August 2016
Following a review* ESRC are launching a new set of measures to enhance their support for early career researchers (ECRs). A series of measures will seek to provide a more integrated support system across three distinct ECR stages: doctoral; immediately postdoctorate; transition to independent researcher. These include:
1. Review careers advice and support provided through the Doctoral Training Partnerships and Centres for Doctoral Training
2. Support Postdoctoral Fellowships through the Doctoral Training Partnerships
3. International comparative review of the nature of the PhD in the social sciences
4. Introduce a New Investigator strand of the Research Grants scheme
5. Encourage the participation of ECRs within other ESRC funding schemes
6. Require ESRC grant holders to set out how they will support postdoctoral researchers continuing professional development and include this as part of the assessment process.
1. Review careers advice and support provided through the Doctoral Training Partnerships and Centres for Doctoral Training (not applicable to University of Lincoln)
ESRC will work with their new Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs) and Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) to ensure they are providing realistic careers support and advice for careers both within and beyond academia.
2. Support Postdoctoral Fellowships through the Doctoral Training Partnerships (not applicable to University of Lincoln)
Ten per cent of the ESRC’s studentship budget will be used to fund Postdoctoral Fellowships through the ESRC’s 14 new Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs). The Fellowships will be available to ESRC and non-ESRC funded doctoral graduates who are within one year of completing their PhD and will give them the opportunity to consolidate their PhD through developing publications, their networks, and their research and professional skills
3. International comparative review of the nature of the PhD in the social sciences
ESRC want to work with key stakeholders across the sector to establish the extent to which the UK PhD is providing effective preparation for careers both within and beyond academia and look at how competitive ESRC doctoral graduates are internationally
4. Introduce a New Investigator strand of the Research Grants scheme
This new strand of ESRC’s existing Research Grants scheme will replace their current Future Research Leaders scheme. New Investigator Grants are specifically aimed at supporting those looking to make the transition to an independent researcher through managing their first major research project. The scheme has an open date so that researchers can apply for it at any point rather than having to wait for an annual competition.
The New Investigator strand of the Research Grants Scheme will be launched very shortly. For details on how to apply go to ESRC’s Funding opportunities page.
5. Encourage the participation of ECRs within other ESRC funding schemes
ESRC will encourage the participation of ECRs through other funding schemes, for example, requiring ECRs to be included as co-investigators as they currently do in their Secondary Data Analysis Scheme.
6. Require ESRC grant holders to set out how they will support postdoctoral researchers continuing professional development and include this as part of the assessment process.
ESRC will develop a statement of expectations for how postdoctoral researchers on grants should be supported and require grant holders to set out how they will support the professional development of postdoctoral researchers on grants and include it as part of the assessment process. In taking this forward ESRC will consult with key stakeholders including postdoctoral researchers currently on grants, grant holders and those with responsibility for Researcher Development within institutions. ESRC will also build on similar work undertaken by other Research Councils.
*The review was prompted by respondents to ESRC’s 2015 Strategic Plan consultation who identified support for ECRs as an important issue, particularly provision in the period immediately post PhD. It drew on a range of evidence including a commissioned study of Early career social science researchers: experiences and support needs (PDF, 157Kb) by William Locke and Richard Freeman at the ESRC Centre for Global Higher Education (methodology appendix available below).