COUNTRY REPORT

Social Sciences and

Humanities in the
United Kingdom

2012 Report

European Commission
DG-Research

The Social Sciences and Humanities are influential for all Member States
and for the European Commission. Thousands of researchers carry out
research in a vast array of themes of national and international interest. They
do so taking into account their organizational structures, framework
conditions, as well as cultural preferences and political priorities in their
countries.
METRIS is an initiative of the Directorate-General for Research and
Innovation (DG RTD) which aims to become an entry and reference point for
the social sciences and humanities landscapes in Europe. Commissioned by
the ERA Directorate of DG RTD and performed via the Metris-Network, it
pursues the collection, regular updating, and analysis of information on
social sciences and humanities at national and European level.
METRIS products
All products are brought together under the website www.metrisnet.eu. It
provides METRIS country profiles for all EU-27 countries plus another 15
European and non-European countries, most of them Associated countries
to the European Unions Research Framework Programme. The website
provides access to the following services and publications, as they become
available:

Regularly updated country profiles of SSH systems in 42 countries;

a news service;

annual monitoring reports for all countries covered;

synthesis reports bringing together key points;

links to relevant reports and websites

This document has been prepared within the framework of an initiative of the
European Commissions Research and Innovation Directorate-General,
addressing the ERAWATCH Network asbl. The METRIS network is
managed by Technopolis Consulting Group, the project manager is Dr. Viola
Peter (viola.peter@technopolis-group.com).
The present report was prepared by Paul Cunningham and Thordis
Sveinsdottir, Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, University of
Manchester:
paul.cunningham@manchester.ac.uk
and
Thordis.sveinsdottir@manchester.ac.uk. The contents and views expressed
in this report do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Member States or
the European Commission.
The report covers the period from September 2011 to December 2012.
Copyright of the document belongs to the European Commission. Neither
the European Commission, nor any person acting on its behalf, may be held
responsible for the use to which information contained in this document may
be put, or for any errors which, despite careful preparation and checking,
may appear.

1. Country Overview
1.1 Overview of SSH System

1
1

1.1.1 Overview of the structure

1.1.2 Recent changes in the system

1.2 Policy challenges and developments

1.2.1 Main societal challenges translated into SSH research

1.2.2 New SSH policy developments

2. Policy Setting System

2.1 Government policy making and coordination

6
6

2.1.1 Policy formulation and coordination

2.1.2 SSH policy advice

2.1.3 Main implementing bodies

2.2 Impacting factors

10
13

2.2.1 Policy fields influencing SSH policies

13

2.2.2 Influence of European and international developments

14

2.2.3 Relevance of European and international SSH research

15

2.2.4 Impact of evaluations

16

2.2.4.1 Project evaluation

18

2.2.4.2 Programme evaluation

18

2.2.4.3 Institutional evaluation

20

2.3 Important policy documents

20

2.4 Thematic priorities at national level

23

2.5 Important research programmes

23

2.6 SSH research infrastructures

26

2.6.1 National infrastructures

26

2.6.2 International infrastructures

28

3. Funding System

30

3.1 Overview of funding flows

30

3.2 National public SSH research funding

32

3.2.1 Overview of funding importance

32

3.2.2 Institutional funding

33

3.2.3 Individual funding

34

3.2.4 Programme Funding

34

3.3 Private research funding

34

3.4 Foundations/ not-for-profit funding

35

3.5 European and international funding

35

4. Performing System

37

4.1 Overview of the performers

37

4.2 Higher Education Institutions

37

4.2.1 HEIs as education performers

37

4.2.2 HEIs as research performers

39

4.3 Public Research Organisations

42

4.4 Private research performers

43

4.5 Research performance

44

4.5.1 Scientific publications

44

4.5.2 Interdisciplinarity

46

4.5.3 International Cooperation

48

References

51

1. Country Overview
1.1 Overview of SSH System
1.1.1 Overview of the structure
The majority of SSH-related research in the UK is performed within the
Higher Education (HE) system, hence this forms the central element of the
overall SSH research system and funding for SSH-related research follows
the same general pattern as does support for science, engineering and
technology. The majority of funding for this research is provided by the
Higher Education Funding Councils (for England, Scotland and Wales, while
an equivalent body operates in Northern Ireland) in the form of institutional
block funding to HEIs. Funding for individual researchers, research groups
and centres (throughout the UK) is provided on a competitive (responsive
mode) basis by the UK Research Councils. Of particular relevance to the
SSH area are the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the
Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), although other (natural and
physical sciences-oriented) Research Councils may also contribute to SSHrelated research funding, particularly through cross-Research Council or
interdisciplinary programmes. Further funding for SSH research is provided
by the British Academy (BA). Funding for the Higher Education Funding
Council for England, the Research Councils and the BA originates from the
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Other government
departments with SSH concerns as part of their overall policy portfolio will
also support SSH research, either intramurally or through external contracts,
while policy coordination on these issues is overseen by the Government
Social Research Unit.
Additional support is made by a number of charities and foundations which
also make substantial funding contributions, and may conduct research
themselves. The private sector is also a performer and funder of SSH
research, either intra- or extramurally, although the scale of this activity is
difficult to measure as it ranges from research conducted in clearly
identifiable SSH -oriented institutes to that conducted by or for companies
(such as in the context of market research, etc.).
A major structural change within the past ten years has been the creation of
a fully-fledged Arts and Humanities Research Council from the previous Arts
and Humanities Research Board. In addition, new policy research centres
have been set up and closed, particularly the various research centres
established with ESRC time-limited funding, although this constant flux tends
not to affect the overall structure and composition of the research community
itself.

1.1.2 Recent changes in the system

No major structural changes occurred in the UK SSH system during

2011-12, other than the new service announced below.

In July 2012, the ESRC announced funding of 17m (20.1m) over five
years for the UK Data Service. Due to start in October 2012, the new
service provides a unified point of access to the extensive range of
economic and social data, including valuable census data. It has been
designed to provide seamless access and support for the current and
future research demands of both academic and non-academic users.

In August, the launch of the Centre for Copyright and New Business
Models in the Creative Economy was announced. Run by a consortium
of UK universities led by the University of Glasgow, CREATe (Creativity,
Regulation, Enterprise and Technology) will examine a range of issues
relating to new digital technologies with a view to meeting some of the
central challenges facing the UKs creative economy. CREATe is funded
by the AHRC, EPSRC and ESRC. CREATe comprises the University of
Edinburgh, University of Strathclyde, University of St Andrews, University
of Nottinghams digital economy hub (Horizon), the University of East
Anglia (UEA) and Goldsmiths, University of London.

1.2 Policy challenges and developments

1.2.1 Main societal challenges translated into SSH research
According to the Strategic Plan 2008-11i of the UKs Government Social
Research Service (the most recent available), the future strategic challenges
that the UK is facing demand a greater contribution from the social sciences
in generating and evaluating appropriate policy responses that represent an
efficient use of public resources.
Meanwhile, the ESRC 2009-14 Strategic Plan notes that, after extensive
consultation, seven areas of strategic challenge for economic and social
research have been identified. Some build on existing investments and help
consolidate knowledge and also recognise emerging areas for social
science:

Global Economic Performance, Policy and Management

Health and Wellbeing

Understanding Individual Behaviour

New Technology, Innovation and Skills

Environment, Energy and Resilience

Security, Conflict and Justice

Social Diversity and Population Dynamics

Likewise, according to the Arts and Humanities Research Councils Arts and
Humanities Research Landscapeii the strategic challenges specified by the
Cabinet Office Strategy Unit (2008) provide themes to which arts and
humanities research can contribute. These long term public policy
challenges include:

the ageing of the population;

the intensification of cross-border economic competition as economic

activity shifts towards emerging markets such as China and India;

an acceleration in the pace of technological diffusion and a continued

increase in the knowledge-intensity of goods and services;

uncertainty due to international terrorism and global conflict; and

increasing pressures on natural resources and global climate.

Additionally, the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit highlights the following work
areas:

Public Service Reform

Employment

Maternity and Early Years services

Preventative NHS strategy

Police reform

Public Services Improvement Strategy

Youth

Future of the Economy

Value for Money - understanding how best to embed value for money
across the public sector.

Other work areas include:

Social Europe, looking at the UKs approach towards Social Europe,

and how the EU and Member States can best work together in the global
age to deliver social objectives.

Other important Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policies further

support the impact of research, and especially social science research, on
grand challenges and vice versa leading to the specification of long-term
research challenges similar to those above. These are exemplified by the

cross-Research Council programmes into strategic challenges. Those

involving ESRC and/or AHRC are:

Digital Economy (ESRC, AHRC)

Energy (ESRC)

Global Food Security (ESRC)

Living with environmental change (ESRC, AHRC)

Global uncertainties: security for all in a changing world (ESRC, AHRC)

Lifelong Health and Wellbeing (ESRC, AHRC)

A further example of cross ESRC/AHRC collaboration is the Connected

Communities programme (see below).
Thus, the strategic challenges facing the UK SSH research system concern
mainly broader global challenges perceived at a supranational level, with a
few particular challenges clearly emerging at national level. A further
challenge is to maximise impact, including initiating interaction between SSH
and other disciplines supporting multidisciplinary research.
In terms of implementing and mobilising research to deal with these issues, it
is clear that the overall portfolio of SSH research supported mainly by ESRC
and AHRC (and further supported directly by relevant government
departments, together with charitable trusts and not for profit organisations)
provides a steady and comprehensive stream of evidence against which
future policies may be informed in order to address the challenges faced by
the UK.
1.2.2 New SSH policy developments
There have been no significant changes in either the personnel or the
structure of the main relevant SSH bodies. Other notable developments
include:

Research Council budgets are to be maintained at the same (cash) level

until 2014-15. ESRC will receive an annual budget of 15,319m from
2012-13, while AHRC will get 98,370m.

In common with the other Research Councils, both AHRC and ESRC
have published impact reports:

Collaborative research, support for research training and connections

with the Creative Economy form the key features of The Impact of
AHRC Research 2010/11iii. The report shows how the AHRC
encouraged collaboration in the UK and overseas, with 76% of AHRC
awards being collaborative in 2011/12.

The ESRC Research Performance and Economic Impact Report

2011/12iv shows how ESRC-funded research supports and develops
the wellbeing of UK citizens and the international competitiveness of the
nation. It looks at the impact of ESRC-funded research from knowledge
exchange, public engagement and skilled people, the support of worldclass research to enable impact, methodological developments and
future challenges.

In October 2012 the British Academy reinforced its longstanding

relationship with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) with
the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding between the two
national academies.

In September 2012, the House of Commons Science and Technology

Committee published its report on the results of an enquiry into The
Census and Social Science1.

The British Academy made its first awards under the new International
Partnership and Mobility Scheme. Fifty two one-year and three-year
awards were made, for research partnerships with a total of 26 different
countries.

In January 2012, the British Academy and the Leverhulme Trust

announced a major new collaboration to support the award of Small
Research Grants (SRGs) across the Humanities and Social Sciences. In
2011, the SRG scheme had resumed with reduced funding from the
Department of Business, Innovation and Skills; the Leverhulme Trust
however confirmed a grant of 1.5m over 3 years to support the scheme.

In common with other Research Councils, in March 2011 the ESRC

published ESRC Delivery Plan 2011-15v. The plan announced a
sharpened focus around three priorities: Economic Performance and
Sustainable Growth; Influencing Behaviour and Informing Interventions;
and A Vibrant and Fair Society.

The report concludes that the Census has been a particularly useful resource for
social scientists and historians, enabling them to carry out research, analyse policy
development and evaluate social behaviour and mobility. It also has long-run value.
The Committee highlighted the potential value of other administrative data collected
by Government, but expressed concerns about the inefficiency of the process,
including that of sharing it with others. See:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmsctech/322/322.pdf

2. Policy Setting System

2.1 Government policy making and coordination
2.1.1 Policy formulation and coordination
The UK has no separate framework for policy making for SSH; this lies within
the general policy making framework that applies for all scientific disciplines.
The main bodies coordinating SSH research policy are the Economic and
Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Arts and Humanities Research
Council (AHRC). Both are independent Non-Departmental Public Bodies
operated under and funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and
Skills (BIS). The Home Office also works closely with all Research Councils
and its relationship with ESRC and AHRC in particular has grown over
recent year: there is now a formal Home Office concordat with the ESRC.
The Government Chief Social Scientist leads the Government Social
Research Service (GSR) and the supporting Government Economic and
Social Research team (GESR) based in HM Treasury. In consultation with
government departments and other stakeholders, the GSR has developed a
strategy for government social research to improve its impact and
contribution to Government policy making and delivery. The GESR team
supports the joint Heads of the Government Social Research Service in
providing strategic leadership to GSR and in delivering an effective service. It
offers objective, reliable, relevant and timely social research to support the
development, implementation, review and evaluation of policy and delivery,
and ensures that policy debate is informed by the best social science
research evidence and thinking. Most Government Departments have full
GSR membership, indicating that in addition to BIS, the majority of
Government Departments have an interest in SSH research for policy
advice. The Department for International Development (DfID) has associate
membership of GSR, while the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is also likely to
have interests in SSH policy issues.
Some of the departments listed above include SSH policy making in their
mission statement and hence a designated part of their budget is allocated to
relevant SSH activities. For others, SSH forms a smaller part of their
activities, including participation in multi-disciplinary projects to address
SSH-related global challenges such as ageing, climate change, etc.
2.1.2 SSH policy advice
The UK Government puts much emphasis on the importance of scientific
advice for policy making, especially on issues significantly affecting society.
Specific guidelines have been introduced for government departments,
setting out key principles for the use and presentation of scientific advice for
policy making, along with a Code of Practice for the Consultation for
scientific advisory committees.
Policy advice is provided to the Government from a wide network of formally
instituted committees and advisory boards, but also by independent expert

bodies on an on demand basis or in the form of consultations. Advisory

bodies are located at various levels, from Cabinet, through Parliament and
departmental levels, down to various ad hoc and standing committees, which
provide advice on science, engineering and technology (SET) issues,
including SSH issues. As before, it must be emphasised that due to the
pervasive nature of SSH issues across a range of policy domains (including
those with a strong scientific or technology focus) it is not possible to make a
distinction between advisory bodies that have a strong SSH focus and those
which do not (although this argument is mainly applicable to the use of social
sciences research rather than humanities research).
Formally instituted bodies
UK Parliament: Both the House of Commons and the House of Lords have a
number of Select Committees that focus on science (as defined broadly,
including SSH), as well as the following committees: The House of
Commons Science and Technology Committee ensures that policy is based
on good scientific and engineering advice and examines the administration,
expenditure and policy of the Government Office for Science (GO-Science)
situated in BIS. The Business, Innovation and Skills select Committee also
scrutinises BIS; The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee
has the broad remit to consider science and technology2. Other bodies are
also sources of information and debate, including the Parliamentary Office of
Science and Technology (POST) and the Parliamentary and Scientific
Committee.
GO-Science, headed by the Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA)
provides policy advice on SET issues directly to the Prime Minister and the
Cabinet. Moreover, the departmental Chief Scientific Adviser of BIS ensures
that its strategy and policy is informed by robust scientific evidence.
The independent Council for Science and Technology (CST) advises the
Prime Minister and the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales on strategic
policies and the framework for research, science and society, education,
science and Government, and technology innovation.
The Cabinet Office and its Committees3 identify and use the best available
evidence from science, particularly social science, in their work of delivery
and reform of government. Moreover, the Strategy Unit provides strategy
and policy advice to the Prime Minister and government departments and
also identifies and disseminates emerging issues and policy challenges
focusing, inter alia, on issues with SSH relevance such as education, health
and home affairs.

Other Select Committees relevant to SSH are The Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs, the Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Select Committee and the Select Committees
on Defence and Health.
3
Ministerial Committees, 2010: European Affairs; Social Justice; Home Affairs; Public Health subcommittee; Olympics sub-committee; Economic Affairs; Reducing Regulation sub-committee; Banking
Reform; Parliamentary Business and Legislation; Public Expenditure.

Other support and advisory bodies

Another important source of scientific policy advice especially on specific
policy topics are the non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). These can be
executive or advisory. There are also Departmental Executive Agencies that
belong to a Government Department and have responsibility for particular
business areas.

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Arts and
Humanities Research Council (AHRC). A small amount of the work
conducted by other research councils may also involve trans-disciplinary
work in the social sciences. These include the Biotechnology & Biological
Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council (EPRSC), Medical Research Council (MRC)
and Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the body coordinating all Research

Councils in the UK.

Higher Education Funding Councils (HEFCs): Separate HEFCs, or

equivalent bodies, exist for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland. They provide evidence-based advice to the government on
higher education, the funding required to meet the sectors objectives,
etc.

The Technology Strategy Board (TSB): guides technology strategy

across government. The creative industries are a new application area
for the TSB.

Other relevant Advisory Committees and Groups

Two strategic advisory bodies which have a wider role and cover relevant
ethical and social issues in addition to scientific matters are the Food
Standards Agency and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology
Authority.

The UK Research Base Funders Forum has been set up to allow

governmental and non-governmental funders of public good research to
consider the collective impact of their strategies on the sustainability,
health and outputs of the Research Base.

The Global Science and Innovation Forum (GSIF) is designed to improve

the coordination of UK engagement in international science (including
SSH) and innovation activities. Its membership includes representatives
of bodies with SSH remits including BIS, the DoH, DEFRA, RCUK and
more.

Other sources of advice include the Learned Societies, international bodies,

professional associations, independent institutes and stakeholder groups,
including consumer groups.

British Academy: This is the UKs national academy for the SSH.
Amongst other tasks it provides an independent and authoritative source
of advice as a national forum for SSH, and contributes to public policy
and debate.

The Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences is composed

of individual academics and researchers from the public and private
sectors and Learned Societies in the Social Sciences. Among other tasks
it responds to Government and other consultations on behalf of the
social science community.

Individual associations and membership bodies, such as the British

Sociological Association (BSA), the professional organisation
representing sociologists in Britain, the Social Policy Association, the
Social Research Association, etc.

The Royal Society. As well as providing an authoritative voice and

leadership for UK science, it provides objective advice for government
and policymakers on science, its relationship with society and science
education.

The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts

(NESTA): Amongst other activities it informs and shapes policy on
Science, Technology and the Arts.

Universities UK, the representative body for UK HEIs. It undertakes

research and policy development to enable UK universities to lead the
national debate in UK Higher Education (HE).

Centres of Excellence and Charities

There are many research organisations in the UK that, apart from funding or
implementing SSH research, provide support and advice to the government
in the form of general social scientific knowledge, specialist expertise,
consultation, and are potential contractors for commissioned work.

Academic centres that support evidence-based policy making on social

and economic issues include: Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS);
Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP); Centre for Economic
Performance; Research Unit for Research Utilisation (RURU); European
Social and Cultural Studies Centre (ESCUS) and Manchester Institute of
Innovation Research (MIoIR).

ESRC Research Centres and Groups (see Section 4.3).

Other independent Research Institutes and Centres: the National Centre

for Social Research (NatCen); the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS);
National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIERSR); the
Tavistock Institute; Policy Studies Institute (PSI); the Centre for Policy on
Ageing; and more.

Charities that are also SSH research funders, include: The Wellcome
Trust; the Leverhulme Trust, funder of the Leverhulme Centre for
Research on Globalisation and Economic Policy; the Joseph Rowntree
Foundation (JRF) and the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT); the
Nuffield Foundation funder of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, and the
Kings Fund. (see also below)

Think Tanks that produce and disseminate policy relevant information by

providing advice and ideas generated by discussion, data analysis and
research: the Adam Smith Institute (supports market-based policies);
Centre for Policy Studies; DEMOS (aims to reinvigorate public policy and

political thinking); The Work Foundation; The Institute for Public Policy
Research (IPPR); the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA); the New
Economics Foundation (NEF); the New Policy Institute (NPI); the Social
Market Foundation (SMF) and more.
2.1.3 Main implementing bodies
The main implementing/funding bodies in the SSH domain in the UK are:
The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC):
The ESRC is an independent Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB)
established by Royal Charter in 1965 as the Social Science Research
Council. It is principally funded through the Science Budget by the
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). ESRC is the primary
source of social science and economic research funding across a wide range
of disciplines encompassing: sociology; economics; anthropology; political
science; area or regionally based research and geography; international
relations; cultural and media studies; law and linguistics; psychology.
The mission of ESRC is: to promote and support, by any means, highquality basic, strategic and applied research and related postgraduate
training in the social sciences; to advance knowledge and provide trained
social scientists who meet the needs of users and beneficiaries, thereby
contributing to the economic competitiveness of the UK, the effectiveness of
public services and policy, and the quality of life; and to provide advice on,
and disseminate knowledge and promote public understanding of, the social
sciencesvi. It supports independent, high quality research which has an
impact on business, the public sector and the third sector. In 2012/13,
ESRCs total budget was 205m and the Council supports 4,000 researchers
and postgraduate students in academic institutions and independent
research institutes.
ESRC funding is delivered via a range of instruments which provide support
for individuals or groups including research grants, fellowships, seminars and
centres. ESRC funds support a number of independent research centres and
groups which conduct research into specific aspects of the social sciences.
The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC):
The AHRC was established in 2005 and is a Non-Departmental Public Body
(NDPB) sponsored by BIS. It evolved from the Arts and Humanities
Research Board (AHRB) founded in 1988. It is the primary source of Arts
and Humanities research funding in the UK supporting research across a
wide range of subjects including: history (ancient, medieval and modern);
classics; archaeology; modern languages and linguistics; English language
and literature; the visual arts and media; librarianship, information and
museum studies; philosophy, law, religious studies; music and creative and
performing arts.
AHRCs vision is to be a recognised world leader in advancing arts and
humanities research. This is achieved through four strategic aims: 1. To
promote and support the production of world-class research in the arts and
humanities; 2.To promote and support world-class postgraduate training
designed to equip graduates for research or other professional careers; 3.To

10

strengthen the impact of arts and humanities research by encouraging

researchers to disseminate and transfer knowledge to other contexts where
it makes a difference; 4.To raise the profile of arts and humanities research
and to be an effective advocate for its social, cultural and economic
significance.vii
AHRC funds post- doctoral research, post-graduate research, knowledge
transfer which supports collaborative activities between academic and nonacademic partners, international research for those collaborating with
researchers from outside the UK, or for students looking to undertake
research abroad, and also has specific funding opportunities for Museums
and Galleries. AHRC offers opportunities for individuals not only in Higher
Education Institutions but also in recognised Independent Research
Organisations.
Despite the apparent division of disciplinary focus between the two Research
Councils, overlaps exist with some SSH disciplines being covered and
funded by both, including History, Linguistics, Law, Communications,
Cultural and Media Studies and moreviii. In this respect the two councils have
issued a joint statement in which they declare that they wish to ensure that
no application falls into the gap between the two bodies and both support
work which includes elements "that might plausibly have been supported by
the other body.
Apart from the ESRC and AHRC, the remaining Research Councils,
including the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Medical
Research Council (MRC) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council (EPSRC), fund some SSH-related research and
participate in SSH-related inter-disciplinary and multidisciplinary projects.
The British Academy:
The British Academy is the UKs national academy for the humanities and
social sciences, funding research in both these fields but with generally
smaller grants than the Research Councils. The Academy receives an
annual Grant-In-Aid from BIS. Its fundamental purpose is to inspire,
recognise and support excellence and high achievement in the humanities
and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion
their role and valueix.
The Academy delivers its mission through four functions: as a Fellowship it
takes a lead in representing the humanities and social sciences, facilitating
international collaboration, providing an independent and authoritative
source of advice, and contributing to public policy and debate; as a learned
society, it seeks to foster and promote the full range of work that makes up
the humanities and social sciences, including inter- and multi-disciplinary
work; as a funding body it supports excellent ideas, individuals and
intellectual resources in the humanities and social sciences, and as a
national forum for the humanities and social sciences, it supports a range of
activities and publications (print and electronic), which aim to stimulate
curiosity, to inspire and develop future generations of scholars, and to
encourage appreciation of the social, economic and cultural value of these
disciplines.

11

The British Academy provides research funding to postdoctoral scholars in

all SSH subjects to support ideas, individuals and intellectual resources
through research grants, research posts research development, conference
grants, individual and joint projects and international research.
Additional funding is also provided by a number of foundations, trusts and
charities for research carried out mainly in Universities. These include social
policy research funders with their own thematic priority agendas, such as:

The Wellcome Trust, an independent charity, established in 1936, which

funds research to improve human and animal health.

The Leverhulme Trust, an independent charity, which provides awards to

individuals to support education and research in all areas including SSH.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) which is an independent social

policy research and development charity that works together with the
Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT) to understand the root causes of
social problems, identify ways of overcoming them, and show how social
needs can be met in practice. JRF funds a UK-wide research and
development programme on housing, social care and social policy, while
JRHT is a registered housing association. Together they aim to influence
policy and practice by researching and presenting evidence and
solutions under four topics: poverty, places, empowerment and crosscutting work.

The Nuffield Foundations mission is to support research, analysis and

debate that will 'advance social well being'. Apart from making grants to
other organisations, the Foundation runs its own projects and activities.
Among its activities is the Nuffield Council on Bioethics that provides
impartial expert advice to policy makers and support public policy
understanding of ethical issues stemming from biology and biomedicine.

The Kings Fund which works on the health and healthcare domains.

Furthermore, some learned bodies also offer funding for research in SSH
fields or inter-disciplinary research with SSH relevance including: the Royal
Society, which amongst others funds research in some SSH fields such as
the History of Science; the National Endowment for Science, Technology
and the Arts (NESTA) that funds research in the Arts; Universities UK; the
Technology Strategy Board (TSB) that has recently placed greater emphasis
on funding Arts and Humanities research and particularly research in the
Creative Industries and others.
Finally, apart from the discipline-based research bodies funding, a much
greater amount of block funding is allocated to Higher Education Institutions
(HEIs) by the Higher Education Funding Councils (HEFCs). However, after
the allocation of this quality-related funding to HEIs, the latter are free to
allocate the funds internally without having any disciplinary restriction (Also
see: 4.2).

12

2.2 Impacting factors

2.2.1 Policy fields influencing SSH policies
As noted above, a range of ministries and government departments are
involved in SSH policy making. Some of those listed below include SSH
policy making in their mission statement and thus have a designated part of
their budget allocated to relevant SSH activities. For others, SSH forms a
smaller part of their activities, including participation in multi-disciplinary
projects to address SSH-related global challenges such as ageing, climate
change, etc. Most of them have full membership in the Government Social
Research Service, which means that they use social research to inform their
policy decisions either by having a dedicated social research team or by
having teams of social researchers integrated within groups of analysts and
policymakers responsible for particular policy areas. Due to the pervasive
nature of SSH issues across a range of policy domains (including those with
a strong scientific or technology focus) it is not possible to make a distinction
between government bodies that have a strong SSH focus and those which
do not (although this argument is mainly applicable to the use of social
sciences research rather than humanities research). Departments with full
GSR membership are:

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS): policy areas

include research, innovation, industry, enterprise, business regulation,
education (universities), skills and more.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS): Policy areas range
from the arts to gambling/lottery, sport and broadcasting.

Department for Transport (DfT): policies are oriented towards a transport

system which balances the needs of the economy, the environment and
society. Social researchers work on areas such as congestion,
environmental behaviour change, etc.

Department of Health (DoH & National Health Service): provides health

and social care policy.

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP): in charge of welfare and

pension reform - also works towards tackling child poverty and promoting
equality.

Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) brings together the

energy policy and climate change mitigation policy areas.

Department for Education (DfE) is responsible for education, children's

services, families and young people.

Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG): sets policy

on local government, housing, urban regeneration, fire safety, building
regulations and is also responsible for race equality and community
cohesion related issues.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra): is

responsible for policy and regulations on the environment, food and rural
affairs, including issues such as sustainable consumption and
production.

13

The Cabinet Office: is the governments head office. Social researchers

are located in the National School of Government which provides
courses to social researchers, and to other civil servants who engage
with the evidence generated by social research; and in the Public
Services Reform.

Home Office: the government department for immigration and passports,

drugs policy, counter-terrorism and police, dealing with issues such as
domestic and international crime, anti-social behaviour, home and public
spaces safety.

Ministry of Justice. Responsible for: civil liberties; freedom of information;

data sharing and protection; law reform; the relationship between the
three devolved administrations (Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales).

HM Revenues and Customs: is in charge of the UKs tax and customs

system, administering amongst others child benefits, environmental
taxes, enforcing border and frontier protection etc, aiming to ensure
societys financial well being.

HM Treasury: the UKs economics and finance ministry. Its aim is to

raise the rate of sustainable growth, and achieve rising prosperity and a
better quality of life with economic and employment opportunities for all
through economic and financial policies.

The Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly Government: These

devolved governments are responsible for most of the issues of day-today concern to the people of their countries, including health, education,
justice, rural affairs, and transport.

Other relevant bodies with full GSR membership are: the Legal Services
Commission that runs the legal aid scheme in England and Wales; the
National Policing Improvement Agency4 that acts to improve public safety;
the Office for National Statistics with 150 social researchers working on a
range of topics: health, population, demography, geography, labour market,
socio-economic inequalities and more; and the Northern Ireland Statistics
and Research Agency that is the principal source of official statistics and
social research on Northern Irelands population and socio-economic
conditions. The Department for International Development (DfID) has
associate membership in GSR and aims to meet the challenges of tackling
world poverty. Another Department that might also have a stake in SSH
policy making is the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
2.2.2 Influence of European and international developments
According to Griffin et al. (2005)x, the overall impact of the Bologna process
on SSH policy making (and S&T policy making more generally) is negligible.
This is because the state does not interfere in the daily management of
universities nor in the curricula or degrees offered. However, it does control
funding, through the dual streams related to teaching (in which funding is
given on the basis of student numbers) and research (which is allocated as
4

Now in the process of transferring its functions to a number of successor organisations.

14

block grants via a research allocation mechanism (the Research Excellence

Framework - REF) or through competition-based applications to the
Research Councils for project or centre grants). Thanks to a number of
reforms in HE that occurred during the 1980s and 1990s (modularization,
semesterisation, the Teaching Quality Assessment (TQA) and the
RAE/REF), the British HE system has been placed close to the Bologna
objectives. Furthermore, the two cycle degree structure (BA, and MA/PhD)
pre-dated Bologna.
In general policy terms, the UK is supportive of various EU research
developments, including the development of the ERA, whilst also seeking to
direct these in order to ensure their optimal performance. UK participation in
all the EU research funding frameworks is strongly supported at the policy
level and is matched by good levels of participation by UK public sector
researchers (notably from HEIs) although business participation is somewhat
disappointing in comparison with similar sized EU neighbours. Broadly
speaking, although ERA-related issues do not receive major attention in UK
policy documents, they are discussed in more focused debates.
2.2.3 Relevance of European and international SSH research
In terms of participation in specific European activities, data provided for the
previous METRIS country report indicated that researchers based at UK
institutions accounted for 200 out of 1,507 participations in SSH- related FP5
projects about 13.3%. A wide range of UK HEIs and other institutions were
represented but the highest numbers of participations were University of
Oxford (11), University of Manchester (10), University of Essex (9) and
London School of Economics (9).
Data provided for FP6 show that UK-based participants coordinated 26
projects under Priority 7 and Priority 8, the second highest behind Germany.
Of 169 Priority 7 and Priority 8 (SSH -related) projects, 253 UK-based
researchers participated in 169 projects which had a total of 1,996
participants (a participation rate of 12.7%).
The UK actively participates in three current SSH relevant ERA-NETs. SSH
ERA-NETs with UK participation are:

HERA JRP/ The Humanities in the European Research Area ERA-NET,

facilitated in the UK through the AHRC.

HERA JRP Cultural Encounters, AHRC is the UK participant.

NORFACE Plus / New Opportunities for Research Funding Co-operation

in Europe a Strategy for Social Sciences. ESRC is the UK participant.

The UK is the top host country for European Research Council (ERC) grants
on SSH. In 2011, UK institutions hosted 18 out of the 54 funded ERC
Advanced Grants in the SSH domain; in 2012, the respective figures were 20
out of 57. Similarly, the UK is a top host country for researchers receiving
Starting Grants, with 38 out of 92 awards in SSH in 2011, and 36 out of 106
awards in SSH in 2012 won by researchers in UK institutions.
Likewise, the UK is a leading partner in the COST initiative where, from the
45 currently running actions mentioned in the domain Individuals, Societies,

15

Cultures and Health (ISCH) all have been signed by the UK, 12 having a UK
chairxi.
Activity is also intense in Networks of Excellence (NoEs), with UK
organisations participating in around 39 currently running SSH related NoEs
and coordinating three of these.
Despite the intense activity and the high percentages of participation of UK
bodies in EU research initiatives (of any type) this does not receive a high
profile in the general media.
2.2.4 Impact of evaluations
The UK has a long tradition of systematic reviews, evaluations5 and
assessments as tools for strategic planning and evidence- based policymaking. This culture of using systematic evaluations and reviews in all levels
of policy-making and policy delivery is no different for SSH. The main SSH
implementing bodies have designated Evaluation Strategies and in this
frame regularly launch organisational (strategic-level) and programme
evaluations. Their results feed into their planning process improving their
strategy, priorities and future actions. Additionally, such evaluations also
inform policy-makers on the progress made towards the objectives, targets
and priorities set in the UK SIIF, by evaluating the condition of the SSH
research base, the impact and quality of investments, recent developments,
potential gaps and areas for improvement and more. Apart from BIS, which
is the main audience for such SSH evaluations, other government
departments and agencies are also interested.
In more detail, the performance of all Research Councils, including AHRC
and ESRC, is evaluated as part of the Performance Management System
that BIS manages and applies in all government departments, agencies and
councils to measure progress against government objectives. Each
Research Council publishes an individual annual Research Performance and
Economic Impact Report (RPEI). Each RPEI reports progress against a
number of metricsxii.
According to the 20011/12 EIRFxiii, ESRC highlights include:

The heavily-publicised BBC experiment, undertaken in collaboration with

the EROS network to explore how people handle tasks under stress;

The identification of the significant contribution of social science, and of

ESRC-funded research and researchers in reducing the risk of social
exclusion among young children in disadvantaged groups and areas
through contribution to the Sure Start initiative;

The release in 2011 of the first longitudinal data from the ESRCs
flagship study, Understanding Society;

In the UK, the term evaluation is used explicitly in the context of post hoc performance appraisal of
projects, programmes and institutions. Assessment refers to the ex ante appraisal of award
applications.

16

The evidence from an economic impact evaluation of the ESDS revealing

a net economic value for the service of around 18 million per annum
more than five times ESDS operational costs.

Likewise, the 2011/12 AHRC impact reportxiv notes that:

The AHRC makes a vital contribution to world leading research and
postgraduate training and development in the UK. Support for collaborative,
interdisciplinary and innovative projects increases knowledge and
understanding and pushes at research boundaries. Themed research and
knowledge exchange initiatives enable researchers to work with
policymakers and industry to improve wellbeing and public services.
Nurturing research excellence from postgraduates and early career
researchers to established researchers ensures that the sustainability of
human capital and knowledge power is promoted across higher education
and the creative and cultural sectors. Connections with the Creative
Economy also contribute to economic growth.
Generally, according to its Evaluation Strategyxv, ESRC evaluates the
quality and impact of all its research investments across its Strategic
Framework. This activity is managed by the Evaluation Committee (EC),
which advises the Council on the progress and further development of its
research strategy. The EC undertakes a broad range of evaluation activities
related to ESRCs strategic priorities:

Impact through World Class Research

Impact through Skilled People

Impact through Infrastructure

Impact through International Leadership

Impact through Partnerships

Quality, Independence and Impact

The AHRC notes that it is committed to realising the impact of arts and
humanities research. By working with the arts and humanities research
community, and with related organisations and sectors, it aims to increase
opportunities for impact and bring greater understanding of the results of
investments, interactions and activities. Impact evidence is now
systematically collected through the new web-based Research Outcomes
System (ROS), a collaboration involving five Research Councils. ROS
presents a common approach to gathering quantitative and qualitative data.
This will help with strategy development. (2011/12 AHRC impact report).
The British Academy monitors the outcomes of each of its schemes in terms
of distribution of applications and awards on a range of criteria including age,
gender, institutional affiliation, subject classification, grade awarded, and
national base. Additionally, each programme is subject to periodic, usually
annual, review by the Committee responsible for its administration. The
published guidance for applicants and conditions of award for each scheme
are reviewed, and may be amended, annually. Once revised, these
regulations remain operative for the whole of the subsequent academic
session. From time to time, a survey of a cohort of applicants may be
undertaken (a) to ascertain further information about the progress of

17

research/development of careers initially funded by the Academy; (b) to

ensure that the Academy's schemes are meeting the needs of the academic
community in terms of service delivery; and (c) to ensure that the
programmes offered by the Academy are judged to add value within the
spectrum of public funding available nationallyxvi.
The principles underpinning the Academy's policy for monitoring the
outcome of awards and evaluating the success of its programmes are that
procedures should be cost-effective, mainly qualitative, and deliberately
proportionate to the scale of funding on offer.
Finally, the research funding allocated by the Higher Education Funding
Councils is directly connected to the evaluation of research, including SSH
research, which, from 2014 will be done on the basis of the Research
Excellence Framework (REF). For the first time the research assessment will
explicitly assess the impact of past research on the economy and societyxvii.
The REFs peer reviewers evaluate researchers in universities every four to
six years grading departments and individual researchers along a 1-5 scale.
The peer review process is strictly disciplinary, however even though the
funding depends on the grade allocated to the SSH and other departments
the allocation of the funding by the university following its receipt is not
necessarily related to the grading.
2.2.4.1 Project evaluation

ESRC evaluates all the research that it funds. On the project level grant
holders are obliged to submit final reports after their award ends. The main
purposes of this evaluation are to: provide an assessment of accountability,
i.e. whether public funds were spent as agreed; assess whether the project
has been conducted effectively, whether it has met its objectives and to
make an early assessment of the quality and impact of the research; and to
provide award holders with some feedback about the management, quality
and rigour of the research, and to provide comments on uses or potential
uses of the researchxviii. On a day to day basis, the ESRC Evaluation and
Impact Team is responsible for evaluation and the process is heavily reliant
on peer review.
AHRC also adopts similar end of award reporting requirements and
endeavours to capture information on the outputs and outcomes of the
research it funds.
The British Academy also requires that all recipients of research awards
submit an end of grant report.
2.2.4.2 Programme evaluation

Note: the tendency to rely significantly on evaluation in the UK means that

there are an enormous number of programme evaluations. Thus the
following is supplied for illustrative purposes only as a comprehensive listing
cannot be provided.
Examples of recent ESRC evaluations includexix:

ESRC-MRC Interdisciplinary Studentship and Postdoctoral Fellowship

Scheme http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/Evaluation-of-ESRC-MRCinterdisciplinary-studentship-and-pdf-scheme_tcm8-24165.pdf

18

ESRC
Postdoctoral
Fellowship
Scheme
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/ESRC_Postdoctoral_Fellowship_Scheme
_Review_Report_tcm8-4866.pdf

ESRC-NERC
Interdisciplinary
Research
Studentship
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/ESRCNERC_Scheme_Review_Final_Report_tcm8-4867.pdf

ESRC
Small
Grants
Scheme
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/ESRC_Small_Grants_Scheme_Evaluatio
n_tcm8-4868.pdf

ESRC
Research
Seminars
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/EC%20Full%20Report%20%20Research%20Seminars%20Scheme_tcm8-22288.pdf

European
Collaborative
Research
Projects
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/ECRP_full_report_tcm8-22049.pdf

International
Fellowship
and
Networking
Schemes
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/International_Fellowships_Final_Report_t
cm8-23222.pdf

Scheme

Scheme

Examples of recent AHRC evaluations include:

AHRC Research Networking Scheme (Spring 2011)

AHRC Small Grants Scheme 2005-2009 (Summer 2011)

AHRC Larger Research Grants Scheme 2005-2010 (Spring 2012)

Evolution of Cultural Diversity Research Centres evaluation (Winter

2012)

Irish and Scottish Studies Research Centre evaluation (Winter 2012)

Evaluation title

Independent Review of Beacons for Public Engagement (BPE)

Evaluation Findings

Programme title

The Beacons for Public Engagement (BPE) Initiative

Type of programme

Encouraging public engagement within six HEIs

Type of evaluation

Pilot evaluation

Period covered

Report, Oct 2010. Period covered N/A.

Objectives

BPE aims: Formalising and embedding public engagement in HEIs;

building capacity for public engagement within institutions; strategy
plans to include public engagement; creating networks to share
expertise and good practice; creating different methods to share
public engagement. Evaluation objectives: to synthesise the available
evidence on the degree to which these aims are being delivered.

Approaches

Proposals submitted by individual BPEs; annual and other reports;

reports from individual Beacon evaluators; other documents supplied
by Beacons. Qualitative analysis tool Nvivo was used to capture
findings and record emergent themes.

Key results and

recommendations

The BPE pilot has been successful so far in contributing to the five
overarching aims. The evaluation concluded that the BPE initiative
had stimulated the relevant activity and had made progress in

19

delivering the desired culture within institutions participating in the

Beacons. The pilot evaluation recommended that any further
evaluation should focus on individual evaluations of the six Beacons.
Availability

The initiative was funded by the UK higher education funding

councils, RCUK and the Wellcome Trust.

Tags

Public engagement; capacity building; beacons; evaluating initiatives

2.2.4.3 Institutional evaluation

In April 2011, the Cabinet Office announced that all non-departmental public
bodies (NDPBs), which include the Research Councils and their institutes,
would be subject to a substantive review at least once every three years.
The first year of these reviews was 2011-12. The Triennial Reviews have two
purposes:

To provide a robust challenge of the continuing need for individual

NDPBs both their function and their form, employing the three tests
discipline; and

To review the control and governance arrangements in place to ensure

that the public body is complying with recognised principles of good
corporate governance.

However, responsibility for the review of Research Council Institutes rests

with the parent Research Councils. Since neither the ESRC nor the AHRC
provide institutional funding, this issue does not arise. The ESRC does
provide funding for research Centres: these are typically supported with five
years funding, with funding for a further five years, subject to a satisfactory
mid-term review.
University departments are not evaluated per se although their research
output is assessed as part of the Higher Education Funding Councils
Research Excellence Framework (formerly the Research Assessment
Exercise) which is used to inform allocations of university block grant
funding. However, entry of staff into the REF/RAE process is an elective
decision made by individual departments thus the process cannot be
considered as an evaluation.
2.3 Important policy documents
The following documents recent6 documents are relevant:
SSH specific documents

AHRC, 2007. AHRC Vision and Strategy 2007 2012.

http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/News-and-Events/Publications/Documents/Visionand-Strategy-2007-2012.pdf

AHRC, 2009. Arts and Humanities Research Landscape. AHRC: Bristol

http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/News-and-Events/Publications/Documents/Artsand-Humanities-Research-Landscape.pdf

Older documents are included in the previous country reports as well as in the METRIS website.

20

AHRC,
2009.
AHRC
Evaluation
Strategy
http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/News-andEvents/Publications/Documents/Evaluation-Strategy.pdf

2007-2012.

AHRC,
2010.
AHRC
Delivery
Plan
20112015.
http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/News-andEvents/Publications/Documents/Delivery-Plan-2011-2015.pdf

AHRC, 2013. The Impact of AHRC Research 2011/2012. Arts and

Humanities
Research
Council,
January
2013.
http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/News-andEvents/Publications/Documents/AHRC%20Impact%20Report%202012.p
df

Bakhshi, H., Schneider, P. and Walker, C., 2008. Arts and Humanities
Research and Innovation. AHRC and NESTA: Bristol and London.
http://www.nesta.org.uk/library/documents/arts-humanities-innovationreport.pdf

BIS, 2011. Economics and social research strategy 2011/12: an overview

of
economic
and
social
research.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/economics-and-socialresearch-strategy-2011-12

Government Social Research Service, 2008. Government Social

Research
Service
Strategic
Plan:
2008-11.
http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2011/09/gsru_busplan0811_tcm6-5346.pdf

Hughes, A, Kitson, M. and Probert, J. Hidden Connections: Knowledge

exchange between the arts and humanities and the private, public and
third
sectors
May
2011.
http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/News-andEvents/Publications/Documents/Hidden-Connections.pdf

ESRC, 2009. ESRC Strategic Plan 2009-2014 Delivering Impact through

Social Science. http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/Strategic%20Plan_tcm83899.pdf

ESRC, 2010. Economic & Social Research Council, Research

Performance
and
Economic
Impact
Report
2011/12.
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/RPEI_report_2012_tcm8-24783.pdf

ESRC,
2011.
ESRC
Delivery
Plan
2011-2015.
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/ESRC%20Delivery%20Plan%20201115_tcm8-13455.pdf

ESRC, 2012. Shaping Society: Annual Report and Accounts 2011/12.

The
Stationary
Office.
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/ESRC_Annual_Report_2011_12_FOR_
WEB_tcm8-22195.pdf

ESRC, 2012. Shaping Society: Vital Statistics 2011/12. The Stationary

Office.
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/Shaping_Society_Vital_Stats_tcm823317.pdf

21

The British Academy, 2007. British Academy Strategic Framework 20082013. The British Academy: London. http://www.britac.ac.uk/about/stratfram.cfm

The British Academy, 2007. British Academy Strategic Priorities 20082013.

The
British
Academy:
London
http://www.britac.ac.uk/about/mission.cfm

The British Academy, 2007. Peer Review: the challenges for the
humanities and social sciences. British Academy: London.
http://www.britac.ac.uk/templates/asset-relay.cfm?frmAssetFileID=6433

The British Academy, 2008. Punching our weight: the humanities and
social sciences in public policy making. The British Academy: London.
http://www.britac.ac.uk/policy/punching-our-weight.cfm

Policy inputs/reports

Cullen, J., Sullivan, F. and Junge, K., 2007. Evaluating Science and
Society Initiatives: A Framework for Evaluation. The Tavistock Institute.
Prepared for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the
Economic and Social Research Council.

Evidence Ltd. International Comparative Performance of the UK

Research Base, Report for the Department of Business, Innovation and
Skills, September 2009.

Frontier Economics Ltd, 2007. Evaluating the impact of ESRC funding A

report prepared for the Economic and Social Research Council. ESRC.

Nederhof, A.J., Van Leeuwen, T.N. and Tijssen, R.J.W., Unknown.

International benchmarking and bibliometric monitoring of UK research
performance in the social sciences. Centre for Science and Technology
Studies (CWTS) University of Leiden. Report for the UK Economic &
Social Research Council.

Further Important Documents

BIS, 2010. The Allocation of Science and Research Funding 2011/1220014/15.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_dat
a/file/32478/10-1356-allocation-of-science-and-research-funding-20112015.pdf

The Strategy Unit, 2008. Realising Britains Potential: Future Strategic

Challenges for Britain. February 2008. The Cabinet Office.

22

2.4 Thematic priorities at national level

Priorities
Behaviour, cognition. ESRC Strategic Plan 2009-2014
Competitiveness, Innovation. ESRC Strategic Plan 2009-2014
Conflicts, peace, security and human rights within the EU and beyond. ESRC
Strategic Plan 2009-2014
Crime and Crime prevention (including drugs, organised crime etc.).
Cultural heritage (including preservation and conservation)
Democracy, governance, accountability and responsibility
Demography (Ageing, Fertility)
Economy and finance. ESRC Strategic Plan 2009-2014
Education, skills, knowledge and life-long learning
Employment, Work, Working conditions
Ethics
Families, life-styles and well-being. ESRC Strategic Plan 2009-2014
Gender, gender equality
Globalisation
Health and Health systems. ESRC Strategic Plan 2009-2014
Identity, religion, language, multiculturalism
International relations
Migration
Social cohesion, exclusion, inequalities, poverty. ESRC Strategic Plan 20092014
Sustainable development. ESRC Strategic Plan 2009-2014
Urban and rural development
Others

2.5 Important research programmes

The programmes presented below were selected based on the thematic
prioritisation already presented, the amount of the budget allocated, and the
emphasis given to them by major Government policy documents.
Additionally collaborative programmes are also presented, including one
shared between the two main Research Councils for SSH, namely ESRC
and AHRC, and cross-council research programmes with significant
monetary contribution from ESRC or/and AHRC. A British Academy
programme is also included, in order to extend the range of coverage
beyond government/research council programmes. Although ESRC centres
undertake significant programmes of research, space precludes mention of
these although the titles of these centres provide an indication of the topics
covered by such programmes. Since many of the programmes have not
changed substantially since the 2010 METRIS UK Country Report, details
may be obtained from that source.

23

Programme title

The UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS). Formerly the

British Panel Household Survey (BHPS) until 2007.

Start date

1991 (2007 as UKHLS).

Planned end date

March 2015

Planned total budget

15.5m and 23.9m (ESRC Contribution)

2.61m (Partners Contribution)

Budget 2011/2012

not known

Implementing
organisation

ESRC

Target group

Research community; policy makers; general public. To provide

valuable new evidence to inform research on issues of importance
to a wide scientific community of interest. It is the largest household
panel study in the world.

Key goals

To assist with understanding the long term effects of social and

economic change as well as the impact of policy interventions on
the general well-being of the UK population.

Website

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/tools-andresources/research-resources/surveys/understanding-society.aspx
https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/about

Tags

Longitudinal; household panel study; social research

Programme title

Lifelong Health and Wellbeing (LLHW) initiative

Start date

2008

Planned end date

not known

Planned total budget

196m/227m over 2011/12-2014/15

Budget 2011/2012

no data

Implementing
organisation

MRC leads, with ESRC, AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC and STFC

Target group

Researchers based at UK HEIs and other Research Institutes

eligible for Research Council funding.

Key goals

To identify those factors likely to be major determinants of health

and wellbeing in later life. To further support high quality
multidisciplinary research in high priority areas not usually
supported by existing schemes, providing funding through two
modes of support: Collaborative Grants, for high quality innovative
research by multidisciplinary teams of researchers in strategic
partnership with users and stakeholders; and Collaborative
Development Networks, to establish multidisciplinary partnerships
focused on developing a research strategy within specific priority
areas

Website

http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Ourresearch/ResearchInitiatives/LLHW/index.
htm

Tags

Health, Wellbeing,

24

Programme title

Living with Environmental Change Programme (LWEC)

Start date

2007

Planned end date

2017

Planned total
budget

562m/651m over 2011/12-2014/15

Budget 2011/2012

No breakdown of budget is available in the public domain

Implementing
organisation

Led by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) with AHRC,

ESRC, BBSRC, EPSRC and MRC.

Target group

Researchers based at UK HEIs and other Research Institutes eligible

for Research Council funding, through specific calls for proposals. Also
involves policy makers and practitioners, such as government
departments and environmental agencies

Key goals

To tackle environmental change and the societal challenges it poses,

and so to provide a firmer basis for people to deal with the
unprecedented changes that the world will face over the next century.
Specifically, LWEC aims to provide: the knowledge, tools, predictions,
solutions and business opportunities needed to increase resilience to,
and reduce economic costs of, environmental changes such as more
severe weather and reduced biodiversity; and the best information to
enable sustainable management and protection of vital ecosystem
servicessuch as clean air, fresh water, healthy soils, and flood and
disease protectionon the time and space scales on which the
economy is managed

Website

http://www.lwec.org.uk/

Tags

Environmental Change, Societal Challenges

Programme title

Global uncertainties; security for all in a changing world

Start date

2008

Planned end date

2018

Planned total
budget

120m/139m over 2011/12-2014/15

Budget
2011/2012

No breakdown of budget is available in the public domain

Implementing
organisation

Led by ESRC. All other Research Councils participate.

Target group

Researchers based at UK HEIs and other Research Institutes eligible for

Research Council funding, through specific calls for proposals. The
programme will have an impact not only on the research community but
eventually on policy-makers, the private sector and the wider public.

Key goals

To address how five inter-related global threats to security create

uncertainties which can under certain circumstances form the basis for a
number of threats and risks to the security of individuals, communities,
organisations and nation states. These threats are Poverty (and
Inequality & Injustice), Conflict, Transnational Crime, Environmental
Stress and Terrorism.

Website

http://www.globaluncertainties.org.uk/

Tags

Security, Poverty, Conflict, Crime, Terrorism, Environmental Stress

25

Programme title

Connected Communities

Start date

2011

Planned end date

Not known

Planned total
budget

Not known

Budget
2011/2012

Not known

Implementing
organisation

The programme is led by AHRC in partnership with ESRC, EPSRC,

MRC and NERC

Target group

Researchers based at UK HEIs and other Research Institutes eligible

for Research Council funding, through specific calls for proposals. The
programme will have an impact not only on the research community but
eventually on policy-makers, the private sector and the wider public.
To help understand the changing nature of communities in their
historical and cultural contexts and the role of communities in sustaining
and enhancing our quality of life.

Key goals

The programme seeks not only to connect research on communities,

but to connect communities with research, bringing together communityengaged research across a number of core themes, including
community health and wellbeing, community creativity, prosperity and
regeneration, community values and participation, sustainable
community environments, places and spaces, and community cultures,
diversity, cohesion, exclusion, and conflict.

Website

http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/Funding-Opportunities/Researchfunding/Connected-Communities/Pages/Connected-Communities.aspx

Tags

Community cohesion, Community Participation, Sustainable Community

2.6 SSH research infrastructures

2.6.1 National infrastructures
The nature of SSH research is such that it does not require the provision of
large scale equipment or technical facilities as used in disciplinary areas
associated with the natural and physical sciences. However, the UK
Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) (see Section 2.5) now known as
Understanding Society is the first social science project funded by BIS Large
Facilities Capital Fund (LCFC) (12.5 million). The project is co-funded and
commissioned by the ESRC (3 million).
The new household panel study is the largest of its type in the world and the
largest single investment in academic social research resources ever
launched in the UK. It will provide valuable new evidence about the people of
the UK, their lives, experiences, behaviours and beliefs, and will enable an
unprecedented understanding of diversity within the population. Specifically,
the UKHLS will assist with understanding the long-term effects of social and
economic change, as well as policy interventions designed to impact upon
the general well-being of the UK population. UKHLS both replaces and
incorporates the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS), which has been
running since 1991.

26

According to BIS 2008 Large Facilities Roadmap, the BIS Large Facilities
Capital Fund (LFCF) also included 28.5 million for a research facility for
Birth Cohort Studies supporting the development at the interface between
biomedical and social sciences. The facility will enable unprecedented
understanding of how economic, social and biological factors combine to
explain human behaviour.
ESRC supports a number of Resource centres. These are major investments
in one or more of the ESRC's key research challenges. They are funded for
an initial period of ten years, subject to a satisfactory mid-term review:

Applied Quantitative Methods Network (AQMeN) (June 2012): a

collaborative network co-funded by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).
It aims to build capacity in quantitative methods across the social
sciences in Scottish HEIs.

Centre for Microdata Methods and Practice (cemmap) (June 2012):

provides a focus for development, understanding and methods for
modelling individual behaviour, the influences on it and the impact of
policy interventions.

Digital Social Research (DSR) (March 2013): aims to maximise the

uptake, use and impact of new digital technologies across the social
science community.

National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) (March 2014): forms part
of ESRC's strategy to improve the standards of research methods across
the UK social science community.

Survey Resources Network (SRN) (January 2012): is a new service

which co-ordinates and develops ESRC activities relating to survey
methodology and research.

Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods

(WISERD) (March 2012): co-funded by the Higher Education Funding
Council for Wales (HEFCW). It draws together and builds upon existing
expertise in quantitative and qualitative research methods and
methodologies at several Welsh universities.

ESRC data services provide data and support for researchers who wish to
access key economic and social data.

Administrative Data Liaison Service (ADLS) (September 2012): supports

academic research and is the focal centre for knowledge, help and
assistance with the major administrative datasets in the UK.

ESRC Census of Population Programme (July 2012): provides data and

support services to allow users in UK Higher and Further Education
institutions to access the 1971, 1981, 1991 and 2001 UK censuses.

Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS) (September 2012): provides

access and support for an extensive range of key economic and social
data. It includes a number of specialist data services that promote and
encourage data usage in teaching and research.

Secure Data Service (SDS) (September 2012): promotes excellence in

research by enabling safe and secure remote access to data previously

27

deemed too sensitive, detailed, confidential or potentially disclosive to be

made available under standard arrangements.

UK Data Service (start October 2012): will integrate the Economic and
Social Data Service, the Census Programme, the Secure Data Service
and other ESRC-supported data service elements to provide a unified
point of access for high-quality economic and social data.

National Data Strategy (NDS) (2009-2012): sets out priorities for the
development of research data resources both within the social sciences
and at the boundaries between the social sciences and other areas of
scientific enquiry.

2.6.2 International infrastructures

The UK operates an extensive number of international cooperation
agreements with a range of countries worldwide and at a variety of levels,
from those between individual researchers, through departmental and
institutional level arrangements up to inter-agency agreements and
partnerships and inter-governmental memoranda of understanding and
treaties. Examples of arrangements and strategic policies towards
international cooperation are given in section 4.5.2.
The UK is a partner in all five SSH research initiatives of the European
Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI)xx. The five initiatives
are:

Council of European Social Science Data Archives (CESSDA). An

umbrella organization for improving access to social science data
archives across Europe since the 1970s. It currently has 19 EU partners.
The UK Data Archive, as part of this collaboration, is funded by the
ESRC, Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) and the University
of Essex.

The European Social Survey (ESS). A social survey charting the

interaction between Europe's changing institutions and the attitudes,
beliefs and behaviour of its diverse populations. The survey covers more
than 30 nations. It is among the first social science projects to receive
funding to support its infrastructure and has been nominated by ESFRI
as a possible future European Research Infrastructure Consortium. The
ESS is co-ordinated by the Centre for Comparative Social Surveys, City
University, UK.

Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE-ERIC7)

is a group of EU-sponsored projects. It is a multidisciplinary, crossnational panel database of micro data on health, socio-economic status
and social and family networks of more than 45,000 individuals aged 50
or over. In 2008 it was selected as one of the projects to be implemented
in the ESFRI. The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), based at
University College London in the Department of Epidemiology and Public
Health, is part of this network. Other UK partners are the Universities of

ERIC stands for European Research Infrastructure Consortium.

28

Manchester, Oxford, Cambridge, Nottingham, East Anglia and Exeter

and the Institute of Fiscal Studies and the National Centre for Social
Research.

Common Language Resources and Technology Infrastructure

(CLARIN-ERIC). CLARIN has the remit is to establish an integrated and
interoperable research infrastructure of language resources and its
technology and reduce the current fragmentation, offering a stable,
persistent, accessible and extendable infrastructure, therefore enabling
eHumanities. From the UK, Lancaster University (Department of
Linguistics and English Language), Sheffield University (Department of
Computer Science) and the Oxford Text Archive (Oxford University
Computing Services) are partners.

Digital Research Infrastructure for the Arts and Humanities

(DARIAH). This is a project to support the digitisation of arts and
humanities data across Europe and enable enhanced data-sharing
among research communities. It hopes to develop and maintain an
infrastructure in support of ICT-based research practices. It has applied
to be a European Research Infrastructure Consortium. DARIAH is
currently establishing links with CLARIN.

29

3. Funding System
3.1 Overview of funding flows

The specific flow of funding for SSH research is difficult to determine

precisely. In broad terms, the bulk of research funding for the universities
comes via the Science Budget (funded by BIS), of which the majority of
SSH-related research funding will be distributed through the ESRC (153.3m
in 2012/13) and AHRC (98.37m in 2012/13). The projected expenditure of

30

ESRC and AHRC are planned to reach 615.65m and 395m, respectively
over the entire Comprehensive Spending Review Period (2010-15). The
majority of this funding is made to university-based researchers, either
through competitive grants and studentships or, in the case of ESRC,
through its supported research centres.
University departments will also receive substantial funding through the QR
(Quality Related) part of the block funding allocated by the Higher Education
Funding Councils) for England and the equivalent bodies for the Devolved
Administrations (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). Teaching income
will also be distributed to HEIs from the HEFCs. The amount of funding
allocated to departments undertaking SSH-related activities is again
unknown (although relatively dated figures for A&H funding are given below).
A third source of funding is that from SSH-related charities and foundations.
The latest available estimates are for 2005/06 (see below) and put this
amount of funding at around 140m, while figures from AHRC (2006/07
see below) state that around 20m came from this source for A&H-related
subjects.
Government departments which include SSH concerns in their policy remits
will also undertake related research, either in- house, through related
institutes or as contracted out activities. Those likely to have substantial SSH
concerns are listed below, together with the estimated amount spent on
SSH-related R&D (2005/06 data - the most recent period for which figures
can be found). In 2005/06 this totalled around 493 million, although these
figures are broad estimates in some cases. Where available, the amounts
spent on intramural R&D are also presented.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: 23m (museums, NESTA and
policy support); 11.6m intramural

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: 25.8 million (rural
environment, central administration & economic studies, energy
efficiency, environmental protection statistics rough estimate);

Department for Education and Skills (now DfE): 24.5 million (policy
support); 15.1 million intramural;

Department for International Development: 204.2 million (Education,

Other social research, Political structure of society research, Research
into social change, processes & conflict); 1.4 million intramural;

Department for Transport: 33.2 million (various policy support); 4.2

million intramural;

Department of Health (excluding National Health Service): 20.6 million

(policy support);

Department of Trade and Industry (now BIS): 73.7 million (policy

support);

Forestry Commission: 6.2 million (policy support);

Health and Safety Commission: 17.4 million (policy support);

Home Office: 4.2 million (policy support);

31

Department for Communities and Local Government: 28.4 million

(policy support);

Department for Work and Pensions: 18.1 million; (2.8 million

intramural);

Other Govt. departments: 13.6 million.

More recent figures on Government Budgetary Appropriations or Outlays on

R&D (GBAORD) by socio-economic objective for 2010 give the following
figures for the UK: Education 50.1m; Culture, recreation religion and mass
media 224.8m; Political and social systems, structures and processes
156.2m. However, significantly greater resources may also be allocated
under the objective of General advancement of knowledge.
Lastly, the private sector will fund research into SSH-related issues, either as
part of companies' intramural R&D or as contract research. Specific figures
on the SSH-related elements of this are not readily identifiable (but see
below for A&H funding).
Figures from the AHRC provide the following breakdown of a total of
414.8m of arts and humanities-related research funding by source for
2005/06 (figures in parentheses indicate proportion of total funding). It is
assumed that this refers to research funded within UK HEIs. Similar figures
for social science research do not seem to be availablexxi:

QR from funding councils: 273.7m (66%);

Research Councils: 60.9m (14.7%);

UK-based charities: 20m (4.8%);

UK central Government, local authorities, health authorities, etc.: 28m

(6.8%);

UK industry, commerce, public corporations: 10.1m (2.5%);

EU Government: 9.4m (2.3%);

Other EU: 2m (0.5%);

Other overseas: 4.7m (1.1%);

Other sources: 5.4m (1.3%).

3.2 National public SSH research funding

3.2.1 Overview of funding importance
The majority of SSH-related research in the UK is conducted within UK
universities, by researchers based in university departments, faculties and
schools, etc. or within specialist centres and groups. Some of these centres
and groups may receive core funding from the ESRC and much SSH
research is funded by research grants and related forms of support from the
Research Councils (notably ESRC and AHRC, although the other research
councils do fund SSH-related research where it is integrated with other
subjects/disciplines (for example in the areas of IT, life sciences, health,
etc.), albeit at a much lower level).

32

The largest proportion of (non-directed) support for research is provided by

the UK higher education funding bodies in the form of block grant funding.
This supports the research infrastructure and enables institutions to
undertake ground-breaking research in keeping with their own missions. In
addition to grants for specific projects and programmes provided by the
Research Councils, further support is also available from charities, the
European Union, government departments and other sources.
Additional public SSH research is undertaken in the context of research
undertaken in support of policy objectives. Whilst some of this will be
contracted out to external researchers (including those based in universities
as noted above), a number of government departments also host their own
in-house research teams.
It is not possible to obtain a clear picture of funding allocated specifically to
SSH research in the UK, although some general data are available:
Science Budget allocations to the ESRC in 2012/13 are 153.3m, an amount
to be maintained in cash terms until 2014/15 and therefore subject to erosion
due to inflation, etc. Figures for the AHRC for 2012/13 are 98.37m, again to
be maintained in cash terms until 2014/15.
In 2012/13, the UK Higher Education Funding Councils allocated 1,586m to
R&D. Of this, 24.5% (389m) was allocated to SSH subject areasxxii. This
comprised 255.5m for social science R&D and 133.7m for arts and
humanities related subjects.
In the context of the routes outlined in the flows diagram presented above, it
is not easy to distinguish separate budgetary streams, particularly with
regard to funding to individual researchers/teams, and contract research (as
such support may originate from private or public sources). Programme
funding is generally not applied in the UK context; in general research grants
are broadly organised according to research themes, programmes or
schemes.
3.2.2 Institutional funding
The majority of research funds provided to universities directly (i.e.
institutional funding) are from the Higher Education Funding Council for
England and the equivalent bodies for the devolved administrations of
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Funding from the Research Councils
tends to be allocated to research groups or individual researchers not to
HEIs. In 2012/13, this amounted to 1,586m from HEFCE, with an additional
223m from the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, 71m from the
Welsh Higher Education Funding Council and 50.7m from the Department
for Employment and Learning Northern Irelandxxiii.
ESRC funding to its research centres, most of which are located within
universities, amounted to 18.467m in 2011/12. AHRC, which has no
centres or institutes, did not spend any funds intramurally.
The distinction of project-based thematic, project-based non-thematic and
institutional thematic and institutional non-thematic funding cannot be applied
systematically to the system of research support in the UK.

33

3.2.3 Individual funding

Individual researchers and research teams receive funding either in the form
of funding allocated within HEIs at the discretion of those institutions or as
competitive research grants awarded by the Research Councils (and, to a
lesser extent, the British Academy). Research Council funding is almost
always allocated on a competitive basis to individual researchers and to
research teams or to Research Council institutes to support specific research
projects developed by researchers. In the SSH area, the majority of this
funding is provided by the ESRC (to individual researchers and research
teams or centres) and the AHRC (mainly to individual researchers or teams),
although other Research Councils do support SSH research that has
particular relevance to their core disciplines or in the form of interdisciplinary
grants.
In 2011/2012, ESRC expenditure via programme funds totalled 16.45m,
with 44.409m to research grants and 1.667m to research fellowships.
60.85m was allocated to postgraduate training (ESRC Annual Report and
Accounts, 2012). In the same period, AHRC awarded 30m to research
grants, 16.1m to themed/directed research and 46m in postgraduate
training (AHRC Annual Report 2012).
3.2.4 Programme Funding
It is not possible to disaggregate Government funding according to SSHrelated fields. Generally, thematic approaches to research are not applied
although research funding provided through the Research Councils may be
organised according to broad disciplinary and thematic categories. Thus, as
noted, SSH-related research is funded via the ESRC and AHRC. In turn,
these may operate more thematically focused programmes of research
which include a number of research grants organised around a central
theme. For example, in the ESRC, Research programmes are groups of
related projects, together addressing one or more of ESRCs priorities. They
are typically five years in duration. In 2011/12, ESRC allocated 16.45m to
its research programme funding. In addition, both ESRC and AHRC
participate in a number of the RCUK Cross-Council research programmes
which tend to be directed at issues connected with major societal challenges
(see above).
3.3 Private research funding
It is not possible to identify budgetary flows for private sector funding of SSHrelated research. This is due to a variety of reasons including the absence of
comprehensive data on private sector users and funders of such research,
lack of data on private sector performers of SSH research contracts and a
lack of data on the extent to which HEIs undertake SSH-related research.
The only information that has been identified is that provided by the AHRC,
which indicated that UK industry, commerce, public corporations contributed
10.1m to support research in the arts and humanities in UK HEIs in
2005/06. This represented 2.5% of the total research support for that period.
As Higher Education Funding Council support to social science research in
HEIs is only slightly higher than that for arts and humanities research, it

34

could be assumed that private sector support for the former would be about
at least the same, if not slightly higher.
3.4 Foundations/ not-for-profit funding
A number of foundations and trusts provide significant funding for SSHrelated research carried out in universities, notably the Nuffield Foundation,
the Rowntree Foundation, the Leverhulme Trust, and the Wellcome Trust.
These have their own agendas, not strictly driven by disciplinary concerns.
Some, such as the Leverhulme Trust, provide funding for humanities
research in the area of Chinese Studies and Ancient History, for example.
Others such as Nuffield and Rowntree have policy-related agendas, and
support research designed to improve the welfare of disadvantaged groups.
Funding from charities and foundations has grown steadily in recent years,
resulting in more pressure on QR funding (i.e. block research funding from
the Higher Education Funding Councils) to support HEIs share of research
funded by the charities. This shortfall is concentrated in medical subjects and
(to a lesser extent) in science, including biomedical science, but it affects all
areas including social sciences and the arts. ONS figures for 2010 indicate
that HEIs in England received some 968m of research income from the
private non-profit sector, although it is not possible to determine the
proportion allocated to SSH-related research activities.
Figures for the main charitable foundations indicate that in 2010, grants
approved/awarded (to UK HEIs, where identified) totalled at least 2.76m for
the Nuffield Foundation (Nuffield Foundation Annual Report 2011), 3.54m
for the Rowntree Foundation (figures are for 2011), approximately 13.5m
for the Leverhulme Trust (2011 SSH-related only), and 12.2m (rough
estimate of SSH-related only) for the Wellcome Trust. This gives a total of
32m.
3.5 European and international funding
Data on non-national funds for research are very difficult to obtain, except at
the most aggregate level. ONS data for 2009/10 indicate that of a total
funding of 8,271m for the R&D (all disciplines) in the Science Base (HEIs
and Research Council centres and institutes), 9.8% was from overseas
sources. Figures from OECD show that, in 2009, of a total of 741m of
support from abroad for R&D performed in UK HEIs, some 344m came
from the European Commission. No breakdown into broad disciplinary area
is available.
Although funding figures allocated specifically to SSH research are
unavailable, somewhat dated AHRC figures (for 2005/06) note that EU
Government funding for arts and humanities research was 9.4m (2.3% of
the total HEI research income), that from other EU sources was 2m (0.5%)
and that from other overseas sources 4.7m (1.1%)8.
The UK has generally been very active in the EU Framework Programmes in
most research fields including SSH with significant amounts of research
8

Latest available data

35

funding coming from this source. UK researchers and research organisations

(mainly universities) actively participated in both priority 7 "Citizens and
Governance in a Knowledge-based Society and priority 8 Science and
Society of the 6th Framework Programme, which are the most directly
relevant priorities to SSH research.
In total 265.8m were spent in 169 FP6 projects under these two priorities.
From these, 26 were coordinated by UK organizations placing the UK
second after Germany among 21 countries. From the 2,043 participants in
these 169 projects, 253 were from the UK; making it the first among the 33
EU and Associate Countries. In particular, the UK is second after Germany
in coordinating priority 7 projects and lead participant in six out of the eight
areas of priority 7. Likewise, the UK is first in participation among 26
countries in priority 8, having 24 out of the 167 participants; and also first in
coordination among 11 countries (sharing the position with Germany), with 5
coordinators out of the 24 under priority 8.
Recent data for FP7 participation shows that in 2011, of a total of 10,943
retained applications (all research areas), 1,691 (15.4%) were from the UK.
Of a total of 3,308.3m in EU contributions, 528.1m (16%) were received by
UK participants.
UK SSH researchers have also received significant amounts of ERC funding
with 18 out of the 57 SSH-related ERC Starting Grants in 2007 being
awarded to researchers hosted in UK institutions. These awards represented
15.4m or 31.3% of the total project EC contribution (49.2m).

36

4. Performing System
4.1 Overview of the performers
The Higher Education (HE) sector is the UKs major education and research
performer in all disciplines, including SSH. It mainly comprises of universities
that despite being autonomous receive their funding via a dual support
system comprising general funding from the Higher Education Funding
Councils (and equivalent bodies in Scotland, Wales and Ireland) based on a
national Research Assessment Exercise9, together with Research Council
funding allocated on a competitive peer-reviewed basis. The charitable, nonprofit sector is the other important source of funding for university research
particularly in the medical sector, and also for other SSH-related fields
(particularly those relating to social issues).
The SSH performing system also includes a number of research centres
funded by ESRC and AHRC, some of which are established inside
universities, however no public institutes are owned by these Research
Councils. Other than these, no other public research organisations or public
labs are devoted to SSH research in the UK, although Government
ministries, for example the Home Office, do have research groups and will
undertake a significant amount of in-house research into policy-relevant SSH
issues. The national museums are also recognised independent research
organisations.
As far as the private sector is concerned a number of independent research
institutes and centres also perform SSH research. According to EUROSTAT
data 85,948 researchers were employed by the UK Business Enterprise
sector in 2011 although no numbers for SSH researchers can be found.
The UK research base and the SSH research system in particular has a
documented strong performance as measured by publication indicators.
Additionally, the country has achieved a strong international presence via an
extensive number of international cooperation agreements with a range of
countries worldwide.
4.2 Higher Education Institutions
4.2.1 HEIs as education performers
The Higher Education (HE) sector, largely composed of universities, is the
major source of third level (tertiary) education and is the main performer of
basic and strategic research in the UK. In 1992, the former polytechnics
were awarded university status and hence are often referred to as 'new'
universities. As of August 2011, there were 165 Higher Education Institutions
in the UK, counting separately the colleges of the federal universities of
London and Wales, a figure that includes universities, university colleges,
9

To be replaced by a Research Excellence Framework assessment process in 2014.

37

specialist higher education institutions and other higher education colleges.

Of these, 115 were universities. In addition, there are a significant number of
further education colleges at which higher education students are able to
pursue their studies. For the purposes of this study, the analysis will
concentrate on education activities within universities.
Universities in the UK are autonomous bodies, with charitable status, and
are free to seek funding from a variety of sources. However, the majority of
their funding comes via what is known as the dual support system (see
above). The other principal funding source for research is the charitable, non
-profit sector, particularly in the medical sector. The UK HE sector comprises
an extremely heterogeneous collection of institutions which ranges from
large, highly research intensive, internationally renowned institutions to
small, teaching-focused institutes which often serve particular regional or
sectoral demands.
All UK universities undertake research and teaching although the balance of
activities may vary enormously. The debate on research-oriented versus
teaching-oriented universities has been a recurrent theme over the years in
the UK and has fed into discussions over the future shape of the Research
Excellence Framework, the mechanism by which university core funding is
allocated. The nature of this mechanism means that government funding for
teaching-related activities tends to be determined by research performance
and thus is difficult to distinguish as a separate funding stream. HEIs in
receipt of this block grant are, furthermore, free to allocate it to research,
teaching or any related activities. In recent years, greater emphasis has
been placed on the 'Third Mission' of universities, i.e. greater engagement
with businesses and local communities. In this context, HEIs individually and
collectively engage in a variety of 'outreach' and knowledge transfer
activities. Several regional and trans-regional consortia have been set up to
address this activity.
In UK universities, disciplines like sociology and history are more likely to be
found under humanities than humanities subjects are to be found under the
social sciences. Griffin et al (2005: 16) argue that this phenomenon can be
explained by the fact that humanities disciplines were taught before social
science subjects. They note that part of the key to where subjects are
positioned within university structures is the age of the university itself.
Universities that were built as part of the expansion of higher education in
the 1960s and 1970s were more likely to start life with humanities and social
sciences faculties in place than older universities such as London,
Cambridge, and Edinburgh, which started life with the equivalent of
humanities subjects only. xxiv
Teaching funding
It should also be noted that HEIs raise income through the levying of student
fees, although the number of student places institutions are able to offer and
the maximum fee is capped by Government. In terms of the overall budget
for teaching and learning, for the 2013-14 academic year, HEFCE will
distribute funding of 4.47bn, including 2.3bn for recurrent funding for
teaching (of which 105m is for widening participation and 228m for student
retention), 1.6bn for recurrent research; 160m for knowledge exchange.
The overall reduction in resources of 959m between 2012-13 and 201314

38

primarily relates to the reduction in recurrent teaching funding, which reflects

the anticipated increase in graduate contributions.
Figures for teaching funding, broken down by disciplinary area are not
available.
Student and staff numbers
Statistics produced by HESA indicate that, in the UK in 2011/12, there were
779,745 full-time undergraduate and another 318,045 part-time
undergraduate students in SSH-related fields of study. There were a further
188,020 full-time postgraduate students and 162,770 part-time postgraduate
students in the same fields. The fields covered by the statistics are: Social
studies; Law; Business & administrative studies; Languages; Mass
communications & documentation; Historical & philosophical studies;
Creative Arts and Design; Education. Of a combined (full time and part time)
total of 2,496,640 undergraduate students in all subject areas, SSH-related
students comprised 44%. The proportion of full time and part time SSHrelated postgraduate students was higher at 61.7%
HESA figures indicate that from 2005/06 to 2011/12 there has been a
general upward trend in SSH-related full time undergraduate admissions,
from 648,415 to 779,745 an increase of 20.3%. Likewise, the number of full
time postgraduate SSH enrolments rose from 144,455 to 188,020 over the
same period, an increase of 30.1%. In 2005/06, SSH-related full time
undergraduates comprised 54% of all admissions, a proportion that had risen
to 55.2% in 2011/12. Conversely, full time postgraduate admissions in SSHrelated subjects fell from 61.7% to 60.7% of all entrants over the same
period.
Finally, HEFCE figures indicate that the number of FTE academic staff (no
distinction between teaching and research) in 2009/10 was 122,750. Of
these, 50,545 (41.2%) were in SSH-related subjects, up from the 2005/06
proportion of 37.2%.
4.2.2 HEIs as research performers
In the UK, the universities are the most important organisations in which
research takes place. The former polytechnics and some colleges of higher
education were granted university status in 1992. Thus, the number of
universities expanded enormously. However, this process also led to a
division between the old and the new universities. The old universities are
more dependent on research funding as an income than the new ones,
which are more teaching oriented (Griffin et al. 2005: 6, 11)xxv .
The major representative body and membership organisation for HEIs in
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is Universities UK. Its
membership consists of the executive heads of UK universities. Universities
UK works with Higher Education Wales and Universities Scotland to
advance the interests of universities and to spread good practice throughout
the higher education sector. Its website is: http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/.
Here may be found a complete list of all the UK HEIs that are members of
Universities UK, together with their contact details.

39

In 2009/10, universities in the UK received a total of 26.6bn. Around 34% of

this came via Funding Council grants and another 16% from research grants
and contracts.
In terms of general research performance, various indicators are collated
and published: however, the top three institutions in terms of most of these
indicators are Cambridge University, Oxford University and Imperial College
London - the so-called 'Golden Triangle', closely followed by the University of
Manchester. However, the rankings in terms of SSH-related funding are
somewhat different.
The ESRC and AHRC provide breakdowns of research grant awards by
institution. ESRC provides figures on expenditure for research per institution.
The figures for the top ten institutions (excluding postgraduate training
expenditure) for 2011/12 were as follows these accounted for 49.3% of the
total amount allocated:

University of Essex: 13.767m

University of Manchester: 9.998m

University of Oxford: 7.106m

University of London, Institute of Education: 6.875m

University of Bristol: 6.757m

University College London: 5.061m

University of Cardiff: 4.621m

University of Edinburgh: 4.460m

London School of Economics: 3.986m

University of Southampton: 3.850m

Total research expenditure for this period was 134,057m.

The top ten institutions in terms of AHRC funding (2011/12), which includes
funding for Arts-related subjects (Standard Research Grants only), were:

University of Glasgow: 2.47m

University of Oxford: 2.42m

University of St Andrews: 1.73m

University of Edinburgh: 1.53m

Queens University Belfast: 1.41m

University of Reading: 1.29m

University of Birmingham: 1.21m

Kings College London: 1.16m

University of East Anglia: 1.06m

University of Leeds: 1.04m

Total expenditure for research-related activities in this period was 37.96m.

40

As noted, the ESRC supports a number of Research Centres that focus on

particular aspects of social science research. As such, ESRC research
centres form national focal points for social science research where
academics can collaborate on long-term projects. They are typically located
within a single institution, although dual or multi-site applications are also
encouraged provided they demonstrate the added value of such an
arrangement. More recently, ESRC has funded hub and spoke centres that
spread the funding between a coordinating university (hub) and several
partner universities (spokes). The centres aim to facilitate the building of
strong relationships with research users and the development of the careers
of new and outstanding researchers and are appropriate where long term
investment is justified in terms of the topic, the intellectual challenges and
the needs of the research team.
Currently funded ESRC Research Centres, all of which have time-limited
funding, are listed below (end dates in brackets):

Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) (September 2015)

Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy (CPP)

(September 2015)

Centre for Market and Public Organisation (CMPO) (September 2014)

Centre for Competition Policy (CCP) (August 2014)

Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy (June 2013)

Centre for Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE)

(December 2014)

Centre for the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions for

Public Health Improvement (December 2013)

Centre for Climate Change, Economics and Policy (October 2013)

Centre for Social, Technological and Environmental Pathways to

Sustainability (STEPS) (First Phase September 2011)

UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) (April 2014)

UK Transport Research Centre (August 2014)

Centre on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE)

(September 2013)

UK Innovation Research Centre at Cambridge and Imperial (UK-IRC)

(December 2013)

Centre on Micro-Social Change (MISOC) (September 2014)

Centre for Research on Socio-Cultural Change (CRESC) (September

2014)

Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC) (August 2013)

Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS) (September 2013)

Centre for Population Change (September 2013)

Centre for Longitudinal Studies (March 2015)

41

Due to the time-limited nature of the funding (five years plus a further five
subject to a successful mid-term review), several centres will have closed or
had ESRC funding terminated (although centres that manage to access
alternative funding may continue to operate, without the ESRC label. The
ESRC Centre for Economic Performance at the LSE is an exception, having
been funded for nearly 20 years by the ESRC (generally in the form of fiveyear tranches allocated on a competitive basis). In addition, ESRC support a
number of resources centres and programmes. When a research
programme, centre or network has been completed, the data resources will
still be available.
The following are Major research institutes and centres within universities
which are more than regular academic departments:

Policy Studies Institute (PSI) (http://www.psi.org.uk/)

The Policy Studies Institute (PSI) is one of Britain's leading independent

research institutes, conducting research to promote economic well-being and
improve quality of life. PSI undertakes and publishes research studies
relevant to social, economic and industrial policy. It is an independent
subsidiary of the University of Westminster. PSI's research is organised in
three multi-disciplinary research groups covering Employment, Environment
and Social Policy.
PSI has a particularly strong reputation for using large-scale national surveys
in an innovative and creative way. It also makes extensive use of other
research methods, including case studies, intensive interviewing of special
groups, statistical analysis, literature and document research, focus groups
and discussions with practitioners and other researchers, seminars,
conferences and group discussions.

National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) (http://www.ncrm.ac.uk/)

The mission of the National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) is to

provide a strategic focal point for identification, development and delivery of
an integrated national research and training programme aimed at promoting
a step change in the quality and range of methodological skills and
techniques used by the UK social science community.
4.3 Public Research Organisations
The ESRC and AHRC do not have their own institutes although ESRC funds
centres for research into specific areas of the social sciences located within
universities (see above). Other than those noted below, there are no public
research organisations or public labs devoted to social sciences and
humanities research. Government ministries, for example the Home Office,
do however have research groups.
The national museums listed below are recognised independent research
organisations by AHRC. More details of their activities can be obtained via
their web sites.

The British Library (http://www.bl.uk/)

The British Museum (www.britishmuseum.org/)

The National Archives (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/)

42

The National Gallery (http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/)

The National Maritime Museum (http://www.rmg.co.uk/)

National Museum Wales (http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/)

The National Portrait Gallery (http://www.npg.org.uk/)

Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland

(http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/)

The Tate Gallery (http://www.tate.org.uk/)

The Victoria and Albert Museum (http://www.vam.ac.uk/)

4.4 Private research performers

The major private SSH performers (based on a subjective judgement of their
importance) are listed below:

National Centre for Social Research (http://www.natcen.ac.uk/)

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) is the largest independent
social research institute in Britain. It employs around 270 staff and had an
income of over 41.9m in 2012. NatCen designs, carries out, and analyses
research studies in the fields of social and public policy, including extensive
research among members of the public. It has expertise in quantitative
research, survey methods, qualitative research and research into elections
and social trends. NatCen focuses on five policy areas:

Crime and Justice

Income and Work

Children and Young People

Health and Wellbeing

Society and Social Change (includes the British Social Attitudes Survey)

The British Social Attitudes Survey was set up in 1983 to measure the
changing attitudes, values and beliefs of the British public. Over the years,
the survey has covered an extensive number of complex social, political and
moral issues. The British Social Attitudes survey records and interprets longterm shifts in public opinion rather than short-term trends. It is a not for profit
organisation, registered as a company limited by guarantee with charitable
status and is an associate research centre of the LSE.

Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) (http://www.ifs.org.uk/aboutIFS)

IFS is an independent research organisation that aims to provide high quality

economic analysis of public policy. It hosts the ESRC Centre for the
Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy and receives significant core
funding from the ESRC, awarded on a competitive basis. Its research
focuses particularly on the UK tax system, considering the likely effects of
fiscal policy on every section of the population. It is a company limited by
guarantee with charitable status. It employs 50 researchers. IFS's research
portfolio covers a range of substantive areas, including: Labour markets,
Education, Health, Inequality, Pensions and Saving, and Tax and benefits.

43

National
Foundation
(http://www.nfer.ac.uk)

for

Educational

Research

(NFER)

This is the largest education research institute. It is independent and a

company limited by guarantee with charitable status which employs around
200 staff. Its focus is on all areas of education research from pre-school to
adult and life long learning and in particular developments assessments and
tests. FER works with a range of organisations, from national government to
local authorities, charities and private sector companies. Research areas
include Assessment, Statistical analysis, International comparisons,
Information and reviews, Evaluations and Consultancy work. It also performs
data collection, test trialling and survey administration services, and a range
of omnibus and panel surveys.

Demos (http://www.demos.co.uk)

Demos is a think tank concerned with the topics of power, citizenship, skills
and capabilities and security. It is a registered charity. It has 14 staff, but is a
well-known voice in social policy issues and debate. In 2012, its research
programme focused on four core themes: Family and Society; Violence and
Extremism; Citizens and Public Services and Welfare.

Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) (http://www.ippr.org.uk)

IPPR is a think tank concerned with a broad range of topics and a staff of
around 30. Key policy areas include: the future of the economy, reform of
public services, family policy, welfare reform, political renewal, climate
change and migration.

National Institute for Economic

(http://www.niesr.ac.uk/)

and

Social

Research

(NIESR)

A company with charitable status and 29 research staff, NIESR is the UKs
oldest independent economic research institute and is unaligned with
political party interests. Its research programmes are in economic modelling,
the international economy and education, training and employment research.
Current programmes include work on productivity, pensions and the ageing
population, trade and investment, European financial integration, labour
markets and economic statistics. All are underpinned by the Institute's long
standing strength in macroeconomic modelling and forecasting.
In addition to the above, the UK has numerous consultancy firms, polling
organizations, market research organisations and similar bodies, of a range
of sizes that undertake research in a broad range of SSH-related areas.
4.5 Research performance
4.5.1 Scientific publications
According to the ESRCs latest Research Performance and Economic
Impact Report 2011/12, ESRC grants led to some 2,947 refereed
publications in 2010/11 with a further 3,462 non-refereed publications.
Research Quality, was high with 94% of projects achieving Evaluation
Grades of Outstanding, Very Good or Good.

44

According to the ESRC Annual Report and Accounts 2011/12, academic

publications from ESRC research investments were as follows: 1,959
research papers, down from 2,563 in 2010/11; 850 books and chapters in
2011/12, down from 889 in 2010/11; 1,959 papers published in refereed
journals in 2011/12 (86% of all papers) down from 2,144 in 2010/11 (84%).
Although the use of publications as outputs in the Arts and Humanities is
more contentious than its application to the Social Sciences, the AHRC also
monitors the number of outputs (including paper based, performance and
visual media, and electronic outputs, conferences, seminars etc.) recorded
on research awards final reports. The latest figures presented in The Impact
of AHRC Research 2011/12 are presented below.

The AHRC in collaboration with the European Science Foundation (ESF) has
developed a journal list from which a metric has been derived assessing the
proportion of UK scholarly articles compared with the proportion of articles
from other parts of the world. This European Reference Index for the
Humanities (ERIH) is an open access list of categorised and ranked
international journals that serves as a benchmarking tool and constitutes the
basis for the development of a fully-fledged reference index. Initial lists in all
subject areas were published, including journals of international significance
(A rated) that have been cross-referenced with Thomson ISI Web of
Knowledge listings to provide a sample of high quality peer-reviewed
journals for analysis. However, no recent analyses can be located.
Finally, figures from SCOPUS sourced by Technopolis 2012 show the
following number of total SSH publications for the UK between 2005 and
2011:
Year of publication
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
average annual growth rate 2005-11

No SSH publications
26,234
24,057
20,078
17,605
18,354
17,201
15,576
9.1

45

4.5.2 Interdisciplinarity
In the following, we use the terms interdisciplinarity and multidisciplinarity.
Interdisciplinarity is used for this purpose as cooperation between
researchers of SSH disciplines. If researchers in SSH discipline cooperate
with those in non-SSH disciplines such as natural sciences, engineering,
medical sciences etc., it is labelled multidisciplinary.
The issues of interdisciplinarity and multidisciplinarity have long attracted
attention in the UK neither can be described as a new concept or issue for
debate by either academia or government. While the origins of this focus
cannot be attributed to a particular time or event it is clear that the benefits of
both interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research in both developing the
impact and capabilities of research conducted within a discipline and in
addressing real world problems and issues have driven research
communities and research funders alike in the UK towards a much more
cross-disciplinary approach. The growth of new, generic technologies such
as IT has also spurred the uptake of cross-disciplinary approaches.
It is probably safe to assume that cross-disciplinary studies were already well
established by the late 1980s (the Research Councils had established
several interdisciplinary research centres (IRCs) by the early 1990s).
However, the drive to connect research to the needs of the economy, and
the quality of life of the population, which was stimulated by the
Governments publication of the Science and Technology White Paper,
Realising our Potential in 1993 (UK Government). This probably focused
increased emphasis on the need for greater interconnectedness between
researchers from different scientific disciplines (including those of the arts,
humanities and social sciences).
As the majority of research (including that in SSH) in the UK is performed by
researchers in Universities and since the bulk of the funding for research is
provided by the Research Councils, the examples selected below will be
mainly drawn from these two sets of actors. In addition, a significant amount
of research funded and performed (either intramurally or extramurally) by
Government departments also draws heavily on interdisciplinary and
multidisciplinary approaches.
Since the inception of the IRCs, the UK Research Councils have maintained
a strong track record of supporting multidisciplinary research. Foremost
among the various multidisciplinary initiatives are the cross-Research
Council programmes, where social science research is an essential part of
all the cross-council themes. Novel, multidisciplinary approaches are needed
to solve many, if not all, of the big research challenges over the next ten to
20 years (ESRC website). Those involving the ESRC, wherein it provides
social science advice, are (see above, for full descriptions):

Global Uncertainties: realising greater security for all (ESRC lead)

Living with Environmental Change (NERC lead)

Lifelong Health and Wellbeing (MRC lead)

Digital Economy (EPSRC lead)

Energy (EPSRC lead)

46

Global Food Security (BBSRC lead)

ESRC also collaborates with users of its research, for example the ESRCDfID joint fund for poverty alleviation research and the DfID-ESRC Growth
programme (DEGP). Much of this collaboration is supported under the ESRC
Collaborative Ventures Scheme. Existing collaborations include a wide range
of multi-disciplinary initiatives, addressing ESRC's strategic research
priorities. The initiatives range from small research grants to multi-million
pound research centres (ESRC website).
The AHRC is also involved in a number of cross-Research Council themes.
In addition to Global Uncertainties, Lifelong Health and Wellbeing, Living with
Environmental Change and the Digital Economy Programme, AHRC
researchers participate in the following:

Connected Communities

New Dynamics of Ageing

Cultures of Consumption

Networks in Synthetic Biology

Also, the AHRC research themes also convey a strong sense of crossdisciplinarity:

Care for the Future: Thinking Forward through the Past

Digital Transformations in the Arts and Humanities

Science in Culture

Translating Cultures

In addition, many of the ESRC-funded centres and other HEI-based

initiatives are interdisciplinary in that they combine a broad range of social
science research areas towards broad ranging societal problems and issues
or multidisciplinary, involving researchers from other disciplines. A selected
few examples are:

Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy

Centre for Spatial Economics

Economic Development and Population/Reproductive Health Research

Centre

Enterprise Research Centre

Innovation Research Centre

Research Centre for Bilingualism

Tax Administration Research Centre

Third Sector Research Centre

UKCRC Public Health Research: Centres of Excellence

A full and comprehensive listing of all the relevant centres and institutes
across the 155 UK-based HEIs is well beyond the remit of this report. Most, if
not all UK Universities could boast at least one, if not several such institutes
or centres. A minute selection of these includes:

47

University
of
Manchester:
(selected
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/research/directory/institutes/

examples)

Brooks World Poverty Institute

Dalton Nuclear Institute

Herbert Simon Institute of Public Policy and Management

Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute

Institute of Health Sciences

Institute for Science, Ethics and Innovation

Institute for Social Change

Manchester Institute of Innovation Research

Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre

Neuroscience Research Institute

Paterson Institute for Cancer Research

Sustainable Consumption Institute

Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in the Arts and Languages:

http://www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/cidra/

City University, London: http://www.city.ac.uk/interdisciplinary-city

Centre for Creativity in Professional Practice

City Collaborative Transport Hub

Centre for Information Leadership

Centre for Health Enterprise

Centre for Law, Justice and Journalism

Centre for Performance at Work

Interdisciplinary activities at HEIs are also a focus of attention, for example

through events such as the University of Swanseas Interdisciplinary
Research Week (November 2011). This was described as From the effects
of climate change to the needs and aspirations of an ageing population, the
complex fabric of life in the 21st century faces many challenges and
opportunities.
Addressing them requires research that crosses the
boundaries between the scientific and technical, the political, cultural and
social. In turn, this requires fresh thinking and new modes of connection and
communication that can be encouraged through cross-disciplinary research.
By enabling and encouraging staff to work at the interface of academic
research, the University actively supports a collaborative approach to
interdisciplinary research. The Week also launches a new Research
Institute for Applied Social Science.
4.5.3 International Cooperation
The UK operates an extensive number of international cooperation
agreements with a range of countries worldwide and at a variety of levels,
from those between individual researchers, through departmental and
institutional level arrangements up to inter-agency agreements and

48

partnerships and inter-governmental memoranda of understanding and

treaties.
The ESRC notes that it is committed to raising awareness of UK social
science internationally, and enabling UK social scientists to collaborate with
the best researchers across the globe. To this end it offers a number of
funding opportunities to enable researchers in the social sciences to
collaborate with colleagues from overseas, either individually (in country or
abroad) or through research networks.
The focus areas are also aligned along the priority themes specified in the
2009-2014 Strategic Plan, namely:

Global Economic Performance, Policy and Management

Health and Wellbeing

Understanding Individual Behaviour

New Technology, Innovation and Skills

Environment, Energy and Resilience

Security, Conflict and Justice

Social Diversity and Population Dynamics

Working internationally is a key priority of the ESRC's Strategic Plan.

Examples of actions undertaken include:

Signing up to the EUROHORCs Money Follows Researcher Scheme.

Hosting the UK National Contact Points for both the Socio-Economic

Sciences and Humanities (SSH) and Science in Society (SiS)
programmes of Framework Programme 7.

Bilateral agreement with FAPESP in Brazil

Hosting international research resources: Here the ESRC has been

developing a number of initiatives bringing together social scientists from
the UK and overseas aiming to promote international co-operation and to
advance research resource infrastructure through data sharing and
collaborative analysis. One such initiative is the Collaborative Analysis of
Microdata Resources Pathfinder Research Projects.

Moreover, by 2014, one of ESRCs priority targets is to strengthen the

capacity to undertake international research, through initiatives to enhance
comparative research methods.
Finally, all the Research Councils have had an overseas presence since the
opening of the UK Research Office (UKRO) in Brussels in 1984. There are
now also RCUK international offices in the US, China and India.
The AHRC promotes international links at many levels: from policy through
to researcher and researcher links. Funding for international research is
delivered in various ways: Researcher-led funding opportunities; Funding
opportunities with a thematic focus; Non-AHRC funding opportunities;
Previous international funding.
The AHRC often works in partnership with other organisations when funding
internationally. When this is the case, an organisation other than the AHRC

49

may lead the application process. The AHRC's international team have set
up a new blog, 'Research beyond borders', to help disseminate wider funding
opportunities for international research collaboration specific to UK arts and
humanities researchers.
Figures from SCOPUS extracted by Technopolis 2012 provide a broad
indication of the extent of UK SSH research undertaken in collaboration with
other countries. As shown in the table below, it is clear that the US forms the
leading international partner for the UK in terms of SSH co-authored
publications. Correspondingly, the UK also forms the largest partner for US
authored co-publications in the SSH.
Table Main scientific co-publishing countries (1)
UK: leading SSH
publication partners
USA

no publications
10792

USA: leading SSH

publication partners
UK

no publications
10792

Germany

3857

Canada

Netherlands

2903

Germany

10237
5139

Canada

2657

Netherlands

3588

Italy

2144

France

3036

France

2012

Italy

2766

Spain

1822

Israel

2399

Switzerland

1196

Spain

2351

Belgium

1192

Switzerland

1853

Sweden

1080

Japan

1830

Ireland

1072

Greece

896

Norway

777

Denmark

764

Finland

665

Japan

588

Portugal

551

Austria

523

Brazil

521

Israel

487

Turkey

367

Poland

294

Hungary

218

Cyprus

189

Czech Republic

167

Iceland

113

Slovenia

100

(1), all SSH publications 2006-2012, includes double counting, i.e. each country mentioned
per author affiliation is counted once.

50

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51

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xix

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xxiii

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52