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[ataraxia]

I'm curious about whether UK universities typically offer start up funds for new hires (at lecturer rank). I know in Canada most universities with any research aspirations at all offer at least something close to $10,000 for books, etc., and provide, in addition, an office or home computer. Is there anything like this in the UK?

Also, would a lectureship position typically include additional money for research or professional expenses?

thanks for any info any can share....I have tried a search but had trouble finding this information out.

[sandgrounder]

Depends on your field - in the sciences maybe, social sciences / humanities no you don't get start-up funds. However, you are of course given an office computer and at my place an unlimited supply of inter-library loan requests.
Most places have a small research / conference / travel budget for each member of staff - normally £600-1000 per year. Anything extra has to be bid for competitively.

[gobelin]

You won't typically get start-up funds, but if you're in an experimental field they will normally ask at the interview what equipment/lab space you would need in order to conduct your research.  You'll get an office and office computer anyway.  You might want to ask what the department's procedures are for study leave (i.e. how often you would be able to get it) and whether funds are available for travel to conferences.  It's also worth knowing if these are automatic or if you have to compete for them.  For some positions you might get funding for a PhD student, but this wouldn't be typical and would normally only apply at the higher levels.

Some departments give new staff a light teaching/service load in order to give them time to get their research established.  On the other hand, some places do the opposite, and give them lots of teaching and service so that the more senior staff don't have to do it.  You won't get funding for books, but as sandgrounder says, you might get a set amount of inter-library loans. 

[ataraxia]

thanks sandgrounder and gobelin. That is not great news, as I am in the humanities. If anyone has news to the contrary I would of course love to hear about it.

[snape]

Most places have a small research / conference / travel budget for each member of staff - normally £600-1000 per year. Anything extra has to be bid for competitively.

I don't want to add to your disappointment, but in my humanities department this is £150 to £200 per year. This is research-intensive university.

[expatinuk]

It really depends on the Uni.... or actually your Faculty and or School.

Here we have a course budget to cover books etc. And things needed for teaching. For example if you need some special piece of equipment you have to write that into your budget. You also have to write into your budget any costs for staff development (attend a conference without writing a paper, or new software training... etc)

We don't give each person a travel budget for conferences. Everyone has to submit a request for funds to the Research Committee who determines how much to fund based on the RAE output of the bid. If the request is not deemed to be RAE-able it's then bounced over to the Professional Development Committee for consideration.

We also get a new computer every three years with whatever software you need to support your teaching and research. Each teaching/research staff member specs his own computer, it's then approved by the Program Area Manager.

We have a GREAT Business Manager in my Faculty and we're treated very well, much better than some others on campus.

[chocky]

I am in the social sciences, experimental research. I recently landed a lectureship at a good (but not top) UK dept. I can request GBP5k (I have to justify my needs in writing), plus I get a lab, computer, and use of basic dept facilities. There is money for travel in the dept which everyone can apply for. Maybe I am lucky, although in my soc sci field this kind of start up package does not seem to be unusual in research active depts.

[scotia]

I am in the social sciences. In my first position I did not get a penny of startup money, and even had a second hand (at least) computer until I demonstrated that the machine was so decrepit that I could not have Word and Excel open simultaneously without it crashing. I then got a brand new machine. When I started we also did not get any research funds but this has changed in my department so we can have up to £1K per year to use as we wish for research. My impressions is that research funding is now more widely available, but I know that my colleagues in humanities look upon my £1K with great jealousy as they are having to ask for every penny. However, they also have fantastic access to library materials that are not a great help to me, so it may not be all doom and gloom, depending on your subject.

[orienteer]

It really does vary from University to University and department to department. I get £1500. I have worked places before where it was less, but where on the other hand I got £500 for every masters dissertation I supervised above the set requirement of 3 per yer - so it soon mounted up to something worthwhile.

What I think is unequivocally the case is that you should ask for all this stuff as part of the negotiating process if you get an offer.

[expatinuk]

I wish that I got 10% of the fees from the International students who do my MA course.  *smile*

[scotia]

I have asked around about the current situation in my institution. I am in a social science department, so some if it may not apply in the humanities departments.

We now ensure that all new faculty get a new computer and, if they need it, those joining at lecturer level are given an allowance towards the cost of any specialist research software they require for which we do not have a site licence (the allowance is usually 100% of the cost unless the software is very expensive). Some travel funding is specifically designated for early career staff (apparently there have been years in which supply exceeded demand; at these times the term 'early career' was liberally interpreted to ensure that the budget was not cut in future years). In addition (I had forgotten this, but it did happen for me many years ago) 'early career' lecturers can bid for 'seedcorn' research funds to get a specific project underway. The money is available university-wide and if the research dean of the relevant school/faculty gives his blessing the research is almost invariably funded. I do remember having to redraft my proposal several times to get the dean's blessing, so the process to get dean's approval had to be taken seriously.

[ataraxia]

Thanks to all for the replies. Am I right in thinking the consensus is that there would be no harm in asking, at time of negotiation, for start up funds and research travel support?

[snape]

Thanks to all for the replies. Am I right in thinking the consensus is that there would be no harm in asking, at time of negotiation, for start up funds and research travel support?

No harm in asking. Don't labour the point too much, as you may be seen as high maintainance.