Education Research in Conflict and Crisis – Bilateral Research Chairs guidance notes

Guidance notes for Education Research in Conflict and Crisis – Bilateral Research Chairs. Please read these scheme notes carefully. Any incorrectly submitted application will be ineligible for award.

Summary

1. The British Academy has had a longstanding interest in strengthening knowledge systems internationally. This includes a series of reports the Academy has supported on strengthening the frameworks for international collaboration in the humanities and social sciences and how to support early career researchers in an initiative with the Association of Commonwealth Universities called the ‘Nairobi Process’. The Academy also has a number of programmes that aim to support research and institutional capacity.

2. This call, supported by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), forms one part of a wider Education Research in Conflict and Protracted Crisis (FCDO ERICC) programme. FCDO ERICC is intended to be a six-year programme (2021-2027) with the objective of delivering and maximising uptake of new, operationally- and policy-relevant evidence on the most effective approaches to education provision in conflict and protracted crisis contexts. The programme will launch in 2021 and the research programme consortium (RPC) delivering the wider programme will coordinate and work closely with the British Academy and the selected applicants and their institutions. This could include engaging with research chairs during the development and implementation of research and uptake activities, co-operation in establishing or developing communities of practice in focal countries, and linking researchers – particularly those in the Global South – to the opportunities in this knowledge systems strengthening initiative and the wider RPC activity.

3. The focus of this call is to support bilateral research chairs delivering a programme of institutional strengthening in target regions. The main objectives of the chairs will be to:

  • Develop and expand the research strength of their institutions and more broadly their impact nationally, regionally and internationally in the field of education research on conflict and crisis;
  • Develop the institutions’ ability to support, foster and build strong education research cultures that can be sustained over the long-term;
  • Enhance the support for Masters and doctoral students;
  • Create research career pathways for early and mid-career researchers;
  • Develop, retain and attract researchers to work with their institutions in the field of education research on conflict and crisis;
  • Develop strong and tangible partnerships between research institutions through the bilateral research chair model;
  • Engage with the FCDO ERICC programme and relevant Country Research Teams to contribute to the overall objectives of the FCDO ERICC programme through their activities;
  • Work with the wider FCDO ERICC programme across these objectives.

4. Three awards of up to £555,000 over 3 years are available. This funding includes salary costs, funding for the programme of research, other researchers, Masters and doctoral students, and support for the institutions to administer and support the chair.

5. The chairs are envisaged as bilateral research chairs, helping to develop networks, mobility and exchange between institutions. Applications are welcome from institutions in the Middle East, Eastern Africa, Western Africa, Myanmar and Bangladesh (this includes relevantly sited British International Research Institutes).[1] See further information in the FAQs. The prospective research chair applicant will, in collaboration with their identified institutions in these regions/countries, work with a partner institution anywhere in the world to submit their applications for the bilateral research chair jointly.

6. A fundamental part of the application for a chair is to demonstrate how it will add significant value to the research and institutional strength of the target region institutions involved, and to play an active role in developing the research capacity, profile and sustainability of the institutions and their future researchers. Applicants will be required to propose a programme of institutional strengthening as part of their proposal. The applicant’s institutions must set out clearly how the research chair will have the full and senior support from the institutions involved, how they propose to embed and integrate the chair and how they would propose to link with the FCDO ERICC programme. The assessment of the application will include the research and institutional strengthening programme as well as the commitment of the institutions.

7. This call forms a major part of a wider knowledge systems strengthening programme the Academy is initiating on education research in conflict and crisis. In future, the Academy will work with the successful applicants under this call and their institutions to develop a fellowship and mentoring programme, as well as provide funding to support research mobility, networking and uptake.

Programme aims

8. Building research and institutional strength is difficult generally and particularly so in and on areas of conflict and crisis. This programme aims to address these deficiencies by developing both researcher and institutional strength in a simultaneous and mutually reinforcing fashion. This will help to enhance the ability of researchers and institutions to analyse, research and evaluate education practice in areas of conflict and crisis while developing the body of researchers and research in such contexts. It will help also to diversify and expand the research undertaken in this area, introducing new insights and building a cadre of local researchers, whilst supporting the creation of research environments and cultures in education research that will outlast the life of the programme.

9. There is a vital need to foster growing and vibrant education research communities in and on conflict and protracted crisis that can take a full part in international research networks. It is particularly essential that academics in crisis-affected regions are able to chart and to understand the transformations occurring in their local contexts and exert impact on the quality and experience of education and learning. Effective approaches, critical to the future of those living in environments of conflict and crisis, can only be developed with deep and textured knowledge of the societies they will operate in and with the full participation of those who will be affected by them. There are three main areas of engagement required to strengthen knowledge systems in these difficult environments.

10. First, it is essential to improve the structures, systems and governance of institutions – the institutional foundations. While limited funding for education research is a major problem, many of the barriers to research are organisational and managerial rather than solely financial. Systems and processes within institutions, and relationships between key staff all present obstacles to education research. Building communities focused on education research requires confidence in the ability of institutions to manage and deliver good research and evidence, particularly in dialogue with policy makers.

11. Second, if education research in conflict and protracted crisis is to be strengthened then researchers working in these contexts need to forge collaborative links - developing communities and networks. Improving collaboration and networking amongst researchers on education research in conflict and protracted crisis must be a priority in order for a varied and meaningful research programme to be sustained nationally, regionally and internationally. By building collaborative links between researchers and institutions, as well as making use of institutional hubs as appropriate, research training and mentoring can be delivered, and shared research initiatives and partnerships created and sustained.

12. Third, it is ultimately individuals who will take forward research on education in conflict and protracted crisis into the future. Investing in individuals and ensuring that they are well supported is key to developing sustained communities of excellence in this field. Funding for research must therefore be coupled with funding for research training with dedicated mentoring critical to the endeavour.

13. One in four of the world’s school-aged children now lives in a country affected by crisis. In 2015 alone, more than 80 million children and young people had their education disrupted or destroyed due to natural disaster or conflict. With the average length of displacement now lasting 17 years, generations of children are at risk of missing out on education across the world. Two billion people live in countries affected by fragility, conflict and violence. This problem is not temporary - trends suggest that the frequency, severity and duration of emergencies and crises are likely to increase. There is a distinct possibility therefore that generations of children will miss completely a chance at education and the benefits this would bring through their lives. Those children that retain some access to education and learning are likely to experience significant disruption in various and complex forms, with a consequent fall in their learning outcomes.

14. The COVID-19 outbreak will add to the challenges faced by already fragile education systems in conflict-affected states and has also demonstrated the vulnerabilities and gaps in preparedness of education systems globally in the face of pandemics. UNESCO estimates as of August 2nd 2020 suggested that 60.5% of the world's student population are affected by school closures – including some 1.05 billion learners who are out of school across 109 countries. This is a protracted crisis where strong knowledge systems that can link governments and decision makers – and particularly those in fragile and conflict-affected states – to expert knowledge, advice and support are vital to minimising the disruption to children’s education and developing more resilient education systems.

15. Furthermore, in crisis settings, marginalised groups, such as girls, disabled children and refugees, are particularly vulnerable. Girls in conflict-affected countries are two and a half times more likely to be out of school than their counterparts in non-conflict contexts, and are also are more likely than boys to discontinue their education in times of crisis.

16. Education and learning are vital also in securing future economic, social, cultural and political benefits for individuals and society more widely. This crucial role spans from imparting skills for engagement in socio-economic activities, to building understanding and engagement in and following crises. This is important for supporting opportunities for girls and young women, through attitudinal shifts about their role in society and building vital skills for employment.

17. FCDO ERICC is intended to launch in April 2021 and the research programme consortium (RPC) delivering the programme will coordinate and work closely with the British Academy and the selected applicants and their institutions, creating a strong community of practice around education research in conflict and protracted crisis. Close coordination between the bilateral research chairs and the FCDO ERICC programme will play an important role in expanding access to new research and engagement opportunities, as well as fostering, deepening and expanding linkages and communities of practice for researchers and practitioners on these issues. This is particularly the case in terms of raising the profile of education researchers in the Global South and crisis-affected regions, and linking them to attempts to establish and strengthen global research networks and communities of practice.

Purpose of grant

18. This call forms one part of the aforementioned wider knowledge systems strengthening work. All applicants must make clear how the named bilateral research chair and the institutions will provide a supportive research environment for the named chair and others involved. For those successful, the Academy will work with the research chairs and their institutions to help develop the proposed fellowship and mentoring programme, as well as funding to support research mobility, networking and uptake.

19. The main objectives of the chairs will be to:

  • Develop and expand the research strength of their institutions and more broadly their impact nationally, regionally and internationally in the field of education research on conflict and crisis;
  • Develop the institutions’ ability to support, foster and build strong education research cultures that can be sustained over the long-term;
  • Enhance the support for Masters and doctoral students;
  • Create research career pathways for early and mid-career researchers;
  • Develop, retain and attract researchers to work with their institutions in the field of education research on conflict and crisis.
  • Develop strong and tangible partnerships between research institutions through the bilateral research chair model;
  • Engage with the FCDO ERICC programme and relevant Country Research Teams to contribute to the overall objectives of the FCDO ERICC programme through their activities;
  • Work with the wider FCDO ERICC programme across these objectives.

20. The bilateral research chairs are awards in an institutional setting. Applications must be for new, coherent, and high-quality research.

21. Awards of up to £555,000 over three years are available.

22. The bilateral research chairs are required to add significant value to the research and institutional strength of the institutions involved, and to play an active role in developing the research capacity, profile and sustainability of the institutions and their researchers. As noted above, this will include linking with the FCDO ERICC programme as appropriate. The Academy views the bilateral research chairs as an opportunity to foster collegial research cultures, develop the next generation of research, and embed effective and long-lasting institutional practices for the benefit of education research on conflict and crisis specifically and for the chairs’ institutions more broadly.

23. The application must set out how the applicant and the identified institutions will have the full and senior support from the institutions involved, and how they propose to embed and integrate the research chair with its associated research opportunities (research assistance, postdoctoral fellowships, and doctoral and Masters students) as a whole within the programme of research and institutional strengthening, within the institutions more widely, and beyond an institutional setting to the broader research and policy landscape nationally, regionally and internationally. The bilateral research chairs will dedicate their time to conducting research, supporting institutional strengthening activities, and mentoring and supervising postdoctoral fellows and Masters and doctoral students.

24. The bilateral research chairs are welcome to attract additional funding for research and human capital development from other funders and donors.

25. The remit of the programme does not include primarily practice-based outputs such as in musical composition and performance, visual practice, creative writing, and film-making. These areas of research will be considered to fall within the British Academy's remit only when they form part of an integrated project of demonstrable critical or historical significance.

26. The Academy does not have any pre-conceived ideas regarding the specific types of outputs that the research chairs will produce as part of their appointment. Instead, the onus is on the applicants to convince the Academy that their projects bring genuine added value to addressing the challenges set out in the call.

Eligibility

27. The bilateral research chair application is submitted by a named applicant in partnership with two named institutions, at least one of which must be from institutions in the Middle East, Eastern Africa, Western Africa, Myanmar and Bangladesh (this includes relevantly sited British International Research Institutes).[2] Applicants and their institutions in these regions/countries may work with partner institutions anywhere in the world on their applications for the bilateral research chair jointly.

28. Applicants for the chair can be from current staff members or new researchers joining the institution.

29. Institutions applying to host a research chair can be included in up to three applications.

30. Applicants to become a research chair must be established researchers who hold a doctoral degree (or have equivalent research experience).

31. The research chairs are required to spend half their time in each of the institutions constituting the bilateral research chair. The awarding of a research chair is a full-time appointment. The research chair must carefully consider the scheduling of their objectives alongside their research, institutional strengthening and mentoring commitments. Relatively short periods of time for field research in other countries will also be permitted.

32. Awards to researchers will not be made retrospectively: this means that the work for which support is requested must not have commenced before the award is announced.

33. The application must include a CV for the applicants of no more than 4 pages long and formal statements of support from a senior member of both institutions (normally expected to be a Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor or equivalent).

34. Duplicate applications for the same purpose to more than one British Academy funding programme will not be accepted.

ODA Eligibility

35. This call will fund only ODA-eligible activity. Only activity that has a primary objective which is directly and primarily relevant to the problems of developing countries may be counted as ODA. The Academy requires applicants to demonstrate that the proposal is ODA eligible. ODA eligibility is an essential criterion – projects will only be deemed eligible for funding if they can demonstrate that they satisfy ODA eligibility criteria.

36. The British Academy, along with other ODA funding delivery partners, have provided additional ODA guidance.

Research methodology and impact

37. Successful applications will be likely to employ a variety of research methods. In all cases it is for the applicant to demonstrate the feasibility of their proposed research methodology. Applicants should also demonstrate the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of their proposed programme of research.

38. All proposals must include relevant plans for the appropriate communication and dissemination of findings. This should include how applicants will engage with policymakers, practitioners and other target audiences, as well as develop communities of practices. Applicants will be expected to develop monitoring and evaluation tools, engage with their target audience from the outset and also show how the research once completed will be disseminated to, and taken up by, policymakers and other target audiences.

39. Applicant institutions are expected to adopt the principles, standards and good practice for public engagement with research set out in the Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research (2010) and subsequent amendments or equivalent local principles, standards and good practice.

Research ethics

40. Applicants must ensure the proposed research will be carried out to a high ethical standard. They must ensure that any potential ethical issues have been considered and explain how these will be addressed. The British Academy requires the research it funds to be conducted in an ethical manner including with due regard to safeguarding. In the context of this call, we expect to see in all applications how the research chairs and their institutions will ensure child safety at all times.

41. Applicant institutions are 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.

42. Ethical approval to undertake the research must be granted by the relevant authority before any work requiring approval begins. Wherever necessary, appropriate consent should be obtained from or on behalf of participants or others affected by the research.

43. Applicants will be asked to indicate whether their proposed research raises any special ethical issues, and whether their application has been approved by the institution's Research Ethics Committee or other relevant authority.

44. Applicant institutions should meet the requirements of the Concordat to Support Research Integrity (2012) and subsequent amendments (or equivalent local principles, standards and good practice), and must have in place formal procedures for governing good research practice and for handling and reporting allegations of fraud or research misconduct.

Risk management

45. Researchers funded under this programme may choose to undertake fieldwork in the course of the research project. We expect an assessment of any risks entailed within the research project to be outlined within the proposal. This includes risks associated with delivery of the research, financial management, and oversight/governance.

46. Applicants will be required to indicate if (and where) they intend to undertake research in the field. For countries/regions considered by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office as a host nation of medium or high risk, the application will also require researchers to demonstrate that they understand the risk management implications and can monitor and manage the risks effectively. This should include, but not be limited to, any risks that the researchers will encounter in an area of civil unrest, violence and/or crime. This aspect will be explicitly covered in the approval of any application by the appropriate authorities at the host institutions, to confirm that the duty of care responsibility rests with the host institution.

Duration, value and payment of funding

47. Awards are expected to run for three years from a starting date to be agreed with the British Academy from September to October 2021.

48. Awards of up to £555,000 over three years are available.

49. Regular reports, including interim and final reports, will be expected as part of the award. Any underspend must be refunded to the Academy.

50. All grants will be paid to the applicant institutions of the bilateral research chair, and not to the individual researchers involved. Institutions must be officially recognised by the British Academy prior to a proposal being submitted.

Eligible costs

51. The Academy expects to offer a flexible model of costing for these awards. More specifically, funds may be sought to cover the following elements, with indicative figures (these are not fixed upper limits and are intended as a guideline only – flexibility, within reason, will be allowed):

  • Salary of the bilateral research chair award-holder (e.g. £70,000 per year) – the salary is to be negotiated between the research chair applicant and the applicant institutions;
  • Research expenses including travel, subsistence, accommodation, consumables, training, conferences, dissemination, and if applicable one-off relocation expenses (e.g. £2,000 per year);
  • Research assistance, directly supporting the goals of the programme as a whole (e.g. £2,000 per year);
  • Postdoctoral fellowships, and bursaries for doctoral and Masters students focused on education research on conflict and crisis in concert with the bilateral research chair (e.g. £40,000 per year);
  • Running costs directly supporting the bilateral research chair at the target region institution (a maximum of 30% of the above elements);
  • Institutional overheads for the institutions supporting the chair (a maximum of 10% of the above elements);
  • Programme Coordination to directly support the administration and delivery of the bilateral research chair in the target region institution and to help support the embedding of institutional best practice and sustainability (for up to £25,000 per year).

52. Please note that the Academy and its peer reviewers will assess applications on value for money as outlined in the assessment criteria.

53. The Academy expects the distribution of funding between the two institutions to be equitable and appropriate in the context of the aims of the scheme. The Academy will work with applicants in defining the final budget for the research chair. The proposed budget will be finalised and approved on the making of the award.

54. The Academy expects that the bilateral research chair will have the flexibility to manage the award based on the agreed research and institutional activity plan. The chair will then as the award progresses be able to propose adjustments as necessary to the Academy.

55. Requests for the cost of childcare may be considered as part of the allowable research expenses.

56. Consumables include the purchase of specialist software (not readily available at the institutions involved), datasets, photocopies, microfilms etc., and any other minor items that will be used up during the course of the award.

57. The following items are not eligible for funding (applicants registered with special needs may consult the Academy about possible exceptions):

Selection principles

58. All eligible applications submitted will be assessed by relevant British Academy peer reviewers and considered by a final selection panel.

59. Applications will be assessed against the following criteria, all of which have equal importance:

a. The quality and significance of the research proposal;

b. A demonstration of how the project will address the overarching aims of the programme as set out in the call;

c. The candidate’s academic qualifications, experience and standing, and research and postgraduate student training track-record (with evidence of post-doctoral and emerging researcher supervision);

d. The ability of the applicant institutions and the applicant to deliver the proposed research, mentorship and institutional strengthening programme within budget and on time, including the feasibility of the proposal and appropriate timing and plan of action;

e. Evidence that the project is ODA-eligible. Only applications that demonstrate that they satisfy ODA eligibility criteria will be eligible for funding;

f. The prospect of achieving lasting and sustainable effects on the research base, for establishing long-term international research links, and of integrating and supporting capacity-building for emerging researchers;

g. Value for money, including the equitable nature of the proposed expenditure between the two institutions in relation to the aims of the programme.

Application and assessment procedure

60. All applicants must register in the British Academy’s online Flexi-Grant system to enable the processing and assessment of their application. All applications must be submitted in English.

61. All applications will be subject to an eligibility check (including in relation to paragraph 59.e above) undertaken by appropriate British Academy staff before being put forward for assessment, and applications that are not completed correctly and submitted on time will not be considered.

62. The assessment process will then be undertaken in two stages. The first considering the assessment criteria above in paragraph 59 to create a shortlist of applications, and the next stage to consider in particular criteria d above in greater depth. This will include further due diligence and consultation with the applications, including the institutions involved, recommended for the shortlist. The final assessment panel will convene to take decisions on the successful applications based on both stages of assessment.

63. The deadline for submissions and institutional approval is Wednesday 20 January 2021 at 17.00 (UK time). Applicants will not be allowed to make any changes to their applications or submit any additional information after the 20 January deadline.

Code of Practice

64. The British Academy has a Code of Practice for assessing applications, setting out the principles of equity, integrity and confidentiality governing the treatment of all applications for research support. The Code of Practice also covers Data Protection, the British Academy’s ethics policy and the appeals procedure.

65. Feedback is not a feature of this Programme and the Academy is, regretfully, unable to enter into correspondence regarding the decisions of the awarding committee, which are governed by the Code of Practice. Please note that by applying to this programme, applicants undertake to accept the terms under which applications are assessed.

Contact details and further information

66. Please contact [email protected] for further information.

Application information

Applications can only be submitted online using the British Academy Flexi-Grant® Grant Management System (GMS). If you have not previously used the British Academy’s Flexi-Grant® GMS and were not registered in the previous e-GAP system, please follow the registration process from the Flexi-Grant® homepage. Applications cannot be submitted on paper or in any other format.

Before completing the online form, all applicants should check that they comply with the eligibility requirements and ensure all necessary information is presented in the application. These requirements are strictly adhered to, and applications without all the necessary information, or evidence to show the assessment criteria are met, will be rejected.

Registered approving organisations will be available in the search bar. If your target region institution is not listed and is not affiliated with any organisations already in the system, then please contact us at [email protected] to request the addition of the organisation.

The deadline for submissions and the target region institution’s approval is 20 January 2021 (5pm UK time). Applicants will not be allowed to make any changes to their applications or submit any additional information after the 20 January deadline.

When completing your application on the British Academy Flexi-Grant® GMS, it is recommended that you take particular note of the following points:

  • 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 represents a personal record of your account in the system and will help to populate the contact details in any application form you complete. It is useful if this information is kept up to date, but it is not essential to the progress of an application.
  • Automatic log-out: You are strongly advised to save your work regularly to prevent accidental loss of information. In particular, you should be aware that if the system does not detect any activity for 1 hour it will log out and save the application at that time. Please note that moving between pages within an application form will save the page that you are exiting but completing a field on a page is not considered an activity. It is recommended that you write the text for longer sections/fields in a word processor such as Word and then copy and paste into the relevant text box to avoid being timed out in this way.
  • Multiple sessions: You should 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, otherwise changes might be lost.
  • Word limits: When completing boxes that have a restricted length (note that it refers to words) you should note that if you exceed the specified amount you will not be able to save when you press the save button. You should type the text for the longer-length boxes in a word processor. You will then be able to check the word count and paste it into the British Academy Flexi-Grant® system. You will then still have a copy of the text to return to in the word processor. The word limit applies to text boxes.
  • Plain text: If entering plain text, please avoid using symbols as some may not be accepted by the British Academy Flexi-Grant® system. You should generate and view a PDF of your application to check that the application appears as you want it to by clicking on ‘print application’.
  • Uploading PDF documents: Please note the only item you may upload is a copy of a CV. When uploading PDF documents, please add your name and a heading at the top of every page to show what the document is. Please avoid uploading documents containing illustrations with fine details or colour as this can cause problems when creating a PDF of the application. Please note we will only print your applications in black and white. Each PDF cannot exceed 4 pages in length or 3 Mb in size.
  • Email addresses: The British Academy Flexi-Grant® GMS relies heavily on automatic email contact. It is essential that you ensure you enter accurate email addresses where requested as it may cause considerable delay in the submission/processing of your application if any of these are incorrect. You cannot make changes to email addresses after your application has been submitted for approval.
  • Submission of application: 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 a designated approver at your target region institution at least 5 working days before the closing date to allow for your target region institution’s administrative procedures. Please note that the institutional approver is a person within the target region institution, usually within the central research support office, who has authority for approving all applications submitted to the British Academy. Please be aware that any co-applicants or other contributors will need to mark their sections as ‘complete’ before you will be able to submit your completed application form.

Once you have submitted your application for approval by your target region institution, automatic emails will be sent to your target region institution’s approver asking them to log on to the system. You will not be able to edit your application after it has been submitted to your institution for approval. The target region institution’s approver will either: approve and submit your application, ‘send back’ your application and contact you to request modifications (if before the 20 January deadline) or decline your application and contact you.

Please be aware that it is your responsibility to ensure that you complete your application in time for your target region institution to process it (including requesting changes) and provide their approval by the closing date. It is recommended that you allow at least five working days for this process, but please check with your proposed target region institution as their internal timetables may require earlier submission.

If your target region institution’s approver requests modifications through the British Academy GMS email facility, they can unlock your application, allowing you to edit it. They can do this by selecting ‘Return to Applicant’. An automatic e-mail will be sent to you alerting you of this fact. Once you have completed and saved the requested changes, please re-submit your application for approval by your target region institution.

Once your target region institution has approved your application and submitted it to the British Academy, it will not be possible to make any changes.

  • Application sharing: All applications must be started by the applicant who is to be the Principal Investigator (PI) on the award. You can invite other contributors to join the application (e.g. Co-Applicant, Finance Office contact etc. where relevant), but in order to do so your contributor will need to be registered in the British Academy’s Flexi-Grant® system first. You will need to ensure you have their registered email address to invite them to participate in your application. You can let other British Academy Flexi-Grant® GMS users view your draft application in advance of submission by providing their email address. They will be able to log in using their existing password and see your application and, depending on permissions, amend your application.
  • 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 7 days after deletion. After this, it will be permanently removed from the system.
  • Application returned for editing: The approver can return your application to you for further editing before the closing deadline of the call. See ‘Submission of Application’ above.
  • Guidance: In the tables below you will find in the left-hand column each question as set out in the application form and in the right-hand column useful guidance on its completion.
  • Further clarification: If any of this advice is unclear, or you need further information, please do not hesitate to seek clarification from the British Academy’s International Team (contact details above).

Please note that 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 target region organisation. It may not be possible to rectify mistakes in time for the deadline.

Word limits apply to plain text only. Page limits apply to PDFs only.

All fields marked with an asterisk* are mandatory.

You should 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, otherwise changes might be lost.

[1] The FCDO ERICC programme is intended to work in six focal countries/regions, which have been provisionally identified as Northern Nigeria, South Sudan, Myanmar and the Syria Region (comprising Jordan, Lebanon and Syria). The bilateral research chairs can be sited in these focal countries/regions but also more widely as set out in paragraph 5.

[2] The FCDO ERICC programme is intended to work in six focal countries/regions, which have been provisionally identified as Northern Nigeria, South Sudan, Myanmar and the Syria Region (comprising Jordan, Lebanon and Syria). The bilateral research chairs can be sited in these focal countries/regions but also more widely as set out in paragraph 27.

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