WIREDGOV

A survey aimed to highlight how the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) could develop its support for postdoctoral social science researchers has been launched yesterday.

The online Early Career Social Scientists Survey is open to early career researchers and those who have recently graduated with a doctorate in the social sciences, working in academia and beyond.

Carried out by UCL Institute of Education, the survey asks questions on a variety of themes, including:

• Motivations for doctoral study
• Current employment and future aspirations
• Availability of support, career advice and guidance – and what support was taken up 
• Educational background

The aim of the study is to provide the ESRC with information about the experiences and issues faced by early-career social scientists, as well as information on the diversity of roles, opportunities and support available for researchers.

Dr Fiona Armstrong, Deputy Director, Capability and Infrastructure at ESRC, said the survey will help the Council set out its support options for the next five years.

“We want to see how improvements can be made to existing support for early-career social scientists before, during and after their doctoral studies,” she added.

The survey follows ESRC’s commitment in its strategic plan to review its overall support for early career researchers and to ensure that this adds maximum value and complements provision by other funders and research organisations.

After the survey responses have been analysed, a follow-up qualitative study involving selected survey participants is planned to take place.

Take part in the confidential survey, which should take no longer than 20 minutes to complete.

Further information

• Simon Wesson, ESRC Press Officer 
  Email: simon.wesson@esrc.ac.uk
  Telephone: 01793 413122

Notes for editors

1. The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the UK’s largest funder of research on the social and economic questions facing us yesterday. It supports the development and training of the UK’s future social scientists and also funds major studies that provide the infrastructure for research. ESRC-funded research informs policymakers and practitioners and helps make businesses, voluntary bodies and other organisations more effective. The ESRC also works collaboratively with six other UK research councils and Innovate UK to fund cross-disciplinary research and innovation addressing major societal challenges. The ESRC is an independent organisation, established by Royal Charter in 1965, and funded mainly by the Government. In 2015 it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
2. About the UCL Institute of Education 
   The UCL Institute of Education is a world-leader specialising in education and the social sciences. Founded in 1902, the Institute currently has more than 7,000 students and 800 staff. In the 2014 and 2015 QS World University Rankings, the Institute was ranked number one for Education worldwide. It was shortlisted in the 'University of the Year' category of the 2014 Times Higher Education (THE) awards. In January 2014, the Institute was recognised by Ofsted for its 'outstanding' initial teacher training across primary, secondary and further education. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework, 94 per cent of our research was judged to be world class. On 2 December 2014, the Institute became a single-faculty school of UCL, called the UCL Institute of Education.
3. About UCL (University College London) 
   Founded in 1826, UCL was the first English university established after Oxford and Cambridge, the first to admit students regardless of race, class, religion or gender, and the first to provide systematic teaching of law, architecture and medicine. We are among the world's top universities, as reflected by performance in a range of international rankings and tables. UCL currently has over 35,000 students from 150 countries and over 11,000 employees. Our annual income is over £1 billion. Follow us on Twitter @uclnews. Watch our YouTube channel.