As part of our ambitious project examining the state of education: as an academic discipline in universities, as a field of practice, and as a significant and central element of social and political policy, we are releasing three new tender opportunities: 

• A survey of education researchers’ perceptions of their work and identities in relation to education research in universities in the United Kingdom.
• An analysis of equality and diversity issues within the discipline.
• An ‘observatory’ that draws together the best and most current empirical data on the state of the education discipline.

We wish to commission research to gain a more detailed understanding of the profile of academic staff working in the UK in the discipline of education, with particular regard to equality and diversity considerations.

Various sources of data indicate that there are fewer women and ethnic minority colleagues in senior academic roles (professors, readers, senior lecturers, heads of school and department) in our discipline. However, we do not have appropriate  analyses of the data to look at career trajectories and seek to identify the points at which women and ethnic minority colleagues face barriers to progression, or at which they exit the profession.

As well as being part of the wider examination of the state of education as an academic discipline, this work is driven by our Race Equality Policy and our commitment to address racial inequities within the wider research community. It also redoubles our commitment to bringing BERA’s resources and expertise to bear on wider issues of inequality and discrimination in education and society.

We invite proposals that will look at the profile of staffing within education, including representation at more senior levels. 

Budget and Outline costing

 Those wishing to tender for the work should include a budget indicating how the research will be conducted to meet the timeline for the interim and final reports; undertake the activities as indicated above; and successfully address the research questions. The amount allocated to this review is in the region of between £15,000-£20,000, inclusive of VAT.

Full details of the tender and how to bid can be found in the document below.