‘Transforming’ Social Science – Transformative Research Call

ESRC LogoThis new pilot call for up to £250,000 aims to provide a stimulus for genuinely transformative research ideas at the frontiers of social sciences and to trial a mechanism that enables research which challenges current thinking to be supported and developed.

The ESRC Transformative Research Call is a new pilot for 2012/13 which aims to provide a stimulus for genuinely transformative research ideas at the frontiers of social sciences and to trial a mechanism that enables research which challenges current thinking to be supported and developed.

The call is a pilot and is therefore subject to very specific eligibility criteria. Eligible research organisations will be notified by invitation and the eligibility criteria (including the number of applications allowed by each research organisation) and more information about the call can be found in the call specification.

Proposals will be assessed and successful applicants will receive a grant of up to £250,000 (at 100 per cent fEC). The ESRC will only fund 80 per cent of this cost, and the balance must be guaranteed by the research organisation. In addition, host research organisations of successful applicants will receive a further £50,000 to spend on fostering future transformative research in the social sciences.

Application process

Applications must be submitted using the online application form. Access to the form is via a password, with access details contained in the invitation letter sent to research organisations. Guidance notes on completing the form and the application can be found under further information.

Applications, which should be identified by the research organisation, need to be submitted to us by no later than 16.00 on 24 January 2013.

Further information