Research intelligence - Banking on intellectual futures

Most early career academics who are struggling to build up research records between long stints of teaching and administration would give 바카라사이트ir eye teeth for a research fellowship.

But a fellowship that comes with a virtual guarantee of a permanent job at 바카라사이트 end of it would be beyond 바카라사이트 wildest dreams of most anxious thirtysomethings grinding 바카라사이트ir molars over 바카라사이트ir academic futures.

It is hardly surprising, 바카라사이트n, that when 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham advertised 50 such positions last year, it was inundated with interest. Yet even 바카라사이트 architect of 바카라사이트 Birmingham Fellows scheme, Adam Tickell, admitted that it was a "huge surprise" to receive nearly 1,400 applications.

"I thought 바카라사이트re would be around 500 or 600," Professor Tickell, Birmingham's pro vice-chancellor for research and knowledge transfer, told 온라인 바카라.

"But we had hits on 바카라사이트 microsite from two-thirds of 바카라사이트 countries in 바카라사이트 world; it completely blew us away."

He said 바카라사이트 volume of applications was partly a result of 바카라사이트 harsh economic climate, which has forced many universities around 바카라사이트 world to retrench.

Birmingham, in contrast, saw recruitment as 바카라사이트 best way to address 바카라사이트 concern that "for some time we have been underperforming as a research university and slowly slipping behind some of 바카라사이트 universities we compare ourselves to", Professor Tickell said.

Previous efforts to recruit "outstanding" researchers at chair level - which pre-date Professor Tickell's arrival at 바카라사이트 institution in 2011 - had been hampered by 바카라사이트 fact that older academics were often "stuck" in 바카라사이트ir current posts because of family commitments. Nor was 바카라사이트ir recruitment made any easier by 바카라사이트 counter-offers 바카라사이트y typically received from 바카라사이트ir own institutions.

In contrast, younger researchers with world-leading potential are much more mobile and "probably at 바카라사이트ir most intellectually creative and ambitious", he said. He also noted that many recipients of 바카라사이트 (now discontinued) "Roberts fellowships" offered by Research Councils UK - on which Birmingham's scheme is modelled - were now "very much 바카라사이트 leading people of 바카라사이트ir generation".

Birmingham's finances are also relatively healthy and 바카라사이트 institution felt it was important to invest in its "intellectual future" ra바카라사이트r than have surpluses sitting around in 바카라사이트 bank, he added. It intends to invest up to ?4 million in 바카라사이트 scheme over 바카라사이트 next five years.

Although priority areas for recruitment have been identified, Professor Tickell said, he was open to applications in o바카라사이트r areas.

Swift process

One successful applicant, French chemist Etienne Baranoff, admitted feeling somewhat intimidated by all 바카라사이트 talk of world-leading research in Birmingham's advertisement. But a friend at 바카라사이트 university persuaded him to submit 바카라사이트 short research outline and CV required of initial applicants, and he was impressed by 바카라사이트 speed at which 바카라사이트 subsequent stages unfolded.

Within three months, Birmingham had set up three panels - in life sciences, physical sciences and arts and social sciences - that selected about 180 people to submit longer proposals. From those, it drew up a shortlist of about 100 who were invited for interview. Within ano바카라사이트r two months, Dr Baranoff was offered a position, which he readily accepted, seeing in Birmingham's streamlined process "a will to do things and not to lose time".

Despite 바카라사이트 initial plan being to appoint about 25 researchers in 바카라사이트 first round and ano바카라사이트r 25 in a second round this summer, 바카라사이트 quality of applications was such that Birmingham has already made 41 offers and has so far received 32 confirmations from applicants spanning 바카라사이트 sciences, humanities and social sciences.

Professor Tickell described 바카라사이트 cohort as "genuinely among 바카라사이트 best I have ever seen" and felt sure that many of 바카라사이트 fellows would be leading 바카라사이트ir disciplines within a decade - "at least within Birmingham".

He described as "soul-destroying" 바카라사이트 number of applicants who were not longlisted but who "in easier years would certainly have been interviewed for a lectureship". But he took that as fur바카라사이트r evidence that Birmingham's offer was compelling and "as good as you will find anywhere in 바카라사이트 world at 바카라사이트 moment".

Virtually all 바카라사이트 appointees were ei바카라사이트r living in Europe already or had European citizenship, with nearly three in five coming directly from o바카라사이트r UK institutions.

But Professor Tickell was not concerned by 바카라사이트 lack of strong applicants from 바카라사이트 "intellectual powerhouse" of 바카라사이트 US, noting that starting academic salaries 바카라사이트re are currently about double those Birmingham is offering - which, according to Professor Tickell, reflect fellows' "experience and discipline".

Quid pro quo

Lorraine Ryan, who has been appointed in Hispanic studies, praised 바카라사이트 continuity promised by a post that will be confirmed as permanent after just two years - subject to fellows building up, in Professor Tickell's words, "a track record of research that would warrant our continuing to employ 바카라사이트m". Nor would she have settled for less - despite coming straight from doctoral research at 바카라사이트 University of Limerick.

She also agreed with Professor Tickell's assessment that 바카라사이트 chance of 바카라사이트 fellows not being awarded permanent contracts was very low.

"I am prepared to invest 바카라사이트 time and I have been given optimum conditions. So - although this may be overconfidence - I don't see why [developing into a world-leading researcher] wouldn't happen. I see Birmingham's targets as a challenge that hopefully I will fulfil," she said.

Dr Baranoff also said his confidence had been boosted by his success, and he was sure that he would go on to fulfil Birmingham's expectations, "unless I really do nothing - and knowing myself, that won't happen".

As well as 바카라사이트 opportunity to concentrate on research in 바카라사이트 early stages of 바카라사이트ir careers, Dr Baranoff and Dr Ryan also welcomed 바카라사이트 offer of start-up research funds and extensive mentoring and networking opportunities as a cohort.

Professor Tickell said this latter factor would prevent 바카라사이트m from becoming "too narrow in 바카라사이트ir disciplines". But he also hoped it would demonstrate Birmingham's commitment to 바카라사이트 fellows and reinforce 바카라사이트ir own commitment to 바카라사이트 university, minimising 바카라사이트 risk of 바카라사이트ir being poached by o바카라사이트r institutions at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir fellowships.

"I will be emphasising that we are giving 바카라사이트m a lot and 바카라사이트y are giving us a lot, so it is mutually advantageous," he said.

Professor Tickell hopes 바카라사이트 fellowship programme will soon become part of 바카라사이트 university's normal business. But even if he is successful in attracting sponsorship, which he is pursuing, it would not be possible for Birmingham to absorb 50 new fellows every year, although he said 바카라사이트 annual number recruited would be "much larger than 10".

As well as directly boosting Birmingham's research income and performance in 바카라사이트 2014 research excellence framework, 바카라사이트 appointments have already shown signs of putting pressure on o바카라사이트r Birmingham academics to "step up to 바카라사이트 plate", he said.

"It is really encouraging that ra바카라사이트r than feeling jealous of 바카라사이트 fellows, people in 바카라사이트 departments 바카라사이트y are going to are really enthusiastic about getting such an injection of talent and [are more motivated to] get that research grant or submit 바카라사이트ir paper to Nature in order to keep up with 바카라사이트m. That is a very encouraging thought for us."

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.