The Understanding Society Fellowship Programme enables researchers to take time out to focus on research projects based on the Study’s data. Funding is available for 12-month Fellowships to undertake a project based on Understanding Society data, with additional resource for follow up dissemination and impact generation activities. Funding is available up to £70,000 for staff and dissemination costs. Practical support will also be available from the Study team, for example, to advise on data and analysis plans and communication and impact strategies. .
Read the full call for new Fellows
Fellowship themes
The August 2023 call focuses on three themes:
Policy evaluation
Policy evaluations provide a vital tool to understand whether a policy is working as intended or not, for whom and why. As a multi-topic panel study Understanding Society data (including the BHPS) provides a unique opportunity to assess the changes in behaviours and social, economic or health outcomes arising from key policy interventions. Ideas for policy evaluations could be based on natural experiments or specific policy interventions that have been implemented, utilising comparison across time, comparison between groups or comparison between regions and places (e.g., using matched areas, devolution or gradual geographical rollout of policies)
Linked administrative data
Linking administrative data to the information collected annually on Understanding Society participants can provide opportunities for new research by adding in content that cannot be collected (reliably, efficiently or cost-effectively) by the Study – or is otherwise unavailable. We would welcome Fellowship applications that propose to make novel use of our linked data and that can be promoted to others as a means of demonstrating the value of its use. We would also be keen to field proposals where we do not already hold the external data but where it might be possible to link these data to Understanding Society records at property-level or some other low-level geography. Due to their additional sensitivity and disclosure risk, access to almost all of our linked data is via a secure (remote) trusted research environment and accessible to accredited researchers only and usually after a more rigorous application process. Potential Fellows will therefore need to hold accreditation, or be eligible to obtain it, in order to start their Fellowship. They will also need to build in time to begin the data access process before their Fellowship starts.
Research making use of the unique value of Understanding Society
As a research resource, Understanding Study is unique. It is a large-scale, nationally representative, multi-topic longitudinal household survey, collecting data from and on its participants annually. The Study benefits from a large sample size, allowing researchers to examine the lives of important population sub-groups over time, with an Ethnic Minority Boost sample and Immigrant and Ethnic Minority Boost sample increasing the numbers of different ethnic minority and immigrant groups. Data are collected on the whole household, providing the context for individual experiences but also allowing relations between generations, couples and siblings to be explored. Fellowship applications on any topic that can demonstrate that they will make use of at least one of the key features of the Study – or, ideally, a combination of them – are welcomed.
How to apply
People wishing to be considered for a Fellowship under this call should apply using this application form by 5pm on 6 December 2023. You are advised to discuss your ideas with a member of the Understanding Society team in advance of submitting your application. Please contact Jack Kneeshaw (kneejw@essex.ac.uk) in the first instance who will put you in touch with the appropriate person to discuss your ideas with you.
Please feel free to seek guidance on the scientific direction of your proposal, data issues, communication and impact plans, as well as practical queries.
Biomarkers, genetics and epigeneticsEducationEmploymentEthnicity and immigrationFamily and householdsHealth and wellbeingIncome and expenditureMoney and financesPolitics and social attitudesSocial mobilityTransport and environmentYoung people
