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1. Introduction The Department's Research Strategy underlines the need to sustain and develop a vital research culture through activities, facilities and exchange to enhance the research environment for staff and graduate students. The Department runs a Visitor Programme for suitably qualified academics and practitioners who wish to contribute to, and participate in, the work of the Department and who have the active support of an academic sponsor in the Department. Visitors can be associated with the Department in general or with one of the research centres, or programmes. Visitors have the opportunity to be involved in a wide range of activities organised within the Department and are expected to participate in and contribute to in the collaborative research culture of the Department. 2. Visitor Programme Objectives The Visitor Programme is intended: • To contribute actively to the Department's research environment and graduate programme; • To offer academics and interested professionals the opportunity to collaborate in joint research with Oxford Politics and International Relations colleagues; • To develop and promote links with other institutions, governments and organisations in the UK and overseas; • To provide established staff and research students with the opportunity to work with leading academics and professionals from outside Oxford. 3. Duration Minimum stay of one month and a maximum stay of one year. Applicants who do not intend to visit for a whole academic year are advised to plan their stay to cover one or more of Oxford's three terms, as colleagues are less likely to be available outside of these dates. Please see University of Oxford website for term dates http://www.ox.ac.uk/aboutoxford/dates.shtml 4. Visitor Contribution Visitors will be asked to contribute to one or more of the following Department activities in proportion to the length of their stay: 1. Collaborate on a research project with a member of the Department; 2. Organise (or co-organise) an event (seminar series, workshop, conference); 3. Write or co-author an article or other publication, or provide an article for the Department's working papers series; 4. Develop a research proposal to apply for an external funding award through the Department; 5. Contribute to the graduate and/or undergraduate programme through the provision of a special seminar or similar activity; 6. Help the Department/Research Centre to develop a network of contacts (academic, practitioner, policy-making and/or media) and to organise introductions/networking events where appropriate; 5. Provision of Resources Department resources for visitors are provided, at the discretion of the General Purposes Committee (GPC), in proportion to the level of contribution and the duration of the visit: • University Card; • The sponsorship of an academic member of Department, who will meet with the visitor and provide guidance and advice (see 6 below); • Oxford University Computing Services facilities including an email account; • Full access to the University Library Services including electronic holdings, databases and journals by registering for an ATHENS password; • Workspace in the Department with IT facilities – either a hot desk or for an additional charge and subject to availability a dedicated workstation; • Permission to attend lectures and seminars run by the Department; • Eligibility to apply, with a full member of the Department, for administrative support (including help with organising events and applications to external funding), or for Department funding to support scheduled events. 6. Role of the Department Sponsor The academic visitor will be largely independent and responsible for his/her own research activities and work agenda whilst in Oxford. The visitor's sponsor will be available in limited capacity, subject to availability of time and skills, to advise and offer support where possible. In particular: • Communicate with the visitor in advance of his/her formal application to the Department, to discuss possible collaborations and activities that would be appropriate to propose on the Visitor Application Form; • Play an active role in the induction of the visitor into the Department, including providing introductions to relevant academic colleagues and informing him/her of activities in which s/he might wish to participate (research seminars, workshops, Centre meetings, informal gatherings); • Engage the visitor in co-authoring publications, organising and participating in events and developing contacts and networks; • If the visitor is contributing to teaching in the Department, to introduce him/her to key academic office holders and the Courses Team. It is the responsibility of the prospective visitor to have identified and corresponded with an academic sponsor who is a full member of the Department before submitting his/her formal application. The Department sponsor will normally be a Centre or Programme Director, but also may be another established member of the academic staff. Before agreeing to act in this capacity, prospective sponsors are encouraged to read the responsibilities outlined above. The Department Sponsor is required to write a letter of support to accompany the visitor's application in which they are required to confirm their willingness to act in this capacity. 7. Finance The Department does not provide salary or other financial payments to visitors, unless these form part of a visiting fellowship grant (see 7.1 External Funding Schemes below). The Department's GPC requires visitors to make a contribution to the financial costs incurred by their visit (see 7.2 Charges below). Visitors are therefore encouraged to apply to a visiting fellowship grant scheme (or similar) in parallel with their application to the Department's Visitor Programme. Visitors should normally apply for research funding schemes through their home institution. If a prospective visitor wishes to apply for funding through the Department, s/he must make a case for exceptional consideration at least two months in advance of the funder's deadline. Applications through the Department to external funding bodies will be considered separately from the application to visit, by the Department's Research Committee. 7.1 External Funding Schemes for Visitors • British Academy Visiting Fellowships (for overseas visitors): http://www.britac.ac.uk/funding/index.cfm • Leverhulme Trust Visiting Professorships: http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/funding/funding.cfm • Leverhulme Trust Visiting Fellowships – The Leverhulme Trust has a yearly rota of institutions for which it will accept applications: http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/funding/funding.cfm • A number of Oxford Colleges also offer Visiting Fellowships – details are available on their respective websites. 7.2 Charges The Department visitor charges are: Hotdesk with the provision of resources outlined in 5 above: £600 per term or £250 per month for shorter visits Dedicated workstation with the provision of resources outlined in 5 above: £750 per term or £350 per month for shorter visits 8. Nomenclature Visitors will normally be given the title of Department Visiting Research Fellow and must use this title in all references to their association with the Department and the University of Oxford. Senior Visiting Research Fellow may be given where appropriate. 9. Terms and Conditions Visitors who are accepted onto the Department's Visitor Programme will be required to adhere to the University's Statutes and Regulations during their visit and to sign the Department's Visitor Agreement. 10. Visitor Profiles, Reporting and Feedback Visitors will be asked to provide the Department with a short biography and a statement of what they intend to do during their visit before they arrive; this information is posted on the research section of the Department's website and on the Centre/Programme website when relevant. Early in their visit, visitors will be asked to meet with the Head of Department and/or the Administrator. They will also be asked attend an induction session. At the end of their stay, visitors are asked to provide an activity report to be attached to their web profile, providing a detailed account of activities and outputs and how they have contributed to the Departments' research during their visit. Visitors are asked also to complete a feedback form evaluating their stay in the Department and are encouraged to make suggestions for clarifying procedures, providing better support, etc. The sponsor will also be asked to provide some feedback on the success and productivity of the visit. 11. Visas and Work Permits Applicants who do not hold a passport from a European Union member country must contact the Administrative Officer well in advance of the proposed visit start date in order to discuss work permit arrangements. If you require a Tier 5 work permit, the University will need to assist with the submission of your application. 12. APPLICATION PROCEDURE The prospective visitor is required to submit their application in the following form: • Completed Visitor Programme application form • CV • Letter of support from the Department Sponsor (see 6 above). Acceptance to the Visitor Programme will require a strong indication of support by the Department Sponsor. • Letter from the applicant's home institution confirming approval of the proposed visit Applications should be submitted to the Administrative Office (Jason Hussain) by Friday of 5th week every term (11 November 2011, 17 February 2012, 25 May 2012) and Friday 21 September 2012, at least three months prior to the start date of the proposed visit. Applications will be considered by the Department's General Purposes Committee as a gathered field and will be assessed on suitability of qualifications and experience, proposed contribution to the Department's activities, and strength of letter of support from the Department Sponsor. Applicants will be notified of the GPC's decision and approved applicants will be written to confirming the: • Visiting status • Confirmation of dates of visit • Confirmation of Department provision • Charges |
