Supporting national and international humanities researchers and scholars by creating opportunities for developing new research agendas plus unique specialist resources.
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Research England Advisory Group
REAG evaluates the School's use of funding in relation to the promotion and facilitation of research in the arts and humanities nationally.
The School receives special funding from Research England (formerly the Higher Education Funding Council for England, HEFCE), awarded expressly for the purpose of promoting and facilitating research in the humanities on a national level.
The School undergoes periodic reviews with a monitoring body - the Research England Advisory Group (REAG) - to ensure that its work and activities continue to justify its special funding.
Membership
- Prof Dame Janet Finch (chair), member of Research England Council, Honorary Professor of Sociology University of Manchester
- Prof Juergen Barkhoff, Professor of German (1776) at the Department of Germanic Studies in the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies, Trinity College Dublin
- Prof Gillian Douglas, Emeritus Executive Dean, The Dickson Poon School of Law, Kings College London
- Prof Julie Sanders, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Royal Holloway University of London
- Prof Simon Swain, Vice-President (Regional and National Engagement), Professor of Classics and Greco-Arabic, University of Warwick
- Prof Hannah Barker, Director of the John Rylands Research Institute, Professor of History, University of Manchester
- Prof Nigel Harkness, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Professor of French, Newcastle University
- Prof Ambreena Manji, Professor of Land Law and Development, School of Law, University of Cardiff, Dean of International for Africa, Cardiff University
- Prof Mary Vincent, Professor of Modern European History, Vice President for Education, University of Sheffield
- Prof Greg Walker, Regius Chair of Rhetoric and English Literature (est. 1562), University of Edinburgh
- Prof Esme Ward, Director of Manchester Museum and Honorary Professor of Heritage Futures, University of Manchester.
- Prof Jonathan Wolff, Alfred Landecker Professor of Values and Public Policy, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford
- Prof Dame Janet Finch (chair), member of Research England Council, Honorary Professor of Sociology University of Manchester
- Prof Juergen Barkhoff, Professor of German (1776) at the Department of Germanic Studies in the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies, Trinity College Dublin
- Prof Gillian Douglas, Emeritus Executive Dean, The Dickson Poon School of Law, Kings College London
- Prof Julie Sanders, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Royal Holloway University of London
- Prof Simon Swain, Vice-President (Regional and National Engagement), Professor of Classics and Greco-Arabic, University of Warwick
- Prof Hannah Barker, Director of the John Rylands Research Institute, Professor of History, University of Manchester
Terms of Reference
- The REAG will receive and review SAS’s Annual Reports and Review, and other monitoring information relevant to Research England’s special funding allocation, in order to seek assurance of progress against the recommendations and advice of the recent Research England review. This includes but is not limited to:
- Consideration of SAS’s strategic approach to seeking additional funding - The Panel recommended that SAS seek additional income to ensure its longer-term sustainability and reduced reliance on special funding from Research England over time. SAS are encouraged to make greater effort to generate additional income from, for example, grants, donors, training and events and to share best practice between institutes in achieving this.
- The measurement of SAS’s progress against its strategies - The panel recommended that work is needed in relation to strategy development to strengthen how SAS provides a national role in shaping academic practice, supporting subject areas, advancing interdisciplinary innovation and providing leadership in research agenda. The measurement of performance against this will include: financial data on the use of Research England funding and how it combines with other funding streams; the use of metrics to support SAS’s wider impact and evidence of the impact of national engagement activity.
- The implementation of cross-institute working - The panel encouraged SAS’s use of strategic development funding to encourage new, cross-institute initiatives and interdisciplinary national events. Further consideration is needed to incentivise innovative collaborative practice in institutes where there is currently less activity in these areas.
- Evidence for SAS’s national reach –The panel noted the need to measure the precise ‘reach’ of SAS beyond geographical location and recommended that SAS gather information to assess whether stakeholders and participants beyond London are satisfied with provision.
- EDI data - Given its national role in shaping academic practice and supporting innovation, SAS has a responsibility to lead the way in promoting good practice in the adoption of inclusive curricular and research innovation. The panel encouraged SAS to show national leadership across institutes and as a whole in addressing diversity in relation to both learning and teaching and research priorities.
- The University of London’s relationship with SAS.
- The advisory group will ensure the School engages more consistently and directly with the challenges of digitisation, developing a clear digital strategy for the collections and archives in their care. Supporting SAS to be at the forefront of sector innovation in this area.
- Through the above functions, the REAG will provide accountability for the use of Research England special funding and will provide information annually to Research England to allow the monitoring of funding.
- The REAG will have sanctions at its disposal to withhold a portion of RE investment if it deems SAS to be failing in the scope or pace of its strategic development in line with the above areas.
Reports
2023: Research England Review - Review of performance and
future plans [PDF]
2018: Research England Review - Panel Recommendations [PDF]