|
|
|
Social Enterprise Capacity Building Cluster
London South Bank University is a partner with Durham University and Middlesex University in a 5 year research programme on social enterprise funded by ESRC and Office of the Third Sector. Middlesex is the lead partner. For further information see >>www.mdx.ac.uk/schools/bs/research/centres/ceedr/The Social Enterprise research programme is part of the Third Sector Research Centre at Birmingham University funded by ESRC and Office of the Third Sector over 5 years. Research will cover a range of issues related to social enterprises including measuring and mapping the impact, organisational change, procurement and delivery of public services, social enterprise and community cohesion.
The Four Key Components
CASE Studentships
CASE PhD studentships are jointly funded by ESRC and partner organisations who contribute £4,000 a year and have a role in directing the PhD research. We are looking for partner organisations interested in co-funding activities. For further details see >>CASE studentships. Middlesex University has two doctoral level CASE studentships (+3) (starting in January 2009) in the following areas:- Ethnic minority related social enterprises in the 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games and its legacy - with the Ethnic Minority Foundation;
- Older social entrepreneurs - in collaboration with UnLtd.
- A good honours degree, preferably in social science, business or management;
- An MRes or other recognised postgraduate research qualification or experience demonstrably equivalent to this;
- Familiarity with the social enterprise and small business sector;
- Work experience in a relevant third sector or business setting.
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP's)
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships involves collaborative research where typically social enterprises put in one third and ESRC/OTS will pay two thirds. This can allow a social enterprise to triple any research funding it has. There will be a range of projects developed as part of the cluster and we are looking for partners interested in developing collaborative research. Several KTP's are currently going through the approval process. Information leaflet available from Alex Murdock or from the following URL: >>www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/Placements
Placement activity would be directed to enable practitioners from social enterprises or academics to acquire new skills and techniques. Partner social enterprises have offered their support in identifying placement opportunities and nine placements are planned over first 4 years of the Capacity Building Cluster.Practitioners would be able to use a placement to write up their own experiences for dissemination; to communicate their ideas in academic settings, and build on the existing programmes of work based learning well established in the cluster universities.
Placements would enable access to a wide range of specific programmes and also to a very diverse group of part time students on a range of programmes. Placements would also include access to the resources of research centres in each university . In addition there will be placements of academics and research students in social enterprises allowing them to build up their wider research capacity, gain experience of working in a social enterprise and understand their research needs.
Placements would be especially encouraged to generate outputs associated with knowledge transfer.
Here is the 
placement application form.
Vouchers
Vouchers would enable social enterprises to commission projects from the partner Universities and to access particular knowledge bases. The objectives would be to provide opportunity for researchers to carry out research determined by a social enterprise, build relationships with social enterprises, increase the capacity of the academic partners to respond to the information needs of social enterprises and introduce smaller social enterprises to the benefits of external research.
Here is the voucher application form.
University Contacts
| Lead Name | Institution | Contact Email | Contact Phone Number |
| Professor Fergus Lyon | Middlesex University | f.lyon@mdx.ac.uk | 0208 4116856 |
| Professor Alex Murdock | London South Bank University | alex.murdock@lsbu.ac.uk | 0207 8157886 |
| Professor Ash Amin | Durham University | S.J.Atkinson@durham.ac.uk | 0191 33 41871 |