Fellowship quota limits
STFC’s Education, Training and Careers Committee reviewed the Ernest Rutherford Fellowship
application quotas at its meeting on 26 November. In particular, it considered the representations
made by parts of the astronomy community for a significant increase in the quota levels. After a
long and careful discussion it recommended that the current levels should remain.
In reaching this position, the Committee took into account the amount of peer-review effort needed
to run the fellowships exercise and its overall success rate. In the current round 159 applications
were received for the 12 fellowships available. Each application is sent to 3 reviewers so nearly 480
reviews were sought before the fellowships panel shortlisted the applications for the 30 interview
places.
If the quota limits were doubled we would be seeking close to 1000 reviews and the success rate,
already low at around 7.5%, would fall to below 4%. It would also of course add considerably to the
workload of the fellowships panel and mean that a large number of fellowship applications would
have been written with little chance of success.
While acknowledging that the quota system transfers some of the selection process from peer
reviewers to departments, the Committee took the view that it was appropriate for departments to
consider carefully which candidates they wish to put forward. After all, fellows spend at least five
years working in their host department and in many cases go on to secure permanent posts in
them. Departments will therefore want to ensure that fellowship candidates fit in well with their
research strengths, priorities and strategies.
In conclusion, therefore, the Committee, while acknowledging some of the concerns raised about
the current quota levels, recommended that they remain in place.
As in previous years Departments will be informed in June of their quotas for the 2016 round.
Yours sincerely
Clare
Clare Heseltine
Secretary to Education, Training and Careers Committee