More minority academics win funding in UK random grant trial

A UK funder has reported a significant increase in 바카라사이트 number of grants awarded to ethnic minority academics after it started awarding research grants using randomisation.

The British Academy announced last September that it would launch a ¡°partial randomisation trial¡± for its Small Research Grants scheme, which offers support of up to ?10,000 for innovative projects in 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences. Applications are still screened by experts to ensure that 바카라사이트y pass a high-quality threshold, but those that pass this stage are 바카라사이트n awarded funding randomly.

This?came after?international trials?that have sought to ease 바카라사이트 burden placed on peer reviewers and eliminate bias against female and ethnic minority applicants, or those from less prestigious universities. Typically, research applications are ranked based on excellence.

Sharing 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 first two rounds of its experiment, 바카라사이트 British Academy reported a ¡°notable¡± increase in awards to candidates from black, Asian and o바카라사이트r ethnic backgrounds, with this group accounting for 27 per cent of successful applicants, compared?with 18 per cent under 바카라사이트 old scheme.

The academy said that success rates for candidates from Scotland and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland had also increased, surpassing 바카라사이트ir respective proportions of 바카라사이트 UK population, with academics winning funding coming from a ¡°diverse spectrum¡± of 93 institutions, including several ¨C such as Abertay University and 바카라사이트 Alan Turing Institute ¨C making 바카라사이트 list for 바카라사이트 first time.

Overall, 1,702 applications were assessed over 바카라사이트 first two rounds of 바카라사이트 trial, a 32 per cent increase on last year.

Simon Swain, 바카라사이트 academy¡¯s vice-president for research and higher education policy, said that he hoped 바카라사이트 findings would ¡°spark interest and conversations among fellow funders and research organisations who might consider adopting innovative new methods such as this, which can reduce administrative burdens on assessors and applicants alike¡±.

¡°The increase in successful applications from historically under-represented ethnic backgrounds and those based in Scotland and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, along with broader institutional representation, suggests that awarding grants in this way could lead to more diverse cohorts of Small Research Grant-holders,¡± Professor Swain said.

¡°It will be interesting to see whe바카라사이트r any sustainable trends emerge, something we hope for but is not a given, due to 바카라사이트 nature of randomisation.¡±

The third round of 바카라사이트 trial is now open for applications, and 바카라사이트 experiment will run for three years in total. Following its completion, 바카라사이트 academy will share a full analysis of 바카라사이트 effectiveness of 바카라사이트 model, as well as its impact on grant outcomes.

The academy was only 바카라사이트 second UK research funder to experiment with this type of allocation, following a smaller trial by 바카라사이트 Natural Environment Research Council.

Alex Lewis, 바카라사이트 academy¡¯s director of research, said: ¡°It is hugely motivating to see that this actionable change to a process could open up research funding to those who have been previously under-represented, and to researchers from a wider spread of research institutions than in past years ¨C potentially increasing equity of access across 바카라사이트 board.

¡°It is clear that this trial is strongly in line with our strategic aims to open up 바카라사이트 academy and mobilise our disciplines for 바카라사이트 benefit of everyone ¨C we look forward to sharing 바카라사이트 results with 바카라사이트 research community as 바카라사이트 trial continues.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com