The AHRC has expressed its commitment to individual researchers in its Strategic Plan 2007-2012. As part of this commitment, we are currently considering the best approach for supporting the individual scholar.

The AHRC currently supports individual researchers through the Research Leave scheme which provides salary and associated costs for periods of three or four months, to enable an individual researcher to bring a significant research project to completion. This scheme has remained essentially unchanged since its introduction in 1998. The most recent change was brought about by the introduction of Full Economic Costing in 2005. Since this date, applicants have applied for their salary costs for the AHRC leave period rather than replacement teaching costs.

In recent years, several issues have been identified with the Research Leave scheme which has led us to look again at our support for the individual researcher. One of the issues we are exploring is whether the Research Leave scheme in its current form is the best way of supporting high quality individual research and what value the scheme adds to QR funding.

We have recently set up a working group to advise the AHRC on the ways in which it can maximise its investment in individual researchers. The first meeting took place on 3 April 2008. The group was asked to consider AHRC's current support for individual researchers and to identify key features of possible future funding scheme(s).

Membership of the working group

Professor John Caughie
University of Glasgow

Professor Ellen Douglas-Cowie
Queen’s University Belfast

Professor Darren Newbury
Birmingham City University

Professor Judie Newman
University of Nottingham

Professor Simon Swain
University of Warwick

Dr Anthony Woods
The Wellcome Trust

Over the coming months we will be holding consultation events with the arts and humanities community to identify how we can best support individual researchers.

To date we have held sessions on our support for individual researchers at a meeting with the Subject Associations on 1 May and at our Regional Events in Aberdeen (7/8 May) and Portsmouth (14/15 May).

Further sessions will take place at the Regional Events in Nottingham (11/12 June) and Manchester (25/26 June).

A larger consultation event will take place in London in July. Details of this event and how to register your interest will appear on our website in due course.

The working group will meet for a second time in September to consider the feedback we have received from the consultation. The group will then report to Council.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Katherine Barkwith.