The UK Research Councils
The Research Councils UK (RCUK) is a partnership of seven Research Councils, which together invest some £2.8 billion in academic research each year. The seven bodies are:
Positioning statement: Established in 2005, the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) supports research in humanities subjects.
Areas covered: Disciplines range from archaeology, history, modern languages and English literature through to the media and the creative and performing arts.
Budget and funding: A budget of some £103 million funds research and postgraduate study in the UK's higher education institutions and associated museums, galleries and collections.
Positioning statement: The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) was formed in 1994 and funds basic, strategic and applied biological research.
Areas covered: The biosciences – including agriculture, bioprocessing, chemical, food, healthcare, pharmaceutical and other biotechnology-related industries.
Budget and funding: A budget of £400 million is used to support some 1,600 scientists and 2,000 research students in UK universities and institutes.
Positioning statement: The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funds research and training in engineering and the physical sciences.
Areas covered: A broad range of subjects, from mathematics, physics and chemistry to engineering, materials science, and information and communications technologies.
Budget and funding: EPSRC invests some £740 million a year on research: from fundamental science to solving problems in areas such as manufacturing, energy, the environment and climate change.
Positioning statement: The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) was formed in 1983 and funds research and training in social and economic issues.
Areas covered: Economic affairs, education and human development, environment and planning, government and law, industry and employment, and social affairs.
Budget and funding: A budget of £181 million funds over 2,500 researchers in academic institutions and policy research institutes and supports over 2,000 postgraduate students.
Positioning statement: The Medical Research Council (MRC) is dedicated to improving human health by supporting research across all medical science disciplines.
Areas covered: Research across the biomedical spectrum, from fundamental lab-based science to clinical trials, and in all major disease areas.
Budget and funding: MRC spends over £530 million on research, training and support in universities and teaching hospitals and in its own units and institutes.
Positioning statement: Established in 1965, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funds and manages research and training in earth system science.
Areas covered: All atmospheric, earth, terrestrial and aquatic sciences – from the depth of the oceans though to the upper atmosphere.
Budget and funding: A budget of some £220 million a year is used to fund world class scientific research in universities and at NERC’s own research centres.
Positioning statement: The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is one of Europe's largest multi-disciplinary research organisations, supporting scientists and engineers worldwide.
Areas covered: Disciplines such as astronomy, particle physics, space science and nuclear physics, along with access to the best research facilities in the world.
Budget and funding: A budget of some £678 million funds research into fundamental questions about the origin of the universe and the structure of matter.
To find out more details about any of the Research Councils, please follow the relevant link at the bottom of any page on this site.
SSC - working with the Research Councils, for the Research Councils