Economic and Social Research Council
Who are ESRC? The UK’s leading agency for research fund and training in economic and
social sciences. Independent legal body, established under Royal Charter. One of UK’s seven research councils; all work closely together as Research
Councils UK (RCUK). Budget £204m (2009/10) mainly from Department of Business, Innovation &
Skills. About 65% is spent on research and about 30% on training. Over 2,500 grant holders at any time; more than 80 research centres,
research groups, research programmes, priority networks; resource/ infrastructure. Support over 2,000 postgraduate students. Over 700 new PhD studentships each year.
The ESRC Mission ď Ž To promote and support, by any means, high-quality basic,
strategic and applied research and related postgraduate training in the social sciences; ď Ž To advance knowledge and provide trained social scientists who
meet the needs of users and beneficiaries, thereby contributing to the economic competitiveness of the United Kingdom, the effectiveness of public services and policy, and the quality of life; ď Ž To provide advice on, and disseminate, knowledge; and promote
public understanding of the social sciences.
The ESRC Values Quality
Funding research and training of the highest quality by world standards
Impact
Ensuring that our research has an impact on UK society including business, public sector and voluntary organisations
Independence
Ensuring independence from political, commercial or sectional interests
ESRC Strategic Plan 2009-2014 Challenges for Social Science Global Economic Performance, Policy and Management Environment, Energy and Resilience Security, Conflict and Justice Social Diversity and Population Dynamics Health and Wellbeing New Technology, Innovation and Skills Understanding Individual Behaviour
Each challenge underpinned by infrastructure, methods, skills, and by international collaboration.
ESRC International Strategy Why engage internationally?
Many social and economic problems transcend national borders e.g. climate
change, global economic crisis, security, population change Requires global research effort - UK has world-leading expertise (#1 or #2 in
most social science disciplines) Aim for UK as partner of choice for potential collaborators (Government
Science and Innovation Framework 2004-2014) Increasing importance of new science nations (China, India, Russia, Brazil) New technologies facilitate international collaboration
ESRC International Strategy Remove barriers to transnational research collaborations Provide tools, training and access to enable UK social scientists to tackle
global issues Encourage UK social scientists to engage with international funding
opportunities, and ensure such opportunities are open, fair and excellence based Engage with international agencies where this benefits ESRC and UK
social science Benchmark the quality of UK social science internationally
Currently revising and refreshing our international strategy
Rising Powers, Global Challenges and Social Change New initiative designed to deepen understanding of the regional and global impacts of the Rising Powers and the economic, political and social implications for the UK. Three central themes: Causes, sustainability and competitiveness Global and regional governance and the balance of power Well-being and equity Total budget £4m, commissioned in 2 phases 2009 commissioned 9 International and Interdisciplinary Networks (12 months
long) with embedded Visiting Fellowships 3 involve collaborators in South Africa Depending on outcome of UK Spending Review: 2010 call for Research
Projects and Post-doctoral Fellowships – to further the existing networks, but not limited to projects involved in the initial networking
Aim of the Network to explore the likely futures for education, well being and human
security as new economic conditions emerge in Brazil, Russia and South Africa. focus on the reciprocal, and as yet not fully understood,
relationships, between economic growth, education and well being which may well be understood differently in different economic and cultural contexts. organise seminars at each of these three sites to which relevant
academics and policy makers will be invited. Visiting Fellows at each site will convene these seminars and take
advice from colleagues in their own academic and professional networks as to who should be invited.
Project Team Prof Harry Daniels Prof Hugh Lauder University of Bath, UK Dr Joanne Hardman University of Cape Town, South Africa Professor Angela Lessa Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo Prof Vitaly Rubtsov Prof Arkady Margolis Dr Anna Shvedovskaya Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Russia
Education
The Economy
Well being and security
Rising Powers, Global Challenges and Social Change: Key Questions What changes are envisaged in educational provision and its objects in
both the rising powers and elsewhere in order to ensure economic sustainability of rapid growth? • What will be the likely educational consequences and responses to the
social challenges of the urban-rural divide, social and economic inequality and access to education including Higher Education? • How will the lives of children be transformed and be made more or less
secure as these changes are invoked? • What will be the challenges for Africa as a result of new development
roles being taken by the Rising Powers with regard to education? • How are the relationships between economic growth, education and well
being in general and more specifically security understood in each state?
Rising Powers, Global Challenges and Social Change: Next Steps To include China and India To take a ‘High Skills’ perspective on economic
growth To develop an interview based methodology
using a cultural historical perspective on tensions and dilemmas