Academic Visits to SSEES

Visiting Researchers and Research Students

SSEES is happy to be able to host a small number of excellent visiting researchers and visiting doctoral students each year. We give priority to international scholars with whom we already have established research relationships.

We are unable to accommodate all those wishing to visit, and we are only able to accept those whose research interests fit closely with those of our research centres and groups. Those interested in visiting SSEES should, in the first instance, identify the most relevant academic(s) who might act as a sponsor/mentor for their visit. We will work with the visiting researchers we accept in advance of their visit to develop an agreed work plan, which brings clear benefits to both parties . In order to make most effective use of your time with us, we suggest that plans are made well in advance of your visit, usually several months in advance.

UCL will normally levy a fee for all academic visitors, so you need to be able to fund your trip, including fees due to UCL, travel and accommodation costs. There are no scholarships at UCL to fund visiting researchers and very few to support visiting students. No faculty housing is available. Some of our visitors have been able to find accommodation through services such as Sabbatical Homes.

Visiting Researchers

This route is appropriate for those who hold posts at other universities or higher education institutions in the UK or internationally.

To enquire, please contact the Senior Research Coordinator, Dr Alicia Barnes, in the first instance (alicia.barnes@ucl.ac.uk), attaching your academic cv and a short (max. 2 pages) outline of your research interests, your reasons for wanting to visit SSEES, the proposed dates of your visit and, crucially, how you think your research fits into our research areas, in particular any academic(s) who might act as a sponsor for the visit. Your details will then be forwarded to the Head of Research for review. Once reviewed, you will be contacted with advice on either how to apply more formally, or the reason we can’t accept you.

Although you might wish to explore your research proposals informally with a specific colleague in our department, please do not email all staff to make a request, as such blanket requests may be counterproductive. If we are interested in accepting you, we will ask you to make a formal application through UCL’s procedures, and it is only after the formal application has been considered that you will receive a decision about whether we can offer you a place. A formal offer can only be made by the Head of Department. These processes can take several weeks, so please allow enough time, particularly if you require an offer to apply for a funding scheme with a strict deadline. If you are a non-UK resident you will also need to make a visa application, and this too can take time.

Visiting as a PhD Student

This route is appropriate for those currently enrolled on a PhD programme overseas who wish to conduct research here towards the PhD. You can apply to spend 3 to 12 months at UCL undertaking research which is complementary to the doctoral/PhD project at your ‘home’ university.

To enquire, please contact the Programme Administrator, Svetlana Smirnova, in the first instance (ssees-research@ucl.ac.uk), attaching your academic cv and a short (max. 2 pages) outline of your research interests, your reasons for wanting to visit SSEES, the proposed dates of your visit and, crucially, how you think your research fits into our research areas, in particular any academic(s) who might act as a sponsor for the visit. Your details will then be forwarded to the Head of Postgraduate Research for review. Once reviewed, you will be contacted with advice on either how to apply formally, or the reason we can’t accept you.

A formal offer can only be made by the Head of Department. These processes can take several weeks, so please allow enough time, particularly if you require an offer to apply for a funding scheme with a strict deadline.

If you wish to apply for doctoral study in SSEES, you should not apply as a visiting student, but through the normal graduate research routes.

Visiting for shorter research activities

If you wish to visit UCL for a shorter period, e.g. for a week or two to make use of the SSEES Library as part of your research, you will not be eligible for either of the routes above, which envisage longer research stays. Please contact ssees-research@ucl.ac.uk if you are a PhD student, or alicia.barnes@ucl.ac.uk otherwise to enquire about the possibility of a short visit.

Once at SSEES

If we do accept you, as a visitor to UCL SSEES, you can expect that normally we will provide you with:

• Full access to UCL library resources including e-resources
• Full access to UCL ICT facilities, using a login and password, including access to ICT clusters and Eduroam wifi
• Some working space in SSEES, usually access to shared desks (‘hotdesking’) either in the PhD student rooms, or the shared research office
• Induction and orientation when you arrive in SSEES, including health and safety
• A research mentor or supervisor from the permanent academic staff in SSEES, who will act as your main point of contact for planning your visit and throughout your time with us and whom you can expect to see monthly for a supervision or discussion to discuss your research progress and any additional support you may need
• Access to research activities within SSEES, such as attendance at research seminars and other local research training
• Access to researcher development opportunities (subject to timing and availability) offered within UCL

In turn, we will expect you to:

• Abide by UCL procedures, especially those to do with ethical research conduct, copyright and the appropriate use of UCL facilities
• Acknowledge UCL SSEES appropriately in any publications which arise from the period of your visit to us
• Contribute positively to the research culture and life of SSEES, and any research group or centre to which you are attached during your visit
• Normally, make one research seminar presentation to staff and students of SSEES

Other Visiting Opportunities

The School continues to accept individuals wishing to visit at their own expense, please see the Human Resources page for more information.  If you would like to collaborate with a member of staff please see their research interests on our People pages.  For further information about visiting SSEES,  please contact Head of Mobility, Dr Chiara Amini (chiara.amini@ucl.ac.uk).

The UCL Institute of Advanced Studies hosts a programme for non-stipendiary visiting fellows.

UCL has a Special Collections Visiting Fellowship programme. The application deadline is in February each year. The duration of the fellowship is up to six weeks and includes a grant to cover some of the cost of travel and accommodation.

Qualifying individuals from outside UCL may access UCL’s library resources, including those of the SSEES Library.  See the UCL Library’s page for information about access.