communities complex webs of inter-connections - and their implications future society.
Examine the connections between communities and their broader environments – spaces, places and institutions how this can help inform future community-based approaches
Explore connections between research issues often considered in isolation to deliver more integrated understanding of the roles of, and impacts on, communities.
In terms of how the Programme will achieve its objectives:
Connect researchers, knowledge and data from across disciplines to deliver more integrated understanding
Connect UK and international research
Connect researchers, stakeholders and communities in co-production of knowledge and knowledge exchange.
Connect research funders to enhance co-ordination and alignment of activities and promote partnerships and collaboration to maximise added value from the currently highly fragmented research field and address strategic
Connected Communities ‘Summit’ Birmingham held in June follow-up development activities now being supported
Civility project (AHRC, ESRC, Young Foundation)
Collaboration with CABE on ‘Beauty’ (AHRC)
BIS SIN US network event on communitarianism
Workshop on ‘crime & communities’, 27 July 2010 & 9 follow-projects to start shortly
Workshop on ‘Design & Communities’ with Design Council 2011
AHRC Museums & Galleries Programme event in September
Call to apply to attend a research development workshop of the cultural & creative economy in creating prosperous communities in December 2010 (closing date 5 November
Fellowship in collaboration with RSA Citizen Power in Peterborough Programme (closing date 26 November 2010
Scoping studies and Research reviews, closing date 26 November 2010
Highlight notice in AHRC’s research networking and fellowships schemes (Open deadlines)
Highlight notice AHRC’s collaborative doctoral awards scheme (closing date 4 November 2010)
‘Future Directions’ consultation (Feb-May 2009)
Advisory Board analysis of outcomes
Further consultation e.g. with key partners & Subject Associations
Development by Advisory Board & Council
Themes still being developed through consultation, with small working group being established for each theme advise on further development
Emerging Themes not the same as current AHRC strategic programmes – seen as collection of strategic activities contributing to the theme
Consideration of international, knowledge exchange, capacity building and public policy implications & activities, will be as appropriate from the outset
Budget for new themes built into AHRC future funding scenarios as a high priority in order to maintain strategic investments current AHRC programmes end
Emphasis on using current funding mechanisms and on targeted activities building larger consortia grants and partnership activities, rather than new research programmes
How the past can inform future thinking
Visions of the future (philosophy, religions, art & literature, foresight, etc)
Custodianship of cultural heritage for future generations
Processes and lived experiences of change
Future ethical, moral, cultural & social landscapes
Changing civic values, perceptions of trust, intergenerational equity, notions of ‘care’ and ‘caring’, philanthropy, etc
Potentially covers a wide range of domains e.g. constitutional change, crime & law, sustainable development, role
Builds upon:
AHRC Programmes such as:
Science & Heritage
Landscape & Environment
Museums & Galleries
Contributes to
LWEC
Connected Communities
Opportunities
Cultural Heritage European JPI
Possible LWEC collaborations
How digital technologies can transform arts & humanities research e.g. through new opportunities for analysing and interpreting cultural artefacts, new creative opportunities, potential for an ‘infinite archive’, & managing, organising exchanging knowledge & understanding
How it can transform access and engagement between arts humanities research and different publics
What does it mean to be human in a digital age? Raises complex issues such as responsibility, privacy, intellectual property, security, identity etc
How it is transforming some of the objects/foci of arts and humanities , e.g. changing cultures, language & communication, performance etc
Builds upon:
ICT Programme
DEDEFI
Beyond Text
Contributes to:
Digital Economy Programme
Opportunities:
Digging into data with US & Canada
Collaboration with British Library in India
Possible ‘ideas collision’ event / consortia development workshop in 2011
Proposed copyright centre
Need for diverse cultures to understand & communicate with each other
Role of ‘translation’ & cultural interactions in ensuring that languages, values, beliefs, histories & narratives can be mutually shared and comprehended
Role of cultural understanding in a globalised economy and society – crucial to successful diplomacy, peacekeeping, interactions, business growth and flourishing community relationships in diverse societies
Translation not just from one language to another, but from medium to another, e.g. from verbal to non-verbal art forms
Need for strategic approach to developing experts in specialist non-European languages and in language-based area studies.’
Builds upon:
Language Based Area Studies Centres (LBAS)
Diasporas, Migration & Identities Programme
Religion & Society Programme
Contributes to:
Global Uncertainties
Connected Communities
Opportunities:
European ERANET plus ‘Cultural Encounters’
Follow-up to LBAS Centres
Recent CRT call on languages
Understanding the interactions between science and arts humanities
Historical evolution of science; creativity, discovery & argumentation in science; science as a system of knowledge
Impact on values, beliefs & ‘world views’; cultural, religious, ethical and legal dimensions; representation of science in language, literature, art, imagery, museums etc;
Anticipating & influencing future controversies and enhancing public debates & engagement
Emerging areas such as medical humanities
Builds on:
Centres e.g. Evolution of cultural diversity
Current cross-Council Programmes
Contributes to:
All cross Council Programmes including LLHWB
Opportunities:
Cross-Council sand-pits / retreats e.g. robotics
Royal Society Neuroscience workshop
Highlight notices in research networking and Fellowships announced in August
Establish small working groups to advise on each theme
Possible workshops as a part of institutional visits
Take advantage of emerging opportunities e.g. for partnership funding, commissioned activities, as appropriate.
Looking at what comes through other schemes such as grants, new follow-on fund etc of relevance to themes
4 AHRC Themes plus Connected Communities
Based on current, broad, theme descriptions (on website)
Intended to be open and encourage bottom-up ideas from research community
Scheme remains fully open to applications outside themes
Applications addressing themes are
not prioritised & considered in competition with other applications
However, if there is a strong response we may supplement networking budget from theme development budgets support additional highly ranked projects and / or reduce impact on applications outside themes.
We will monitor response relevant to themes and consider how to maximise value from them and if any changes to highlight are needed.
4 AHRC Emerging Themes plus Connected Communities
As with networking highlight aim to encourage ‘bottom-up’ scheme remains fully open to applications outside themes applications addressing themes are not prioritised & considered competition with other applications
Applies to both standard and early career routes
However, a particular focus in this highlight is on what the more flexible fellowship scheme can enable / bring to the themes, particularly in terms of giving people time to work collaboratively in different places / settings / contexts and/develop collaborative partnerships
Fellowships under highlight notice can be more ‘developmental’ in terms of exploring new research areas than normal
Guidance for peer reviewers & panels being developed
Connected Communities – e.g. Enabling researchers to time doing research embedded in communities and working in collaboration with community organisations, policy-and practitioners
Science in Culture – e.g. Enabling arts and humanities researchers time to work collaboratively with teams of scientists or as a part of cross-Council Programmes
Translating Cultures – e.g. Time spent working overseas overseas collaborators or institutions involved in promoting cultural interaction to conduct research developing understanding of different cultures
Care for the Future – e.g. Time spent working with an environmental organisation or on public engagement relating environmental issues or with a heritage organisation on custodianship or working with a partner organisation to more culturally informed ‘horizon scanning’
Digital Transformations: e.g. Time for A&H researchers spend embedded in a Hub, Doctoral Training Centre or team funded under the Digital Economy Programme, or partnership with creative industries or for a digital expert spend embedded with an arts and humanities team to explore the transformative research potential of digital technologies.
AHRC new follow-on fund
Supplementary funding for innovative activities in support knowledge exchange, public engagement, active dissemination or commercialisation activities that arise unforeseeably during the lifespan of, or following, an AHRC-funded project
Up to £120k (fec), open deadline, any topic (not restricted themes)