Apply for Neil Ker Memorial Fund 2024-25

Objective

• The objective of this fund, established by the family and friends of Neil R Ker, FBA, is to promote the study of Western medieval manuscripts, particularly those of British interest; that is enabling investigation of their production (including decoration), readership and use in particular.

Funding Information

• In general, awards do not exceed £2,000.
• Awards are normally tenable for up to 12 months.

Eligible Costs

• Funds may be sought to cover the direct expenses incurred in planning, conducting, and developing the research, including:
  • project planning and development costs (cost of travel for discussion in the UK and overseas)
  • travel and maintenance
  • research assistance (based in UK or abroad)
  • consumables
  • specialist software
  • costs of interpreters in the field

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:
  • Grants are available for advanced research, at postdoctoral or equivalent level, in the study of Western Medieval manuscripts.
  • Applicants should be of postdoctoral status or have equivalent experience.
  • Applicants may be based anywhere in the world.
  • Awards will not be made retrospectively: this means that the work for which support is requested must not have commenced before the award is announced. Please note the earliest point at which research can commence.

Assessment Criteria

• Assessors will evaluate the proposal on the basis of its academic merit, taking into account its originality, its relationship to, and the volume of, research already in the field, the scholarly importance of the research proposed, the suitability of the methodology, the feasibility of the research programme, the specificity of the scheme of research, the presentation, and intended outcomes; and its suitability for support from the Neil Ker Fund.
• Assessors will evaluate the ability of the investigator(s) to undertake the proposed research, taking into account their track record in terms of publication, their academic age and stage of career.
• Backlogs of publication (including any reasons given by applicants) may be taken into account in assessing the current proposal.
• The primary assessment of quality will be based on the specific research objective of the proposal, and whether the methodology and research programme outlined are likely to lead to successful achievement of the objective.
• Assessors may take into account evidence of language competence where the understanding of material in a foreign language is crucial to the achievement of the research objective.
• Comparative judgements about value for money may be taken into account at the final stage of assessment. Any special case made for endangered or emerging fields may be taken into account at the final stage of assessment.

For more information, visit The British Academy.