ESRC/SSRC Collaborative Visiting Fellowships

Fundable activities include but are not strictly limited to:

Applicants should take care to explain in detail what benefits and value their proposed collaboration would offer to their own and their collaborator’s research and its potential to advance future cooperation between scholars in the Americas and the UK scholars and research institutions.

Applicants proposing to establish a new collaboration should explain whether and how they expect to turn their research agenda into ongoing scholarly exchange and cooperation, and what potential outputs could be expected in the short and longer-term.         

Applicants proposing to build on a prior or existing collaboration must: describe their track record in the collaboration; explain how the Fellowship would enable them not only to build upon this relationship but also to add a qualitatively new dimension to their research; and describe additional specific outputs they expect to result from the Fellowship.

All applicants should present a clearly defined work programme and a timetable for engagement, including start and end dates. ESRC must be informed of any change in circumstances that prevent the visit being undertaken in the specified time.

The fellowships are highly competitive and proposals are expected to be for research of the highest standard. Preference will be given to applicants:

Applications will be assessed jointly by ESRC and SSRC; decisions on awards will be final.

Award Requirements

The amount of each Visiting Fellowship award will vary according to project needs, up to a maximum of £5000 (roughly $7,420). Applications must be made in pounds sterling. Awards will be made to the nominating ESRC Director or award holder, who will inform the Fellow how to claim expenses against the award.

Funds may be used for travel and reasonable accommodation and living expenses. In exceptional circumstances funds may be used to cover salary costs for the duration of the visit, however, a strong case will need to be made for this. Funds may not be used to cover travel or accommodation for the applicant’s friends or family.

Visits can take place at any time of year, but must start on or after 1 June 2009 and be completed by 31 August 2010. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their visit is made at a time when productive collaboration with their hosts is most likely, taking into consideration differences in academic calendars as well as programme meetings or conferences relevant to the applicant's research and writing agenda. The length of the visit should reflect the nature of the project but we anticipate that most visits will last between 1-3 months.

Applicants are encouraged to seek additional funding for their visits from other sources and to give details of any such funding in their application.

Visiting fellows will be expected to give at least one talk/seminar to the host department and to other relevant colleagues. It is a requirement of the Fellowship that, within 3 months of the end of their visit, Visiting Fellows submit to ESRC a short report on their visit, describing their accomplishments, their plans for on-going collaboration, and making suggestions for improving upon or expanding such scholarly exchanges and collaborations.

Application Process

Eligible applicants from both the Americas and the United Kingdom must be nominated by the holder of one of the major ESRC awards: the Director of an ESRC-supported centre, programme, group or network; a holder of a Large Grant; or a Professorial Fellow on the linked list. Directors and other ESRC award holders, who have been alerted to this call, must nominate their preferred application. For the first time two nominations may be considered, where the Director feels both proposals offer outstanding opportunities for collaboration.

Interested scholars in the Americas must initiate contact with a relevant ESRC award holder in order to propose a research agenda and identify scholars with whom they might collaborate during their visit. Similarly, scholars at ESRC-funded investments who wish to visit the Americas must identify scholars with whom they would collaborate within the Americas and seek endorsement for their application from their ESRC Director or relevant award holder. Directors may approach scholars in the Americas with whom they would like to foster collaboration.

All of the following application materials must be sent to the SSRC by emails that are addressed to visiting-scholars@ssrc.org and include the applicant’s name in the subject line.

1. A completed application form  (take care to complete every section of the form and to adhere to the maximum word/page lengths, where stated
2. Curriculum Vitae (maximum of 2 pages) 
3. A letter of nomination from the Director of the sponsoring ESRC research centre, programme, group or network, Large Grant holder, or Professorial Fellow. This should include a statement indicating why the visit would benefit the ESRC investment (maximum of 2 pages). Nominators should email the letter of endorsement directly to visiting-scholars@ssrc.org, with the full name of the nominee in the subject heading. 

The deadline for submitting all application materials is: 12 noon GMT or 5pm EST, 20 March 2009.

We will not accept applications after this deadline. Applications or supporting material sent by mail or by fax will not be accepted.

The Visiting Fellowships are funded by the ESRC, however, the call for proposals is administered by the SSRC and all enquiries and applications should be directed to visiting-scholars@ssrc.org.