ESRC supports new research into Population Change and Climate Change

The two new research centres receiving funding are:

The Centre for Population Change will be directed by Professor Jane Falkingham and based at the Universities of Southampton and St Andrews thus facilitating a strong UK wide focus to its work. The centre will receive in the region of £5million over five years, in the first instance. It will explore the issues surrounding migration, fertility and ageing including the implications for society of migration both within and beyond national borders

Directed by Professor Judith Rees, at the London School of Economics and Political Science, the Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy will receive in the region £4.5million over five years in the first instance. This funding follows last year’s announcement that the ESRC would urgently increase its support for work in this area. At the core of the centre’s work is to provide both government and business with evidence that will support their decision-making processes and improve policy-making on one of the most critical issues facing the world today.

Funding in the region of £3.5million over the next five years has also been agreed for the Research Centre on Micro Social Change (MiSoC), directed by Professor Stephen Pudney, at the University of Essex. This research focuses on developing an understanding of people’s everyday lives and social change, including family and social ties; working lives inequalities and opportunities as well as advances in research methods

Funding for new work within the RCUK research priority areas of energy, living with environmental change and security and global uncertainties has also been agreed. In addition, £2.5 million is being committed to increase international collaboration with India, China, Brazil and the United States of America and to participate in a pan-European research programme on migration involving 13 different countries.

The Council has also agreed to a modest increase in resources to extend its programme of work focused on evaluating the economic impact of social science research. This is central to the commitment shared by all of the Research Councils to ensure that maximum benefit and impact is achieved from the public's investment in the science and research base.

The 2008-09 competition for new research centres will focus on the Key Challenge of “Succeeding in the Global Economy”. The formal call for proposals will be issued in late March 2008.