Arts and Humanities Research Council. Commons Fellowship

Transcription

1 Arts and Humanities Research Council Call for Applications Commons Fellowship Overview Applications are invited from appropriately experienced researchers in the arts and humanities for an AHRC Commons Fellowship to lead the strategic direction of the AHRC Commons and to stimulate engagement across the arts and humanities research community. The AHRC Strategy sets out the aims of the AHRC Commons as follows: The AHRC Commons will be aimed at gathering together arts and humanities researchers alongside cognate bodies and international peers to develop joint initiatives, connect dispersed undertakings, provide for a discussion and build a shared case for the importance of arts and humanities research to national and international life. The remit of the AHRC Commons is broad and an overview is outlined in full in the Strategy (see in full at Annex 1). The role of the Fellow will be to lead the establishment and delivery of the AHRC Commons, engaging with arts and humanities researchers and more broadly to deliver the initiative s vision and aims. Fellowship details We are seeking to appoint an AHRC Commons Fellow for a three-year period in the first instance. The Fellowship will fund between 40% and 60% of the Fellow s time for a period of up to 3 years; some flexibility in time commitment over the 3 year period is possible within these overall limits (e.g. to fit around other research commitments). However, the Fellow will be required to commit at least 40% time (fte) / 2 days a week to working to establish and deliver the AHRC Commons. AHRC Commons Fellowship Activities The AHRC Commons Fellow will: Lead on developing the vision and objectives of the AHRC Commons and delivering this through a three-year schedule of activities and outputs. Develop strategies to encourage dialogue and debate engaging broadly across arts and humanities research disciplines in the UK and beyond, including engaging with partners and sectors beyond the UK research base. Initiate and coordinate a range of AHRC Commons activities and events. Cultivate ways to connect existing AHRC-funded projects, events and groups with other relevant networks and activities in arts and humanities research. Put in place methods for capturing outcomes and discussions arising from activities. 1

2 Develop an interactive web presence to promote AHRC Commons news, debates and activities. Consider how the Commons could play a part in the 10 year anniversary of the AHRC in Funding The total budget available for the AHRC Commons Fellowship will be up to 500k over three years. Some resource in terms of information, logistical support and guidance will be provided by the AHRC, but consideration should also be given to the following: Appropriate local support (e.g. admin support for AHRC Commons activities). A web-presence including set-up costs, design, content and content management plus oversight of a social media presence. A budget for events, commissioned research, articles and publications. As part of the application process, applicants are asked to provide an outline costing for their fellowship up to a maximum of 500k over three years. At this stage, the costing of the activities only needs to give estimates, and the individual activities do not need to be costed in detail. Funding details will be agreed with the successful candidate and their research organisation following the selection process. Applicants should estimate the anticipated resources required over the three years of the Fellowship, including an estimate of the full economic costs of the Fellow s time commitment (i.e. including associated indirect costs), and proposed activities. In calculating the total costs of the fellowship, the full economic costs of your time commitment should be included at 80%; the proposed activities (including local support) should be included at 100%. Working Arrangements The Fellow will be expected to be based at a UK Research Organisation eligible for AHRC funding for the duration of the Fellowship. However, some elements of the role are likely to involve significant travel to meetings and events. The AHRC Commons will operate autonomously and the opinions and writings made in the name of the Commons are for the arts and humanities research and user communities more generally rather than a reflection of the AHRC s views or policy. The Fellow will consult with the AHRC to develop and deliver their agreed programme of activities and will be expected to maintain regular contact with the AHRC. The Fellow will be required to report annually to the AHRC Advisory Board and provide updates on progress for Council or the Executive team as and when required. 2

3 Person Specification The AHRC Commons is a high profile initiative and of strategic importance to the AHRC. The Commons Fellow will be able to demonstrate strategic leadership and have the ability to manage complex projects. The Fellow should have a wide range of contacts and networks and be a first-class communicator who can engage and nurture relationships with audiences in the academic community and beyond. Successful applicants will need to demonstrate: a clear vision for the development of the Commons which interprets the aims as laid out in the strategy and presents ideas for initiatives and activities which achieves those aims the ability to provide strategic leadership for and management of a three year project outstanding communication skills, suitable for engagement via a variety of media with a range of different audiences within the academic community and beyond a recognized research profile in the arts and humanities, and an openness to other disciplines experience of developing partnerships with people and organisations within and outside academia familiarity with the AHRC s mission and strategy and with the broader UK research funding and policy landscape familiarity with the use of social media and providing high quality content for websites. A record of engagement with national or international bodies such as subject associations or academies will be an advantage. 3

4 Application process Applications should be ed to the address below and must include: a brief curriculum vitae (max 2 sides of A4, minimum size 10 font), a supporting statement (max 4 sides of A4, minimum size 10 font) outlining: why you are appropriate for the role your vision for the establishment and development of the Commons the activities you might undertake to contribute to achieving that vision an outline workplan for the 3 years of the Fellowship an outline budget covering the anticipated resources required over the three years of the Fellowship, including an estimate of the full economic costs of your time commitment (costed at the standard 80% fec rate), local support and proposed activities costs up to a maximum of 500k over three years (max 1 side of A4, minimum size 10 font). The closing date for applications is 10am Monday 10 March Applications will be reviewed by a small group of the Strategic Reviewers from the AHRC Peer Review College. Shortlisted applicants will be required to attend an interview and present their Commons plans. The interview panel will be made up of the following people: AHRC CEO AHRC Head of Communications A Strategic Reviewer from the AHRC Peer Review College A member of the AHRC Advisory Board A member of the AHRC Council Interviews will take place on Monday 7 April 2014 and the successful candidate will be able to take up the position in the summer of Please applications to: Rose Easton, Secretariat Officer: r.easton@ahrc.ac.uk, stating in the subject heading that you are applying for the AHRC Commons Fellowship. If you would find it helpful to discuss the post and the Commons informally in advance of submitting an application, please contact the AHRC Director of Research, Professor Mark Llewellyn, via his PA, Miss Anne Barnicle on a.barnicle@ahrc.ac.uk, tel:

5 Annex 1 From: The Human World: The Arts and Humanities in Our Times AHRC Strategy The AHRC Commons The UK s Research Councils are but one part of the national provision of research support and, in the arts and humanities networks between individuals and agencies, are crucial to the study of the human world of culture, history, ideas and the artefacts of its development. The community of arts and humanities researchers is the largest of all disciplinary groups in the UK with an impressive power and authority internationally. The key question is: how might these achievements be enhanced through greater dialogue and better interaction? Research, though built on the work of individuals, is a collective endeavour. Hence it is essential to provide an assembly for the research community to debate, realise possibilities and influence development. In addition to the enhancement of the Peer Review College described earlier, and the networks of common interest generated by, for example, major investments in creative economy research or the centres for Language-Based Area Studies, the AHRC will launch new initiatives to achieve these ends. Under the collective title of AHRC Commons, we will launch a number of cognate initiatives designed to stimulate these interactions. These will include: AHRC Headlines: annual colloquia on major topics of current and emergent interest developed under advice from the AHRC Strategic Peer Reviewers, Council and Advisory Board AHRC Index: commissioned reports on key and emerging topics to collate information and analysis based on an editorial board including PRC membership AHRC Reach: this will include fora based on regional HEIs, an international forum to include two-yearly summit events, and a continuation of the current programme of small group opinion-gathering discussions based on individual disciplines or topics AHRC New Generations: a forum for early-career researchers (including postgraduates) AHRC Exchanges: an information network using the AHRC s newly-developed website to exchange and collate information, and an Ideas Box to crowd-source ideas. The AHRC Commons will be aimed at gathering together arts and humanities researchers alongside cognate bodies and international peers to develop joint initiatives, connect dispersed undertakings, provide for a discussion and build a shared case for the importance of arts and humanities research to national and international life. 5