Latest policy publications

Listed below are the most recent British Academy policy publications. All are available free of charge. 

Please see the complete list for publications not listed here. 

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BIS postgraduate review: contribution to call for evidence

Published online: 5 January 2010

In this contribution to the Government's Postgraduate Review, the British Academy highlights that investment in the research base across the board, including humanities and social sciences, is essential.

The British Academy calls for increased recognition of international competition; more effective promotion of the UK doctorate overseas and concerted action to address the lack of current postgraduates.

Download this document free of charge (96kb pdf)

UK Strategic Forum for the Social Sciences

Research Excellence Framework – Position Statement

Published online: November 2009

Following on from its meeting on 27 October 2009, the UK Strategic Forum for the Social Sciences, hosted by the British Academy, and chaired by the Academy's President, Professor Sir Adam Roberts, has issued a Position Statement on the Research Excellence Framework setting out its view on HEFCE’s consultation on the Research Excellence Framework ( REF)

Download this Position Paper free of charge

The Fruits of Curiosity: Science, Innovation and Future Sources of Wealth - A Submission from the British Academy to the Royal Society’s call for evidence

Published online: October 2009

The British Academy welcomed this important inquiry into the long-term direction of UK science and innovation policy, and the challenge it presents to the current perception that there is a division between applied and basic research. We encourage the inquiry to consider in particular two key issues:

• how the contributions of the humanities and social sciences could be better exploited in science policies, and  
• the training and support given to postgraduate researchers, to enable them to engage and compete more effectively with their counterparts from overseas.

Download this Submission free of charge

Setting Science and Technology Research Funding Priorities - A Submission from the British Academy to an Inquiry by the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee

Published online: October 2009 

In its evidence to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee inquiry ‘Setting Science and Technology Research Funding Priorities’  the British Academy calls for Government Department policymakers to draw fully on all that the humanities and social sciences have to offer, to ensure that they have appropriate quality controls in place in their commissioning and evaluation processes, and for an appropriate balance between targeted and curiosity-driven research.

Download this Submission free of charge

Evidence to the House of Commons Committee on Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills

Published online: January 2009 (updated July 2009)

In her evidence to the House of Commons Committee on Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills, Onora O'Neill, the President of the British Academy, emphasised the need for government policy to draw effectively on the full range of expertise within the UK’s world class research base - but points out that this must include the disciplines in the humanities and social sciences as well as those in science, technology, engineering and medicine. In supplementary evidence to the Committee, she addressed the question of whether those research areas where the UK has a clear competitive edge should be favoured above others.

Language matters

Published online: June 2009

This report discusses concerns that the future of the UK’s world class research base might be threatened by the decline in modern language learning and calls for a series of measures by Universities and Government bodies to address this danger.

The full text of the report is available to download

International Development Select Committee Inquiry: DFID’s Programme in Nigeria
Submission by the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the British Academy

Published online: May 2009

The Academy and the ACU argue that DFID must support the higher education sector in Nigeria to ensure that research conducted in that country is of high quality and connected to the global scientific debate while at the same time addressed to local needs. As Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria will undoubtedly depend heavily on its HE and research system to tackle its many developmental challenges, while UK development work also stands to benefit from a well supported and responsive Nigerian research sector.

The full text of the submission is available to download

Future Directions: A response to the AHRC consultation

Published online: May 2009

In its response to the Arts and Humanities Council’s current policy consultation, 'Future Directions', the British Academy has called for the Council to protect and maintain substantial support for responsive mode funding, in order to encourage new approaches.

It calls on the Council to make the process of selecting topics for its strategic initiatives subject to wide consultation and peer review, and to ensure that there is an appropriate balance between strategic funding and responsive mode funding.

Available to download now

The Nairobi Report: Frameworks for Africa-UK Research Collaboration in the Humanities and Social Sciences

Published online: 31 March 2009  

An examination of the practical steps that need to be taken to strengthen humanities and social science research in Africa.

Available to download now.

Review of Government Official History Programme

Published online: March 2009

The British Academy has responded to Sir Joseph Pilling's Review of the UK Government's Official History Programme by making a series of recommendations on its future direction. Our key recommendations are: that, given its importance to public life, the Programme should continue in some form; that departmental responsibility for the Programme should remain with the Cabinet Office; and that, while oversight arrangements should continue to be light touch, there should be significantly greater involvement with active and distinguished academics in the governance of the Programme.

The full text of the response is available to download free of charge.

Involve the humanities and social sciences to improve public policy making, the Academy recommends

Published online: January 2009

In its response to the IUSS Committee’s inquiry, Putting science and engineering at the heart of Government policy, the Academy calls on Government to correct its failure to draw upon the potential contribution which the UK’s world-class humanities and social science research base could and should be making, alongside the natural sciences, to ensure that public policy makers take into account the wider consequences of their proposals.