Simon and Hallsworth Visiting Professorships

Please download the application form.

Colleagues wishing to nominate a Visiting Professor (VP) should contact their School Research Support Manager. Visits are to take place during the 2025/26 academic year. School Research Support Managers should rank their nominations and send a completed application form and a short CV (max two pages) for each candidate to simonandhallsworth@manchester.ac.uk by Tuesday 10 December 2024. Please note that applications received directly from nominees will not be accepted. Only applications received via School Research Support Managers will be accepted. Decisions will be communicated to Schools by the end of December 2024.

Guidance on completing the application form

1. The name of an academic point of contact responsible for hosting the visit.
2. School hosting the visit.
3. Visiting Professorship scheme (select Simon or Hallsworth from the drop-down menu).
4. Name of proposed Visiting Professor.
5. Institution of proposed Visiting Professor.
6. Date of birth of proposed Visiting Professor (for P&OD).
7. Email address of proposed Visiting Professor.
8. Confirmation that the School can host the VP (including study space).
9. A paragraph that outlines how the proposed visit relates to the School's research agenda.
10. A list of the planned and provisional activities that the VP will undertake. This might include one or more of the following: presenting their research at an academic event (e.g. a high profile lecture, seminar or workshop to coincide with their visit); a masterclass or workshop for graduate students; being available for meetings with doctoral students; a contribution to undergraduate teaching; a public engagement event.
11. The provisional dates of the visit - please ensure there is enough time before the visit to arrange ATAS, visas etc.
12. Costing - budget plan for the visit, to be prepared in liaison with the School Research Support Office. Eligible costs are the expenses of the VP(s) (i.e. his/her travel to UK, within UK, accommodation, meals and any other reasonable research expenses incurred by the visiting professor during the visit). It is expected that the budget will normally include travel costs for one return trip only.

A short CV of the proposed visitor should also be attached. Please note: the CV should be no more than two sides of A4. Longer CVs will not be accepted.

Funding is normally available as follows:

• Simon Visiting Professorships: Visits of 2-6 weeks duration
• Hallsworth Visiting Professorships: Visits of 2-12 weeks duration

The School/Discipline Area should ensure that the cost of the visit can be met from the amount requested.

Allocations will meet only the expenses of the VP(s) (i.e. his/her travel to UK, within UK, accommodation, meals and any other reasonable research expenses incurred during the visit).

A per diem rate of up to £50 may be used to cover living expenses. 

Recurrent visits will be considered by the committees but the nomination cases must have an exceptional rationale for two years funding and should involve a key collaborative project.

Colleagues are advised to liaise with their School Research Office to prepare the budget before submitting nominations for VPs to their School Research Support Manager. If Schools are submitting more than one VP nomination they are asked to rank their nominations.

Please contact simonandhallsworth@manchester.ac.uk if you have any questions about the application process.

The Secretary will inform the School academic champions, Research Support Managers and the Treasury Accountant in central finance once nominations for VPs have been approved by the Simon and Hallsworth Committees.

The School Research Support Manager or School Operations team will arrange for the VP to complete a Visitor Form in advance of the visit as per the University's Visitors Policy and Procedure and issue a Visitor Invitation Letter including an IT account application form. For visitors coming from outside the UK this includes a declaration that Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) requirements and the University's Export Control Policy have been considered and, if applicable, clearance has been applied for and obtained.

The School Research Support Manager will contact the relevant academic champion and the visitor two months prior to the commencement of the visit to ensure that planning is on track and to provide advice to help the smooth running of the visit. Visa arrangements, if applicable, are the sole responsibility of the visitor, but HR can provide advice on visa requirements if required.

The central finance office will transfer VP allocations to Schools. All expenses must be claimed against, or charged to this School account (i.e. a School may book accommodation for the VP in advance - in fact it is strongly recommended that Schools arrange and pay directly in advance for as much of the VP's expenses as possible). Any additional expenses incurred by the VP during their visit will need to be reimbursed via the usual University expense form and be supported by appropriate receipts. School Research Support Managers can advise precisely on the arrangements.

Please note that a Visiting Professor is not paid a salary for the tenure of the Professorship. In special circumstances an honorarium may be paid, but this will not be a charge against the funds made available for that Professorship, or on the Hallsworth/Simon Fund that provides for Professorships.

On arrival the VP should report to P&OD with their appointment letter, passport and any relevant visa documentation. P&OD will produce a staff card (for library access).

The academic champion nominating the Visiting Professor will be responsible for management of the visit throughout the duration of the award. Following the approval of the application he or she will:

• Contact the Visiting Professor on a regular and timely basis to ensure that the visit schedule is agreed and finalised well in advance of the visit commencing
• Ensure that HR and the School Office are informed of start and end dates for the visit so that the appointment can be set up on the system and a staff card can be ready for the VP when he/she arrives
• Liaise with the respective school research office to seek advice and support on all practical and logistical aspects to the visit. This may include arranging suitable travel and accommodation for the visitor whilst in the UK; promoting any specific lectures, workshops or conferences associated with the visit or identifying suitable temporary office space should this be required
• Ensure that final reports are written and sent to the committee secretary following the agreed template and within four weeks of the completion of the visit. For examples of previous reports please contact Gillian Whitworth.
• Provide periodic updates to the Simon and Hallsworth committees on any long term strategic and collaborative research agendas that may have arisen as a direct and/or indirect result of the visit
• Liaise with the School Finance Office to ensure that funds have been transferred and that an account code has been established for relevant expenses claims

Once the Visiting Professor's visit to Manchester has concluded, it is the responsibility of the nominating academic (in collaboration with the Visiting Professor) to produce a short report outlining the impact and outputs of the visit. These will be reviewed by the Simon/Hallsworth Committee.

Completed reports should be around one side of A4 and must include:

Background to the visit

• The name of the Visiting Professor, the school/centre which hosted the visit and the name of the nominating academic;
• The dates of the visit;
• The full and final cost, including details of any other sources of funding used in partial support of the visit.

Impact of the visit (short and long-term) - these should be related back to the original aims of the visit as outlined in the application.

• Activities that took place during the visit (this may include undergraduate teaching, PhD supervision, meetings, workshop delivery, public lectures, etc);
• Key outputs of the visit (indicate any publications that are planned, are in preparation or have arisen; grant applications; sustained contribution to PGR supervision or examination, etc, from which a tangible outcome can be evidenced or is expected);
• Evidence of any medium- or long-term strategic relationship between the host School/Centre and the VP or his/her organisation (e.g. the potential for a fixed-term or part-time post for the VP, an honorary research position, etc); what plans are being put in place to further develop this relationship?
• Any other contribution to the intellectual climate of the host School/Centre;
• Whether the visit was publicised either within the university or externally, and any media coverage and/or presentation of work to a general audience;
• Any other dissemination (e.g. conference, other publicity) that has taken place or is planned for the future;
• Contribution of the visit to the VP's career development;
• Any problems that may have been encountered before or during the visit and/or ways in which the scheme can be improved.

Completed reports should be sent in electronic copy to simonandhallsworth@manchester.ac.uk.

The Professorships are intended to enable scholars of distinction in the field of Social Sciences to make short visits to the University to contribute to its research and teaching. The regulations were amended in 1995.

The University will offer one or more Simon Visiting Professorships in the Social Sciences, including Law and Education.

A Visiting Professorship is tenable for not more than six weeks and not less than two weeks.

A Visiting Professorship is expected to take part in the work of the department to which he, or she, is assigned. The programme for each Visiting Professor will be approved by the Appointing Committee and will include inter alia the provision of lectures, seminars, advice to research students and participation in one or more research programmes. Visiting Professors are expected to remain in Manchester during the tenure of their Professorship.

The Simon Fund will pay reasonable expenses for the Professor to visit Manchester and will also pay reasonable subsistence expenses, and any other agreed expenses, during the tenure of the Professorship. All such expenses will be a charge on the funds made available for that Professorship.

A Visiting Professor is not paid a salary for the tenure of the Professorship. In special circumstances an honorarium may be paid, but this will not be a charge against the funds made available for that Professorship, or on the Simon Fund which provides for Professorships.

Simon Visiting Professorships are awarded following a submission from the Head of the Department or School in which it is proposed that the Visiting Professor be based. The submission should make clear the distinction of the person concerned and the potential contribution to, and impact of the work of the department or school.

The Appointing Committee will not normally require the provision of external references, nor will it be necessary for the candidate to be approached before a proposal is placed before the Committee.

Proposals should be brought to the Appointing Committee in the academic year preceding the one in which the visit is desired. If a proposal is approved, the dates of the visit must be agreed with the Chair of the Appointing Committee before the appointment is finalised.

The Appointing Committee for Simon Visiting Professorships shall be that established for Simon Research Fellowships.

These Visiting Professorships were founded under the terms of a gift made by Professor H M Hallsworth, in 1944 to assist and advance the study of Political Economy, this term being construed in a wide sense. The Professorships are intended to enable scholars of distinction in the field of Political Economy to make short visits to the University to contribute to its research and teaching. The regulations were amended in 1995.

A Visiting Professorship is tenable for not more than twelve and not less than two weeks. The Visiting Professorships are intended to enable persons of distinction in the field of Political Economy to make short visits to the University to contribute to its research and teaching.

A Visiting Professor is expected to take part in the work of the unit to which he, or she, is assigned. The programme for each Visiting Professor will be approved by the Hallsworth Fellowships Committee and will include inter alia the provision of lectures, seminars, advice to research students and participation in one or more research programmes. The Visiting Professorships may be awarded to suitable persons whether graduates of a University or not who:

a) would require leave of absence for a limited period from their academic or other duties to enable them to complete a piece of research in some branch of Political Economy which they have already begun but whose completion is delayed by pressure of such academic or other duties or<

b) wish to visit the University of Manchester, at the invitation of the Hallsworth Fellowships Committee, for a limited period to discuss and undertake research in Political Economy. Visiting Professors are expected to remain in Manchester during the tenure of their Professorship.

The Hallsworth Fund will pay reasonable expenses for the Professor to visit Manchester and will also pay reasonable subsistence expenses, and any other agreed expenses, during the tenure of the Professorship. All such expenses will be a charge on the funds made available for that Professorship.

A Visiting Professor is not paid a salary for the tenure of the Professorship. In special circumstances an honorarium may be paid, but this will not be a charge against the funds made available for that Professorship, or on the Hallsworth Fund which provides for Professorships.

Hallsworth Visiting Professorships are awarded following a submission from the Head of the Unit in which it is proposed that the Visiting Professor be based. The submission should make clear the distinction of the person concerned and the potential contribution to, and impact upon the work of the Unit.

The Hallsworth Fellowships Committee will not normally require the provision of external references for Visiting Professorships.

Proposals should be brought to the Hallsworth Fellowships Committee in the academic year preceding the one in which the visit is desired. If a proposal is approved the dates of the visit must be agreed with the Chair of the Hallsworth Fellowships Committee before the appointment is finalised.

The Appointing Committee for Hallsworth Visiting Professorships shall be the Hallsworth Fellowships Committee.

The Visiting Professorships are not intended for students who, having taken recently an initial degree, are desirous of undertaking a first piece of postgraduate research. They are reserved for more advanced workers in the field of Political Economy who have already proved their ability to conduct a piece of independent research.