An Chomhairle um Thaighde sna Dána agus sna hEolaíochtaí
Sóisialta
Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences
&
An Chomhairle Taighde na hÉireann um Eolaíocht,
Innealtóireacht agus Teicneolaíocht
Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology
GRADUATE RESEARCH EDUCATION
PROGRAMME
May 2007
IRCHSS / IRCSET Graduate Research Education Programme - Call for Implementation
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General Notes
The call for applications
1. The Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS) and the
Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology (IRCSET) issue a
joint call for applications for funding of Graduate Research Education Programmes.
The Graduate Research Education Programme is designed to develop structured
research student education on a collaborative basis. An application for funding under
this scheme should comprise a number of elements: proposals for course development
and course delivery to research students in the programme; measures designed to
assist in the administration and promotion of the programme, in the development of
graduate education networks and in the recruitment of well-qualified students. The
duration of a programme for which funding is sought may be up to five years;
funding continuation may be subject to review to be agreed between the applicant and
the Council.
2. Each Council will fund a limited number of such programmes in its respective subject
areas, with scope for joint funding of interdisciplinary proposals which span the
boundaries of each Council’s remit.
3. This call is open to eligible applicants as set out in the terms and conditions for the
scheme. Eligibility for this call is not dependent on success in the 2006 Exploratory
Grants Scheme
4. It is anticipated that a further call for applications will be made by the Irish Research
Council for Science, Engineering and Technology in October 20071. The next call for
applications from the Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences will
be made in 2008.
The context: new developments in graduate education
5. The specific purpose of this scheme is to provide researchers with the opportunity to
develop structured graduate education within individual disciplines or within
interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary groups. Applications may focus on major
research questions in disciplines, or in clusters of related disciplines and
interdisciplinary areas, in which well-qualified research students will be recruited. A
further aim of such programmes will be to provide access to broader skills and
knowledge which will allow research students to integrate emerging research from
related disciplines, to move easily into adjacent disciplines, or to learn to adapt to
changes within their own discipline. The programmes will also focus on the
development of specialist courses in the research area in question and will promote
the acquisition on the part of students of a range of high-level transferable skills.
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This will be designed and timed to facilitate recruitment of new scholars for commencement in October
2008.
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6. The Graduate Research Education Programme is one of a number of schemes being
developed by national research funding agencies in the context of the Strategy for
Science, Technology and Innovation: 2006–2013 (SSTI) and the National
Development Plan: 2006–2013 (NDP). Under the SSTI, it is intended that researcher
numbers in Ireland will double between now and 2010. Crucial to this programme of
expansion is the development of structured graduate education programmes, an
objective that this scheme is designed to assist.
7. The Councils have developed the Graduate Research Education Programme in
parallel with the development of related by programmes by other agencies, including
the Graduate Education Enhancement Programmes being funded by the HEA under
the PRTLI and the development of Graduate Schools under the Strategic Innovation
Fund (SIF), again funded by the HEA. Intending applicants are urged to familiarise
themselves with the strategic and funding framework within which it is intended that
research education will be developed in the period to 2013. This Research Councils’
scheme is specifically intended to further the key guiding principles agreed at the
Graduate Education Forum held by the HEA jointly with the Councils in 2006
(see www.hea.ie/index.cfm/page/publications/category/143/section/details/id/1064
and other references on the websites of the Councils).
Graduate Research Education Programmes: strategic directions
8. This scheme is intended to support research students and their supervisors in the core
element of their work, which is the advancement of knowledge through original
research. It is intended that actions funded under the scheme will support in particular
the development of primary network of responsibilities and relationships between the
student, the supervisor(s) and the institution.
9. The specific aim of the scheme is to encourage actions that will broaden and deepen
the intellectual training which the student will receive; to develop innovative
structures for the provision of generic skills and of high-level interdisciplinary skills.
It is anticipated that specific actions designed to achieve these objectives will vary
widely across the range of disciplines covered by the scheme.
10. Actions which will promote the recruitment of well-qualified students to research
Masters and Ph.D. programmes will be funded under the scheme.
11. One of the objectives of this funding scheme is to encourage collaboration in the
development of research education, either between researchers in a specific research
area or discipline working in one or more institutions, or between researchers in a
number of related interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary areas working in one or more
institutions. In the case of proposals in specific research areas or disciplines, the
Councils favour the development of networks likely to maximize the impact across as
wide a range of institutions as practicable. In all cases, it is envisaged that
IRCHSS / IRCSET Graduate Research Education Programme - Call for Implementation
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collaboration will enhance the range and quality of the programme, particularly in the
provision of high-level training in specific research areas and in a range of
transferable skills.
12. A further objective of the scheme is to promote developments which will have a longterm impact on an expanded and enhanced programme of graduate research
education. Applicants will accordingly be expected to demonstrate how proposed
programmes will be supported after the period of funding in the institutions and
networks concerned.
13. Applicants are referred to the Terms and Conditions for guidance on the application
and assessment procedures. It should be noted that the Councils, and the International
Assessment Board, will attach particular importance to a number of features of this
scheme. Applicants will be expected to show how proposed programmes build on an
established record at national and international levels of success both in research and
in Ph.D. supervision. Applicants will also be expected to show how proposed
programmes will have a long-term impact on the development of graduate education
at several levels: the discipline or specific research area; the institution(s) in which
the programme will be developed; and the network of researchers which the
programme will bring together. Particular importance will therefore be given to the
effectiveness of the proposed governance and management structure for the
programme and its capacity to ensure the long-term maintenance of high-impact
graduate education in the area(s) proposed.
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Terms and Conditions/Assessment Procedures
N.B. Applicants should carefully study these Terms and Conditions before
submitting their applications.
Eligibility Requirements and Scope of the Programme
1. Applications under this Scheme must be submitted by a designated Graduate
Education Programme Director(s) for the group (hereafter called the ‘applicant’).
He/she will be a full-time member of the academic staff, either permanent or on
temporary contracts of sufficient duration to cover the period of the programme,
of a higher education institution within the meaning of Section One of the Higher
Education Authority Act, 1971 and/or in receipt of public funding as approved by
the Minister for Education and Science for the purposes of the Free Fees
Initiative.
2. The Research Council must receive a formal assurance by the institution of its
willingness to host the programme for its duration and of its readiness to provide
accommodation and other resources appropriate to the proposal. Confirmation of
the employment/contractual status of the applicant(s) must be furnished by the
institution in addition to notice of the institution’s assent to his/her/their
participation in the proposed programme.
3. The applicant(s) must demonstrate how the programme will be embedded and
developed as part of the wider institutional / national strategy for graduate
education during and after the funding period.
4. The applicant(s) shall demonstrate that they will have adequate time to implement
the programme for which they are applying to the Research Council(s).
5. The applicant(s) will demonstrate the added value of the involvement of external
stakeholders, where appropriate, in the design and delivery of the programme.
6. Graduate Research Education Programmes shall support a minimum of five
postgraduate students working in related research areas. The maximum support
available to any individual student under this programme will be 48 months. The
proposal should include details on how students will be recruited.
Evaluation Procedures
7. Along with the programme description applicants must submit their CV. The
Graduate Education Programme Director shall submit a CV of no more than 3
pages to include publications and research activities which are relevant to the
application. Other programme members shall submit a CV of no more than 1
page. Previous record of research and publication in areas of relevance to the
IRCHSS / IRCSET Graduate Research Education Programme - Call for Implementation
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proposal will be considered in the evaluation of the application.
8. The proposal should detail the contribution of each member of the programme
team to the development and delivery of the graduate research education
programme.
9. Applications to the Scheme will be evaluated on a competitive basis by an
International Assessment Board from outside the Irish system whose primary
purpose is to arrive at a qualitative ranking for the applications.
10. The Board will rank the applications on the basis of the materials supplied, will
arrive at an overall judgement of standard and will make final recommendations
to the Research Councils. The scoring allocations will be as follows:
Area
The way in which the proposed programme will enable the
best research leaders to expand their research training
capacity through structured approaches to recruitment,
induction and researcher formation.
Specific characteristics to be assessed will include the
content of the programme, scope and quality of teaching in
high-level transferable skills, professional skills training,
access opportunities for engagement with high quality
students from outside of the group, mobility and placement
opportunities for students where appropriate and the number
of postgraduate students to be catered for.
Established expertise of the team in the proposed area of
research and in supervising PhD students.
Specific characteristics to be assessed include the track
record of the team in terms of attraction and supervision of
PhD students, a list of publications, grants secured and any
other objective indicators of attainment that can be adduced.
The way in which the programme will link with the goals
and objectives of the strategy of the institution(s) in terms of
graduate education and the appropriateness of the
management structure.
Specific characteristics to be assessed will include plans
regarding development of the programme during and after
the initial commitment of funding, the long-term impact and
sustainability of the research education programme within
the institution(s), adequacy and specificity of management
and governance arrangements for the programme, substance
and quality of consortium agreement and engagement with
stakeholders.
Visibility of the programme and demonstration of the
potential to culminate in the establishment of a highly
Marks available
30 marks
25 marks
25 marks
20 marks
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competitive graduate education programme.
Specific characteristics to be assessed include the scale and
scope for recruitment of well-qualified graduate students to
the programme, preparedness of scholars for their future
career, how programme will compete and complement with
world-class programmes elsewhere and clarity in other
indicators for success as identified
11. All members of the International Assessment Board will subscribe to an agreed
Code of Conduct.
12. The Research Councils’ decision whether or not to award a Grant under this
Scheme shall be final. The Research Councils will make available a report of the
evaluation of the application. Reports shall be on a strictly anonymous basis.
13. The Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences would hope to
fund one application in the humanities area and one application in the social
sciences area subject to satisfactory evaluations on the part of the International
Assessment Board.
Role of Host Institution Awarded Programme Grants
14. Grants shall be paid through the relevant offices of the Graduate Education
Programme Director’s institution. Grants will be paid to the contact person’s
institution on the basis of formal letters of award from the Research Councils to
the institution.
15. Applications for Programme Grants must be countersigned both by the Head of
Department/Head of Research Centre or equivalent and, on behalf of the
institution, by the Vice-President/Dean of Research, or by their authorised
nominees.
Timing
16. The deadline for the submission of completed applications is 5pm on 4th July
2007. All applicants must complete the appropriate application form.
17. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their applications before 31st July.
Funded programmes may commence from October 2007, subject to the agreement
of the programme of work to be carried out with the awarding Council.
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Expenditure, Reporting and Financial Controls
18. Eligible expenditures will include the stipends for the recruited scholars (valued at
€16,000 pa per student), fees, travelling expenses, the provision of appropriate
resources for course development and course delivery, dissemination costs,
management of a central resource to provide leadership, governance and
administration of the programme and programme overheads.
19. The Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences will fund a
graduate research education programme up to a maximum of €1,000,000. The
Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology will fund a
graduate research education programme scaled according to the approved annual
graduate intake. Applicants should contact grep@egrants.edu.ie for further
clarification in this regard. The decisions of each Council will be informed by
factors including the expected rate of growth of PhD numbers in the context of the
SSTI, the resources of each Council and the different cost base in the range of
disciplines that may be funded under this Scheme.
20. Consistent with the objectives of the programme, the group may propose the
participation of higher education institutions other than those defined in paragraph
1 of the Terms and Conditions to facilitate all-Island or international collaboration
where appropriate. The added value of such proposed participation must be
shown. Support will be available to cover costs associated with this collaboration
including the cost of visits to the Irish institution (travel and accommodation and
research costs while in Ireland) and costs of visits of Irish members of the
consortium to the partner institution.
21. The Councils anticipate a contract negotiation phase arising from the
recommendations of the Assessment Board.
22. The Research Councils attach considerable importance to procedures for
monitoring all Grants. The applications must incorporate clear measures of
success and through the use of indicators that applicants believe monitor the
achievement of their aims. A full review and reporting schedule will form part of
the contract negotiation phase.
23. All receipts and expenditures relating to an Award must be separately recorded by
the host institution in a designated account. Details of this account shall be made
available to the awarding Research Council on request. On completion of the
expenditure programme, a full statement of expenditure shall be provided to the
awarding Research Council on request. The statement of expenditure may be
subject to audit by an independent auditor appointed by the awarding Research
Council. In the event of expenditure being less than projected, the under-spend
shall be refunded to the awarding Research Council as soon as this becomes
apparent.
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Acknowledgement of Research Council Funding
24. All publicity, including public lectures, publications, print materials and press
releases, television and radio advertisements, websites, film, video and audio
recordings associated with or arising from the programme must contain
acknowledgement of funding received from the 'Irish Research Council for the
Humanities and Social Sciences' or the ‘Irish Research Council for Science,
Engineering and Technology’.
Other Conditions
25. Should any of the programme team holding an Award be unable for any reason
(including medical reasons) to pursue the agenda which has been the basis of the
award, they must inform the awarding Research Council’s Director as soon as
possible. In such situations, the Research Council will have regard to the usual
conventions of the relevant institutions. However, given the basis on which a
Grant is awarded, the Research Council reserves the right to suspend or withdraw
a Grant. The Research Council shall have no liability whatsoever in respect of the
programme being undertaken and the host institutions will accept full
responsibility for all claims for compensation or other claims for which it may
become liable as employer, or howsoever otherwise in respect of the programme
funded under this Scheme.
26. The Research Councils reserve the right to revise the Terms and Conditions of
this Scheme.
27. Applications which are technically or otherwise inadmissible under the Terms and
Conditions of this Scheme will not be eligible for funding. The Research
Councils’ conclusions on these matters will be final.
28. Applications to this Scheme will not be assessed if they are incomplete (i.e. they
do not include one original signed version), or have been received with a
postmark subsequent to the advertised closing date (postal marks will be taken to
constitute definitive evidence of the date of postage). Supporting materials
submitted with applications are non-returnable. An electronic version of the
proposal must also be submitted to grep@egrants.edu.ie to aid in the assessment
process. Please note the word count, specified in the application form, must be
strictly adhered to and any additional text will be ignored. Proposals may not be
forwarded to the Assessment Board if these requirements are not adhered to.
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NOTE: APPLICANTS WILL BE INFORMED BY E-MAIL AND/OR LETTER OF
THE OUTCOME. THE SECRETARIAT WILL NOT DISCUSS THE RESULTS
OF THE SCHEME OVER THE TELEPHONE.
APPLICATIONS WHICH ARE EITHER LATE OR INCOMPLETE
WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED
Applicants are required to submit an electronic and hard copy of their applications to the
address below to meet the deadline of 17.00 on 4th July 2007.
Joint Call for Graduate Research Education Programme Implementation Grants
IRCSET/ IRCHSS
Brooklawn House
Shelbourne Road
Ballsbridge
Dublin 4
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