Funding and regulatory bodies

• Research Councils UK (RCUK)
• RCUK Equality and Diversity Unit
• Research Councils (AHRC, BBSRC, ESRC, EPSRC, MRC, NERC, STFC)
• UK Higher Education Funding Bodies (HEFCE, SFC, HEFCW, DEL)
• Research Base Funders Forum
• Quality Assurance Agency (QAA)
• Higher Education Academy (HEA)

Research Councils UK (RCUK)

A strategic partnership between the seven UK research councils to enable them to work together more effectively to enhance the overall impact and effectiveness of their research, training and innovation activities, contributing to the delivery of the government's objectives for science and innovation

http://www.rcuk.ac.uk

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RCUK Equality and Diversity Unit

The RCUK Equality and Diversity Unit reports to government on the impact of the funding provided in response to the recommendationsof the SET for Success review that relate to researchers from doctorate level to their first academic posts. Other activity relating to skills and career development includes monitoring the implementation of the Concordat for the career development of researchers.

The unit has responsibility for the coordination of cross-council initiatives ranging from the Academic Fellowship scheme to the Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate awards scheme for excellent doctoral candidates from the developing world.

The Research Careers and Diversity Unit (RCDU) of RCUK published their strategy in January 2007.

http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/rescareer/rcdu/

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Research Councils(AHRC, BBSRC, ESRC, EPSRC, MRC, NERC, STFC)

Individual research councils have specific policies and frameworks relating to development of researchers.
Link to new page

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UK Higher Education Funding Bodies

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) and the Department for Employment and Learning, Northern Ireland (DEL). The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the new process for assessing research in UK higher education institutions (HEIs), enabling the selective allocation of funding. It will replace the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE)

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Research Base Funders Forum

Brings together governmental and non-governmental funders of public good research to consider the collective impact of their strategies on the sustainability, health and outputs on the Research Base.

http://www.dius.gov.uk/science/science_funding/funders_forum

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Quality Assurance Agency (QAA)

The QAA checks how well HEIs meet their responsibilities, identifying good practice and making recommendations for improvement, including postgraduate research degrees.

QAA publications relating to postgraduate researchers 

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Higher Education Academy (HEA)

The Higher Education Academy provides a comprehensive, integrated and coherent focus on improving the student learning experience. This will include the postgraduate researcher learning experience. The HEA coordinates the Postgraduate Researcher Experience Survey (PRES).

HEA publications relating to postgraduate researchers:

• Postgraduate Researcher Experience Survey (PRES) - ongoing
• Redefining the Doctorate (January 2007)  
• ESECT Employability and Doctoral Research Postgraduates (2005)

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