ESRC centres are world-leading centres of excellence that carry out interdisciplinary, cutting-edge and impactful research in the social sciences and beyond.
ESRC centres deliver challenge-led research, bringing together the right people, disciplines, institutions, and infrastructure to respond to that challenge within a five-year timeframe.
ESRC centres range from £5 million to £10 million at full economic cost for up to five years. ESRC funds 80% of full economic cost.
ESRC centres deliver:
Research
ESRC centres deliver high-quality, interdisciplinary, internationally recognised research findings to address unanswered questions about a defined challenge to our society, economy, or both.
Impact
ESRC centres have significant economic and societal impact, demonstrating that the centre is responding to their specified challenge. Impact is a major consideration throughout the scoping of a proposal, and during and beyond the lifetime of a centre.
Research users are engaged from the initial planning phases through to the end of an award.
Capability
ESRC centres develop the resources needed to become a centre of excellence that adds value to the wider community. This includes developing the people, producing the data, and creating the infrastructure needed to respond to their specified challenge.