News: research and funding
On this page, we report on the latest news about research and funding in the world of socio-legal studies. This can include information from the major UK funders, launches of research projects or research centres, calls for collaboration, in fact, any aspect of academic research that is of interest to socio-legal scholars.
Items will usually be retained for a period of about three months, or until any significant dates have passed.
If you would like a news item included on this page. Please contact
Latest research news . . .
British Academy Conferences: call for applications
Nuffield Foundation: New programme launch – Grown Up? Journeys to adulthood
Nuffield Foundation: Bid to write a comprehensive review of justice system research – invitation to tender
British Academy Conferences: call for applications
The British Academy Conferences scheme presents an exceptional opportunity for UK-based scholars to run a landmark event featuring leading-edge research as part of the Academy’s events programme. The scheme includes a strand of British Academy/Wellcome Conferences, designed to foster discussion and debate on health and wellbeing related themes. See website for details. Closing date: 29 January 2025.
Nuffield Foundation: New programme launch – Grown Up? Journeys to adulthood
The Foundation has launched 'Grown up? Journeys to adulthood', a new research programme exploring how young people in the UK aged 14-24 are navigating the journey to adulthood. The programme will investigate three key themes:
-
- education to work
- digital lives
- mental health
By engaging directly with young people, Grown up? aims to understand their perspectives, providing insights to inform future policies and practices. See website for details.
Nuffield Foundation: Bid to write a comprehensive review of justice system research – invitation to tender
The Foundation is commissioning three major evidence reviews to lay the groundwork for a new programme, Public Right to Justice, launching in 2025. The Foundation invites tenders to conduct one of the following reviews:
- A recent history of justice system reviews
- The state of the justice system
- People’s experiences and views of accessing the justice system
Researchers are invited to tender for these reviews by 18 December 2024. See website for details.
British Academy: Horizon Europe Pump Priming Collaboration between UK and EU Partners 2025
The British Academy with the support of the Royal Society, the Academy of Medical Sciences, and the Royal Academy of Engineering are inviting proposals from UK and EU/Associated Countries-based researchers to pump prime collaborations to support the effective uptake of the opportunities provided by the UK’s association to Horizon Europe. Proposals are welcome in all disciplines – engineering, natural sciences, medical and health sciences, humanities, and social sciences. See website for details. Closing date: 5 March 2025.
British Academy ODA Global Innovation Fellowships: open for applications
The objective of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) Global Innovation Fellowships is to provide opportunities to UK-based early- and mid-career researchers from across the humanities and social sciences to develop their skills, networks and careers in the creative and cultural, public, private and policy sectors to address challenges that require innovative approaches and solutions. Through the ODA Global Innovation Fellowships, researchers in the SHAPE community will be supported to create new and deeper links beyond academia, so enabling knowledge mobilisation and translation, as well as individual skills development. See website for details. Closing date: 27 November 2024.
AHRC: Curiosity Awards: open for applications
These flexible awards are to fund fundamental research that leads to new research agendas, networking activity and idea generation, which enables the development of further research opportunities and new research agendas. See website for details. Closing date: 30 January 2025.
UKRI Pre-announcement: Future Leaders Fellowships: round 10
This funding is to support ambitious research and innovation across UKRI’s remit. You must be an early career researcher or innovator who is either: looking to establish or transition to independence; developing your own original and ambitious plans within a commercial setting. See website for details. Opening date: 3 February 2025. Closing date: 18 June 2025.
British Academy/JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for Overseas Researchers 2025: open for applications
The scheme provides funding for early career postdoctoral researchers to conduct cooperative research in Japan, with leading research groups in Japanese universities and other institutions, under the guidance of a Japanese host. The British Academy is an overseas nominating authority for this scheme, which is funded entirely by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). In this capacity, the British Academy nominates a designated number of candidates each year. See website for details. Closing date: 11 December 2024.
British Academy ODA Global Innovation Fellowships: C40 – open for applications
This is the first call for this ODA strand of the programme, offering opportunities for ODA Global Innovation Fellowship award holders to embed themselves with C40, in their South Africa office. See website for details. Closing date: 27 November 2024.
British Academy Global Innovation Fellowships: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace – open for applications
This is the second call for this programme, offering opportunities for Global Innovation Fellowship award holders to embed themselves and be based in the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (specifically in the USA, with possibilities to engage in other regions as appropriate). Awards from the first round can be seen here. See website for details. Closing date: 27 November 2024.
British Academy Innovation Fellowships Scheme 2024-25 – Policy-Led
The Innovation Fellowships scheme is a dual-route scheme designed to enable researchers in the humanities and social sciences to partner with organisations and business in the creative and cultural, public, private and policy sectors in order to address challenges that require innovative approaches and solutions. The British Academy is currently inviting applications for funding for a policy-led Innovation Fellowship, working with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. See website for details. Closing date: 27 November 2024.
AHRC: Collaborate with German partners on Arts and Humanities Research – open for applications
Research projects must be composed of two highly integrated national teams based in the UK and Germany. All applications must demonstrate the added value of international collaboration to research objectives. See website for details. Closing date: 19 February 2025.
British Academy ODA Global Innovation Fellowships: call for applications
The objective of the ODA (Official Development Assistance) Global Innovation Fellowships is to provide opportunities to UK-based early- and mid-career researchers from across the humanities and social sciences to develop their skills, networks and careers in the creative and cultural, public, private and policy sectors to address challenges that require innovative approaches and solutions. Through the ODA Global Innovation Fellowships, researchers in the SHAPE community will be supported to create new and deeper links beyond academia, so enabling knowledge mobilisation and translation, as well as individual skills development. See website for details. Closing date: 6 November 2024.
British Academy/Leverhulme Senior Research Fellowships 2024–25: call for applications
The BA/Leverhulme Senior Research Fellowships are intended to enable established scholars, needing relief from teaching and administration, to have the time to bring to completion a significant piece of research, through sustained period of leave for one year. See website for details. Closing date: 13 November 2024.
UKRI policy on the use of generative AI in application preparation and assessment
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has launched its policy on the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) during the funding application and assessment process. See website for details.
Policing Academic Centres of Excellence: call for applications
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will fund nine Policing Academic Centres of Excellence (P-ACEs) to improve connections between academic researchers and research users in policing and make it easier for users of research to identify the best research evidence, science, technologies and postgraduate training that the UK has to offer. See website for details. Closing date: 3 December 2024.
AHRC Standard Research Grants: call for applications
Applications are invited for standard research grant funding to support well-defined collaborative projects across the arts and humanities, in areas covered by the AHRC's remit. See website for details. Closing date: 10 December 2024.
British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grants: open for applications
The BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants are available to support primary research in the humanities and social sciences. These awards, up to £10,000 in value and tenable for up to 24 months, are provided to cover the cost of the expenses arising from a defined research project. See website for details. Closing date: 6 November 2024.
British Academy Research Projects: open for applications
The British Academy Research Projects are available to support primary research in the humanities and social sciences. These awards, up to £25,000 in value and tenable for up to five years in the first instance. The Academy is particularly interested in collaborative projects intended to produce primary resources for other researchers and the wider public, which have a clear focus on longer-term sustainability. See website for details. Closing date: 22 November 2024.
APEX Awards: open for applications
With generous funding from the Leverhulme Trust, the APEX awards (Academies Partnership in Supporting Excellence in Cross-disciplinary research) offer established independent researchers an exciting opportunity to pursue genuine interdisciplinary and curiosity-driven research to benefit wider society. See website for details. Closing date: 27 November 2024.
Leverhulme Trust: four funding rounds currently open
The Leverhulme Trust is inviting applications for the following funding schemes:
- International Fellowships – closing date 7 November 2024
- Research Fellowships – closing date 7 November 2024
- Study Abroad Studentships – closing date 7 January 2025
- Emeritus Fellowships – closing date: 30 January 2025
In addition outline applications for Research Project Grants are welcome at any time
BA Innovation Fellowships Scheme 2024-25: open for applications
The Innovation Fellowships scheme is a dual-route scheme designed to enable researchers in the humanities and social sciences to partner with organisations and business in the creative and cultural, public, private and policy sectors in order to address challenges that require innovative approaches and solutions. The British Academy is currently inviting applications for funding for a policy-led Innovation Fellowship, working with our partner, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). See website for details. Closing date: 27 November 2024.
UKRI Cross Research Council Responsive Mode Pilot Scheme: round two outline stage – open for applications
Apply for funding for breakthrough or disruptive interdisciplinary ideas that transcend, combine or significantly span disciplines that are not routinely funded through existing UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) responsive mode schemes. See website for details. Call closes: 19 November 2024.
British Academy Research Projects: call for applications
The British Academy Research Projects are available to support primary research in the humanities and social sciences. These awards, up to £25,000 in value and tenable for up to five years in the first instance. The Academy is particularly interested in collaborative projects intended to produce primary resources for other researchers and the wider public, which have a clear focus on longer-term sustainability. See website for details. Closing date: 22 November 2024.
Nuffield Foundation: two funding schemes open for applications
Racial Diversity Fund: call for applications
This is a new fund for research that seeks to understand the barriers and pathways to a racially just and inclusive society. See website for details. Call closes: 14 October 2024.
Research, Development and Analysis Fund
These grants are awarded to projects that inform the design and operation of social policy and practice across the Foundations' three core areas of Education, Welfare and Justice. See website for further details. Closing date for outline applications: 14 October 2024.
BA International Writing Workshops: call for proposals
The British Academy is inviting proposals seeking to deliver one or more Writing Workshops in developing countries. These workshops should aim to develop the skills of early career researchers, including supporting and promoting the uptake of their research in journals and publications. See website for details. Closing date: 29 January 2025. Information sharing webinars are scheduled to take place on 4 and 11 November 2024 (2–3pm). To register your interest, sign up here.
British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grants: call for applications
The British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grants are available to support primary research in the humanities and social sciences. These awards, up to £10,000 in value and tenable for up to 24 months, are provided to cover the cost of the expenses arising from a defined research project. See announcement for details. Closing date: 6 November 2024.
AHRC Standard Research Grants: open for applications
Apply for Arts and Humanities Research Council standard research grant funding to support well-defined collaborative projects across the arts and humanities, in areas covered by our remit. See website for details. Closing date: 24 September 2024.
AHRC responsive mode: collaborate with researchers in Luxembourg
Apply for funding to work with overseas researchers in Luxembourg. Submit a collaborative research grant application within the remit of AHRC and Fonds National de la Recherche. See website for details. Closing date: 10 December 2024.
AHRC responsive mode: working with Brazilian researchers
Apply for funding to work with overseas researchers in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Submit a collaborative research grant application within the remit of AHRC and State of São Paulo Research Foundation. See website for details. Closing date: 10 December 2024.
British Academy Visiting Fellowships 2025
This programme enables academics from any country overseas to be based at a UK higher education or other research institution of their choice for up to six months and develop collaborative projects with UK colleagues. See website for details. Closing date: 23 October 2024.
British Academy Global Professorships: open for applications
The British Academy’s Global Professorships are large investigator-led awards to attract internationally recognised established scholars to work in the United Kingdom, to undertake new, coherent and cutting-edge research projects. With the Global Professorships, the Academy is looking to support researchers that are proposing ambitious, beyond the state-of-the-art research that breaks new ground. See website for details. Closing date: 23 October 2024.
BA ODA Global Innovation Fellowships 2024 – open for applications
The objective of the British Academy ODA (Official Development Assistance) Global Innovation Fellowships is to provide opportunities to UK-based early- and mid-career researchers from across the humanities and social sciences to develop their skills, networks and careers in the creative and cultural, public, private and policy sectors to address challenges that require innovative approaches and solutions. See website for details. Closing date: 6 November 2024.
British Academy: ODA Research Management Capacity Strengthening – open for applications
The British Academy is inviting proposals which seek to embed and enhance working practices and systems within and between institutions to support equitable partnerships in international research through support for skills collaboration between research offices and research management functions. See website for details. This call includes a series of online information sharing webinars in June/July. Closing date: 30 October 2024.
British Academy Additional Needs funding
The British Academy has set aside specific funding to support additional needs that applicants and award holders may require. This funding would be in addition to the amount already requested for research expenses. See website for details.
Criminal Cases Review Commission: call for research proposals
The body that investigates possible miscarriages of justice is inviting proposals for 2024 research projects. See announcement for details. Closing date: 30 September 2024.
ESRC: Research skills strategic leadership hub – call for expressions of interest
Apply for funding to deliver a new strategic leadership hub that supports the development and delivery of research skills training and capacity building (TCB) provision in the social sciences. The hub will provide both leadership across the social science community and innovate in the way research skills TCB is both conceived and delivered. See website for details. Closing date for expressions of interest: 9 October 2024.
Nuffield Foundation: simplifying the grant application process
The Foundation has created a quicker and easier application process for its Research, Development & Analysis Fund. The deadline for applications to this year's fund has been extended to 14 October 2024. See website for details.