Phil Ward Research Funding Manager

University of Kent

Background

• Adrian Alsop visit, Oct 2010• Dispiriting stats (2007-09):– Standard Grants

• 33 apps, 2 awards, 6% success rate

– Small Grants• 43 apps, 10 awards, 23% success rate

– Majority of both graded A3-A5• Also EPSRC, and noises from other RCs• Pointless playing the ‘numbers game’– ...despite what research says (http://ht.ly/4RmVj)

Development

• Need to build on good practice– eg Computing: research groups comment on all

applications– eg Biosciences: pro forma– eg Humanities: all applications through FDoR

• Need to build consensus– Supportive– Unbureaucratic

Kent Peer Review

• Affects:– Research Council applications– First substantial applications– Large grant applications (not EU, partnership,

NIHR)• ‘Intention to Apply’ Form• 2 Reviewers– First: knowledge of discipline– Second: knowledge of funder

Intention to Apply Form

• 2 aims:– To help reviewer understand application– To help applicant structure application

• Series of progressive, interlinked questions:– What’s your question?– Why’s it important?– Why’s it important to answer it now?– What objectives need to be achieved to answer it?– How will you meet these objectives?– How will you disseminate the findings?

Reviewer Feedback Form

• 2 aims:– To force the reviewer to answer specific issues– To give applicant specific feedback

• Questions include:– Can you speed read it and understand it?– Is the question important?– Is it timely?– Does it offer value for money?– Is the applicant competent to undertake project?– If you had to, why would you reject it?

Reasons for Rejection

• Too high risk/leftfield• Too safe/incremental/discipline-specific• Too expensive (for either the research question or the

agency)• Too modest• Too applied• Too theoretical• The methods/objectives are inappropriate• The timeframe is unrealistic• Insufficiently qualified research team• Other (please specify below)

RCUK Applications

RCUK Awards

RCUK Success Rates

Contact Details

Phil Ward• 01227 827748• p.ward@kent.ac.uk• http://fundermental.blogspot.com• http://twitter.com/frootle