Dear forumers,

As you know Crisis Forum is primarily in the business of trying to develop academic projects which look beyond the ivory tower and are of value to the common weal. To a significant extent,our focus, necessarily but far from exclusively, has focused on climate change. There remains, however, the state of the academy itself. And hence the great degree to which it itself needs reforming on just about every conceivable level, to meet what James Howard Kunstler would call 'The Long Emergency' before us.

With that in view, I'm flying a kite here by bringing your attention to this year's scheme run by the Leverhulme Trust, one of whose two projects for 2007 is on the theme  THE USES OF HIGHER EDUCATION. Crisis Forum has felt strongly for some time that some of our effort should be geared towards how we can genuinely 'green' universities to make them genuine beacons for change in an era of acute crisis. A key element would be curricula itself across the university board, as above all geared towards the climate change 'long emergency'.  As you will see from below Leverhulme attempts to deflect too many bids by going on about senior researchers etc. I would however like to hit them between the eyes with a proposal for a really acute case for a comprehensive rethink of what higher education now needs urgently to be about. There's only one snag. I personally, am hopelessly overcommitted (not least to two Crisis Forum projects already in motion)  and  would need several collaborators, with a lead one,  to genuinely pick up on this and run with it. 

So, here's my question, are there people out there, - I can think of some particular people(!)-  who might want to do something along these lines?  The proof of the pudding (as they say) is in what we 'do' and this seems to me to be as good opportunity for the doing as any which currently presents itself. Again, the snag, it needs some initial focusing for the immediate 12 January deadline. 

So, over to you, and hopefully some response! Cheers,
Mark 

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Leverhulme Research Programmes
http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/grants_awards/grants/research_programmes/
Description | Aim | Awards for 2007 | (1) Ceremony and Ritual | (2) The Uses of higher education | Additional Information | How to apply | Application notes | Application forms | Contact

Description 
Research Programme Grants were first offered in 1995 and sixteen themes have thus far enjoyed the concentrated attention which the format of the awards allows.

Aim 
In recent years, the Trustees have allocated sums of up to £1.75m for programmes of research extending for periods of up to five years, which can explore significant issues in the social sciences, in the humanities and, to a lesser extent, in the sciences. In choosing the themes for these programme awards, the Trustees have given weight to the following criteria:

the opportunity for original thinking in the subject; 
the opportunity for progress in the research; 
the potential impact of such progress on other researchers and on the wider community; 
the susceptibility of the theme to treatment as a set of projects within an over-arching cross-disciplinary concept; 
the inability of the other schemes of the Trust to deal appropriately with the research challenge. 
Awards for 2007 
Following a review of possible themes for a competition in 2007, the Trustees now wish to invite proposals for programme awards on:

(1) CEREMONY AND RITUAL

(2) THE USES OF HIGHER EDUCATION

(2) The Uses of higher education 
Despite the almost universal recognition of the value of education and the benefit of a healthy university sector, this recognition is itself often built on contrasting viewpoints and objectives. Is education for a specific measurable purpose (e.g., GDP)? Is it for an abstract goal (e.g., knowledge, wisdom)? Or is it an end in itself? In these days of assessment and evaluation, is it clear that the criteria match the objectives? Such questions arise at all stages but they are particularly prevalent for the university sector.

Reflection on such questions either in the absolute or with specific historical or cultural reference is required to ensure that shared understandings are indeed what they seem. Topics that arise include:

i) aspects of utility; are certain subjects essential? when are specialisms appropriate? can values be taught? which of these if any can indeed be measured? are arguments of utility damaging to a deeper function?

ii) the role of institutions; is there a confident match of institutions to function? is variety possible in an evaluated system?

iii) aspects of policy; are there judicious balances between accountability and autonomy? between individual or institutional creativity on the one hand and directed initiatives on the other?

The Research Programme Grant will seek to offer the opportunity to bring refreshing levels of scholarship and understanding to the debate of such issues particularly insofar as these impact on the university sector.

Additional Information 
The descriptions of the topics above are no more than indications; researchers will have their own views on specific research projects which might be most usefully pursued, on different methodologies, and on the use of disciplinary or interdisciplinary approaches. Applicants should bear in mind that, while the potential quality of the proposed research will be the major factor in a final decision about any grant, that decision will also be influenced by the persuasiveness with which applicants make the case for specific emphases and methodologies, and for the choice of subjects within their proposed programmes.

The intent is to make one award under each category, but the Trust reserves the right to make more awards where exceptional applications are encountered.

Applications should be made only by groups of senior researchers, or by existing research centres or teams with an established record of publication and scholarly achievement in relevant fields. It is anticipated that any grants will ultimately be made to individual universities or research centres or institutes. However, if a good case is made for a grant for a programme of co-operative research involving more than one institution, that will be considered.

How to apply 
In the first instance, only brief submissions are necessary (see below). These should reach the Director no later than 4pm on 12 January 2007. At the beginning of March 2007, a small number of groups or centres will be invited to submit expanded proposals for a deadline of 27 April 2007. On the basis of referees' comments and assessments and of meetings with representatives of the Trust during May and June, a decision on the eventual awards will be taken by the Trustees for announcement in July 2007.

The brief submission should consist of the following sections. Seven copies are required and should be sent in hard copy form by post. In order to ensure that full consideration can be given to each application, it is necessary to request the closest compliance with the indications given.

Completed cover sheet. 
Brief description of the programme, in no more than 3,000 words under the following headings: 
the proposed nature and emphases of the research programme and its component projects; 
the research methods and sources to be used; 
general brief summaries of the qualifications of the researchers; 
the anticipated form of the dissemination of the research results; 
information on any relevant research currently under way in your institution/department. 
An estimated total budget (between £0.5 - £1.75 million). Applicants are encouraged to present the budgets in a format which conforms to the Trust's stipulations for research project grants concerning eligible items and the balance between research salaries and associated costs (see here ). For academic researchers with general university obligations, budgets may include the cost of replacement teaching (preferably on an hourly-paid basis) for one or more senior researchers for part of the duration of the proposed programme. Please note that the Trust does not make awards on a full economic costing basis. Attention is drawn to paragraphs 3.31 to 3.37 of the Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014, HM Treasury, which explains arrangements for the provision of overheads linked to charity funding to academic institutions.