Leverhulme Research Centres – Internal Expressions of Interest

The next round of the Leverhulme Research Centres Competition will open in January 2021 with a deadline of 16th April 2021. As BU is permitted to submit only one application as an institution, we are holding an internal competition for Expressions of Interest (EoI).

Those who are interested in making an application to the Leverhulme Research Centres Competition are invited to submit an Expression of Interest to researchdev@bournemouth.ac.uk , by Tuesday 19th January 2021. Application and guidance can be found here (I:\RDS\Public\Leverhulme Research Centres Competition 2021\EOI Documents). If you have further questions or queries please contact Alexandra Pekalski (apekalski@bournemouth.ac.uk), or Lisa Andrews (andrewsl@bournemouth.ac.uk).

Scope of call

The Leverhulme Trust invites applications for Research Centres that will not only conduct research of outstanding originality but also aspire to achieve a significant step-change in scholarship. The Trust’s aim is to encourage new approaches that may establish or reshape a field of study and so transform our understanding of a significant contemporary topic. Applicants are therefore invited to be bold in compiling their bids.

The Trust has a reputation for encouraging higher-risk research which is often therefore fundamental or curiosity-driven – so-called ‘blue skies’ – and pan-disciplinary. The expectation is that Centres will draw upon a range of disciplinary perspectives and expertise, perhaps bringing new disciplinary mixes to bear on a particular topic. The hope is for bids that fold the social sciences and humanities authentically into the mix, rather than being framed primarily in physical and life science terms.

£1 million a year for between 5 – 10 years is available.

Further information is available from the Leverhulme Trust website, and interested applicants are advised to consider the eligibility criteria carefully.

Timeline

An indicative timeline is below for the submission of the EOI. A more detailed timeline can be found (I:\RDS\Public\Leverhulme Research Centres Competition 2021\EOI Documents).

08/12/2020 RDS advertise Expression of Interest (EoI) competition for call
19/01/2021 EoI deadline (EoIs to be sent to RDS)
19/01/2021 Papers (applications) sent to review panel (RDS to administer)
w/c 25/01/2021 Review panel meeting (virtual)
by 29/01/2021 Review panel decision and feedback disseminated to applicants
29/01/2020 RDS to contact Leverhulme to provide the Trust with the principal applicant’s name, departmental affiliation and email address. Access will then be granted to the Leverhulme Trust Grants Management System
Feb / March / April 2021 Applicants develop proposals with the support of RDS
16/04/2021 Leverhulme Research Centres Competition deadline

If you have further questions or queries please contact Alexandra Pekalski (apekalski@bournemouth.ac.uk), or Lisa Andrews (andrewsl@bournemouth.ac.uk).