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Strategically important subjects: area studies and related languages

HEFCE is working with the Scottish Funding Council, Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to support area studies and related languages. Our combined aim is to create a world-class cadre of researchers that will enhance the UK's understanding of the Arab world, China and Japan, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union.

The joint funders have provided an annual allocation of £4.5 million flexibly to support five specialist centres:

• Centre for the Advanced Study of the Arabic World (CASAW)
  A collaboration between the universities of Edinburgh, Manchester and Durham.
• White Rose East Asia Centre (WREAC)
  A partnership of the University of Sheffield and the University of Leeds.
• Centre for East European Language Based Area Studies (CEELBAS)
  The main consortium members are the University of Oxford, University College London and the University of Birmingham with a network of seven other universities (Bath, Cambridge, Kent, Manchester, Sheffield, Warwick and the School of Oriental and African Studies).
• British Inter-University China Centre (BICC)
  A joint enterprise of the universities of Oxford, Manchester and Bristol.
• Centre for Russian, Central and East European Languages (CRCEES)
  The University of Glasgow acts as the centre's hub and works with partners drawn from the universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Nottingham, Paisley, St Andrews and Strathclyde.

Starting in 2006, this funding is set to run for five years and aims to support masters and doctoral studentships, academic fellowships, and tailored language-based training to develop postgraduate students and academic staff.

Evaluation

Evaluation of the language-based area studies programme will be conducted jointly with ESRC and AHRC. An initial mid-point review will be undertaken over the spring and summer of 2009 to assess the progress of the centres to date and to determine the future funding priorities of the initiative.

Further information

For further information on HEFCE's area studies and related languages programme, please contact Rebecca Gordge, e-mail Rebecca Gordge.

Last updated 30 June 2010