would be very grateful if you would take note of the British Academy's
prospective Learned Societies Programme and circulate this to any other body
which may find it of interest.
---------------------------------------------------
Caroline Aish
Overseas Institutes and Societies
The British Academy
10 Carlton House Terrace
London
SW1Y 5AH
Tel: 020 7969 5267 (direct line)
Fax: 020 7969 5414
Website: www.britac.ac.uk
---------------------------------------------------

The British Academy

Prospective Learned Societies Programme

Call for Expressions of Interest

For many years the British Academy has provided financial support to a range
of organisations that exist to undertake and promote research in areas of
major scholarly importance overseas.  These organisations may be loosely
divided into (a) those that maintain premises overseas ("Institutes") and
(b) those that are based in the UK and conduct work, often field studies,
overseas ("Societies").

Following a Strategic Review of its programmes and activities in 2003-04,
the British Academy announced its intention of running an open competition
in 2006 for a Learned Societies Programme with funding from April 2007 for a
five-year period until 2012.  The Academy's stated aim was to open up
funding opportunities in disciplines across the whole spectrum of the
humanities and social sciences for work, especially field studies, in all
parts of the world outside Europe.

The Academy's support for the Societies has historically come in the form of
a grant-in-aid, with sums ranging from c £60,000 to £100,000 per annum.  The
grant has been intended not only to meet research costs overseas but also to
underpin the Societies' other work and activities, including staff, lectures
and meetings in the UK, and the publication of monographs and journals.  The
total sum spent on the Societies' support is currently c £450,000 p.a.

As a preliminary to embarking upon the Learned Societies Programme and as
part of the consultation process, it has been decided to approach various
area-based bodies to invite them to record informal (and non-binding)
expressions of interest in bidding for support.  The reason for proceeding
in this way is that there remains some uncertainty about the interest such a
programme might attract (which could well be considerable); and given the
fairly limited sums available for distribution, there is a natural
reluctance to over-stimulate hopes and involve Societies in an unjustifiable
amount of effort that might be to no purpose.  It should also be made clear
that those Societies currently in receipt of Academy grant will be eligible
to apply for continuing support under the new programme.

A 'Society' (and in this context the Academy will interpret the term to
cover a wide range of organisations and groups) may be engaged in either or
both of the following kinds of activity:

*	Stimulating and facilitating research in an overseas country or countries
of which it has particular knowledge; establishing frameworks within which
research activity can flourish; and encouraging collaborations between
UK-based institutions or scholars and those in the overseas country or
region

*	Undertaking and sponsoring research, particularly field studies, under its
own auspices, from Academy grant-in-aid; forming partnerships (including
funding partnerships) with UK HEIs or teams of scholars in order to engage
in particular research projects; and supporting various other research and
research-related activities.

Note should be taken of the Academy's own research grant programmes.
Societies no longer act as "small grants agencies" in responsive mode for
work within their overseas country or region, and individual applicants for
such grants are to be directed to the Academy's Grants Committee for
support.  In order to be eligible for support under the Learned Societies
Programme, a Society will need eventually to submit a Research Plan setting
out its strategic priorities and objectives.

Note should also be taken of the major changes that have taken place in the
funding landscape in recent years, most notably the establishment of the
AHRC and the introduction of the regime of Full Economic Costs.  The British
Academy is now a relatively minor funding body in that landscape.

Two possible models for the Learned Societies Programme may be envisaged:

*	Core establishment costs of c £20,000-£30,000 p.a. in order to perform a
mainly facilitative role
*	Grant of up to £100,000 p.a. to include also the costs of strategic
research programmes.

Societies are now invited to register expressions of interest in making a
future formal bid for funding.  It would be helpful if they could indicate
at the outset

*	the size and range of the scholarly community covered by their Society,
and any other UK-based organisations active in the same field
*	their disciplinary spread, whether in a particular discipline or across a
range of disciplines (other things being equal, the Academy may give
preference to multi-disciplinary and wide-ranging programmes in the
humanities and social sciences)
*	the kind of activity (see the two models given above) for which funding is
sought
*	the scale of funding likely to be needed
*	their capability of taking a strategic role in facilitating research,
developing partnerships and promoting networks

Expressions of interest should be sent to the Academy by 31 March 2006,
addressed to the Secretary.  Those wishing to discuss or ask questions about
the prospective programme should consult Mrs Caroline Aish in the Academy.

The invitation to submit expressions of interest should be taken as
indicating that the Academy is still engaging in consultation about the
feasibility and form of the Learned Societies Programme, and that it is not
committed as yet to running it in any particular way.



P.W.H.Brown
Secretary
February 2006


Dr S E Courtman
Senior Lecturer in English Literature
Staffordshire University
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
College Road
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire, UK
01782 294666
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