What is the framework?
In 2004 the AHRC introduced a framework of research training requirements for its doctoral award holders. The aim of the framework is to enable institutions to reassure the AHRC that our doctoral students are well supported and are receiving appropriate and relevant preparation and training to enable them to complete a high-quality PhD and to develop a range of skills, knowledge and understanding necessary for their future employment. A link to the framework, updated in September 2009, can be found at the bottom of the page.
This is an interim version of the framework as a new version will be published in the New Year following the release of the Researcher Development Framework by Vitae.
The framework sets a minimum threshold of expected provision, founded on a needs-based approach, to providing research training for individual students in the arts and humanities. It complements the Joint Statement of the Skills Training Requirements for Research Students which the AHRC issued with the Research Councils.
Research Training Funds
In order to help departments and institutions meet the requirements of the framework, the AHRC allocates an annual research training fund (RTF) for our doctoral award holders.
This applies to all doctoral award holders including part-time and fees-only students. £850 per head has been allocated and paid directly to institutions in December 2009 to cover the 2009-2010 academic year.
The AHRC’s research training funding is to be used entirely for generic skills training, the AHRC will no longer be contributing dedicated funding towards the subject-specific element of the framework. This is in line with the training funding provided by the other Research Councils.
Our Research Training Framework outlines the minimum training provision we would expect institutions to have in place for our doctoral award holders in terms of both generic and subject-specific training. We would expect that institutions maintain at least the minimum level of subject-specific training provision needed for our Doctoral award holders to complete their studies. Institutions can still apply for funding to support collaborative specialist and subject-specific training provision through the collaborative research training scheme.
Full details on the research training payments and how they should be used can be found on the FAQ sheet produced by RCUK: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/rescareer/rcdu/training.htm
AHRC’s Review of Research Training
The AHRC has undertaken a review of its Doctoral Training, which investigated the impact of the Research Training Framework and the research training payments the AHRC has made in support of subject-specific training provision. It also evaluated the Collaborative Research Training (CRT) scheme and whether it has led to sustained systems of research training. The results of this are published in a summary report that can be found in the Training Provision section of the website.
The outcomes of this work, and the consideration of wider training issues that we are continuing to investigate, will form the basis of a new AHRC Training Strategy which will also recognise the recent policy developments in this area, for example the revised Concordat to Support for Career Development of Researchers, and stakeholder interests. We expect to publish our new Training Strategy in the New Year.
RCUK Roberts Skills Monitoring
As stated above the AHRC became part of the RCUK’s monitoring of Roberts Skills funding from June 2007. Full details of RCUK’s processes are available on the RCUK website at: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/rescareer/rcdu/training.htm
Will the AHRC undertake any additional monitoring?
We will continue to operate monitoring of training provision through end-of-award reports submitted by AHRC doctoral award holders. This will provide reassurance that individual award holders are receiving the training they require and will allow us to address any serious concerns.
Contacts
Questions on the AHRC’s framework and AHRC-specific training funding issues can be directed to Jessica Bacon. More general questions relating to the training payments and how they should be spent, and the monitoring of the payments, should be directed to RCUK. Contact details are given on the RCUK website using the link above.
Guidance and Forms
Download the revised Research Training Framework (280kb)
Download letter sent to HEIs regarding Research Training Payments (40kb) for the academic years 06-07 and 07-08 (November 2006)