ESRC Centres Competition 2018 (Cambridge internal deadline: 5th January 2018; deadline: 15th March 2018)

The aim of this call is to fund experienced research leaders who require longer-term or extended support for research groups, inter-institutional research networks, project-linked programmes, medium-to-large surveys, other infrastructure or methodological developments, or any related larger-scale projects.

The competition is open to innovative new research addressing any major social and economic topic. Although there are no priority areas for this call and inter/multidisciplinary working both within and beyond the social sciences is encouraged, at least 50% of the proposed programme of research is within ESRC remit.

Research centres are major ESRC strategic investments. In addition to taking forward an ambitious research agenda and making significant economic or societal impact, they add value by increasing research infrastructure, building capacity, encouraging interdisciplinary working in social science and beyond, and enabling research collaboration in the UK and internationally. Research centre funding is aimed at experienced research leaders who require longer-term or extended support for research groups, inter-institutional research networks, project-linked programmes, medium-to-large surveys, other infrastructure or methodological developments, or any related larger-scale projects. Research centres also have a distinct role in supporting the development of early career researchers and building new research capacity. They are expected to be high-impact investments over the longer term.

ESRC expect that the centres:

  • provide scientifically coherent programmes of research aimed at driving forward innovations in social science theory, the development and application of novel research methods, data sources, and practical application
  • will be international or national centres of excellence for social science research, where researchers can collaborate on long-term projects
  • make significant contributions to scientific, economic and/or social impact
  • involve potential users of research, and take advantage of international collaborative and/or comparative opportunities
  • support active career development programmes aimed at building research capacity

The ESRC will be investing up to £30 million 100% full economic cost (fEC) over five years through this Centres competition. The competition is for proposals ranging from £2 million to £8 million 100% full economic cost (fEC) with a term of up to five years. ESRC will meet 80% of the full economic costs on proposals submitted (ie ESRC funding total of £24 million at 80% fEC). It is anticipated that ESRC will fund four centres. All proposals to this call must be led by a researcher at an eligible UK research organisation (RO) and will need to be submitted through the Research Councils' Joint Electronic Submission (Je-S). Proposals will need to show 100% fEC of the proposed research.

University Internal selection

This call will be managed according to the University’s restricted calls policy. To take part in this internal selection process please submit your internal selection form (please contact sbas2@cam.ac.uk to access it) and a support letter from the Department that will host the project to researchstrategy@admin.cam.ac.uk, by 5h January 2018. 

Please find more information here. Anyone interested in submitting a bid should also refer to the following:

If you have any queries regarding University of Cambridge's internal process please don’t hesitate to contact  researchstrategy@admin.cam.ac.uk.