The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) can provide business, public services and civil society organisations with access to world-leading academic researchers who can help you think in new and challenging ways.
Opportunities for collaboration with university-based researchers
We have awarded funding, through Impact Acceleration Accounts, to 24 universities to work in partnership with non-academic organisations to make better use of social science.
What Works
Our investment in What Works enables researchers in universities to assess and summarise evidence for public policy across the UK.
Networking and events
We provide a wide range of opportunities to engage with expert researchers and connect with others. Our events include the annual Festival of Social Science, research seminars and policy briefings.
Collaboration and training
Ways you can work with the researchers we fund include:
- host a PhD student via a placement through our Doctoral Training Network
- an offer for staff from your organisation to spend time at a university on a secondment or research project through one of our Impact Acceleration Account universities
- host a researcher via a Knowledge Transfer Partnership
- attend a National Centre for Research Methods training course (takes you to NCRM website)
- collaborate with researchers to secure funding for new research as part of one of our funding opportunities.
Evidence
We support world-leading research that makes a difference to lives. To find out more about the difference our research has made, see:
Data
We invest heavily in world class resources to provide an infrastructure which can help tackle some of our most pressing issues. The UK Data Service holds many datasets which can be used by researchers in your organisation.
The enormous volume and complexity of data that is now being collected by government departments, businesses and other organisations represents a significant resource. Our Big Data Network is developing partnerships with these organisations to help the UK become a world leader in big data.