British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship:
Outline Stage 2018-19
Please read these Scheme Notes carefully:
Incorrectly submitted applications will not be assessed
Aim of the Scheme
The British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship offers outstanding early career researchers the
opportunity to strengthen their experience of research and teaching in a university environment.
This scheme aims to help develop the award holder’s curriculum vitae and boost their prospects of
obtaining a permanent university post. The primary emphasis is on the completion of a significant
piece of publishable research, and the integration of the award holder into the community of
established scholars within their field. The Fellowship is tenable for three years, starting Autumn
2019 in a UK based University or Higher Education Institution. The Fellowship is non-renewable.
Number of Awards
It is expected that up to 55 Postdoctoral Fellowships in the Humanities and Social Sciences will be
available to start in Autumn 2019. This competition is extremely competitive, and the success rate in
recent years has rarely exceed 10%. The Academy will typically receive hundreds of applications for
the available awards.
Suitable Subjects for Award
Suitable subjects for the Fellowship include any field of study within the Humanities or Social
Sciences. The remit of British Academy funding does not include primarily practise-based outputs
such as: musical competition and performance, visual practice, creative writing and film making.
Such outputs will be considered only when they form part of an integrated project of critical or
historical significance.
Responsibilities of Postdoctoral Fellows
Award holders are expected to develop lines of original enquiry in their subject, as well as to gain
some experience of teaching (no more than five hours per week). The British Academy expects an
annual report from Postdoctoral Fellows, detailing the progress of their research, teaching
experience and publications. Any books arising from the work done during the Fellowship should
be posted to the British Academy.
Financial Basis of the Scheme
Postdoctoral Fellows will be employees of the institution with which they hold their award and are
therefore subject to the terms and conditions of employment of that institution. The scheme is
covered under the Full Economic Costing (FEC) regime. Currently, the Academy funds 80% of
salary costs, directly allocated and indirect costs under FEC. Research expenses are covered at 100%
within the upper limit, which is set at £6000 over the three years. Full detail of the FEC is not
required by the Academy at the Outline Stage of application. The initial salary will be expected to
be commensurate with the early career stage of the applicant, and therefore equivalent to posts with
similar duties and levels of responsibility within the host institution’s pay grades.
Timetable of the 2018-19 Competition
Outline Stage applicants are invited to supply information about their past academic experience,
publications and research proposal. A referee will be required to answer a questionnaire about the
applicant and their research proposal. Outline stage applications do not need to include costings.
The Second Stage of application is by invitation only. The Second Stage requires the additional
Head of Department Statement and details of the Full Economic Costing and research expenses.
Applications must be submitted and approved of by 5pm (UK time) 17
th
October 2018.
Referee statement must be complete before the application can be submitted for Organisational Approval.
Organisational Approval must be recorded by 5pm (UK time) 17
th
October 2018.
Outline Stage 2018-19
Scheme Opens - 22 August 2018
Deadline for Applicants (incl. Referee Statement & Org Approval) – 17/10/2018, 5pm UK time.
Result of Outline Stage Announcement - January 2019
Second Stage 2018-19
Scheme Opens - 23 January 2019
Deadline for Applicants (incl. Head of Dept Statement & Org Approval) – 20/02/19, 5pm UK time.
Result of Second Stage Announcement – Late May 2019
Eligibility
A. British citizens and any nationals from the European Economic Area are eligible to apply,
regardless of where their doctorate was obtained. Anyone of any nationality who has a
doctorate from a UK university is eligible to apply. If an applicant does not meet the prior
categories, they may be accepted if they can demonstrate ‘strong prior association’ with the
UK academic community. This typically means a current significant period of employment
at a UK institution in either a teaching or research position which is not permanent.
Postgraduate degrees (MA or MSc) do not count.
B. Early Career Status: There is no age criterion for these awards. Instead, eligible applicants
are expected to be at an early stage of their career. This is defined as being within a three-
year period from the award of a doctorate. This period extends from 1
st
April 2016 to 1
st
April 2019. Exemption from this criterion may be granted for reasons occurring after the
date of the viva voce examination such as: maternity leave, illness, family commitments etc.
C. The applicant must already be of postdoctoral status at the time when the Research Awards
Committee meets. Applicants who expect to have had their viva by 1 April 2019, are eligible
for consideration, but will have to withdraw their application if the examination is not
completed on time.
D. No Applicant who has been appointed to a permanent academic post in an institution of
higher education at any time in their career will be eligible.
E. The British Academy does not allow for resubmissions for the Postdoctoral Fellowship. If
you have previously applied and failed to reach the Second Stage of the competition, you
are not be eligible to re-apply. Previously unsuccessful applicants will only be able to submit
another application if specifically invited to do so by the British Academy.
It is important for those considering an application to think carefully about whether they and their
proposed project are at a sufficiently advanced stage to be submitted to such a competitive scheme.
Proposed Institution
Awards are made to individual scholars for their merit and is not an award to the host institution.
Applicants are advised to give serious consideration to their choice of institution and must ensure
that it is a suitable environment for their field of research.
Suitable institutions include any UK university or recognised UK research organisation based in the
UK. Some overseas institutions are included, such as the British International Research Institutes
overseas or overseas campuses of UK universities.
Applicants and their proposed host organisations must be able to explain how support for the
career development of the award holder will be delivered and why the proposed host organisation
is best placed to ensure that relevant opportunities are made available in the event of success.
The Academy is open to proposals where the full range of career development may be led by one
host organisation but delivered in partnership with others. For example, in a research-based
organisation, where teaching experience might be gained in a partner organisation, or where an
applicant works in a centre which is part of an established inter-university collaboration. Payment
of the funding awarded will continue to be made to the lead organisation only. The Academy
expects a clear statement about the arrangements for the sharing of funding to be included in the
financial details justification section of the application at the second stage of the assessment process.
Applicants are encouraged to consider moving to a different institution for the Postdoctoral
Fellowship from that at which the doctorate was undertaken, but there is no requirement to do so,
where there is a strong case to remain in the same institution.
The grants management system requires that the institution approves the application, to indicate
that they agree to provide further information, including the Full Economic Costing of the
application at the Second Stage of the competition. Institutions may require plenty of notice and
may well have internal deadlines. Contact with the proposed institution at the earliest possible
opportunity is strongly recommended.
Appendix 1 at the end of this document sets out advice to potential host institutions and explains
what the Academy expects host institutions to provide in terms of facilities, teaching opportunities
and as an employer. The proposed host institution will be asked to confirm the formal acceptance of
a Postdoctoral Fellow once an award has been approved.
When naming a potential host institution, applicants should bear in mind that they are committing
themselves to that institution. The Full Economic Costing basis of the award means that the
flexibility to move institutions prior to taking up an award is severely limited. Only in rare cases,
exceptional cases may agreement to transfer an award be given.
The Selection Process
Initial assessment of applications is made by subject specialist assessors. Decisions on these outline
applications will be communicated to all applicants by January 2019.
Assessors will consider the scholarly importance of the project, the ability of the applicant, the
feasibility of the proposed research programme (focusing on proposed methodology and timescale),
and the applicant’s publication record, bearing in mind the early career focus of the award.
Assessors may consider language competence where understanding material in a foreign language
is crucial to the research objective.
The initial assessment of applications is made by one or more disciplinary committees, whose
comments and recommendations are then considered by the Research Awards Committee. Specific
advice may also be sought from other experts. There are no interviews prior to offers being made.
By late January 2019, the British Academy expects to invite submission of Second Stage applications
from a smaller number of applicants, probably no more than 15–20% of the original field. The
Second Stage application allows the applicant to update their proposal, publications and academic
experience. It will also require detailed financial costings, and the submission of a sample of written
work.
The second-stage submission will be considered by specially appointed Selection Panels.
Recommendations are then placed before the Academy’s Research Awards Committee, which will
meet in May 2019. Offers will be issued to successful applicants, and the prospective host institution
will be asked to give its consent before the award is confirmed.
Applications not completed correctly (including references) and on time will not be considered.
Notes on the British Academy Flexi-Grant® Grants Management System.
Personal details: When registered in the British Academy Flexi-Grant® GMS, a user has the option
to add or update personal information such as contact details, log-in details (including email
address and password), interests, research and employment details, at any time. This does not form
part of the specific application form for any individual scheme but represents a personal record of
your account in the system. Please keep this information up to date.
Automatic log-out: You are strongly advised to save your work regularly to prevent accidental loss
of text. The Flexi-Grant website will automatically log people out if no activity is detected. It is
recommended that you work offline in a separate word processor and copy and paste completed
text online once complete.
Multiple sessions: Do not have multiple browser windows/tabs of your application open at the
same time as this may cause information to be lost. Only one user should edit an application at a
time.
Word limits: If you exceed the word limit, you will not be able to save the page you are working on.
Longer-length text should be completed separately and backed up in a word processor.
Plain text: If entering plain text, please avoid using symbols as some may not be accepted by the
Flexi-Grant: This includes the following symbols: < >
PDF documents: When uploading PDF documents, please add your name and a heading at the top
of every page to show what the document is (e.g. CV or list of publications). Please avoid uploading
documents containing illustrations with fine details or colour as this can cause problems when
creating a PDF of the application. Each PDF cannot exceed 3 Mb in size.
Email addresses: It is essential that you ensure your email address is up to date and actively
monitored, or you may miss important notification emails.
Submission: You will not be able to submit your application until you have completed each section
in full. You should submit your application for approval by your host organisation at least five
working days before the closing date to allow for your host organisation’s administrative
procedures. You should also check whether your institution has its own internal deadlines. We
strongly advise that you contact your referee as early as possible to avoid any last-minute issues
before the submission deadline.
Application sharing: You can invite other contributors to join the application. All contributors must
be registered on the Flexi-Grant grants management system and mark their work as ‘Complete’
before you can submit your application – including the referee.
Application deletion: You can delete your application at any time although it is often a lot easier to
just re-edit your existing application. We will be able to recover a deleted application for a period of
seven days after deletion. After this, it will be permanently removed from the system.
Application returned for editing: The Organisation Approver can return your application to you
for further editing, but the original deadline remains in place.
Completing the application form
A full list of question fields to be completed as part of the application can be found in the table
below. It is essential that you create a PDF of your completed application by clicking ‘Print
application’ and check it thoroughly (including email addresses and uploaded PDF files) before
submitting it for approval by your host organisation.
*Indicates a required field.
SUMMARY PAGE
Summary table
‘Complete’ status will only appear when all the mandatory fields in that
section have been completed. The ‘Submit’ button will only appear once all
mandatory fields have been completed. This includes the Referee Statement –
this must be marked as ‘Complete’ by the Referee or the Submit button will
not appear!
PAGE 1: ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
*Primary Subject,
Secondary Subject
If you are unsure about eligibility criteria, please email [email protected]k
*Time Period
Please indicate if your application is relevant to a specific time period.
*Audiences
Please indicate if your application is relevant to any particular audience.
*Regional Interests
Please indicate if your application is relevant to a specific region of the world.
*Employing
Organisation
Please select the Organisation at which you wish to be based for the British
Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship (if successful).
PAGE 2: LEAD APPLICANT DETAILS
*Lead Applicant
Contact Details
Please take care to review and complete your personal details accurately. Errors
in this section can cause difficulties in the processing of your application.
Please use the search bar to find your home institution and add the organisation
to your application. If your organisation is not available, then it may not be
registered in our system. Before requesting the addition of a new organisation,
please check that it is not affiliated with any organisations that is already
registered. If it needs to be added please email us at [email protected]k
*PhD Awarding
University
Please state the university from which your doctorate was awarded.
*Nationality
You must select at least one Nationality, and up to three if applicable.
PAGE 3: LEAD APPLICANT CAREER SUMMARY
*Statement of
Qualifications and
Career
Please give dates of your academic qualifications and career. In reverse
chronological order.
*Present
Appointment,
Employing
Institution and
Department
Please give requested details regarding your current appointment.
Personal statement
Applicants are invited to include any information relating to their professional
career which they may wish to be taken into account in assessing this
application, particularly in relation to exemption criteria. For example, details of
a career break, or family care responsibilities. This is an optional field. 150
words max.
PhD Awarded Date,
PhD Submitted Date,
PhD Expected Date
To be eligible, you must expect to have had the viva voce examination by 1
April 2019.
*Name of Doctoral
Supervisor
Self-explanatory.
*Name of Internal
and External
Examiner
Self-explanatory.
*Other Academic
Experience
Please provide details of all academic posts held prior to your present position
(with dates), including any teaching experience gained during doctoral
registration.
Please include details of any experience in organizing conferences, workshops
and wiki-based discussions. If none, please state none. 500 words max.
Publications
Please list your principal and/or relevant publications in reverse chronological
order, to a maximum of six.
Unpublished
Research
Please list any extant unpublished projects funded by the Academy or any other
agency, and their expected publication date (or other explanation).
Previous Support
Dates
Please give details of any research application submitted to the British Academy
within the last five years: Please note that only one British Academy research
grant may be held, or applied for, at any one time.
Where did you hear
of this scheme?
Self-explanatory.
PAGE 4: RESEARCH PROPOSAL
*Subject Area
Please select the subject most relevant to your research.
*Research Proposal
Title
Self-explanatory.
*Abstract
Summarise your proposed research for an informed general audience. 150
words.
*Proposed Host
Institution
Please indicate here your choice of host institution, including the appropriate
Faculty, Department, Research Institute or College where you propose to work.
*Reason(s) for choice
of host institution
Please explain the reason(s) for your choice of UK host institution (the
university/research institute, department).
This is expected to be a brief paragraph setting out the main reason(s) for the
choice of host institution. The limit is 150 words.
*Previous Research
Please give a description of research already undertaken, normally referring to
the doctoral thesis. 600 words max.
*Proposed
Programme
Please give a detailed description of the research programme, including
methodology. Applicants should be aware of the importance that assessors
place on the viability, specificity and originality of the research programme and
of its achievability within the timescale, which should be specified in the Plan of
Action.
If there is a need to include a short bibliography to help a reader understand the
context, this should be included here and is counted within the word limit of the
field. Applicants should be aware of the importance that the assessors place on
the scholarly importance of the project and on its feasibility, especially in terms
of the proposed methodology and timescale. The limit on this field is 1500
words.
*Plan of Action
Try to be as realistic as possible, but keep in mind that research programmes
will develop over time and this plan of action is not something that is expected
to account for every minute and is not unchangeable. But your chances of award
will be affected by the assessors' perception of how viable and realistic this plan
is. 800 words max.
*Planned Research
Outputs
Please indicate here what the expected output(s) from your research programme
might be. As appropriate, please indicate as follows: monograph, journal
article(s), book chapter(s), digital resources, other (please specify). 300 words
max.
*Plans for
Publication and
Dissemination
Please state in more detail here what plans you have for publication or other
dissemination of your research, including potential publishers, journals,
conferences etc that are appropriate for your research subject: 500 words max.
Digital Resource
If the primary product of the research will be a digital resource have you
obtained guidance on appropriate standards and methods?
*Deposit of Datasets
How and where will any electronic or digital data (including datasets)
developed during the project will be stored, along with details on the
appropriate methods of access. 500 words max.
*Start date/End date
Self-explanatory.
Language
Competence
Self-explanatory.
Endangered or
Emerging Subject
Area
Applicants should be intending to pursue original, independent research in any
field of study within the humanities or social sciences. There are no quotas for
individual subject areas and no thematic priorities. The primary factor in
assessing applications will remain the excellence of the proposal. The Academy
will, however, where appropriate, take into account the aim of providing
particular support for certain important fields, either emerging areas of
scholarship or areas of research that are endangered or under threat. 300 words
max.
*Ethical issues
Are there any special ethical issues arising from your proposal that are not
covered by the relevant professional Code of Practice? Have you obtained, or
will you obtain ethical approval from your employing institution or other
relevant authority? If the answers are yes to special ethical issues and no to
having obtained prior approval, please describe here the non-standard ethical
issues arising from your research and how you will address them.
PAGES 5: EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
Equal Opportunities
PAGE 6: LEAD APPLICANT REFEREE STATEMENT
Referee
Applicants are required to nominate one referee. The nominated referee will
have to answer several questions about the applicant and their research
proposal. This is all completed online on Flexi-Grant.
Please note that the Referee’s contribution must be completed (and marked as
complete) on the Flexi-Grant system before the applicant can submit the
application for approval.
You are strongly advised to ensure that your referee submits the reference well
in advance of the final deadline for this round of competition, which is 5pm (UK
time) 17th October.
Please note this deadline is the final deadline: Organisation Approval must
be recorded before the 5pm deadline on 17
th
October.
Your referee should be familiar with your project and able to comment on its
significance, feasibility, and on your abilities. The reference may be supplied by
a scholar based outside the UK if you wish.
Before listing your referee on your application form, you should seek
permission from them that they are happy to provide this before the deadline. It
is essential that you enter the correct email address for your referee (especially if
they are using more than one email address) otherwise your referee will not
receive the automated messages delivered from the British Academy GMS.
We strongly advise that you submit your application as early as possible to
avoid any last-minute issues with your referee. There have been cases were
applicants have been rejected by last minute failures to secure a reference.
An application cannot be considered unless the reference has been submitted on
time. Please note that references must be provided through the British Academy
GMS, they cannot be provided as an email attachment nor sent by post in hard
copy.
Submission of Application
Once you have submitted your application for approval by your host institution, an automatic
email will be sent to the Organisation Approver for your host institution. The Organisation
Approver will either: approve and submit your application, ‘send back’ your application for
edits/corrections or decline your application. You must complete your application with enough
time for your host institution to review and approve your application. They must record their
approval by 5pm, 17
th
October 2018.
It is recommended that you allow at least five working days for this process. Please check with your
proposed host institution as their internal timetables may require earlier submission. If your host
organisation approver requests modifications, they can return your application to you for editing.
Once an application has been approved by the Organisation Approver, it cannot be returned.
Please note that once the closing date has passed, host organisation approvers cannot approve
applications and submit them to the British Academy. Unapproved applications are removed from
consideration.
Code of Practice
The Academy has adopted a Code of Practice for assessing research applications, setting out the
principles of equity, integrity and confidentiality governing the treatment of all applications for
research support. Regrettably, feedback is not a feature of this programme. The Academy is unable
to discuss the decisions of the awarding Committee, which are governed by the Code of Practice.
Submission of the application form constitutes the applicant's agreement to all terms, conditions
and notices contained in the Scheme Notes.
Assessment Criteria
Assessors evaluate each proposal based on academic merit: Taking into account its originality, its
relationship to, and the volume of, research already in the field, the scholarly importance of the
research proposed, the suitability of the methodology, the feasibility of the research programme, the
specificity of the scheme of research and the intended outcomes. Assessors will evaluate the ability
of the applicant to undertake the proposed research, taking into account their track record in terms
of publication, their academic age and stage of career. Assessors may take into account evidence of
language competence where the understanding of material in a foreign language is crucial to the
achievement of the research objective.
Outcome of application
Once your application has been fully submitted, you will not be contacted again by the British
Academy until decisions have been made. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their
application by the end of January 2019. Results are issued by email.
Applicants in any doubt about their eligibility or any other aspect of their application are advised to
contact the Research Funding Office at the British Academy.
Tel: 020 7969 5265
Email: posts@britac.ac.uk
Terms & Conditions of Award
PART 1
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Part 1 of this Terms & Conditions of Award document sets out the standard terms and
conditions for all British Academy awards. Additional terms and conditions specific to the BA
Postdoctoral Fellowships are outlined in Part 2. The Academy’s expectations of host
institutions are set out in Appendix 1.
1.2. The Conditions of Award should be read in conjunction with the Award Letter, and the
British Academy’s Code of Practice, which together set out the terms and conditions of the
award. The Code of Practice is available on the British Academy’s website and may be
updated periodically.
1.3. The Host Organisation must ensure that the Award Holder, others supported by the Award
and collaborators are made aware of their responsibilities and comply with these Conditions
of Award and the Award Letter. Failure to comply with these terms and conditions will lead
to termination of the Award and the British Academy reserves the right to recover the grant
monies in part or full. For further information, please see Section 12: Compliance.
2. DEFINITIONS
2.1. Award: the award of a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship as specified in the Award
Letter.
2.2. Award Letter: the letter from the British Academy to the principal Award holder specifying
the value and tenure of the grant that has been awarded.
2.3. Award Holder(s): the person or persons to whom the Postdoctoral Fellowship has been
awarded and who has responsibility for the intellectual leadership and undertaking of the
research.
2.4. Award Period: the period of the Award as set out in the Award Letter, commencing on the
start date confirmed by the Host Organisation in the manner indicated by the British
Academy.
2.5. Data: includes computational or curated data, and data that are produced by an experimental
or observational procedure.
2.6. Financial Statement: a form that must be completed by the Host Organisation and submitted
to the British Academy that sets out (i) the actual expenditure incurred by the Host
Organisation during the Award period on the Award, (ii) the total amount awarded by the
British Academy in respect of the Award, and (iii) any additional information that the British
Academy requests from the Host Organisation.
2.7. Host Organisation: The University, institution, research council or other body at which some
or all the research funded by the award will be carried out or which employs the Award
Holder(s), and which takes responsibility for the management of the research project and the
accountability of funds provided. (This is the organisation which approved the submission of
the application in the Flexi-Grant system)
2.8. Intellectual Property: includes all inventions, discoveries, materials, technologies, products,
data, algorithms, software, patents, databases, copyright and general knowledge
2.9. Report: a form on which the Host Organisation reports on the activities undertaken during
the award period that must be completed by the Award Holder and submitted to the British
Academy.
2.10. Research Misconduct: includes the fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing,
performing, or reviewing research or in reporting results, misrepresentation, mismanagement
or inadequate preservation of data and/or primary materials, making up data or results and
recording and reporting them, such that the research is not accurately represented in the
public research record.
2.11. The British Academy: the British Academy (a charity registered in England with number
233176)
3. USE OF GRANT
3.1. Unless otherwise stated, all awards must be held in a research active institution.
3.2. The Award Holder and Host Organisation must ensure that the Award is used only for the
activities specified by the British Academy.
3.3. The Award is to support the research project and related activities described in the application
and against which performance will be assessed. If it is proposed to vary the project or
programme in any significant way, prior approval must be sought from the British Academy.
3.4. The Award may be used only for eligible items as outlined in the scheme notes, and in
accordance with the activities originally requested in the application. If any exceptions have
been approved, they will be specified in the Award Letter.
3.5. The Host Organisation must ensure that enough resources are provided to support the
activities described in the Award Letter. This includes adequate office and laboratory space
and access to essential equipment and facilities.
3.6. Expenditure cannot be vired between budget headings without prior written permission from
the British Academy.
3.7. Applicants must inform the British Academy of the outcomes of any other applications
relating to the project. In cases where simultaneous applications to the British Academy and
to another funding agency covering the same elements of a project are both successful, the
applicant should decide which of the two awards to accept. Only if there is no duplication of
expenditure under any of the budget heads, and no unnecessary inflation of a project, will an
applicant be permitted to retain both awards (subsequent requests to alter the plan of research
simply to allow the applicant to retain both awards are unlikely to be considered favourably).
There is no objection to the applicant holding awards both from the British Academy and
from another funding agency to cover separate elements of a project.
3.8. Any items of equipment that may have been exceptionally agreed, and any research resources
purchased with the help of a British Academy grant, must be deposited on the expiry of the
grant with an institution (usually the recipient’s home institution, or otherwise as agreed with
the British Academy). Such items do not become the personal property of the Award Holder.
4. ACCEPTING THE OFFER AND PAYMENT
4.1. The Host Organisation will be the financial administrator of the award.
4.2. Awards are paid to the Host Organisation by electronic transfer (BACS).
4.3. The timing of payment is at the British Academy’s discretion, but every effort will be made to
ensure that funds are released in good time. Please note that it may take up to 28 days for
payment transfer to be completed by the British Academy’s Finance Office. The Award
Holder must confirm acceptance of these conditions of award as part of the formal acceptance
in the Flexi-Grant system before the grant is released.
4.4. Grants are cash-limited at the value stated in the Award Letter. There is no scope for
increasing the level of grant awarded.
4.5. It is the responsibility of award holders to ensure that suitable arrangements have been
agreed with the Host Organisation and any other partner institutions, whether in the UK or
overseas, for the administration of the Award. This includes arrangements for the transfer of
funds, if applicable, before the award begins. The British Academy expects the funds to be
administered by institutions in accordance with their normal procedures for managing grant
income. The Host Organisation is responsible for accounting to the British Academy for the
use of the award.
5. REPORTING AND ACCOUNTS
5.1. The Award Holder must fulfil the financial and non-financial reporting requirements as set by
the British Academy. Failure to submit a report that has been deemed as satisfactory by the
British Academy can result in the Award being suspended or withdrawn.
5.2. The Host Organisation must ensure proper financial management of the Award and
accountability for the use of public and charitable funds and ensure that formal audit
standards and procedures exist for maintaining appropriate anti-fraud and corruption
controls in accordance with the Fraud Act (2006). Any fraud associated with the award must
be notified to the British Academy immediately.
5.3. Recipients of awards are required to submit an itemised statement of expenditure, signed by
the responsible officer in the Host Organisation. If there is an underspend on the grant, the
unspent amount should be refunded to the British Academy. The report will be deemed
incomplete until the grant has been fully accounted for and any financial reconciliation made.
5.4. Future applications for funding will not be considered unless a satisfactory report and
statement of expenditure for the previous grant have been submitted.
5.5. At the end of all awards, Award Holders are required to submit a final report on the work
carried out with the aid of the British Academy grant. The final report must be submitted
within two months of the end of the Award on the prescribed report form via the Flexi-Grant
system.
5.6. For all awards lasting two or more years, Award Holders are required to submit an interim
report for each year on the work carried out with the aid of the British Academy grant, with
the exception of the final year. This interim report must be submitted on the prescribed report
form and will be reviewed by the British Academy; only after it has been deemed satisfactory
will funds for any subsequent years be issued. For the final year, the final report must be
submitted as described in 5.5.
5.7. The Host Organisation must complete and return a reconciliation statement within 3 months
of the end date of the Award period. The completed final reconciliation statement received by
the British Academy represents the final statement of expenditure for the Award. The British
Academy is not obliged to make any further payments in respect of the Award once it has
received the final statement. The British Academy will reconcile the expenditure incurred
against payments made to ensure that any under spend on the Award is returned. Funding
cannot be vired between budget headings to cover the cost of an over spend, any overspend
must be met by the Host Organisation.
5.8. In the case of independent scholars, who have administered the award personally, receipts for
single items over £100 must be provided. If there is an underspend on the grant, the unspent
amount should be refunded to the Academy. The report will be deemed incomplete until the
grant has been fully accounted for and any financial reconciliation made.
5.9. The British Academy reserves the right to require the Host Organisation to complete and
submit a statement of expenditure for a financial year at any time during the Award, or to
provide supplementary information in support of an interim or final statement of
expenditure.
5.10. If the requested interim or final reports, or statements of expenditure are not submitted, the
Host Organisation’s staff or affiliated / visiting researchers will not be able to apply or to be
considered for British Academy funding until such reports or statement have been received,
and are deemed satisfactory, with any underspend returned.
5.11. If there are exceptional reasons that will prevent submission of the final report within the
period allowed, a written request may be made, before the due date passes, for the
submission period to be extended.
5.12. All payments may be recovered if the statement is not received within 6 months of the end of
the Award.
6. VARIATION AND TERMINATION
6.1. The British Academy reserves the right to amend these Conditions of Award, its Code of
Practice, and any terms and conditions in the Award Letter. Any changes to the Conditions of
Award or Award Letter will be notified to the Award Holder in writing, and any changes to
the Code of Practice will be notified on the British Academy’s website.
6.2. Work must commence on the start date as specified in the application and confirmed with the
offer of award. Formal approval will be required if it is proposed to defer the start date which
must still be within the start period stated in the Scheme Notes. The British Academy should
be notified of any delay.
6.3. Under exceptional circumstances, no-cost extensions may be requested. Extensions must be
requested before the due end date of the Award, giving sufficient reason for the request.
Requests for no-cost extensions received after the due end date of the Award will not be
considered. If an extension is approved, the final report should be submitted as soon as the
British Academy-funded phase of research is completed, within the agreed timescale.
6.4. The Award Holder or the Host Organisation must inform the British Academy without delay
of any change to the status of the Award Holder, Co-applicant, or the Host Organisation that
might affect their ability to comply with these Conditions of Award. This includes contracts of
employment which must continue at least for the duration of the Award or any cessation and
event or circumstance that is likely to affect the overall delivery of the Award.
6.5. The Award Holder must inform the British Academy as soon as practicable of any significant
divergence from the original aims and directions of the research project that is being funded
by the Award, or any cessation and event or circumstance that is likely to affect the overall
delivery of the project.
6.6. The British Academy reserves the right to terminate or suspend the Award at any time,
subject to reasonable notice (normally 3 months). In the event that the British Academy’s
public funding is reduced or withdrawn by UK Government or if the British Academy should
enter administration, the British Academy reserves the right to terminate any awards with no
liability for any further Fellowship or Award payments. The Host Organisation will fully
indemnify the British Academy in respect of any claims brought against the British Academy
in this regard.
7. PUBLICATIONS
7.1. Due acknowledgement of support received from the British Academy should be made in any
publication resulting from the research, whether an article, a book, or any other form of
output. One copy of any book should be sent to the British Academy, where it will be
catalogued, and placed in the British Academy’s Library. The Award Holder is required to
provide the British Academy with full bibliographical information on any other published
outputs resulting from the award.
7.2. The Award Holder is expected to follow acknowledged good practice when publishing the
results of their research as detailed in guidelines issued by, for example, the Committee on
Publication Ethics, the Council of Science Editors and the ARRIVE guidelines.
8. OTHER DISSEMINATION
8.1. For projects whose primary purpose, or significant product, is the creation of a digital
resource, data created as a result of the research, together with documentation, should be
offered for deposit in an appropriately accessible repository within a reasonable time after the
completion of the project.
8.2. In cases where the principal output from the project is the creation of a digital resource,
applicants should be aware that details of the project, and contact details of the principal
applicant, may be passed to the relevant national Data Services providers for evaluation or
contact purposes.
8.3. The Award Holder is required to notify the British Academy of any impact resulting from
their research. Impact can mean making a significant contribution to an academic field and/or
to policy and practice decision-making. This could be an impact in economic terms, affecting
the profits of firms or the revenue of government, or in terms of having an impact on less
quantifiable areas such as the environment, public health or quality of life.
8.4. The Award Holder must make all reasonable efforts, if so invited, to respond to requests for
information or to attend events or activities organised by the British Academy concerning the
research undertaken. Such events may be held after a grant has ended.
8.5. The Host Organisation must ensure that it obtains the prior approval of the British Academy
on any press statements associated with the Award.
8.6. Due acknowledgement of support received from the British Academy should be made in any
form of media communication, including media appearances, press releases and conferences.
The contents of any press releases or announcements associated with the Award should be
agreed by the British Academy first to ensure they comply with any current publicity
requirements (including any branding guidelines).
9. RESEARCH ETHICS, POLICIES, AND LEGAL
9.1. The British Academy will not become an employer of the Award Holder or any other third
party as a result of the provision of this Award. In all cases where support is provided by the
Award for the employment of staff, the Host Organisation must issue a contract of
employment which is in compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
9.2. The Award Holder and Host Organisation must ensure that the Award is managed in a way
which is compliant with the terms of the (UK) Equality Act 2010.
9.3. The British Academy requires the research it funds to be conducted in an ethical and legal
manner. The Host Organisation is responsible for ensuring that ethical issues relating to the
research project are identified and brought to the attention of the relevant approval or
regulatory body. Ethical approval to undertake the research must be granted by the relevant
authority before any work requiring approval begins. Research undertaken outside the UK
must have both UK and respective country ethical approvals. The Host Organisation must
ensure that all legal requirements related to the research are met.
9.4. The Host Organisation should meet the requirements of the Concordat to Support Research
Integrity (2012) and subsequent amendments and must have in place formal procedures for
governing good research practice and for handling and reporting allegations of fraud or
research misconduct.
9.5. The Host Organisation is expected to adopt the principles, standards and good practice for the
management of research staff set out in the Concordat to Support the Career Development of
Researchers (2008) and subsequent amendments. Research staff should be appointed on terms
that are no less favourable than those of comparable posts in the Host Organisation.
9.6. The Host Organisation is responsible for ensuring that a safe working environment is
provided for all individuals associated with a research project and must meet all regulatory
and legislative requirements as recommended by the Health and Safety Executive and will
include appropriate care where researchers are working off-site.
9.7. It is the responsibility of the Host Organisation and Award Holder to ensure that appropriate
insurance is obtained for any individual employed on the Award, including students, who
intend to undertake Overseas Travel, Fieldwork, Secondments or Sabbaticals during the
Award period.
9.8. The Award Holder is expected to comply with the Host Organisation guidelines on overseas
travel and safety in fieldwork, particularly for high risk countries. The British Academy will
not be held liable for the health, safety and security of award holders or individuals employed
on an award.
9.9. The Host Organisation and the Award Holder must ensure that research involving the use of
animals falls within the regulations laid down in the UK Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act
1986 and subsequent amendments. Any element of research funded by the Award that is
conducted outside the UK must, as a minimum standard, be conducted in accordance with
the principles of UK legislation.
9.10. In the case of research involving the use of animals, the Award Holder must inform the British
Academy that animals will be used in the research and provide the following details, the
number of animals, the species and procedures involving animals. The Award Holder must
also inform the British Academy as soon as possible of any significant increase to the number
of animals used or a change in the species from that which was originally supported by the
Award.
9.11. The British Academy endorses the principle of the NC3Rs (replace, refine and reduce) which
means that every effort must be made to replace the use of live animals with non-animal
alternatives; to reduce the number of animals used in research; and refine procedures so that
the degree of suffering for animals is kept to an absolute minimum.
9.12. The British Academy accepts no responsibility for costs or liabilities arising from the research
funded by the Award, other than those set out in these Conditions of Award, or otherwise
agreed in writing.
9.13. The Host Organisation, any Award Holder or any other person working on the Award
(including but not limited to employees, students, visiting fellows and subcontractors) will
indemnify the British Academy against any claims for compensation or against any other
claims (whether under any statute or regulation or at common law) for which the Host
Organisation may be liable as an employer or otherwise or for which any other person
working on the Award may be liable.
9.14. These Conditions of Award will be governed by the laws of England and Wales. All matters
relating to the terms and conditions will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of
England and Wales.
9.15. If any provision of these terms and conditions is found by a court or other legitimate body to
be illegal, invalid or unreasonable, it will not affect the remaining terms and conditions which
will continue in force.
10. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
10.1. Unless stated otherwise, the ownership of British Academy-funded intellectual property (IP),
and responsibility for its identification, protection, management and exploitation, rests with
the Host Organisation.
10.2. It is the responsibility of the Host Organisation, and all engaged in the research, to make
every effort to ensure that any potentially valuable results obtained during the research are
exploited, whether protected by IP rights or not, and used to the benefit of society and the
economy.
10.3. Where the Award is associated with more than one research organisation and/or project
partner, a formal collaborative agreement must be established, which sets out the
contributions and ownership rights of the organisations and individuals involved with
regards to intellectual property and exploitation. It is the responsibility of the Host
Organisation to put such an agreement in place before the Award commences. The terms of
the collaborative agreement must not conflict with the British Academy’s Conditions of
Award.
10.4. The collaborative agreement must set out that the Host Organisation(s) is not restricted in its
future research capability, that all applications of the intellectual property are developed in a
timely manner and that the substantive results of the research are published within an agreed
and reasonable period.
11. DATA PROTECTION
11.1. The British Academy is compliant with the GDPR and adheres to the principles of the Data
Protection Act 2018.
11.2. The British Academy is committed to protecting and storing securely any personal and
sensitive data held. Applicants should be aware that the information they provide on the
application form and, if successful, in subsequent reports will be used by the British Academy
for processing the application, making any consequential award, for the payment, monitoring
and review of the award, and for general British Academy business. This information may be
shared with relevant funding partners, including but not limited to the Department for
Business, Innovation and Skills, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Department
for International Development.
11.3. Information will also be shared with relevant officers in the Host Organisation for the
application and award procedures to be followed.
11.4. Details of award holders (including name, institution, project details and amount of award)
will be used to compile published lists of award holders which will be made available on the
Internet, and to produce statistical and historical information on British Academy awards.
11.5. Queries submitted under the terms of the GDPR about the processing of personal data should
be addressed to the British Academy's Data Protection Officer at DPO@britac.ac.uk.
Submitting the online application form constitutes the applicant's agreement to all terms,
conditions, and notices contained in the Scheme Notes.
11.6. You also have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO),
the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues, at any time. The ICO’s contact details
are as follows:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745
11.7. Application forms will be retained for ten years in the case of successful applications, and five
years in the case of unsuccessful applications, and may be consulted by the British Academy
in the event of future applications being submitted.
12. COMPLIANCE
12.1 The British Academy reserves the right upon reasonable notice to inspect the award at any
time and to require further information to be supplied as seen fit. Such further information
may include but is not limited to financial records and financial procedures associated with
the Award, or to appoint any other body or individual for such inspection.
12.2 Persistent failure to comply with the conditions of award will result in the British Academy
writing to the Vice-Chancellor or equivalent senior official of the Host Organisation and lead
to the possibility of sanctions.
12.3 The sanction for non-compliance with the conditions of award is penalty-listing: that is, to
disbar, sine die, the scholar concerned from applying to the British Academy under any of its
grant-giving schemes; and to disbar, for a period of two years, all members of that institution
from applying to the British Academy under any of its grant-giving schemes.
PART 2
SCHEME-SPECIFIC CONDITIONS
BRITISH ACADEMY POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP
Title of award
1. The Academy will confer on the successful applicant the title of British Academy Postdoctoral
Fellow (BA PDF).
Variation of programme of research
2. The award of a BA PDF is made to support the research project described in the application. It is
unlikely that the Academy will agree to any significant variation of the proposed project or
programme, and if it is proposed to make any such variation it is essential that prior approval is
sought from the British Academy.
Starting date and period of award
3. British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships must begin between 1 September and 1 January
following of the year in which the award is offered. No later starting date is permitted under any
circumstances. The award is for 36 months, FTE, but requests may be made to hold an award part-
time for the equivalent length of award, up to and including a maximum of 72 months.
Full-time research, interruption of research and part-time working
4. Award-holders will be required to give an undertaking that they will devote themselves full-time
to the research for which they have been given the award, with responsibility for teaching and
other commitments limited to the agreed levels approved by the Academy. Requests to work at
less than full-time but devoting 100% of an award-holder’s research effort to the research for which
the award has been given, will be received sympathetically, and may be agreed where there are
good reasons for this – the most usual case for this will be on grounds of family commitments.
When an award-holder is offered an opportunity that would involve not committing 100% of their
time to the Postdoctoral Fellowship, an application may be made to the Academy for an
interruption of the Fellowship. The Academy would expect to treat such requests sympathetically,
when there is a clear case for career development reasons to take up another appointment. No
interruption of longer than 12 months will be permitted. Institutions should be aware that the
agreed full economic costs of the award will not be recalculated in the event of any interruption to
an award.
5. Requests for the interruption of an award for maternity or paternity leave will also be received
sympathetically by the Academy and may expect to be agreed as a matter of course, in accordance
with the general principles of the treatment of fixed-term contract staff in the host institution. In
addition to paying a contribution toward the costs of maternity/paternity pay calculated as 10%
of the total FEC contribution that would otherwise have been made for that period, the Academy
will continue to offer, as standard, extensions to the three-year award to enable the award-holder
to have the full-time equivalent of three years devoted to research. As indicated above, return to
normal duties on a part-time basis will be considered as appropriate, concomitant with the aim of
career development.
6. Requests to hold the BA Postdoctoral Fellowship part-time at the same time as another award will
not be considered by the Academy.
Transfer to another institution
7. The award of a Postdoctoral Fellowship is made to the individual for his or her own personal
research merit and is not an award to the host institution to fill a gap in its research profile.
Accordingly, requests to transfer to a different host institution will be received sympathetically by
the Academy and may be agreed when there is a sound academic case for transfer. Only in
exceptional circumstances, however, such as, for example, the transfer of the proposed mentor to
a new institution or the emergence of plans to close or otherwise significantly alter the focus of the
proposed Department or Institute, will the Academy agree to transfer prior to the start of an award.
Subsequent requests for transfer during the Fellowship will be considered on a case-by-case basis
by the Academy, and may be agreed in certain circumstances, such as the promise of a permanent
appointment to follow the end of the Fellowship, or other career development reasons.
Alternatively, the Academy may agree to the BA PDF undertaking teaching duties for a new
institution, while remaining formally attached to their original employing institution, with the
consent of all parties involved. Institutions should be aware, however, that no supplementation of
the agreed full economic cost of an award will be possible.
Employment contract
8. The BA Postdoctoral Fellow will become an employee of the host institution, subject to their
normal terms and conditions of employment. The salary will be expected to be commensurate with
the early career stage of the applicant, normally equivalent to posts with similar duties and levels
of responsibility, as calculated with reference to the host institution’s local pay framework. The
award also covers the employers’ contributions to National Insurance and superannuation, as well
as the Directly Allocated and Indirect Costs associated with the award. Limited Directly Incurred
research expenses will also be payable to the Postdoctoral Fellow as part of the full economic
costing of the programme.
Teaching commitment
9. There is a balance to be struck between the varying demands on the time of a BA Postdoctoral
Fellow during the term of their award. The Fellowship is primarily a research award, and the
employing institution may expect to benefit from the research profile that a BA PDF will develop
during the award. But there is also a need for teaching experience to be developed. BA PDFs and
their employing institutions should keep in mind that the Academy’s expectation is that suitable
opportunities will be made available for PDFs to gain teaching experience in relevant subjects up
to a maximum of five hours per week (i.e. five contact hours) during the teaching year. It may be
necessary, however, when undertaking a course for the first time, for preparation to take
considerably longer than this. Also, it may be that the departmental teaching profile might mean
that demand is spread unevenly through the teaching year, and the number of hours may therefore
be averaged across the teaching year. The Academy will arbitrate in any disputes over teaching
experience, but expects, when possible, that this will be agreed internally between the PDF and
the employing institution.
Institutional Approval
10. In giving approval to the application and accepting the award, the institution is committing itself:
a) To offer a contract of employment to the award-holder as a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow
for a period of three years
b) To make arrangements for the payment of the BA Postdoctoral Fellow through their normal
payroll system, reclaiming the agreed full economic costs from the British Academy
c) To provide the BA Postdoctoral Fellow with working accommodation, access to libraries and
collections, and normal social facilities, and generally to treat the award-holder as a full member
of the institution’s academic staff;
d) To appoint a mentor for the BA Postdoctoral Fellow, whose role is to help the award-holder to
integrate fully into the working life of the relevant department/faculty/school etc.
Appendix 1: British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships
Information for Prospective Host Institutions
This information sheet explains the commitments that the Academy expects the host institution to
be willing to make to British Academy Postdoctoral Fellows (BA PDFs). The Academy recognises
that the host institution will be able to give no more than provisional acceptance of these
commitments at the beginning of each competition (when many applicants may be interested in
applying), but the institution will be expected to honour its undertakings for those (probably
smaller numbers) who are successful.
The Scheme
The British Academy offers approximately 55 three-year postdoctoral fellowships to outstanding
recently postdoctoral scholars to enable them to pursue independent research with a view to
completing a significant piece of publishable work and to gain experience of teaching in the
University environment. In the 2018-19 competition, awards are expected to be announced in May
after a stringent selection process has reduced the field from an annual total now usually more than
600.
Acting as Employer
Fellows become employees of the institution at which they hold their award, subject to that
institution’s normal terms and conditions of employment. The Academy will reimburse the
institution for 80% of the full economic costs of the Fellowship, including directly incurred salary
costs of the PDF (basic, NI and USS), directly incurred research expenses (limited contribution),
directly allocated Estates costs, other directly allocated costs for the time of the mentor and Indirect
Costs.
The Formal Commitment
By giving formal agreement to accept the PDF, the host institution is committing itself to provide a
certain standard of treatment for that PDF. This statement sets out what the Academy regards as a
minimum provision.
Provision of Facilities
The Academy’s expectation is that its PDFs will be treated in the same way as full-time members of
the academic staff and enjoy comparable working conditions and social facilities. The minimum
provision is therefore to be taken to include access to office space, libraries and computer facilities,
the use of a telephone, fax and such free photocopying as is normally available to permanent staff.
The PDF would also be recognised as a full member of the Faculty/sub-
Faculty/School/Department and be allowed to participate in departmental meetings and social
events.
Mentors
The institution may already operate a formal scheme of mentoring for new members of staff and, if
so, the PDF will be expected to be covered by the scheme. If no such scheme is already operational,
the Academy has adopted a set of guidelines indicating what such a scheme is expected to involve.
The mentor should be an established and experienced member of staff, if possible in an academic
field close to that of the PDF, whose role is intended primarily to provide moral and practical
support and advice. It is not suggested that the mentor should act in a supervisory capacity (PDFs
are expected to have reached a stage in their academic career when they are capable of pursuing
fully independent research). Rather, mentors should be asked to take a interest in the PDF, showing
concern for his or her welfare, and making themselves available for consultation on such matters as
personal and career development, research and teaching opportunities, approaches to potential
publishers and the presentation of work for publication. Mentors would only be expected to read
material to be submitted for publication if specifically asked to do so. They should also be prepared
to give advice about job applications, drawing the attention of the PDF to suitable opportunities
which may present themselves.
The expectation should be that the mentor will have a formal meeting with the PDF at the
beginning of the term of appointment, to provide a welcome to the institution and to make clear the
PDF’s new role in it. Thereafter, the mentor should be ready to offer such encouragement as may be
called for and should be available for consultation as necessary. At least one further formal meeting
should take place at the end of each academic year to review arrangements, evaluate progress, and
look ahead to the coming year. The Academy expects that the mentor should not need to devote
more than the equivalent of one hour per month to these tasks, and that is the limit of the
Academy’s contribution to the costs of mentoring.
The Academy also expects the Postdoctoral Fellow to be given access to appropriate training
opportunities within the host institution’s normal provisions for early career stage researchers as
part of the normal career development planning to develop their skills and experience.
Teaching Opportunities
The British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship is principally, but not solely, a research award. PDFs
are expected to gain experience of teaching up to 5 hours per week (averaged over the academic
year) as part of their award. The Academy expects the Faculty/Department to make arrangements
for the PDF to obtain teaching opportunities (e.g. provision of a course of lectures). The costs of this
teaching will be expected to have been covered in the salary costs submitted as part of the Full
Economic Costing, through appointment from an appropriate starting salary level, taking account
of the research and teaching duties expected to be offered. The Academy believes that there will be
a return for the Faculty/Department both in terms of teaching done by the PDF and in research
output for the facilities which are made available. PDFs should be helped to balance teaching,
research and other commitments, and should not be burdened with excessive or inappropriate
teaching or administrative duties.
For Applicants Applying to Oxford and Cambridge:
Facilities are expected to be made available to the PDF by their host Faculty or Department and/or
by a College. The Academy expects the PDF to be fully integrated into the academic life of the
institution, and for access to opportunities for teaching to be provided. In addition, the Academy
expects the PDF to be treated similarly to a newly- appointed full-time member of staff, having
access to computing, library and research facilities, and travel and other internal research funds as
appropriate.
In a collegiate University, the Academy recognises that a number of these facilities, especially those
related to the social aspects of University life, may be provided more readily through affiliation to a
College. The Academy asks that the University authorities, or through them, the Faculty
Chairman/Head of Department, will take steps to ensure that each PDF (who wishes to do so)
becomes associated with a College. The College is not expected to provide residence for the fellow,
but should, as a minimum, give them rights of full ‘membership’ of the Senior Common Room (or
equivalent). (There is no obligation to make them non-stipendiary Fellows, though it is probable
that many may wish to do so.) It is expected that this ‘membership’ would entitle the PDF to meals
at all times (not necessarily free) and to full integration into College life. It is expected that the
College will generally treat the PDF in the same way as scholars holding similar posts appointed
through their own or other schemes, giving them access to research funds and other facilities on an
equal basis.
Any Questions?
Deans, Heads of Department, Heads of Colleges etc are advised to consult the Academy if there are
any questions about the scheme or about the Academy’s expectations of host institution.