Welcome to AHRCs Theme & Connected Communities Town Meetings

Background to AHRCs Themes and Connected Communities Gary Grubb Associate Director of Programmes AHRC

Timetable for the Day am Registration/coffee – from 10.45–11.30 am Overview Presentation/ Background to the Themes & Connected Communities am –1.00 pm Individual Theme / Connected Communities Session pm Lunch pm Individual Theme / Connected Communities Session 2

AHRC Themes: Background Future Directions consultation with researchers (Feb-May 2009) Advisory Board analysis of outcomes Further consultation with key partners & Subject Associations & via HEI visits Development by Advisory Board & Council Themes shaped and refined by Theme Advisory Groups (on-going process) Building on the successes of previous AHRC strategic programmes but different in nature

Connected Communities: Background RCUK review of current cross-Council themes, gaps & emerging areas for the next Spending Review period in 2008/9, informed by Councils own emerging strategies & consultations; Research for the Future consultation event, April 2009 Further consultations (e.g. AHRC Future Directions & Advisory Board) Cross-Council academic workshop in June 2009 Discussions with a range of stakeholders in 2009/10 First Research Summit, June 2010, further summits in 2011 and 2012 (July)

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

Digital Transformations Translating Cultures Care for the Future Science in Culture Connected Communities (with other RCs) AHRCs Themes

Connected Communities: Development Started with series of small scale reviews and scoping studies through open calls as well as highlight notices and workshops to build on current activities. Over 100 small projects funded. Piloted research development workshops on broad sub- areas (with open calls for participants) to generate new cross-disciplinary collaborations. 3 workshops held so far. 3 large grants from first workshop announced early th workshop envisaged in Partnership activities e.g. with RSA, Design Council & HLF Joint large grants call with ESRC Annual Summits for award holders and partners

Why Themes? Higher order issues: beyond individual disciplines, focus but flexibility, researcher-generated connective concepts Increased narrative possibilities for research diversity, richness and coherence Partnerships beyond academic collaboration more easily facilitated Communities and capacity of researchers involved

Collective Aims of the Themes To support the development of research capability in emerging research areas identified by Arts and Humanities researchers as being of increasing importance To provide research development opportunities across a range of Arts and Humanities subject areas To support high quality cutting edge research, creativity, innovation and intellectual leadership To stimulate boundary-crossing collaborations and partnerships To develop distinctive arts and humanities approaches that can contribute to broader RCUK / cross-disciplinary programmes To provide a focal point for developing pathways and narratives for the impact of arts and humanities research

Theme Working Themes not the same as AHRC strategic programmes Collection of adaptable theme activities Potential to draw in activities across all AHRC funding modes (including responsive), not just activities under themed calls Developing flexibility as appropriate for each theme Consideration of international, knowledge exchange, capacity building and public policy potential Emphasis on using current funding mechanisms and on targeted activities building larger consortia grants and partnership activities; flexibility rather than large-scale new research programmes (variable geometry) 11

Theme Evolution: and beyond Themes are diverse in nature Different funding and support patterns appropriate over future years Represent a longer-term investment in the intellectual landscape into future Delivery Plan period Themes will continue to link to, build on and complement the majority of AHRC funded research through responsive mode and seek add value to the range of research undertaken, engagements within, across and outside the academic communities supported by AHRC Themes can help to develop overarching narratives about evolution of arts and humanities research but remain underpinned by high quality researcher-led projects

Theme Funding Started with fairly open highlight notices & development awards to stimulate community-generated ideas, interest & capacity Theme Leadership Fellowships to provide leadership and support connectivity across activities Larger theme awards only one key part of theme activities Consideration of complementary international (e.g. recent AHRC- NWO networking call), knowledge exchange, capacity building (e.g. via skills development calls) and public policy potential Potential for partnership activities / calls and other calls (e.g. for smaller development awards in under-represented or emerging areas) Potential for further highlight notices (e.g. in grants to fill gaps etc) and continuing potential to draw in new 'responsive mode activities 13

Theme Development Awards to Date Highlight -NetworkingHighlight ECRFellowshipsHighlightFellowships(standard)ProjectdevelopmentSkillsDevelopmentTotal Science in Culture Digital Transformations Translating Cultures in languages 69 Care for the Future 8326*1 + 4 in heritage 24 Totals *6 Researching Environmental Change Network Follow-up Projects. Does not include 34 development awards under Connected Communities identified as also being of relevance to Care for the Future

Why Include Provision for Theme Large Grants? Allow for more ambitious collaborative projects and potential for developing a wider range of collaborations and partnership – across institutions, across disciplines, across sectors and internationally e.g. potential beacons for the themes, and for international and partner collaborations. Offering enhanced capability building opportunities (e.g. building new communities of scholars, linked students, longer contracts, development of training programmes) Greater opportunity to seek leveraged funding (inside and beyond institutions) & develop sustainable legacies Potential to build in more agility to respond to changing needs and new research findings that emerge over time, working more closely with AHRC Complement other smaller funding opportunities already offered under the Themes and available from other funding sources

Theme Large Grants Ambitious, transformative potential within the field Sum of the whole must be more than the parts Potential to make a significant contribution to some of the bigger cross-cutting questions, issues, sub-themes Extending and developing new collaborations across institutions and disciplines – potential for developing genuinely inter-disciplinary approaches Looking for innovation, opportunity for risk taking within the overall research programme Potential to think in creative ways about pathways to impact drawing across a broader portfolio of research and contacts Opportunity to think about broader contributions and collaborations, e.g. international, capability development etc

Theme Large Grants The Theme large grants will: need to work with each other & work closely with Theme Leadership Fellows and with AHRC. be encouraged to think creativity about themselves as key nodes within the Theme and their role with the broader Thematic research community play an important role in representing and exemplifying the Theme (Theme beacons) be expected to play a key role in Theme-level activities support Theme level engagement activities with non-HEI stakeholders be willing to be flexible to respond to emerging Theme agendas

Large Theme Grants Care for the Future current highlight notice in research grants (up to £1.5m) and planning for research development call in autumn 2012 leading to large grants call in The other three themes are planning calls for Theme Large Grants in autumn Theme Large Grants under this call will start in 2013/2014 and run for up to 5 years to 2018/2019, expected to be c.£1m - £2m fec. Further outline details are on AHRCs website. Town meetings and Theme workshops in summer 2012 are feeding into the finalisation of details of these calls. These major thematic activities will continue beyond current Delivery Plan and into next Spending Review period

Theme / Connected Communities Leadership Fellowships To enrich the intellectual agenda for the theme /programme To take a lead in engaging with broader research communities (UK and overseas) To promote collaboration between projects and across disciplinary, institutional and other boundaries To take on an advocacy role and develop narratives about the progress of the theme To undertake an advisory role – working closely with the theme advisory groups and AHRC staff / theme leads To stimulate and support the development of collaborative, KE, public engagement and partnership activities beyond academia Undertake their own research relevant to the theme

Other Thematic Funding Large Grants and Fellowships a core part of themes but only part of the picture – we are thinking about other complementary activities e.g. international calls, partnership activities, targeted calls in under-represented areas and highlight notices in grants which could supplement the large grants as appropriate. Highlight notice for 4 themes and CC in networking scheme recently extended to end of October Fellowships scheme highlight until end of Also highlight in current Collaborative Skills Development call (closes 20 Sept. 2012) We will continue to provide opportunities for relevant projects under other schemes (e.g. responsive mode) to be drawn into thematic networks

Questions?

Morning Break-out Sessions 11.30am pm Connected Communities – this room Care for the Future – room Science in Culture - Digital Transformations - Translating Cultures -