1. AHRC’S training strategy
Dr Sue Carver
Head of Research Careers, Training and
Peer Review

2. AHRC’s strategic aims
• To promote and support the production of world-
class research in the arts and humanities
• To promote and support world-class
postgraduate training designed to equip
graduates for research or other professional
careers
• To strengthen the impact of arts and humanities
research by encouraging researchers to
disseminate and transfer knowledge to other
contexts where it makes a difference
• To raise the profile of arts and humanities
research and to be an effective advocate for its
social, cultural and economic significance

3. AHRC postgraduate
support
2011-12 total PG budget: £46 million
• Block Grant Partnerships
• Block Grant Partnerships: Capacity
Building
• Collaborative Doctoral Awards
• Project students on research grants
• Research training

4. Aims of current schemes
• Doctoral awards, Research Preparation
Masters, Professional Preparation Masters
• High-quality postgraduates in A&H
• High-quality research & training
environment
• Health and sustainability of all A&H
disciplines

5. BGPs
• 48 BGP awards to ROs made (incl. one
collaboration between 2 ROs)
• 5 cohorts of PG students, 2009-13
• Deepen our strategic engagement with
ROs training large numbers of A&H PGs
• Evidence of high-quality PG support and
integration of research, KT and PG
strategies

6. BGP: Capacity Building
• Support from 2011-2013
• 34 awards, 9 collaborative
• Allow ROs to build capacity and develop a
strategic researcher base
• Stability and flexibility
• Collaboration

7. Studentship Grants
• RO manages the award
• Update information via the SDP
• RTSG replace study visit requests
• Continue requesting DSA
• Reconciliation at the end of the
award, incl. maternity

8. BGP2: key points
• Fewer BGP awards from 2014 (1/3 of AHRC
budget)
• Focus on centres of excellence with highest quality
PG training and facilities
• Support collaborations – don’t lose capacity,
dispersed excellence in A+H
• Focus on doctoral provision – no separate funding
stream for Masters
• Open to all UK HEIs
• CDA scheme + Project Students remain separate;
some doctoral support through KE hubs
8

9. Sustaining A&H careers
and skills
• CRT scheme
• Skills Development call
• Innovative, collaborative training
packages
• Up to £60K for 18 months. Respond
to skills gaps in areas of strategic
need

10. International Engagement
• International Placement Scheme
• Library of Congress, National
Institute for the Humanities of Japan
• Huntington Library (California), Sarai
Programme (Delhi)
• AHRC-funded doctoral award holders
and ECRs – 3-6 months overseas

11. Fellowships
• Changes to Scheme in line with
Delivery Plan 2011-15
• Develop and promote visionary
individuals
• Build the capacity of leaders of the
future
• Develop the talents of ECRs