Warwick is part of a new £19.5 million programme to transform social science teaching in the UK. The University is one of 15 institutions across the UK to be awarded more than £1 million to transform their social science teaching. The ‘Q-Step’ programme is an ambitious intervention to address the critical shortage of social scientists with the quantitative skills needed to evaluate evidence and analyse data.

The universities have all been selected to host ‘Q-Step’, a programme designed to promote a step-change in quantitative social science training, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). This is one of the largest partnerships in recent times – between a research council, a funding council and a private foundation – focussed on undergraduate social science education in the UK.

The 15 universities, selected from a total of 48 who applied, will form a network of ‘Q-Step Centres’, delivering new undergraduate programmes in quantitative social science. These will include the development of new courses, production of new content for existing courses, experimenting with new ways of teaching, as well as work placements and pathways to postgraduate study.

Dr Emma Uprichard is leading the programme for the University of Warwick. She said:

Q-Step Warwick will position Warwick globally as one of the leading universities of the digital age. By setting up new degrees in Sociology, and Politics and International Studies, Q-Step Warwick plans to redress the UK’s skills deficit and to help position the UK as a global leader in the social sciences as they respond to the opportunity to improve the human condition offered by advanced quantitative data analysis. Preparing students to work in ways that help them to understand, participate and intervene in a data-driven digital society lies at the heart of the exciting programme of activities we have organised.”

The programme will bring together teaching from across the Faculty of Social Sciences and will also encourage work with local schools with pupils and teachers to support quantitative social science career pathways.

University of Warwick Vice-Chancellor Professor Nigel Thrift said the grant was a great step forward for Social Sciences. He said:

This is fantastic news, Q-Step is a very forward-looking programme and a real coup for Warwick. This programme ties in well with other Warwick initiatives looking at how we can use the vast amounts of data we produce to benefit society. Warwick’s involvement in the Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) is a great example, this project is being set up in New York and will transform the city into a living laboratory to examine how we can improve urban systems and quality of life.”

Support programme

Although targeted at undergraduates, Q-Step aims to promote quantitative skills training across the course of the education system, from recruitment of school students to specialist training for those going on to postgraduate work. Expertise and resources will be shared across the higher education sector through an accompanying support programme, which will also forge links with schools and employers.

Selection process and timetable

The awards have been made following an open competition, launched in October 2012. Due to the number and high standard of applications, an additional £4 million has been secured to fund more centres than originally planned, taking the total amount awarded from the £15.5 million originally budgeted to a new total of £19.5 million over five years.

Q-Step Centres will begin planning and rolling out their programme of activities in October 2013.

Universities and Science Minister David Willetts said:

Evaluating and analysing data is an essential part of science education and we need more people with these important skills. Q-Step will deliver an exciting programme, increasing the number of skilled graduates in quantitative social science. By sharing expertise and resources across the education sector, this programme is a step in the right direction to give students the skills they need and help employers build long lasting relationships with universities."