What is the framework?
In 2004, the AHRC introduced a framework of research training requirements for its doctoral award holders. This has been extended to include early career researchers. The aim of the framework is to enable institutions to reassure the AHRC that our doctoral students and early career researchers 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 December 2011, can be found at the bottom of the page.
The framework sets a minimum threshold of expected provision, founded on a needs-based approach, to providing research training for individual researchers in the arts and humanities.
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.
For BGP award holders £300 per head has been allocated for the 2011-2012 academic year. This will be paid in four, equal, quarterly instalments and is in addition to the fee uplift applied for all doctoral award holders. For more information on the Block Payment Mechanism please see the FAQ document. For early career researchers the payments are made through indirect costs on grants.
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 AHRC-funded researchers 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. The Collaborative Research Training scheme still aims to support collaborative specialist and subject-specific training provision.
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
Over the next few years there will be changes to the mechanisms by which the Research Councils contribute to Researcher Development. More information on this, including a statement of expectations regarding researcher development, can be found at the following links:
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/rescareer/rcdu/postgradtrain.htm
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/rescareer/rcdu/training.htm
RCUK will no longer be undertaking an annual monitoring exercise. ROs are still expected to engage fully with the Researcher Development agenda. Information may be requested from ROs from time to time and RCUK or AHRC will notify ROs when this is required.
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.
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 (pdf 148kb)
Download letter sent to HEIs regarding Research Training Payments (pdf 40kb) for the academic years 06-07 and 07-08 (November 2006)