SeNSS Director's bulletin April 2020, including Covid-19 update

Dear SeNSS community,

I hope you are well and finding ways to function, relax and look after yourselves during lockdown.

Let me update you on UKRI/ESRC and SeNSS responses to the coronavirus situation.

Final year extensions. UKRI have just announced that they will cover the costs of funded extensions of up to six months to their eligible final year doctoral students whose studies have been disrupted by the situation: https://www.ukri.org/news/government-announces-support-for-phd-students-as-a-result-of-coronavirus-disruption/

Please note that only SeNSS-funded students in their final year of study, that is, whose funded period ends between 1 March 2020 and 31 March 2021, are eligible under this plan.

UKRI state that: ‘We are offering the extension to all final year students, however if you have already completed your PhD, or will be able to within your existing funding period or with a shorter period of extension, you should inform your RO [Research Organisation, ie your home institution, copying in SeNSS] who will report the need for reduced or no additional support.’ They have also provided detailed FAQs. Please read these closely: https://www.ukri.org/files/funding/q-a-for-phd-students/

We have asked the ESRC/UKRI to clarify whether this is an automatic/blanket extension for all eligible final year students and to confirm what kind of application, approval or reporting procedure, if any, will be required.

If you fall into this group, please do not contact SeNSS about an extension. Instead, SeNSS will be in contact with you directly about next steps as soon as we have clarification from the ESRC.

For all other SeNSS-funded students: the advice we have given you previously regarding Covid-19 linked extensions still stands. That is, please complete the Qualtrics survey, and keep a log of disruptions to your studies. We will be in contact with you over the coming weeks on the basis of the information you provided in your survey.

Online training. SeNSS is assembling a suite of online training courses and resources. One of our key aims here is to assist our students to adapt their research plans wherever possible to minimise the disruption to their studies. Many of the options offer introductions to digital research methods, including digital interviewing and focus groups, virtual ethnography, Arc-GIS mapping, and secondary data analysis. We will also be offering a virtual ‘Writing Up Group’ for final year students to provide encouragement and practical support as they complete their thesis.

Current competitions. Many thanks to all the academic and administrative staff across SeNSS who have worked so hard on our current competitions. Our Management Board meets 30 April to confirm the list of successful applicants. Our Strategy Board is currently considering the final number of new awards that our consortium will be able to afford to make.

I will send further updates in due course. Please can I ask for your patience while the SeNSS core team process an understandably large numbers of queries whilst working from home and taking Easter leave.

Best wishes,

Pam

Prof. Pamela Cox

SeNSS Director