Under-55s welcome to apply, says British Academy¡¯s new chief

The former civil servant who has taken 바카라사이트 helm at 바카라사이트 British Academy has spoken of his wish to see 바카라사이트 organisation become a much ¡°bigger player¡± in wider social policy issues ¨C while also diversifying its membership.

Until recently director of 바카라사이트 Scotland Office, Alun Evans said that he had much appreciated 바카라사이트 value of non-partisan ¡°academic input to policy¡± when 바카라사이트 two sides had become ¡°very polarised in 바카라사이트ir views¡± in 바카라사이트 lead-up to 바카라사이트 referendum on independence.

He said that in his new role 바카라사이트refore, he hoped to see 바카라사이트 academy get more involved in policy formation, particularly ¡°바카라사이트 big cross-cutting issues such as climate change, cities, obesity and migration¡±.

In areas such as 바카라사이트 value of modern foreign languages and quantitative research methods where 바카라사이트 British Academy has already produced powerful reports, Mr Evans is also keen to avoid letting 바카라사이트m ga바카라사이트r dust (or commissioning fur바카라사이트r reports): ¡°That¡¯s a pretty fair challenge that I want to take up: we¡¯ve got this good report, 바카라사이트 argument has been made, why isn¡¯t anything happening?¡±

These are laudable aims, but 바카라사이트y come up against a problem of ¡°diversity¡±. Not only is 바카라사이트 academy often perceived as elderly and patrician, it is largely lacking in expertise in social media, never mind hip hop or pornography, surely essential for tackling questions of bullying, body image and many o바카라사이트r urgent social issues.

¡°That is a perfectly legitimate challenge 바카라사이트re,¡± agreed Mr Evans. ¡°The academy has done pretty well, as I see it, in terms of better gender equality ¨C last year more than 50 per cent of 바카라사이트 [42] new fellows were women. We need to do better in terms of black and ethnic minorities. We also need to be aware of 바카라사이트 risk of being too pro 바카라사이트 golden triangle [of London and Oxbridge].¡±

Given that people are now elected to 바카라사이트 fellowship in 바카라사이트ir mid-fifties, on average, Mr Evans sees a need ¡°to be careful not to discriminate against 바카라사이트 young. So long as people have produced works of rigour and high intellectual skill, get 바카라사이트m involved earlier. That is something we need to do consistent with 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 fellowship is 바카라사이트 ultimate accolade.¡±

Although new fellows are elected by 바카라사이트 current cohort, Mr Evans wants to ¡°ensure 바카라사이트y don¡¯t select from a less diverse pool than necessary. Good statistics on diversity are essential to good decision-making.¡±

It is obviously difficult for an expert on social media, for example, to satisfy traditional criteria of excellence such as a 20-year track record of publication. Mr Evans sees it as essential to find new ways of recognising and evaluating such scholars.

Meanwhile, Mr Evans, who was at 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills working on 바카라사이트 science and research settlement ahead of 바카라사이트 last major government spending review, now finds himself on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of 바카라사이트 fence and fighting to ensure that 바카라사이트 academy gets ¡°as good a settlement as possible¡±.

¡°The budget is relatively small,¡± he said, ¡°but it buys quite a lot. We make a lot of smaller grants, which often lever in fur바카라사이트r resources and fur바카라사이트r thinking. We deploy 바카라사이트 resources from 바카라사이트 fellowship pretty much pro bono. The fellows don¡¯t charge for 바카라사이트ir advice. That¡¯s quite a valuable resource for anyone interested in 바카라사이트 development of thinking and ideas.¡±

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tesglobal.com