Economic and Social Research Council

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Economic and Social Research Council

• New Strategic Framework
• Presentation by Adrian Alsop
• Director for Research, Training
• and Development

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- Our purpose -

• Knowledge Impact
• Advancing knowledge in all areas of human and
  social activity
• Promoting its use for people in the United
  Kingdom and the wider world

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- Our principles -

• Quality Relevance
  Independence
• Quality Funding research and training of the
  highest quality by world standards
• Relevance Focusing on areas of major national
  importance and key policy areas
• Independence Ensuring independence from
  political, commercial or sectional interests

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Review of the Thematic Priorities

• undertaken by Council appointed review team
• reported to Council in October 2003
• proposed a new strategic framework to replace the
  thematic priorities
• Council approved the principles of the new
  strategic framework in January 2004

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Strengths Weaknesses of the Thematic Priorities

• Strengths
• addressed the 1992 White Paper Realising our
  Potential
• introduced relevance with quality to research
  funding
• provided a strategic framework for Council and
  Boards to steer priorities
• provided a shop window for the work for ESRC
• introduced the views of users, via consultation,
  into ESRCs priority setting

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Strengths Weaknesses of the Thematic Priorities

• Weaknesses
• limited impact on all areas of ESRCs work
• limited coverage of UK Social Science - skills,
  methods, resources
• become unwieldy too broad and unfocused to put
  priorities into practice
• insufficient platform for full engagement between
  Council, its Boards, and its Stakeholders

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Requirements of New Strategic Framework

• determine strategy and priorities in all areas of
  ESRCs work
• establish central role in strategic process for
  Boards, Committees and College
• promote and ensure engagement with all ESRCs
  stakeholders in strategic process
• provide a transparent process of priority setting
  and implementation
• enable a speedy response to new opportunities and
  challenges

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The New Strategic Framework

• Four Strategic Areas
• Capacity
• Research
• Engagement
• Performance

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1. Capacity

• Our Aim
• To build sufficient capacity i.e. expert
  researchers, data and methodology for the UK to
  undertake top class social science
• Key Priorities what might they be?
• Advancing research methods
• Raising capacity in management research
• Enhancing research skills
• Creating new national datasets
• This includes Studentships, Fellowships,
  Datasets/archive, Methodology etc.

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2. Research

• Our Aim
• Support excellent social science research that
  pushes forward the frontiers of science and
  addresses areas of major national importance
• Key Priorities what might they be?
• Economic Performance
• Health behaviours
• Environment and resources
• Responsive research excellence (grants)
• This includes Research grants, Research
  programmes, Research centres

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3. Engagement

• Our Aim
• Achieve the highest level of engagement and
  knowledge transfer of ESRC research
• Key Priorities what might they be?
• Improving on-line access
• Science in society
• International engagement
• Enhancing user engagement
• This includes Information Centre, Knowledge
  Transfer, international strategy, media training

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4. Performance

• Our Aim
• Achieve scientific and organisational excellence
  to maximise ESRCs effectiveness
• Key Priorities what might they be?
• Better impact metrics
• Customer service
• Improved administration
• This includes Evaluation, Recruitment,
  Personnel, Finance, IT etc.

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Development and Implementation
LEARNED SOCIETIES
INSTITUTIONS
USERS
INDIVIDUAL SCIENTISTS
OTHER FUNDERS
RCUK PARTNERS
BOARDS, COMMITTEES AND COLLEGE
COUNCIL
IMPLEMENTATION
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Addressing our priorities and strategy through
the work of our Boards and four Committees
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Economic and Social Research Council

• New Strategic Framework
• Presentation by Adrian Alsop
• Director for Research, Training
• and Development