ESRC IAA Round 3
ESRC Impact Acceleration Account 2023-2028
Warwick is one of 32 UK universities awarded funding by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for an Impact Acceleration Account (IAA). The award, worth £1.25m in total, runs until 31 March 2028.
Social Science research has a critical role to play in addressing regional, national, and global challenges – from improving outcomes for communities facing disadvantage, to guiding business innovation. Indeed, Warwick research is making a vital contribution to our understanding of human behaviour and the needs, choices and beliefs which underpin public services, educational progression, the uptake of environmental initiatives and cultural participation.
To optimise the potential for our research to improve lives, build skills, and empower communities across the world, Warwick’s ESRC IAA is now offering awards of up to £25,000 to support activities to maximise the non-academic impact of Social Science research.
Furthermore, through a broader programme of events and initiatives the IAA will also support the enhancement of skills and culture around knowledge exchange within Warwick's Social Science community, building on Warwick's success in developing innovative ways to deliver upon the benefits of Social Science research.
We are committed to working with a wide range of stakeholders to maximise the value and reach of Warwick’s research, and to do our bit to achieve a green future, better health and wellbeing, to create opportunities and to build a secure and resilient world.
Year One Celebration Event
Join us on Wednesday 9 October for a showcase of work supported through the ESRC IAA so far, the launch of the Warwick Policy Hub, and to find out more about translating social science research into sustainable real-world impact. We will also be hearing from the ESRC about UKRI Policy Fellowship opportunities.
For further information and to register, please click here.
Responsive Mode Funding:
The IAA offers two Responsive Mode funding pathways to enable the conversion of established research into impact by supporting engagement activities with non-academic stakeholders:
Main Fund: Evolving Impact
Awards of up to £25,000 to support activities to accelerate and maximise the real-world impact of Social Sciences research. This could include:
- Collaborations with non-academic partners
- Activities to inform policy
- Secondments with non-academic organisations
- Activities to strengthen research-user engagement
Rapid Response Funding
Awards of up to £5,000 to enable Social Scientists to respond quickly to emerging opportunities to act on the impact potential of their research or to undertake smaller-scale, short-term activities. This could include:
- Travel for events
- Short-term project support
- Opportunities to network with collaborators or research users
Funded Projects
Click here to see a list of projects currently supported by Responsive Mode funding.
Other Activities:
Postdoctoral Impact Fellowship Scheme
The ESRC IAA will fund up to six fellowships for students at the conclusion of their PhD to explore how their doctoral research could be applied to the needs and challenges of organisations across different sectors, and to develop plans and programmes of activity to put this into practice.
Warwick Policy Hub
Warwick’s Policy Hub for Social Science research provides a forum for policy debate and connects our research in the Social Sciences with communities of policy and practice - at the regional, national, and international levels. Click here to find out more about the events, training, tools and fellowships on offer.
Commercialisation
More details coming soon.
From creating practitioner toolkits to building fully independent spinouts and social ventures, commercialisation can take many forms. Take a look at this page to explore commercialisation as a route to impact, and get in touch to find out more.
ESRC Festival of Social Science
The ESRC Festival of Social Science is an annual, UK-wide, free celebration of Social Science research and the vital contribution it makes to improving lives, building skills, empowering communities and understanding human behaviour.
As an ESRC Impact Acceleration Account holder we are also a Festival Partner, and we are therefore committed to delivering an annual University of Warwick Festival of Social Science and to playing our part in the vibrant national programme of events. IAA award holders are strongly encouraged to participate in the university Festival. Support and advice is available for running events - please get in touch at esrcimpactaccount@warwick.ac.uk to find out more.
Get in Touch:
If you are thinking of applying to any of the above schemes or would like to discuss the impact potential of your research, please get in touch with your Research Impact Team supporting the Faculty of Social Sciences. We are here to offer support at all stages and in all aspects of the impact journey - from developing an idea and stakeholder mapping, to evaluation and evidence gathering.
Research Impact Managers
Dr Kathryn van de Wiel
Covering: Economics; School of Law; Politics and International Studies; and Philosophy.
Dr Helen Ackers
Covering: SELCS (Applied Linguistics; CIDD; Education Studies; Centre for Teacher Education); Centre for Interdisciplinary Methodologies; Sociology; the Institute for Employment Research; and Warwick Business School.
Research Impact Coordinators
Working across the Faculty:
Claire Wragg
Emily Woodruff
Kathryn, Helen, Claire and Emily are part of the university Research Impact Team in Research & Impact Services (R&IS), based in the University House Annexe. They are currently working from home on Tuesdays and Fridays, and on campus Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Thursdays during term time they work in the Faculty Research Hub in (S1.57 - Social Sciences Building).