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CBRL: Guidance Notes for Project Affiliation

CBRL invites applications for Project Affiliation for postdoctoral research in the humanities and social sciences to be undertaken in the countries of the Levant (Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria). All applications should clearly demonstrate that CBRL affiliation is sought for a clearly defined piece of research, which will have an identifiable outcome on completion.
Affiliation may be awarded in the following circumstances:

• Project affiliation may be used to provide a formal link to UK projects that are not CBRL funded, but where CBRL institutional support may be of benefit to the project. This would include projects that require CBRL affiliation in order to obtain an excavation or survey licence.

• Project affiliation may be used where a project may belong to an EU or Commonwealth country which has no local institute, but where affiliation will enhance the academic and research role of both the project and CBRL, and/or where links may develop into some long-term core-funding relationship.

• Project affiliation may be used only exceptionally for projects run by individuals who lack an institutional base.

• Project affiliation may be used to develop and enhance collaboration with projects run by institutions from the host countries.

Affiliated projects may use CBRL facilities on the same basis as CBRL funded projects. All users of CBRL research facilities/equipment/vehicles pay hire charges, where applicable affiliated projects will pay for equipment hired at the lower rate. All those who stay at CBRL hostels have to be members. Teams with large numbers of students may take out project membership to cover these individuals. (Please note that project team members who stay for more than two days at the beginning and two days at the end of the project season, must take out individual membership.)

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Eligibility
Affiliation is granted automatically to projects in receipt of CBRL funding. However, affiliation may also be awarded to UK, EU or Commonwealth projects that are not in receipt of a CBRL grant or to projects run by CBRL Honorary Fellows. Affiliation is available for self-contained projects and is granted to Projects, not individuals. Affiliation will normally be made to projects based in universities and other institutions of higher education, but non-institutional projects may apply. Affiliation will be granted for advanced research at postdoctoral or equivalent level.

Method of application
Application for affiliation must be made on the appropriate CBRL form. Applications should be submitted in hard copy and must be signed by the applicant. Faxed, e-mailed or photocopied applications will not be accepted.
Reports from referees are sought on all applications . You are therefore asked to nominate two referees, who must not be members of your own institution but should be familiar with your work. You should send them a copy of your application together with one of the reference forms attached to the application. References should be returned directly to the CBRL's Administrative Secretary. It is your responsibility to obtain references. Applicants are advised that an application cannot be considered for affiliation until both references have been received. In most cases, the CBRL also seeks further reports from independent assessors.

Timing of application
Applications and references from the applicant's nominated referees may be submitted at any point during the year, and will be considered by the CBRL Committee meeting. The CBRL Committee normally meets four times a year. Applications must be received a minimum of two months before the meeting at which they will be considered The CBRL Administrative Secretary can provide guidance on the schedule of meetings. Affiliation may be awarded at any stage of a project's progress.

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Project details
Applicants should clearly identify the primary product of their proposed research. You are advised that failure to provide adequate detail on the research proposal in the space allocated may seriously disadvantage your application. If using a downloaded form, please do not expand the space provided and please do not reduce the font size below 10 pt. The proposal must:

• clearly specify the context and research objectives of the proposed study

• describe the methodology to be used

• set out a realistic research programme

Applicants should give an account of their research which is complete in itself and should not depend on material facts being provided by their referees, nor rely on special prior knowledge on the part of assessors.
It is essential that applicants clearly state the reasons why affiliation would be beneficial to the project.
Please note that additional sheets of paper relating to the current affiliation application (unless containing information specifically requested) will not normally be forwarded to the Committee, so applicants are requested to supply all relevant information on the application form itself.

Financial details
Applicants are advised to produce a clear budget, showing sources of funding. Assessors will wish to gauge the scale of the whole project and assess its viability.

If a project is to continue for more than one year, please give the overall costings for the whole project. Affiliation is normally awarded on an annual basis, although once a project has become affiliated renewal of affiliation may be considered on the basis of reports showing that satisfactory progress is being made. Projects planned to continue for more than three years without producing a major definitive publication are unlikely to receive affiliation from the CBRL.

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Assessment procedures
Assessors will evaluate the application on the basis of its academic merit, taking into account its originality, its relationship to and volume of research already in the field, the scholarly importance of the research proposed, the feasibility of the research programme, the specificity of the scheme of research, presentation and intended outcomes.

The CBRL has adopted a Code of Practice for assessing applications for research awards. The Code of Practice sets out the principles of equity, integrity and confidentiality governing the treatment of all applications for research awards.

Conditions of award
A list of the conditions attached to the award will be sent to successful applicants when the offer is made. Successful applicants are required to accept the conditions of affiliation before it can be confirmed.

Data Protection
The CBRL is registered under the Data Protection Act 1998 and adheres to the Data Protection Principles. Applicants should be aware that information that they provide will be stored and circulated as necessary for the assessment procedures to be followed. Application forms may be retained for up to ten years, and may be consulted by the CBRL in the event of future applications being submitted. Details of award holders (including name, institution, project details and amount of award) will be used to compile published lists of award-holders which may be made available on the Internet, and to produce statistical and historical information on CBRL awards. Signing the attached application form constitutes your agreement to all terms, conditions and notices contained in the notes for applicants.

For further details or advice, please contact the Administrative Secretary, The British Academy, 10 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AH (cbrl@britac.ac.uk) or the Director, CBRL, PO Box 519, Jubeiha 11941, Amman, Jordan (b.finlayson@cbrl.org.uk).

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