The UK Future Reserves Research Programme (FRRP) 2014-2018: Results, Impact, and Reflections

Abstract: In 2013 the Director General of Army Reform and the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) announced its intention to fund a £1.3 million programme to conduct research on the UK Reserve Forces and build a military social science research base on reservists for the future. The programme funded four projects across eight UK universities between 2014 and 2018. These projects have provided a rich and high-quality academic evidence base for policy-makers to gain a better understanding of reserve forces and the challenges of being a UK reservist. This article will provide a perspective on how the programme was conceived, the experience of the programme from the researchers’ viewpoint, and the ups and downs of researchers working with the military. There will also be an overall summary of the findings from the four projects, an overview of the impact, and lessons for future programmes. The findings from the UK research programme echo the three main areas recently identified as worthy of present and future attention to achieve a stronger Canadian Reserve Force (Res-F) that were presented at the May 16, 2023, Challenges for Canada’s Reserve Forces symposium, namely, to better understand and address recruitment and employment issues with regard to the civilian capacities and limitations of reservists; retention challenges associated with the lack of meaningful training and gaps in equitable administration; as well as prejudicial policies and cultural biases. The UK Reserve Forces and the Canadian Res-F share a common cultural heritage and are still very similar in several ways in terms of service, how they are organized and trained, and how they are expected to be part of a Total Force approach. While there are some differences, it is hoped the results and reflections from this article will resonate with reservists and their colleagues in Defence, as well as those engaged in academic research in Canada, to promote and enable learning and knowledge-sharing amongst nations.