Transferring Institution: AHRC 'Block Grant Partnership' funding...

Dear All,

I am in something of a bind and ask for advice from those willing to give it! I have recently started a Phd, fully funded under the AHRC BGP scheme whereby funding is allotted to the individual University who then allocates to prospective students. Thus, the 'host' University (I imagine) pretty much calls the tunes as far as who gets the funding and where it may go.

My bind is that I only chose my present institution (A) because of my supervisor, who is now moving to a second institution (B) to which I am less than eager to follow. Yet I am also less than willing to remain where I am. Ideally, (and I have my current supervisor's blessing on this) I would move to option (C).

Now, has anyone any experience of such a scenario? Really, I am asking how likely it is that (A) would willingly allow me to move to (C)? I feel I can make a strong case for the sake of the project, but that would be most harmonious to AHRC ears but would most likely offend the tastes of (A).

A few provisos are in order.

[1] Institution (B) is really not an option. It is another part of the UK altogether, which for personal reasons, I am unwilling to move to. It is also a bit of a step down from (A) and (C) in terms of reputation/rankings. There is the perennial argument that at Phd level the supervisor and one's publishing record under him/her matter more than the institution, but I am unsure of a career in academia. And having experienced the Human Resources department of a few companies, I know the better the Uni's reputation the better off I shall be, and it will be no use of me to assure them that my supervisor is a big name in the field of X. To slay both birds with one stone as it were from a career POV, it would be (A) or (C).

[2] I also appreciate that it all comes down to (A) and whether they are willing. I really need to convince them and so perhaps the advice on this forum can be of limited use. I suppose I am asking for anyone's personal experience of what the questions are likely to be from (A), and whether the attempt alone shall make a bed in which I shall be unwilling to lie within the Department at (A) subsequently. In this case, perhaps, I am better off simply taking life at (A) or slinging my hook?

[3] Finally, I can make a strong case for better supervision at (C) that better fits my area of interest, and where the project shall likely lead. I also have experience of working with the prospective supervisors at (C). As far as my contentment and the future of the project alone goes, (C) should win out. Nonetheless, it seems a binary option provided by the AHRC website; its follow the supervisor, or stay where you are. Does this pan out with anyone else's experience?

Many thanks in anticipation.

Reply 1

returnmigrant

Your best idea is either to search the AHRC site for this sort of info, or to simply phone them. You wont be jeopardising your current funding by enquiring about a 'what if' situation. And you seem to be wanting to move for a totally genuine reason (ie. not just because you've gone off living in City A) so AHRC might be sympathetic. BUT prepare yourself for the possibility that the ££ cant be transferred - it was awarded to the Uni not to you.