The Royal Economic Society has announced a new round of funding to support university outreach events for school and college students.
Economics departments and groups within UK universities have until 28 October 2019 to apply under the Discover Economics Grant scheme.
There is a serious lack of diversity in undergraduate economics and a need to reach out to women, the state sector and black and ethnic minority (BAME) students. This funding is designed to support outreach events for these groups. More information on how to apply and the application form can be found on the RES website.
Under the previous round for 2018/19, the Society was able to fund eight Discover Economics days around the country, at universities such as UCL, University of Manchester and University of Southampton. Many of these events combined talks, interactive games and opportunities to discover what it is like to work as an economist. You can read more about the case studies on the RES website. There is also a guide to holding a successful Discover Economics event.
The Discover Economics Grant is part of a campaign to improve diversity in undergraduate economics that will be launched in the autumn.
How to apply
If you would like to apply for a Discover Economic Grant, the lead applicant must be a current RES member. Funding is only for projects or events taking place in 2020 that are explicitly aimed at increasing diversity in undergraduate economics students. Examples of groups include state schools, further education colleges, women and ethnic minorities.
Applicants can request funding up to a maximum of £5,000 but it is anticipated that grants awarded will typically be in the range of £2,000-£3,000. In allocating the grants, the Society will aim to support a range of events across institutions, taking into account geographical spread and the nature of the student groups targeted. More information, including the application form, can be found on the RES website.
