What is the Research & Development Committee?

The Research and Development Committee is responsible for the allocation of funding earmarked by BASEES for the support of research activity.

The Committee has a membership of three approved by the National Committee. This membership is normally drawn from the membership of the National Committee, although, with the approval of the National Committee, it may include one member of the Association who is not a member of the National Committee. The present membership of the Committee is as follows:

  • Dr Margarita Vaysman (University of Oxford) (Co-ordinator)

  • Dr George Gilbert (University of Southampton)

  • Dr Alun Thomas (Staffordshire University)

  • Dr Cathy McAteer (University of Exeter)

General Criteria Governing the Work of the Committee

  • BASEES seeks to stimulate and facilitate research activity compatible with its general aims.

  • ‘Research’ is understood in broad accordance with REF and Research Council/AHRB definitions.

  • UK-based members of the Association shall be eligible to apply for financial support for research activities. Applicants should normally have been members of the Association for at least six months prior to submission of an application for support.

  • Each single individual will receive a maximum of one grant per year across all schemes.


Postgraduate Research

Postgraduate research students registered in UK institutions (students registered for doctoral or master’s-by-research degrees) may apply for grants.

The ongoing situation surrounding Covid-19 has led to a change in strategy concerning what we may support. BASEES will offer support for graduate students in their research in areas other than travel. Appropriate applications for support in transcriptions for example, or other necessary fieldwork support, will be considered.

Each application must be accompanied by a letter from the student’s supervisor, who must certify that the student is taking a research degree, that the activity for which support is sought is integral to the student’s programme of research and that the conference and panel are likely to be of benefit to the applicant’s work. Use the link below to request your supporting statement (opens in new window).

The application should clearly state the sum applied for, and include a budget. Grants made will not exceed £800, and may be less than this. No postgraduate student may receive more than £800 (this sum does not represent an entitlement) over the course of her/his time as a postgraduate student.

You should normally have been a member of BASEES for at least six months before the deadline for submission of your application application (1 January, 1 March, 1 July or 1 October in any given year). Grants may exceptionally be made to applicants who have been members for less than six months, but such grants will normally be reduced pro-rata. Retrospective applications, for any activity that begins before the funding deadline, will not be accepted.

Grant recipients will be required to submit a short report to BASEES on completion of the funded work, a summary of which will be published in the BASEES newsletter.

Please note that the deadlines for applications are 1 January, 1 March, 1 July and 1 October each year.


Seminar Series and Conferences

UK-based members of the Association may apply for grants for the following purposes: 

  • the organisation of regional seminar series;

  • the organisation of short (no more than three-day [two-night]) conferences.

  • Grants made will not exceed £800, and may be less than this. The application should clearly state the sum applied for.

You should normally have been a member of BASEES for at least six months before the deadline for submission of your application (1 January, 1 March, 1 July or 1 October in any given year). Applications should be submitted at least 6 months before the date of the intended event

Please note that applications will not be considered until after the next deadline (1 January, 1 March, 1 July or 1 October in any given year). The outcome will be notified no later than one month after the deadline.

No more than one grant will be made in respect of any one seminar series or conference. However, where it is envisaged that there might be repeated series or conferences, application may be made to the Association for the establishment of a Study Group. An application for Study Group status should be submitted to the Study Group Co-ordinator and should include a statement of the proposed Group’s aims. The outcome of the application will be determined by the National Committee. 


Study Groups

General Guidelines

1. BASEES Study Groups bring together scholars interested in particular disciplines/areas/periods that fall within the overall remit of BASEES; in keeping with the role of BASEES as a national organisation, Study Groups are also expected to be national rather than local in their membership and activities. It is expected that a significant proportion of the members of a Study Group will also be members of BASEES, and Study Group organisers are requested to encourage all members to join BASEES.

2. Study Groups will normally have a constitution; a membership list including a substantial number of members from across the UK; they may also have a membership subscription. Study Groups are encouraged to have a newsletter of some kind. Study Group activities include meetings, study days and conferences that draw members of the group from across the UK.

3. Study Groups are encouraged to organise panels at the annual BASEES conference, and it is a condition for receipt of financial support that a Study Group organises such a panel at least every other year (see below).

Grants

A Study Group recognised by, and carrying the name of, the Association is eligible to apply for seed funding from this fund to support related activities in furtherance of its aims. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis based on the explanation given of the purpose to which the funding will be put. Please use the Seminar Series and Conferences Application Form (above).

As a norm, no more than £1,000 will be awarded to any one study group per annum, and there is no automatic entitlement to a grant. In order to remain eligible to apply, each Study Group must also offer a panel for the programme of the Association’s Annual Conference at least once very two years. (A subsequent contribution to the Annual Conference is also a condition of any funding awarded.) Failure to offer a panel for two successive years will lead to withdrawal for one year of entitlement to apply for grant.

The Study Group co-ordinator should normally have been a member of BASEES for at least six months before the deadline for submission of the application (1 January, 1 March, 1 July or 1 October in any given year). 

Please note that applications will not be considered until after the next deadline (1 January, 1 March, 1 July or 1 October in any given year). The outcome will be notified no later than one month after the deadline.

Further information about the membership of the Study Group, and its contributions to the programmes of the Association’s Annual Conference, may be sought prior to confirmation of the grant.

Guidelines for applications to establish a BASEES Study Group

BASEES members who intend to establish a Study Group should consult the Association’s guidelines on Study Groups and are welcome to seek advice from the BASEES Research, Development and Study Groups Co-ordinator to whom the application should be submitted. The application will be considered by the Research and Development and Study Groups Sub-Committee, which will make a recommendation to BASEES National Committee.

Applications to establish a BASEES Study Group should include: 

  • The name of the proposed Study Group

  • The name of the convenors of the proposed Study Group

  • An outline of the subject/discipline/area/period of the proposed Study Group, its academic rationale and scope, its aims and objectives and the way in which these further the aims of the Association

  • Evidence to show that the Study Group is national rather than local in its membership and activities and that it has – or can confidently expect to have – a substantial number of scholars from across the UK as members and participants in its proposed activities

  • An outline of the proposed activities of the Study Group and a commitment to regular organisation of panels at the annual BASEES conference, normally including one at the next annual conference at which it will be possible to organise a panel

  • Any other information (e.g. details of subscription, constitution etc.) if appropriate.


Conditions of Support

  • The Association’s provision of support must be explicitly acknowledged in any relevant publicity material and/or published or unpublished research output.

  • Receipts or a financial statement from the recipient’s home university (as appropriate) must be submitted to the Treasurer for all expenditure incurred against grants (whether prospective or retrospective) provided by the Association.

  • The Research and Development Committee will present an interim report for a given ‘financial year’ to the Autumn meeting of the National Committee, and a report on the full year at the Annual General Meeting.

  • Grant recipients will be required to submit a short report to BASEES on completion of the funded work, a summary of which will be published in the BASEES newsletter.

  • In addition, recipients are strongly encouraged to present their findings to the BASEES annual conference. (This is a requirement at least every two years for Study Groups).

Enquiries should be addressed to the Research, Development and Study Groups Co-ordinator.