My chosen institution with whom I was hoping to complete a Masters degree, whose name and location I will keep anonymous, has decided not to apply for Arts and Humanities Research Council funding.

The situation - I contacted the institution in January to ask about the provision of funding. I was informed that as a small institution they were not eligible for a block grant, under the 2009 re-organised AHRC funding system.

However I was informed that the institution would be registering so that students could apply for the open competition - details of which can be found in this link - http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportunities/Pages/StudentshipCompetition.aspx

However -and a big however- is that on contacting them 3-months after my intial enquiry was made I was informed that the institution would not be registering for funding at all!

The reasons given were complexity and technicalities. I had always presumed that Universities were specifically designed to deal with issues that exhibited these characteristics :-)

So my questions to you are, do you think this is fair, can anyone think why an institution would make this decision, and does anyone have any advice or good contacts at the AHRC to discuss this with?

I don't think that it is fair that your university has said that they re going for AHRC funding and have then changed their minds and not registered to become an AHRC outlet.

It does take time and money for a university to be recognised to be eligible for research council funding and there could be any number of reasons why they decided not to do it - time, cost, not being given funding from the performance in the recent RAE that they throught they would, staff leaving etc. In the end it is up to the university if they want to try and register for AHRC recognition and if they don't there is nothing you can really do about it.

You could complain about the university in question saying they would be registering for funding and then not doing it. However, they will probably have al manner of excuses to get out of the complaint, and also if you burn all of your bridges there you won't be able to apply there next year when they possibly will have registered for funding.

The only thing you can do is move on to another university that can provide funding and apply there and forget about this university that has messed you around, although bear in mind that time for 2009 entry is running out.

Here goes my bit:--
I think it's ridiculous; I've heard of a (possibly worse) situation where an Institution was applying for awards under the BGP, but not for a specific department, which as such rendered this department ineligible for the Open Competition.
The fact that your University plainly cannot be bothered putting people forward for AHRC awards in the Open Competition, unfortunately, is probably a reflection of their standing with the AHRC (= not very good). The main issue with you contacting the AHRC is thus: applications are judged not only on you, and the project you put forward, but also the ability of your Institution to provide appropriate training/ access to members of staff/ facilities. Therefore EVEN if the AHRC said that your situation was unfair (which it plainly is) you'd likely be stuffed as they'd take the University's non-compliance as evidence of their inability to fulfill obligations towards their postgraduate students.
I hope this makes sense, unfortunately you're in a no-win situation. The only thing I can suggest is that you try and rush an application in elsewhere, though I suspect this would have to be another Open Competition Institution as most Unis (that I know of) are well into the process of allocating their BGP awards.
Sorry I couldn't be more positive!

Pamplemousse - Thanks for your advice,

I've contacted the AHRC about the issue, without naming names, and they were massively helpful but could offer no reason as to why an institution wouldn't apply - highlighting the fact that they offer support and guidance to institutions in the application process. They seemed slightly bemused as to why an inst. would find the process difficult.

Very good point about the AHRC also taking the instutions ability to support my research - I think they were adequately placed to support it... they still are. But I accept your point about non-compliance. What seems strange to me is the intial positivity of the inst. with regards to their chance of gaining funding in the open competition, and a few months later, their despondent reply...

As for rushing an application elsewhere; sadly my research proposal (nearly finished with full bibliography :-( ) is fairly specific to this inst.

I may still make the application, but my confidence and respect for the inst. has taken a serious knock.

XJR - Thanks for your reply too. I accept your point about time and cost, but they were confident that they were making an application in January and the Open Competition deadline is not until May 7th, and the AHRC made no mention of cost when I asked them what factors may put institutions off.

I accept your point about it being up to the institution to apply, but I am sadden by it as well, as yes it is up to the inst. but, I am a big believer in equal access to education - which, to my mind AHRC grants represent.

The action I have taken is to contact the Dean - I emailed him 6 days ago - it's a polite enquiry as to why, and a plea to reconsider their position on the issue.

I am aware that this may burn bridges, but any institution that persecutes persistence and reasoned enquiry, and would show such antipathy toward somone who was as stubbornly enthusiastic as myself to study at their University is an organisation that I would not be sad about being excluded from.

I have yet to receive a reply...