As part of its aim to develop and spread innovative methods of policy evaluation, CECAN has established a Fellowship scheme for those who wish to participate and contribute to its work.
The scheme will enable academics, evaluators, policymakers and evidence analysts to spend time within CECAN’s research teams.
Fellowships will typically last for up to six months (or longer if part-time) and will be individually tailored to the circumstances of the Fellow and the work they will be doing. T
he Fellowships scheme provides opportunities for those from government and industry to forge useful and lasting connections with researchers and for CECAN’s work to be informed by and linked closely to practical evaluation.
How it works
Fellows may contribute to any aspect of the Centre’s work, for example:
Helping to develop new evaluation methods
Applying innovative methods to case studies
Developing curricula and teaching materials
Contributing to briefing papers and academic articles
Contributing to seminars and workshops
Contributing to the supervision of masters and doctoral students
Fellows will be linked to a member of the CECAN team (their ‘mentor’) and have an agreed programme of work that often will be related to their usual job and responsibilities. They will be provided with free access to the Centre’s resources and internal communications. They will normally have a desk, library and internet access at their mentor’s host institution. Work arrangements are flexible: for example a part-time Fellow might visit the host institution once a week, spend another day each week on their Fellowship work at home and spend the other three days a week at their normal job. Many different arrangements are possible, but the Fellowship cannot last longer than two years overall and not more than the equivalent of 6 months full-time.
At an early stage in the Fellowship, Fellows will meet members of the CECAN team and to discuss their interests and experience with team members. Thereafter, Fellows will be encouraged to participate in the Fellows Network that is being set up, and will be able to initiate, speak at and attend CECAN events.
Fellows will be entitled to claim travel and subsistence expenses from CECAN. Normally, Fellows will be seconded by their employers and will continue to receive their usual salary and benefits. Independent consultants who do not have other sources of income may apply for an honorarium to cover basic living expenses. This would need to be paid through a service contract, details of which would be worked out when the application is made.
Who should apply?
The Fellowship scheme is primarily intended for those who are engaged in or advise on policy evaluation in complex, especially nexus domains. This includes policy analysts in government, academics from a wide range of social and environmental disciplines, policy makers from central and local government, evaluation consultants and contractors, and members of NGOs and businesses involved in evaluation.
A brief biographical sketch including your qualifications and experience
A summary of what you would like to get from a CECAN Fellowship
We will then put you in touch with an appropriate member of the CECAN team to discuss the opportunities for a Fellowship. If it seems promising, you and the your potential mentor will then jointly complete an application which will be assessed at the next monthly meeting of the CECAN Executive Group. The process from initial application to confirmation of the Fellowship normally takes around 8 weeks.
Applications are considered as they arrive: there is no deadline although applications should be received before 1 September 2018.
Criteria
When assessing applications, the CECAN Executive Group will bear the following in mind:
Fellows should:
Make an identifiable contribution to the work of the Centre.
Collaborate with at least one member of the Centre team.
Enhance the Fellow’s own skills and experience.
Bring expertise to the Centre that it would not otherwise have access to.
Have a programme of work with specific outputs that is timely, feasible, and capable of completion within the period of the Fellowship.
Have identified a ‘mentor’ who will guide and support the Fellow.
Request financial support commensurate with the period of the Fellowship applied for.
