Warwick Interdisciplinary Research Leadership Programme

Project Information

WIRL

Grant agreement ID: 713548

DOI

10.3030/713548

Project closed

EC signature date 14 April 2016

Start date 1 January 2017

End date 31 December 2021

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 4 012 000,00

EU contribution

€ 2 006 000,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - WIRL (Warwick Interdisciplinary Research Leadership Programme)

Reporting period: 2019-01-01 to 2021-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The Warwick Interdisciplinary Research Leadership Programme (WIRL) was created by the University of Warwick to train the next generation of Research Leaders. The programme recognises that future research leaders will work across traditional disciplinary boundaries to create new connections and to develop innovative new research that will have influence beyond academia. WIRL provided a combination of bespoke training and a research environment to foster this ambition by bringing researchers from diverse backgrounds together within the interdisciplinary environment of the Institute of Advanced Study (IAS) at Warwick.

The aim of the programme was to form a group of innovative and highly skilled research leaders who would drive innovation in the European economy and contribute to the European Union’s plans to build a dynamic, knowledge-based economy. The programme aimed to improve economic growth by addressing three key areas: the need to replace retiring researchers; supporting increases in R&D intensity & economic growth by providing new research leaders; creating research leaders who can work across different sectors and help ensure the transfer of research into economic and social activity.

There was no unifying research theme within WIRL and fellows were able to define their own projects within the broad boundaries of Warwick’s Global Research Priorities (GRPs). The GRPs address some of the major challenges facing society today and over the programme have included Behaviour, Brain & Society, Connecting Cultures, Cyber Security, Energy, Food, Global Governance, Habitability, Innovative Manufacturing & Future Materials, International Development, Productivity & the Future of Work, Science and Technology for Health and Sustainable Cities.
WIRL fellows spent two years at Warwick developing their independent research and participating in an innovative training programme. Fellows were also able to undertake secondments to other research organisations in order to benefit from the expertise available and to gain experience working across sectors. Fellows were jointly based in the interdisciplinary hub of the IAS and an academic department which was able to support their specific research area.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The WIRL programme started in January 2017 and recruited a total of 30 fellows over four cohorts, the last of which will finish on 2022. Of the 30 fellows recruited, 16 were female and 14 male.

WIRL Fellows have conducted innovate new research in the areas of Chemistry, Classics & Ancient History, Engineering, English, History, History of Art, Law, Linguistics, Materials Engineering, Mathematics, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Politics, Sociology & Theatre & Performance addressing issues linked to some of the major research challenges defined in the University of Warwick's Global research Priorities.

At the end of 2021, 62 peer-reviewed publications and 1 non-peer reviewed public engagement article have been produced by WIRL Fellows including 46 journal articles, 4 books, 11 book chapters, 1 journal special issues & 1 public engagement article. In 2019, WIRL Fellows also participated in the IAS Research Cabaret, a major public engagement event which brought research to a new audience through dance, music and theatre. In addition, WIRL Fellows produced other research related outputs such as conference presentations, workshops & public engagement events.

The programme set out to deliver the next generation of research leaders. At the end of 2021 24 fellows had completed their WIRL fellowships and of these fellows;
• 22 fellows had secured a new research position in academia
• 11 fellows had successfully established an academic career by securing permanent academic position.
• 5 fellows had been awarded major individual fellowships to further develop their independent research career
• Research leadership has transferred other sectors with 2 fellows moving to positions related to their research outside of academia
• 7 fellows secured major research funding including ERC Starting Grants and MSCA Individual Fellowships as well as awards from the Leverhulme Trust & British Academy

These achievements by our WIRL fellows reflect the success of the programme in taking high potential early career researchers and offering them a high-quality training programme combined extensive support for their research and career development.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

WIRL Fellows are an interdisciplinary grouping and as such, there is no unifying research theme as the aim of the programme is to form a group of innovative and highly skilled research leaders who will drive innovation in the European economy and society by working across disciplines and sectors. Within their individual projects, fellows have been making significant advances within their fields. The research produced has informed other researchers, teaching and has also reached out into industry, public policy and advocacy groups and to the public.

The fellows have all undertake extensive personal development and training activities. These include participation in a weekly group training session which develops skills related to a research career as well as transferable skills, such as communication & interview technique.

WIRL fellows have used this training and the opportunity to undertake a significant piece of independent research to advance their careers and secure positions and funding which establish them as future research leaders.

The WIRL model has proved effective in delivering new research leaders and has formed the basis of a new programme, EUTOPIA-SIF. In 2019 Warwick was a founding partner in the Eutopia European University with Vrije Universiteit Brussels (Belgium), CY Cergy Paris Université (France), the University of Gothenburg (Sweden), the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), and the University of Pompeu Fabra (Spain). With these partners, funding for an expanded COFUND programme based on WIRL was awarded in 2020. This EUTOPIA-SIF programme will expand the WIRL fellowships model across the six institutions and will see 75 fellows recruited over four cohorts. Fellows will benefit from being able to spend time at different Eutopia partners during their fellowship in order to undertake more innovative research and enhance research networks. In addition, fellows will participate in a bespoke training programme and undertake other activities together to create a pan-European network of future research leaders.

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