Announcing the appointment of Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE as Chair of an expert panel and opening an opportunity for applications to that panel.
Research England and the Office for Students (OfS) are today announcing the appointment of Research England Council member Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE (RE website) as Chair of an expert panel.
The panel will support a joint funding competition (OfS website) to improve access and participation for Black, Asian and minority ethnic students in postgraduate research study.
Wealth of experience and remarkable commitment
David Sweeney, Executive Chair for Research England said
We are delighted to have Anne-Marie on board as the Chair of the expert panel for our joint funding competition with the Office for Students. We know that Anne-Marie’s wealth of experience and remarkable commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion will keep pushing us to improve the ways that we approach this important work collectively.
The £8 million fund was launched last year. It is seeking bids for projects that aim to address the persistent inequalities faced by Black, Asian and minority ethnic students, in accessing and participating in postgraduate research study.
Dr Imafidon said:
I am ready to get working with Research England and the Office for Students on this funding competition. It’s part of the necessary steps that need to be taken towards systemic change for postgraduate research.
I am looking forward to seeing creative and ambitious plans from universities, and those close to this issue, to bring about significant and lasting change.
Opportunity for expert panel members
Today Research England and the OfS will also open an opportunity for applications to act as an expert panel member for this funding competition.
The expert panel members will provide advice to Research England and the OfS on funding decisions and act as a steering group for the funding competition in the longer term.
Research England and the OfS are seeking to appoint:
- two postgraduate research students
- four general panel members.
Steven Hill Director of Research for Research England said:
We are excited to open this opportunity for expert panel members. The panel will play a crucial role with this funding competition, firstly in helping us assess the bids and then providing advice and guidance as the funded projects progress.
Research England and the Office for Students are determined to keep equality, diversity and inclusion central to this funding opportunity and we recognise that the expert panel plays an important part of this.
We want to recruit people with lived and learnt experiences relevant to the aims of the opportunity and who can call on those experiences, when making funding recommendations and providing advice.
We are determined to continue to think about our own processes, to ensure that they are inclusive and in line with aims of the competition.
Chris Millward, Director for Fair Access and Participation at the OfS, said:
As part of the recruitment campaign, the panel is looking for six members, two of whom will be postgraduate research students. The insight provided by these students will be crucial in ensuring that this process is an effective one, and I hope this presents as an exciting opportunity to shape an innovative and important programme.
How to apply
Applications should be submitted via the online form (SurveyMonkey) by midday 12 April 2021.
Find out more about the opportunity for expert panel members (PDF, 162KB).
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