In March 2012, EPSRC reaffirmed its commitment to the principles of peer review and to research quality as the primary criterion for assessing applications. We reiterated the central role that peer review has in achieving the goal of Shaping Capability and announced four modifications to the panel process to enable panel members to most effectively prioritise the proposals they are considering on the day in the wider context of the overall portfolio.

These modifications, developed with a group of experienced panel members and chairs, have now been piloted and finalised to ensure that they work effectively alongside the current panel process:

• Panel members will receive a contextual briefing from EPSRC to help them consider the proposals on the day in the wider context of the EPSRC portfolio.
  This will include pre-panel briefing that will advise the panel members which research area rationale statements to read and a presentation from EPSRC at the meeting. The contextual briefing will comprise information that is already in the public domain; the aim is to provide panel members with an overview of the relevant elements of the EPSRC portfolio to aid discussion on the day.

• The number of introducers will increase from 2 to 3 people to encourage an ever richer discussion on the relative merit of proposals and how they complement the existing portfolio.
  Each introducer will have a defined role.  The first two introducers will focus on the overall quality of proposals, with the third introducer identifying any discrepancies and ensuring that wider strategic issues are introduced where this discussion has not already taken place.

• Introducers’ scores will be requested 2-3 days in advance of the meeting to enable EPSRC and the panel to reflect on the scores prior to the meeting, and help focus discussion during the meeting.
  The initial running order will be shared with the panel members before the meeting so they have an opportunity to revisit any proposals where there is a significant discrepancy in scores in advance.

• National importance criterion includes consideration of how the proposal complements the current UK research landscape, including the EPSRC portfolio as published under ‘Our portfolio’ on our website, and will be considered at panels as a major secondary criterion.
  From April, all applicants were asked to describe their proposal in the context of our portfolio as part of their national importance statement.  Reviewers were then asked to comment on how the research fits with and complements other research, including that supported by EPSRC, as part of the national importance criterion.

The modifications will be fully implemented in panels convened from 01 October 2012.

Guidance for applicants, reviewers and panel members has been up-dated and can be found in the peer review panels section.