Guidance Forsupervisorsregardingtheesrc Studentship Process 2017

Guidance forSupervisorsregardingtheESRC Studentship Process 2017

1.INTRODUCTION

Thepurposeofthisguidancedocumentistoexplain,asclearlyaspossible,theprocessthroughwhichESRCstudentshipswillbeawardedin2017.Thisguidancedocumentpertainstothreestudentshipcompetitions:

1.TheOpenCompetition

2.TheAdvancedQuantitativeMethods(AQM)Competition

3.The ESRC Data-Set (ESRC-DS) Competition

PleasenotethattheCollaborativeCompetitionhasseparateguidance,containedinaseparatedocument.Supervisorsarewelcometoapplyforacollaborativestudentshipwithorwithoutanattachedstudent,underthisseparateprocess.Thedeadlineforreceivingcompletedapplicationsforcollaborativestudentshipsis6 February.

PleasealsonotethattheprocessdetailedbelowisentirelyseparatefromtheadmissionsprocessatyourUniversity.TheSGSSS-DTPhasnoroleinthatprocess.ApplicantsdonotneedtohavebeenformallyadmittedinordertobeconsideredforanESRCstudentship.However,shouldanapplicantbesuccessfulinsecuringanESRCstudentship,thefundingissubjecttotheapplicantobtaininganunconditional offerforentrytothe university.

ThisguidancenoteshouldbereadalongsidetheSGSSS-DTPguidanceforstudentsapplyingforanESRC studentship.

2.THEPROCESS

This section details the process forPathways. The GuidanceforStudents detailsspecificallywhatmaterialsanddocumentsarerequiredtoapplyforastudentship.

1.SGSSS-DTPrecognisesthattheinternalprocessofselectingapplicantstoputforwardforESRCstudentshipswillvaryacrossUniversities.Allapplicantsarerequiredto

submitaletterofsupportfromtheirprospectivesupervisor;youmaybeoneofthefirstpeoplethestudentcontactsandweencourageyoutohavethemcontactthe pathwayrepresentativein yourinstitutionassoon aspossible.

2.OncetheinstitutionhasdecidedwhichapplicantstoputforwardforESRCawards,the PathwayRepresentativewillprovidestudentswithalinktotheSGSSS-DTPPortalanddirectthemtoregister.PleasenotethateachHEIcanputinnomorethan6candidates perpathway.ThefinaldatebywhichapplicantsmusthavecompletedtheirregistrationisMonday13February.

3.RegisteredapplicantswilluploadtheirapplicationdocumentstotheSGSSS-DTPStudentshipApplicationPortal.Thesedocumentsare:CurriculumVitae,ResearchProposal,Degreetranscripts,andSupervisor’sSupportingStatementwhichshouldbecompletedbyyourself.Weencouragesupervisorstobefullyawareoftheprojectsbeingproposedandvettheapplicationsforappropriateness,scope,accuracyandfeasibility.Thestudentproposalsoftenbenefitfromsupervisorinputinalltheseaspectsnevertheless,theproposalsmustbeoriginatedfrom thestudentandnotthesupervisor.Weshouldhighlightthatthesupervisorstatementisworth5pointsinanoverall25(seeAnnexB)soclearlycanbethedifferencebetweenasuccessfulawardornot.Pleaseensurethatyouaddressthecontentrequirementsin"GuidanceNoteforSupervisor'sStatementofSupport"toavoiddisadvantagingyourstudent.ThesupervisorstatementisnotareferenceforthestudentbutasksyoutoprovidedetailsonproposedsupervisionarrangementsandtrainingintheHEItomeettheneedsofthestudent andtheparticularproject.

4.Anapplicantmayalsoaskforareference.Thisisaseparatedocumentfromthesupervisor'sstatementofsupport,butmaybewrittenbythesameperson.Specificguidelinesonboth are availableonthe website.

5.Completeapplications andalsoreferences mustbesubmitted by17 February2017.

Thepathwayselectionprocesswillthenbegin.

6.Onorbefore25th April2017theSGSSS-DTPwillgivetheSupervisoryBoarddetailsofallproposedstudentshipstobeawardedthroughtheESRC-DS,AQMandOpenCompetitions.

7.TheSupervisoryBoardwillmeetandratifythesestudentshipsinlate April.TheSGSSS-DTPwillinformallsuccessfulapplicantsthattheyarebeingofferedESRCstudentshipsby12May2016.1

1Theentireprocessislaidout inAnnexCintableform.

3.ELIGIBILITYANDENHANCEDSTIPENDS

SGSSSremindssupervisorsthattheresidencycriteriamustbemetinorder for astudenttoreceivethefullstudentshipincludingstipend.

EnhancedstipendswillbepaidtostudentssuccessfulintheAQMCompetitionand up to 3EconomicsstudentssuccessfulintheOpenCompetitionwillreceivethisadditionalstipend.Duetotheadditionalfinancialcommitment,Economicsstudentsfundedthroughother competitions(i.e., Collaborative,SDS,ESRC - DS) willnotreceiveadditionalfunding.

Studentsapplyingfora+3studentshipmustmeettheminimumESRCtrainingrequirements.If a studentdoesnotmeetthese requirementsbutthe pathwaystillwishestoconsiderhim/hertheymaychoosetoappointona1+3basis.

Studentseligible for a1+3award,wishing tostudy ininstitutionswithoutanESRCaccreditedMastersprogram,maychoosetocompletetheirMastersinanotheraccreditedinstitution(withinSGSSS-DTP)beforecompletingtheirPhDprogram attheirchosenuniversity.

4.CROSS-INSTITUTIONALSUPERVISION

TheSGSSS-DTPwishestoencouragepathways,supervisorsandapplicantstoconsidersupervisoryarrangementsacrossthe16institutionsoftheSGSSS,ifappropriatetotheparticularstudentprojectandwiththesupportofbothproposedsupervisors.Thiswillusuallybewithinpathwaysbutacrossinstitutionsbutwedonotwishtoruleoutcross-pathway supervisionifthisisclearly intheinterestsofthestudentproject. WethereforeaskPathwayRepresentativesandSupervisorstoletstudentsknowthatwhiletheirmainsupervisormustbeatarecognisedSGSSS-DTPpathwayinstitutionasecondsupervisormaybeattachedtotheprojectfromasecondinstitutioneitherwithorwithoutpathwayrecognition.InsuchcasesweaskthePathwayRepresentativetoinformtheSGSSSAdminTeambefore17February2017sothattheDirectoratecanfollowupwiththeapplicant,proposedsupervisorsandHEIinstitutionalrepresentativesontheSupervisoryBoardtoensurethatacross-institutionalarrangementissupportedandabletobewell-managedbyallinvolved.Theseapplicantsmustgainasupervisorletterofstatementfrombothsupervisorswhoshouldrefertotheexplicitbenefitoftheproposedcross-institutionalarrangements.

Weareawarethatsomeresearchproposalswillbesituatedontheedgeof socialscienceand other disciplinesandarethus planningtoliaisewithother Doctoral Training Units.While wewelcomesuch applicationstheyshouldbeappropriatelytailoredforeachGraduateSchool withthelinkagesbetweendisciplinesmadeclear.Studentsshouldindicate iftheyareapplyingtoother Doctoral Training Unitswhenregisteringtheirapplication.

Annex A:

BestPracticefor AssessmentandSelectionandMarkingScheme

Applicants for ESRC studentships with the SGSSS-DTP are required to submit astandard setofapplicationmaterialsasfollows:

• Abstractofproposedresearchproject;
• CurriculumVitae;
• ResearchProposal(applicantsmustdownloadthetemplatefromtheSGSSS-DTP website, completetheirproposal andsave/uploaditasPDF);
• Degreetranscripts(andtranslation,ifnotoriginallyinEnglish)–provisionaltranscriptsaresufficientif theapplicanthasyetto completehis/herdegree;
• Supportingstatementfromtheprospectivesupervisor–pleasenotethatitispossiblefortheproposedsupervisortoalsobeoneofthereferees.Howeverthesupervisorstatementmustbeaseparatedocumentfromthereferenceletter.Ifacross-institutionalsupervisionarrangementisbeingproposedthenaletterfromEACHproposed supervisorisrequired.
• TworeferenceswhichwillberequestedbySGSSS-DTPdirectlyfromthereferees;
• Detailsofanyoverseasfieldworktheapplicantproposestoundertakeduringhis/herresearch;
• Detailsofanydifficultlanguagetrainingtheapplicantproposestoundertakeduringhis/herresearch;and
• Detailsofanycollaborationtheapplicantproposestoundertakeduringhis/herresearch.

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Annex B:

SGSSS-DTPOpenAwardMarkingFramework(2017-18)

Assessmentfor+3Awards(note:pathwaysmustbeconvincedthatthecandidatehasmetthetrainingrequirementsfortheir pathway)

CandidateRecord(OUTOF10) / Research Proposal(OUTOF 10) / SupervisionTraining(OUTOF5)
10 / TheequivalentofafirstclassdegreeAND/ORanalreadyachieveddistinctionatMasters levelORstrongandrelevantprofessionalexperience.
(Alloftheabovemustmeet theESRCtrainingrequirements.) / Twoexceptionalreferencesinwhichstudentisidentifiedasamongstverybestevertaught. / Anexcellentproposalscoringwellintermsofbothcogencyandoriginality.Allcomponents–overview,context,methodology,andimpact–willbewellthoughtout andclearlyexpressed. / As(9) butproposalisexceptionallygoodinallof itscomponents.
9 / As(8),butwithoneclearlyexceptionalreferenceinwhichstudentisidentifiedasamongstbestevertaught. / As(8) andproposalishighly original andinnovative,atthecuttingedgeofdevelopmentssubstantivelyandmethodologically.
8 / Twoverystrongreferencesinwhichstudentissingledoutasamongstthe bestofapeergrouporequivalent. / As(7) andproposalcontainsclearawarenessofthepotentialimpactoftheresearch.
7 / Twostrongreferences inwhichstudentpotentialiscommunicatedwithclearexamples. / Awell-definedproposalwithresearchablequestions,appropriatelyidentifiedsources,anawarenessofthetheoreticalandempiricalbackgroundtotheresearchandanappropriatemethodology.
6 / Theequivalentofa2:1degreeAND/ORanalreadyachieved60+averageatMasterslevelORrelevantprofessionalexperience.
(Alloftheabovemustmeet theESRCtrainingrequirements.) / Bothreferencesofferglimpsesofstrongpotentialbutwith littlesubstanceandfew examples. / Agoodandpromisingproposalbutwithidentifiableweaknesses.Some,butnotall,componentsof theproposalwillbeproblematic,ill-expressed,orshow alackofknowledge. / Agoodproposalwithonly minorbutstillidentifiableweaknesses.Theresearchquestionwillbeclear,themethodologyappropriateandclearlypresented,andmostoftheappropriateliteratureidentified.
5 / Twominimallysatisfactoryreferenceswhichmakeitclearstudentiscapableofconductingresearchbutlittlemore. / Apromisingproposalthatsuffers fromseveralweaknesses.Themethodologyisappropriatebutill-expressed. Theproposalisonlyweaklygroundedinrelevantliterature. / Supervisionarrangementsrepresentanear-perfectfitwiththeproposedresearch.Thesupervisoryteamincludesanexperiencedsupervisorwithinternationally-recognisedexpertiseinthefield.
Thesupervisioncombinationmeetsdirectlythestudent’strainingneeds.ThedestinationHEIoffershigh-qualityspecialisttraining.Theresearchfitswellwiththewiderdepartment/school/faculty.
4 / Amixtureofweakand / Aproposalwithone seriousweaknessor / Supervisionarrangementsrepresentaverygoodfit
satisfactoryreferenceswhichleavequestionsto student’ssuitabilityto conductresearch. / severalminorones,whichsuggestsgaps inknowledgeandaweakgraspof theproposedmethodologyanditssuitability. / withthe proposedresearch.The leadsupervisorisanexperiencedsupervisorwitha strongreputationforresearchinthisfield, andthe combinationofsupervisorsoffersthestudentgoodtraininginthefield.Thereis provisionofadvancedand specialisttraininganda broadlysupportiveresearchenvironmentatthedestinationHEI.
3 / Twoweakreferencesinwhichstudentpotentialisnotcommunicated. / Aproposalwith significantweaknessesinmultiplecomponents,littleappreciationofpossiblemethodologies,and/orawarenessofrelevantliterature. / Supervisionarrangementsrepresentagoodfitwiththeproposedresearch.Thelead supervisorwillbeanexpertinthefieldandthecombinationofsupervisorswilloffergoodsupportto thestudent.TheHEIoffersgoodgeneralsupportandadvancedtrainingforthestudent.
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1 / TheequivalentofEITHERa2:2degreeANDanalreadyachievedpassatMasterslevel(averagemarkof50)whichdoesnotnecessarilymeettheESRCtrainingrequirementsANDclear evidenceofadditional experienceortrainingthatwouldbringthecandidate upto therequiredlevelDTPwould beunlikelytoconsiderapplicantswithacademicscoresbelow theselevels. / Aproblematicproposalthatwouldneedconsiderableadditionalworkbeforebeingfundable.Allcomponentsoftheproposalwillrequirefurtherworkand/ordemonstratelittleorno backgroundorinterestintheirsubject. / Supervisionarrangementsareappropriateandthesupervisorhasexperienceinthe preciseareaoftheproposedresearch.ThesupervisoryteamoffersgoodgeneralsupportandtheHEI offerssomeadvancedtrainingforthestudent.
1 / Supervisionarrangementsand supportofferedbytheHEImeetthethresholdforESRCrecognisedtrainingonthispathway.Note:supervisionarrangementsbelowthisthresholddonotmeettheESRCtrainingrequirementsandstudentsshouldnotbeofferedDTPfundingonthisbasis.

SGSSS-DTPOpenAwardMarkingFramework(2017-18)Assessmentfor 1+3Awards

CandidateRecord(OUTOF10) / Research Proposal(OUTOF 10) / SupervisionTraining(OUTOF5)
10 / TheachievementorexpectationofafirstclassdegreeorequivalentAND/ORamaster’sdegreewhichdoesnotmeettheESRCtrainingrequirements / Twoexceptionalreferencesinwhichstudentisidentifiedasamongstverybestevertaught. / Anexcellentproposalscoringwellintermsofbothcogencyandoriginality.Allcomponents–overview,context,methodology,andimpact–willbewellthoughtout andclearlyexpressed. / As(9) butproposalisexceptionallygoodinallof itscomponents.
9 / As(8),butwithoneclearlyexceptionalreferenceinwhichstudentisidentifiedasamongstbestevertaught. / As(8) andproposalishighly original andinnovative,atthecuttingedgeofdevelopmentssubstantivelyandmethodologically.
8 / Twoverystrongreferencesinwhichstudentissingledoutasamongstthe bestofapeergrouporequivalent. / As(7) andproposalcontainsclearawarenessofthepotentialimpactoftheresearch.
7 / Twostrongreferences inwhichstudentpotentialiscommunicatedwithclearexamples. / Takinginto accountthe stageof careeroftheapplicant,awell-definedproposalwithresearchablequestions,appropriatelyidentifiedsources,awarenessof thetheoreticalandempiricalbackgroundtotheresearchandanappropriatemethodology.ThepotentialfortheMastersyeartoimprovetheresearchproposalshouldbetakenintoaccount.
6 / Theequivalentofa2:1degreeAND/ORanalreadyachievedMasterswhichdoesnotmeettheESRCtrainingrequirements / Bothreferencesofferglimpsesofstrongpotentialbutwith littlesubstanceandfew examples. / Agoodandpromisingproposalbutwithidentifiableweaknesses.Some,butnotall,componentsof theproposalwillbeproblematic,ill-expressed,orshow alackofknowledge. / Takinginto accountthecareerstageof theapplicant,agoodproposalwithonly minorbutstillidentifiableweaknesses.Theresearchquestionwill beclear,themethodologyappropriateandclearlypresented,andmostoftheappropriateliteratureidentified.
5 / Twominimallysatisfactoryreferenceswhichmakeitclearstudentiscapableofconductingresearchbutlittlemore. / Takinginto accountthecareerstageof theapplicant,a promisingproposalthatsuffersfromseveralweaknesses.Themethodologyisappropriatebutill- expressed.The proposalisonlyweaklygroundedinrelevantliterature,orshowslittleornoawarenessofthe empiricalandtheoreticalbackgroundtotheproject. / Supervisionarrangementsrepresentanear-perfectfitwiththeproposed research.Thesupervisoryteamincludesanexperiencedsupervisorwithinternationally-recognisedexpertiseinthefield.
Thesupervisioncombinationmeetsdirectlythestudent’strainingneeds.ThedestinationHEIoffershigh-qualityspecialisttraining.Theresearchfitswellwiththewiderdepartment/school/faculty.
4 / Amixtureofweakandsatisfactoryreferenceswhichleavequestionstostudent’ssuitabilitytoconductresearch. / Takinginto accountthecareerstageof theapplicant,a proposalwithoneseriousweaknessorseveralminorones,whichsuggestsgapsinknowledge(includingknowledgeofrelevantprevious work)andaweakgraspofthe proposedmethodologyanditssuitability. / Supervisionarrangementsrepresentaverygoodfitwiththe proposedresearch.The leadsupervisorisanexperiencedsupervisorwitha strongreputationforresearchinthisfield, andthe combinationofsupervisorsoffersthestudentgoodtraininginthefield.Thereisprovisionof advancedand specialisttraininganda broadlysupportiveresearchenvironmentatthedestinationHEI.
3 / Twoweakreferencesinwhichstudentpotentialisnotcommunicated. / Aproposalwith significantweaknessesinmultiplecomponents,littleappreciationofpossiblemethodologies,and/orawarenessofrelevantliterature. / Supervisionarrangementsrepresentagoodfitwiththeproposedresearch.The leadsupervisorwillbeanexpertinthefieldandthecombinationofsupervisorswilloffergoodsupportto thestudent.TheHEIoffersgoodgeneralsupportandadvancedtrainingforthestudent.
2 / TheequivalentofEITHERa2:2degreeANDanalready / Aproblematicproposalthatwouldneedconsiderableadditional / Supervisionarrangementsareappropriateandthe
achievedpassatMasterslevel(averagemarkof50)which / workbeforebeingfundable.Allcomponentsoftheproposalwill / supervisorhasexperienceinthe preciseareaofthe
doesnotnecessarilymeettheESRCtrainingrequirements / requirefurtherworkand/ordemonstratelittleorno backgroundor / proposedresearch.Thesupervisoryteamoffers
1 / ANDclearevidenceofadditionalexperienceortraining / interestintheirsubject. / goodgeneralsupportandtheHEI offerssome
thatwouldbringthecandidate upto therequiredlevel / advancedtrainingforthestudent.
DTPwould beunlikelytoconsiderapplicantswith
academicscoresbelow theselevels.
1 / Supervisionarrangementsand supportofferedbytheHEImeetthethresholdforESRCrecognisedtrainingonthispathway.Note:supervisionarrangementsbelow thisthresholddo notmeettheESRCtrainingrequirementsandstudentsshould notbeofferedDTP fundingonthisbasis.

Timeline for the 2017 Studentship Competitions

DATE / OPENCOMPETITION
/ AQM AND ESRC-DS COMPETITIONS
/ COLLABORATIVE & SDS COMPETITIONS
Dec 2016
/ Announce competitions / Announce competitions
Mon 6 Feb
/ Completed applications from academics submitted to SGSSS-DTP by email.
Mon 13 Feb
/ All students to be considered by Pathways must have registered for the Online Portal by this date. Pathway representatives must therefore have decided by Wednesday 1 Feb which students are being put forward for consideration by the Pathway.
/ All students to be considered by Pathways must have registered for the Online Portal by this date. Pathway representatives must therefore have decided by Wednesday 1 Feb which students are being put forward for consideration by the Pathway.
Friday 17 Feb
/ All students being considered must have uploaded their documents to the online portal by this date.
/ All students being considered must have uploaded their documents to the online portal by this date. Students wishing to be considered for AQM or ESRC-DC should complete the requisite form for submission along with their application.
Mon 20 Feb
/ SGSSS Admin ‘clean up portal’; IT give access to pathways by 24 Feb
/ SGSSS Admin ‘clean up portal’; IT give access to pathways by 24 Feb
/ SGSSS-DTP announces results of competition.
Fri 24 Feb – Thurs 9 Mar
/ Pathways meet to assess and rank applications for Pathway Awards (those with steer allocation only) and nomination to Open Competition, keeping a record of procedures followed.
/ Pathways meet to assess and rank applications for nomination to Open Competition, keeping a record of procedures followed.
/ SGSSS-DTP will place advertisement for Collaborative Competition awards. SDS to liaise
with academics on recruitment
Thu 9 Mar
/ Pathway decisions on ranking to be uploaded to SGSSS-DTP Portal by Pathway Convenor by this date together with the record of procedures followed.

SGSSS-DTP Portal will communicate to students that did not meet the quality threshold that they have been unsuccessful.
/ Successful AQM/ESRC-DS-focused students in the Pathway Competition are entered into AQM and ESRC-DS Competitions.
The top ranked candidates as per pathway allocation together with their scores and ranking are entered into Open Competition.
Mon 13 Mar
/ Open Competition cross-pathway reviewers
receive applications. Reviewing of AQM/ESRC-DS also considered this time.
Friday 24 Mar
/ Open Competition cross-pathway assessors upload all graded applications to SGSSS-DTP Portal by this date together with AQM/ESRC-DS allocations.
Tues 11 April
/ AQM and ESRC-DS Panels meet
Wed 12 Apr
/ Papers for Open Panel meetings out to Panel members
20 April and 21 April
/ Pathway Panel meetings to rank applications Open Studentships Allocation Board
Week of 24 April
/ Communication to students in Open, and AQM and ESRC-DS Competitions.
Supervisory Board receives for their formal approval details of all proposed studentships to be awarded across all competitions.
Week of 8 May
/ SGSSS-DTP will communicate with all candidates on the outcome of the competitions by Friday 12 May

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