We want to make sure that the research we’re funding is world-class, which is why all requests for funding are evaluated using a system of Peer Review.
Peer Review is a tried and tested system used by all research councils and other funding bodies. Independent experts – peers from the same field of work - review proposals to help decide which projects should receive funding. After the research has finished, they assess its value, veracity or outcome.
Peer Review also helps us to ensure the research we fund is interesting, important and/or groundbreaking in line with our commitment to funding world-class research.
How it works at the AHRC
Peer Review College
The Peer Review College is a group of around 900 people with expertise in subject areas across the AHRC's remit. They give specialist advice via peer reviews, and so provide valuable assistance to the Peer Review Panels in evaluating proposals. An e-handbook provides information and advice about the role of a reviewer.
Peer Review College members (256kb)
Technical Reviewer Membership (98kb)
Becoming a member of the Peer Review College
We are currently seeking nominations for new members to be appointed to the Peer Review College. For more information please see our 2009 Call for Nominations page.
The College plays a vital role in our peer review systems. Members provide expert quality reviews of funding proposals within their areas of expertise, which inform the AHRC’s decision making processes. They may also be invited to be members of panels. College members are normally appointed for a term of 4 years.
We appoint members within a number of categories:
•academic reviewers – to review proposals for academic research and postgraduate training within their area of subject expertise. Nominations are sought from across the AHRC’s subject domain.
• international reviewers – to review research proposals of potentially international significance
• large collaborations reviewers – to review very complex proposals or proposals involving issues at an organizational level
• knowledge transfer reviewers - to provide reviews of proposals to our KT schemes.
• reviewers providing a perspective from outside the academic community – to provide reviews on the social, cultural or economic impact of proposals
•technical reviewers – to review the technical aspects of research proposals.
We welcome nominations for all candidates who meet the relevant eligibility criteria at all stages of their career. Candidates must be nominated by senior staff or representatives within Higher Education Institutions or other organisations, learned societies or professional associations.
Peer Review Panels
Peer Review panels are convened from membership of the College. They are non-standing (i.e. each time they meet the membership changes), and meet on an ad hoc basis according to the requirements of the scheme for which they provide final grades and ranking. The link below shows the broad range of subject areas covered by the panels.
Panel Remits(120kb)
Membership of AHRC panels is published below
Panels scheduled to meet until February 2010
Panels which have met in 2009
Knowledge Transfer Panel
Find out more about:
Our Criteria for Peer Review and Panel Membership;
Peer Review College