Committee and Council Members induction By Phil Sooben, Director of Policy, Resources and Communications

1. Committee and Council Members Induction
Overview of ESRC
Mr Phil Sooben, Director of Policy, Resources and Communications

2. Introduction
▶ Welcome and Introduction (All)
▶ UK Research Councils
▶ UK Dual Support System
▶ ESRC in Context
▶ ESRC Governance Structure
▶ ESRC Office Structure
▶ Further Information

3. The UK Research Councils

4. The UK Research Councils
▶ All are Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs)
established by Royal Charter and are independent legal
bodies outside of Government, accountable to
Parliament
▶ Public bodies charged with investing in science and
research in universities and research institutes, in order
to advance knowledge and generate new ideas which
can be used to create wealth and drive improvements in
quality of life
▶ Majority of funding comes through the Department for
Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) as part of the
Science Budget

5. The UK Research Councils
▶ Research Council share of Science Budget is
around £3 billion (2012/13). Funding is allocated
through the Government’s Spending Review
process
▶ The ‘Haldane Principle’ – re-affirmed by current
Government – decisions about what to spend
research funds on should be made by
independent funding bodies rather than
politicians
▶ Science and Innovation Investment Framework
2004-2014 – Government’s vision for UK science

6. UK Dual Support System

7. The UK Dual Support System
▶ University research supported through the
Research Councils (RCs) and the Funding
Councils (FCs)
▶ There are separate Funding Councils for each of
the devolved administrations:
– HEFCE (England)– annual research budget
£1.6b
– SFC (Scotland) £382m
– HEFCW (Wales) - £5.8m
– DELNI (N Ireland) - £N/A

8. The UK Dual Support System
▶ Research Councils
– Provide grants for specific projects and
programmes
– Fund awards on the basis of applications
made by individual researchers or groups
which are subject to independent, expert
peer review
– Awards made on the basis of research
potential irrespective of geographical
location

9. The UK Dual Support System
▶ Funding Councils
– Provide block grant funding to support the research
infrastructure to enable institutions to undertake
research of their choosing
– Support for research (Quality Related ‘QR’ funding)
is distributed on the basis of a retrospective
assessment of the performance of individual
departments in higher education institutions – the
Research Assessment Exercise – from 2014 the
Research Excellence Framework

10. Research Excellence Framework
(REF)
▶ New system for assessing the quality of research
in UK HEIs
▶ Will replace the Research Assessment Exercise
(RAE)
▶ To be completed in 2014
▶ Will be undertaken by the four UK higher
education funding bodies
▶ Combined assessment of research and impact
for the first time

11. Higher Education Innovation Fund
(HEIF)
▶ Designed to support and develop a broad range
of knowledge exchange activities between HEIs
and the wider world which result in economic
and social benefit to the UK
▶ Government has agreed that £150m per year will
be allocated in HEIF funding for the period 2011-
2015
▶ High priority is given at this time to activity that
can help the country's economic growth

12. Questions and Answers
Coming Up:
▶ ESRC in Context
▶ ESRC Governance Structure
▶ ESRC Office Structure
▶ Further Information

13. ESRC in Context

14. Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC)
▶ Established in 1965 as the Social Science
Research Council
▶ Total budget for 2012/13 is £200 million (BIS
allocation of £179 million)
▶ The Council supports independent, high quality
research which has an impact on business, the
public sector and the third sector
▶ Subject areas include: economics, psychology,
political science, sociology, anthropology,
geography, education, management and
business studies

15. Our Mission
▶ To promote and support, by any means, high quality
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 competiveness of
the UK, the effectiveness of public services and policy
and the quality of life
▶ To provide advice on, and disseminate, knowledge and
promote public understanding of the social sciences

16. Our Principles
▶ Quality – Funding research and training of the
highest quality by world standards
▶ Impact - Demonstrate the wider contribution of
UK social science and its national and
international impact
▶ Independence – Ensuring independence from
political, commercial or sectional interests

17. ESRC in Context
Department for Business, Innovation, and
Skills (BIS) – Vince Cable
ESRC is a non-departmental public
body, established by Royal Charter in
Minister for Universities and Science –
David Willetts 1965, principally funded through the
Science Budget by the Department for
Director General for Knowledge and Innovation
– Adrian Smith
Business, Innovation and Skills.
Research Councils UK
ESRC
AHRC – Arts and Humanities Research Council
BBSRC – Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
EPSRC – Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
MRC – Medical Research Council
NERC – Natural Environment Research Council
STFC – Science and Technology Facilities Council

18. Arts and Humanities Research
Council
(AHRC) in April 2005
▶ Established
▶ Annual budget of around £100 million
▶ The Council supports world-class research that
furthers our understanding of human culture and
creativity
▶ Subject areas include: classics, visual arts,
English literature, history, modern languages,
museum studies, music and performing arts, law
and religious studies

19. Biotechnology and Biological
Sciences Research Council
(BBSRC)
▶ Established in 1994
▶ Annual budget of around £359 million
▶ Subject areas include: agri-food, animal
sciences, biochemistry and cell biology,
biomolecular sciences, engineering and
biological systems, genes and developmental
biology and plant and microbial sciences

20. Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council (EPSRC)
▶ Established in 1965 (as SERC)
▶ Annual budget of around £748 million
▶ Subject areas include chemistry, engineering,
ICT, materials, mathematical sciences and
physics

21. Medical Research Council (MRC)
▶ Established in 1913
▶ Annual budget of around £546 million
▶ Subject areas include: physiological systems
and clinical sciences, health services and
public health, infections and immunity,
molecular and cellular medicine, and
neurosciences and mental health

22. Natural Environment Research
Council (NERC)
▶ Established in 1965
▶ Annual budget of around £297 million
▶ The Council supports research, training and
knowledge exchange in the environmental
sciences
▶ Subject areas includes: atmospheric science,
earth science, earth observation, marine
science, polar science, science-based
archaeology and terrestrial and freshwater
sciences

23. Science and Technologies Facilities
Council (STFC)
▶ Established in 2007 following the merger of
CCLRC and PPARC
▶ Annual budget of around £251 million
▶ The Council provides large scientific facilities
such as ISIS, Synchrotron Radiation Source,
Central Laser Facility and Diamond Light
Source
▶ Subject areas includes astronomy and
particle physics

24. Research Councils UK (RCUK)
▶ Aims to optimise the ways in which the seven UK Research
Councils work together to deliver their goals. RCUK will:
– Increase the collective visibility, leadership and influence of the
Research Councils for the benefit of the UK
– Lead in shaping the overall portfolio of research funded by the
Research Councils to maximise the excellence and impact of UK
research, and help to ensure that the UK gets the best value for
money from its investment
– Ensure joined up operations between the Research Councils to
achieve its goals and improve services to the communities it sponsors
and works with

25. Research Councils UK (RCUK)
RCUK
Executive
Group
Research Efficiency and
Impact Group
Group Reform Group

26. Cross-Council Programmes

27. Social Science at the Core
▶ Social Science lies at the heart of understanding and
tackling complex challenges facing society and is central
to all the cross-Council themes
▶ This fact increasingly recognised by all the Research
Councils
▶ ESRC leads on the RCUK Global Uncertainties
Programme

28. Shared Services Centre (SSC)
▶ SSC is managing on behalf of the Research
Councils the following functional areas:
– Finance
– Procurement
– Human Resources
– IT/IS
– Grants Processing
 Other BIS organisations now coming on board

29. Questions and Answers
Coming Up:
▶ ESRC Governance Structure
▶ ESRC Office Structure
▶ Further Information

30. ESRC Governance Structure

31. Committee and Network Structure

32. ESRC Council
▶ Chair: Dr Alan Gillespie Secretary: Vicki Crossley
▶ ESRC’s senior decision making body
▶ Membership drawn from the academic, public, business
sectors and civil society including a broad regional
distribution and gender balance
▶ Role of Council
– Determine corporate strategy and priorities for the ESRC
– Allocates funding for particular activities and monitors
performance
▶ Council delegates responsibility for development of
policy, allocation of funds, management of investments to
its Committees and to the Office through the Chief
Executive

33. Policy Committees
▶ Three Policy Committees: Research; Methods
and Infrastructure; Training and Skills
▶ Each contributes to delivery of strategic
objectives and collaborates with other policy
committees to do this
▶ Roles include – setting policy in these three
areas, advising Council on priorities, overseeing
the relevant portfolio of investments, and
maximising impact

34. Committees
▶ Research Committee
– Chair: Professor Glynis Breakwell Secretary: Michelle Dodson
▶ Methods and Infrastructure Committee
– Chair: Mr David Walker Secretary: Vanessa Cuthill
▶ Training and Skills Committee
– Chair: Professor John Beath Secretary: Dr. Esther Wilkinson
▶ Evaluation Committee
– Chair: Professor Ann Buchanan Secretary: Vicki Crossley
▶ Audit Committee
– Chair: Mr Paul Grice Secretary: Nigel Bird

35. Questions and Answers
Coming Up:
▶ ESRC Office Structure
▶ Further Information

36. ESRC Office Structure

37. ESRC Office Structure

38. Policy, Resources and Communications
Directorate
▶ The Policy, Resources and Communications Directorate
role and main activities include:
– leading on the development and delivery of ESRC’s
corporate strategy, within the overall direction set by
Council
– managing the Council’s portfolio of activities relating to
training and skills and research resources
– providing policy and secretariat support for Council and the
three Policy Committees
– communications, and public engagement, including press
office and website
– evaluating our investments, schemes and initiatives
– Delivering corporate functions of Human Resources,

39. Research, Partnerships and
International Directorate
▶ The Research, Partnerships and International Strategy
Directorate role and main activities include:
– commissioning new research and managing the Council’s
various research funding schemes
– building upon or creating new strategic partnerships with
businesses, government departments and third sector
organisations
– managing our portfolio of funded research and developing
the relationship with our major investments
– developing the relationships with other RC partners and
Technology Strategy Board through cross-Council
programmes and bi-lateral activities
– Managing our international collaborative activities and
building on our international partnerships

40. Further Information

41. ESRC’s Contacts
▶ Speaker:
– Phil Sooben, Policy, Resources and Communications
phil.sooben@esrc.ac.uk
▶ ESRC website
– www.esrc.ac.uk

42. Documentation
▶ Information and guidance for members of ESRC’s Council and Committees
can be found on the ESRC website at:
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/guidance/committee-members/index.aspx
▶ This includes:
– Register of interests form for Council, committee and panel members
– Council, Committee and Network Members' Handbook 2011-2012
– Code of practice for Council and committee members
– Management statement (see Annex 1)
– Financial memorandum (see Annex 1)
– Regularity, propriety and value for money (HM Treasury)(see Annex 2)
▶ Travel and subsistence documents
– ESRC travel and subsistence regulations
– Claim form (for members of council, committees, panels, steering groups and
other attendees at ESRC meetings)

43. Publications
Corporate Publications
▶ Annual Report and
Accounts
▶ Strategic Plan 2009-2014
▶ Delivery Plan
▶ ESRC at a glance 2012
Magazines and
Newsletters
▶ Society Now
▶ Britain In magazine
▶ Evidence briefings
▶ eNews