 | |
| Formation | 1902; 124 years ago (1902) |
|---|---|
| Type | National academy |
| Legal status | Charity |
| Headquarters | London, England |
| Membership | 1,500 |
President | Julia Black |
| Website | thebritishacademy |
The British Academy for the Promotion of Historical, Philosophical and Philological Studies is the United Kingdom'snational academy for thehumanities and thesocial sciences.It was established in 1902[1][2] and received itsroyal charter in the same year. It is now a fellowship of more than 1,000 leading scholars spanning all disciplines across the humanities and social sciences and a funding body for research projects across the United Kingdom. The academy is a self-governing and independent registered charity, based at 10–11Carlton House Terrace inLondon.
The British Academy is primarily funded with annual government grants. In 2022, £49.3m of its £51.7m of charitable income came from theDepartment for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy – in the same year it took in around £2.0m in trading income and £0.56m in other income. This funding is expected to continue under the newDepartment for Business and Trade.[3]
The academy states that it has five fundamental purposes:
The creation of a "British Academy for the Promotion of Historical, Philosophical and Philological Studies" was first proposed in 1899 in order that Britain could be represented at meetings of European and American academies. The organisation, which has since become simply "the British Academy", was initiated as an unincorporated society on 17 December 1901, and received its Royal Charter from KingEdward VII on 8 August 1902.[5]
Since then, many of Britain's most distinguished scholars in the humanities and social sciences have been involved in the life of the academy, includingJohn Maynard Keynes,Isaiah Berlin,C. S. Lewis andHenry Moore.
Until 1927–28 the academy had no premises. Then it moved to some rooms in No.6 Burlington Gardens. In 1968 it moved the short distance toBurlington House. It subsequently moved to headquarters nearRegent's Park. Then in 1998 the Academy moved to its present headquarters in Carlton House Terrace. OverlookingSt James's Park, the terrace was designed byJohn Nash and built in the 1820s and 1830s. Number 10 was formerly the London residence of the Ridley family and number 11 was from 1856 to 1875 the home of Prime MinisterWilliam Gladstone.[6]
In March 2010, the academy embarked on a £2.75m project to renovate and restore the public rooms in No. 11, following the departure of former tenant theForeign Press Association, and link the two buildings together. The work was completed in January 2011 and the new spaces include a new 150-seat Wolfson Auditorium are available for public hire. In addition to offices for its staff 10 - 11 Carlton House Terrace is used for academy conferences and events[7] and parts of the building are available on a private hire basis for events.[8]
The history, problems and achievements of the academy have been recorded in works by two of its secretaries. SirFrederic Kenyon's volume of 37 pages covers the years up to 1951;[9] SirMortimer Wheeler's volume covers the years 1949 to 1968.[10]
Election as a Fellow of the British Academy recognises high scholarly distinction in the humanities or social sciences, evidenced by published work. Fellows may use the letters FBA after their names. Fellows are elected into one of the following disciplinary sections:[11]
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The British Academy channels substantial public funding into support for individuals and organisations pursuing humanities and social sciences research and scholarship in the UK and overseas. These funding schemes are designed to aid scholars at different stages of their academic career and include postdoctoral fellowships, Wolfson Research Professorships, Leverhulme Senior Research Fellowships, small research grants and British Academy Research Projects.
In addition to its main public funds supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the academy also draws on private funds arising from gifts, legacies, contributions made by fellows and grants from research foundations to support a further range of research activities. In 2014/15, the academy received around £30m to support research and researchers across the humanities and social sciences. Funds available to the academy were invested in the following main areas: research career development; a portfolio of research grant opportunities, and international engagement. The demand and quality of applications submitted for academy funding remains high. This year[when?] the academy received around 3,600 applications and made 588 awards to scholars based in around 100 different universities across the UK – a success rate of 16 per cent.
In order to promote the interests of UK research and learning around the world, the Academy works to create frameworks to support international networking and collaboration and develop the role of humanities and social sciences research in tackling global challenges. It draws on expertise from a wide range of sources from within the fellowship and on specialist advice from its seven Area Panels for Africa, China, the Middle East, Europe, South Asia, and Latin America/Caribbean.[12]
The Academy also funds and coordinates a network of overseas institutes which provide local expertise, logistical support and often a working base for UK scholars. These include research institutes inAmman,Ankara,Athens,Jerusalem,Nairobi,Rome and Tehran, as well as UK-based specialist learned societies which run strategic research programmes in other parts of the world including Africa, Latin America and South and South East Asia.[13]
As the UK's national voice for the humanities and social sciences, the British Academy seeks to promote and protect the interests and health of these disciplines and their research base. It makes independent representations to the government and other bodies on relevant higher education and research issues, contributes statements and submissions to formal consultations and organises a range of policy events and discussions, liaising regularly with learned societies, universities, national academies and other relevant organisations.
The British Academy's Fellowship represents breadth and excellence of expertise across these disciplines, and the Academy's policy work is dedicated to applying that insight to policy issues for public benefit and societal well-being. The goal is to enlighten the context, meaning and practicalities of policy challenges. This work is meant to bring independence, authority and objectivity to complex issues, such as public policy, skills, education and research. From reports to small meetings, the British Academy provides a forum for examining issues that are important for the society and the economy.[citation needed]
The British Academy organises a wide-ranging annual programme of more than 50 public lectures,[14] panel discussions, conferences and seminars showcasing new research and debating topical issues. This includes a number of long-established lecture series, such as the Shakespeare Lecture, first given in 1911.[15] Most events are free and most take place at the Academy's headquarters in Carlton House Terrace[16]
The British Academy awards a total of 15 prizes and medals, most of them awarded annually.[17]
