The Secret Researcher: What’s Coming in 2023?
Would you believe it? I’m over the moon that the LAHRI team asked me to write a brand new column for their blog and newsletter. If you like your research updates with a witty digression here and a sprinkling of comical aphorisms there, then this is the place for you. There’s just so much that I’d like to share with you, so push those leftovers aside, slap on your favourite winter knit, and let’s enjoy the ride together.
Over the last few weeks I finished approximately three dozen mince pies and precisely zero research papers, and to be honest that felt like the therapy I needed. It’s so important to switch off, so I hope that you were able to as well.
Enough of the preamble. I know you’re what you’ve really come here for: TSR’s inaugural Top Research Awareness Strategic Highlights for the coming year. So let’s dive right on in...
1. Did I mention that I have finished precisely zero papers recently? Well, now that the New Year has swung into action, I’m keen to convert all that latent potential energy of research into full-throated kinetic outputs by plunging headlong down the shallow slopes of Mount Writing. Yes, you guessed it: LAHRI are going to be running a new series of writing sessions to support you in getting those thoughts down on paper. “Writing Rebooted” will run online every Friday, alternating between mornings and afternoons. It’s just the place to try and gather some momentum in your writing. You can share your writing goals, however small, and hear what your fellow researchers are working on. It’s a low pressure, high camaraderie environment. See you there!
2. UK Research and Innovation – and all the funding councils, including the Arts and Humanities Research Council – are gearing up for a move away from the Je-S form that so many of us have come to know and… well, we’ve come to know. They have been piloting the replacement: snappily known as The Funding Service. Rest assured we’ll be here to guide you through the transition when it does land. We’re expecting this significant change to come during 2023, so keep your eyes peeled. Not only that, but there's a major overhaul of AHRC funding schemes happening very soon, and you can see the details in glorious technicolour right here.
3. TSR is always up for a bit of classical vocalising, and it’s nowhere better in evidence than ARIA: the UK’s upcoming Advanced Research and Invention Agency. This will be launching during 2023, with £800m of government funding over the coming five years. We’re not yet sure what the nature of arts and humanities involvement might be, but if your research is related to innovation then there might be opportunities to get involved. We’ll keep you posted!
4. It’s the on-off relationship that everyone is talking about: will they, won’t they? After a turbulent few years maybe we’ll finally find out whether the UK will be formally ratified as a member of the Horizon Europe programme. We won’t hold our breath on that one, but in the meantime, TSR is happy to report that the UK government has confirmed that anyone who applies to Horizon programmes by 31 March 2023 will have their funding guaranteed. The message from our good friends in the EU Funding Team stands: if you’re thinking about or planning an EU grant then go for it!
TSR wishes you all a happy and enjoyable year of research ahead. We’re always on the look out for tips and intel, and who knows: maybe you could even be the one to write the next TSR column…! If you have a bit of an inside story to share, let us know.