The Glasgow School of Art

Leapfrog Summer School

5th - 7th July 2016

The Glasgow School of Art, Forres, Morayshire

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS EXTENDED TO 9AM, 29th MARCH

Leapfrog is a 3-year research project led by ImaginationLancaster, in partnership with The Institute of Design Innovation at the Glasgow School of Art (GSA). The Leapfrog project is a close col­lab­o­ra­tion with pub­lic sec­tor and com­mu­nity part­ners in the Highlands & Islands and Lancashire to design and eval­u­ate new approaches to consultation. 

This research project will explore how we can develop more effec­tive, inclu­sive and cre­ative tools to help con­sul­ta­tion processes. The pri­mary research out­come will be to enable pub­lic ser­vice providers to gain deeper knowl­edge about salient issues within the com­mu­ni­ties they sup­port. It will also explore and define the role of co-design in devel­op­ing a step-change in inno­v­a­tive engage­ment through the cre­ation of adapt­able tools. 

The project is funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council Connected Communities programme. The Connected Communities Programme is a cross-Research Council funding initiative supporting high level collaborative and co-produced research between academic and community partners. A key constituency for the programme, including for its future-oriented aspirations, is our early career researchers (ECRs).

Summer School

The Leapfrog Team invite Early Career Researchers from across the Arts and Humanities to participate in a Summer School from the 4^th­– 8^th­ July 2016 at The Institute of Design Innovation’s Highland Studio in Forres – a beautiful town in the North of Scotland.

Sharing co-design methods and tools for engagement, this event aims to develop ECRs’ capabilities in carrying out action research with communities, and stimulate discussion and debate around the academic and societal impact of these approaches.

Featuring a keynote from Professor Irene McAra-McWilliam OBE, delegates will take part in a series of paper presentations, discussions, and creative workshops to enrich their understandings and applications of action research in community settings. 

Potential areas for discussion will include, but are not restricted to:

• Action research, participation, and co-production with communities
• Design-led methods and tools in action research
• Relationships, power, and ethics
• Engaging with diverse and minority communities
• Moving across disciplinary boundaries
• Case studies of research with public, private, and third sector organisations
• Innovative research outputs and collaborative evaluation and dissemination
• Understanding the pathways, value, impact, legacies, sustainability of these approaches
• Building your professional research network

This program of activities will offer an inspirational and supportive space for a select network of ECRs to exchange insights on broader aspects of research and career development, including approaches to generating research questions, writing research bids, and dissemination to diverse public audiences, and to consider how they might work together in the future.

Call for particiption: Application process

To apply to take part in the Summer School ECRs should refer to the eligibility criteria within the Application Pack before completing the enclosed application form. For the Summer School, we ask successful applicants to prepare a 10 minute presentation of their research, which may include emerging concepts, theories, reflections, methodological innovations, findings, questions, or concerns. 

Completed application forms should be sent to Cara Broadley at c.broadley@gsa.ac.uk by 29th March at 9am. We will notify successful applicants within two weeks of this closing date.

Eligibility

The AHRC’s formal definition of an ECR is an individual who is within eight years of the award of their PhD or equivalent professional training, or an individual who is within six years of their first academic appointment. These durations exclude any period of career break, e.g. for family care or health reasons. The ‘first academic appointment’ is defined as the first paid contract of employment, either full-time or part-time, which lists research and/or teaching as the primary functions. We welcome applications from individual ECRs from across the Arts and Humanities, and PhD students in their final year of study.

Registration Fees and Deadlines

Early bird registration fees of £150.00 should be paid by 15th April 2016. Please note that numbers are limited, and in the event that capacity is reached, a waiting list will be operated. After this date the fee will increase to £200.00, payable by the 6th of May 2016.

Full details of the registration fee payment process will be provided to applicants upon acceptance.

Bursaries

A number of bursaries are available to cover UK and EU delegates’ registration fees, travel to Forres, and accommodation expenses. Leapfrog is keen to support ECRs who would not otherwise be able to attend the Summer School. Please explain in your application form how this support would be of benefit.

For further information please contact Cara Broadley, Leapfrog Research Associate, on c.broadley@gsa.ac.uk

Please check leapfrog.tools for regular Summer School updates.

Location

The Summer School will take place at The Institute of Design Innovation in Forres.

By air:

Aberdeen International Airport, Dyce, Aberdeen, Scotland, AB21 7DU

Direct trains run from Dyce railway station to Forres, Elgin, and Inverness. For Findhorn village alight at Forres and take a taxi.

Inverness Airport, Dalcross, Inverness, Scotland, IV2 J7B

Buses and taxis run to Inverness city centre and Inverness railway station. Take a train to Forres or Elgin. For Findhorn village alight at Forres and take a taxi.

By rail:

Trains run regularly from Edinbugh Waverly, Glasgow Queen Street, Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth, Inverness, and major cities in England.

By car:

If you choose to drive, car parking is available at the Summer School venue.