The document provides an overview of the Arts and Humanities Research Council's (AHRC) current activities and future strategic direction. It discusses the AHRC's focus on interdisciplinary research to address societal challenges, key themes around connected communities, digital transformations, and more. It also outlines the AHRC's activities around postgraduate funding, knowledge exchange hubs, international engagement, peer review, and measuring research outcomes.

1. AHRC ARMA Event 20 January 2012
Introduction, Overview and AHRC’s
Future Strategic Direction
Professor Mark Llewellyn
Director of Research
AHRC

2. Context: Funding Environment
• CSR 2010
• AHRC Delivery Plan 2011-15
• Priorities outline:
– Distinctiveness
– Strategic focus
– Contributing to economic growth and broader
societal challenges
• Wide subject remit of AHRC
• Capacity and capabilities across core and
developing areas

3. Context: AHRC Organisation
• Move from three Directorates to two
– Programmes
– Resources
• Programmes Directorate
– Director of Research
– Three Associate Directors
– Teams
• A, B, C, D – disciplinary/award type based
• Knowledge Exchange
• International
• Peer Review, Careers and Training
• Public Policy
• ‘Business Process’ Team – working with SSC

4. AHRC Current Activities
• Cross-Council Programmes
– Connected Communities (AHRC lead Council)
– LWEC
– Global Uncertainties: e.g. Leadership fellows,
partnership with ESRC
• Emerging Themes
– Care for the Future
– Science in Culture
– Digital Transformations
– Translating Cultures
• Commissioned Research

5. Overview of AHRC’s Themes
Increasingly central role in inter-disciplinary Connected
Digital Economy
cross-Council research on societal challenges Communities
Lead new Programme on ‘Connected
Communities’ and establish Centre for Living with
Global Lifelong Health
Copyright and New Business Models Environmental
Uncertainties & well-being
Change
Provide leadership in developing path- Care for the Digital
Future: Translating Transformations Science in
breaking research in four strategic emerging
Thinking forward Cultures in arts & Culture
challenges for arts and humanities research through the Past Humanities
Build on our world leading strengths through
investing in transformative collaborative Languages Creative & History,
Cultures &
research from across the full range of A&H & Performing thought
Heritage
disciplines (over 50 in total) addressing our Literature Arts & Belief
four core themes
Introduce a new mode of ‘commissioned’ research funding to respond nimbly/flexibly to strategic
priorities, emerging areas, and cross-disciplinary, partnership or translational opportunities
Enhance our international leadership role and re-orientate collaborations to address our new strategic, thematic and translational
priorities

6. Postgraduate Funding
BGP1 and BGP: Capacity Building
• BGP1 awards made in 2009 covering 5 PG cohorts
• BGP: CB awards made in 2011 covering 3 PG cohorts
BGP1 BGP:CB
Total number of 48 35
BGP type
Number of 1 10
consortia
Total number of 49 49
ROs involved

7. BGP2
• Focus on doctoral funding
• Diversified training and skills development
• Coherence of vision and strategy for A+H researchers
within different contexts
• Increased flexibility of funding profile
• Enhancement of ‘partnership’ role within, between
and across ROs/cultural & creative partners/the
AHRC as funder

8. Postgraduate Funding: CDAs and
Training
• Collaborative Doctoral Awards
• Project Studentships
• PGR within KE Hubs
• International Placements Scheme
– Library of Congress, Washington
– Huntington Library, California
– National Institutes for the Humanities, Japan
– Sarai, India
• Skills Development Call

9. KE Hubs for the Creative Economy
• Focusing budget
• KE as diversified across themes and programmes
• Significant strategic investment = £1m p.a. x 4 hubs
for 4 years
– Creative Exchange (Lancaster lead)
– Design in Action (Dundee lead)
– Creativeworks London (Queen Mary lead)
– REACT (UWE lead)
• A+H researchers actively engaged in research-based
KE

10. Demand (and Expectation)
Management
• Working with other Research Councils
– Common principles
– Cross-Council Working Group
• Working with Research Organisations
– Processes
– Using experience
– Sharing good practice
• Specific issues
– Longer and larger expectation
– Schemes/activities within different programmes

11. ‘Longer and Larger’/
Other contexts
• Theme approaches
• ‘sandpits’
• Highlight notices/calls
• Scoping Studies & Research Reviews
• Fellowships
• Networks
• Leadership comes in many forms

12. International
• Strong partnerships and engagements
– US
– India
– Europe e.g. HERA Cultural Encounters call
• Work with RCUK International Team
• Supporting researcher involvement/advocacy role
– Digging into Data challenge
• Recognition of significance of AHRC as a funder in a
global arts and humanities context
– National Consultation Panel for Cultural Heritage and
Global Change: a new challenge for Europe

13. Peer Review
• Peer Review College c.1300 members
– Areas within PRC, including Strategic Reviewers
– Panel membership drawn from PRC
• 2011 Recruitment Call
– over 300 applications for membership
• Robust
• Efficient
• Quality driven
• Adaptable
• Openness to project type and context – e.g. cross-
Council themes

14. Public Policy
• RCUK Concordat with DCLG
– AHRC lead Council
• Policy seminars/other activities
– FCO Prevention of Torture
– Cabinet Office and British Security Services
• Researcher involvement
– Policy Fellowships
• A+H engagement with non-academic organisations
• Increasing opportunities and communication

15. ROS: Research Outcomes System
• Live from November 2011
• Different approaches in Research Organisations to
population
• In first 6 weeks, 547 outputs recorded against 57
grants – e.g.
– Journal articles = 196
– Book chapters = 56
– Books = 37