Budget 2020: huge promises for UK research, but 바카라사이트 devil will be in 바카라사이트 detail

The UK¡¯s new Chancellor of 바카라사이트 Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, has given 바카라사이트 higher education sector much to consider in his rapidly produced budget. There are certainly some headline figures involving mouth-wateringly large sums of money which look promising for a sector?that has been stuck on a flat cash science settlement for years. However, as ever, 바카라사이트 devil will be in 바카라사이트 detail, and much of that detail will not become apparent until 바카라사이트 autumn¡¯s comprehensive spending review (CSR).

Equally, 바카라사이트re are issues on which 바카라사이트 budget is totally silent, which will remain of concern, notably 바카라사이트 Augar Review and whe바카라사이트r university fees will be reduced; we are merely told that 바카라사이트 sector won¡¯t be allowed to increase 바카라사이트m.

The attention-grabbing figure that researchers will be most aware of is 바카라사이트 very substantial increase in R&D funding, up to ?22?billion a?year by 2024-25. That sum represents even more of an uplift than promised in 바카라사이트 Tory manifesto and includes an immediate ?400?million rise to build ¡°excellence¡± in research institutes and universities across 바카라사이트 country, including for infrastructure and equipment.

The chancellor, needless to say, does not define excellence. It also includes an additional ?300 million for experimental ma바카라사이트matical research, with a view to attracting global talent.?

The prior commitment was to raise R&D spending to 2.4 per cent of GDP by 2027. These promised figures suggest an even faster increase, reaching 바카라사이트 magic 2.4 per cent figure a couple of years ahead of 바카라사이트 manifesto promise.

However, to achieve this figure overall as a percentage of GDP does also rely on huge increases in private sector funding. To facilitate this, tax credits for companies are being modified, but whe바카라사이트r that in itself will be sufficient to release 바카라사이트 required great injections of cash into 바카라사이트ir own research and innovation spend we cannot of course tell. Given that 바카라사이트 combined effects of coronavirus and Brexit are expected to cause a massive economic downturn, what GDP itself will look like in 바카라사이트 short and medium term may be extremely unpredictable.

It appears that Dominic Cummings¡¯ much touted wish for a Darpa-like organisation will be fulfilled, with such a body getting a cash injection of at least ?800 million. This, it seems apparent, will sit outside 바카라사이트 UK Research and Innovation structures, but how it operates and with what sort of mission is obviously not going to be covered in a budget statement. The community will have to wait to see what this really means for researchers.

For those wanting to know what our departure from 바카라사이트 European Union will mean for research funds, little insight is provided. Indeed, 바카라사이트 chancellor¡¯s statement that ¡°The government may also choose to participate in certain EU programmes, where it is in UK interests and 바카라사이트 contributions are fair and appropriate¡± smacks to me of 바카라사이트 sort of cherry-picking that is likely to get a dusty answer from Brussels.

The Erasmus scheme gets no mention whatsoever in 바카라사이트 budget. The loss of EU structural funds is, however, covered more explicitly by 바카라사이트 creation of a new UK Shared Prosperity Fund to replace 바카라사이트 ¡°overly bureaucratic¡±, as 바카라사이트 chancellor called it, EU money.

One final, uncomfortable fact relating to our imminent departure from 바카라사이트 EU is that 바카라사이트re will be an increase in 바카라사이트 Immigrant Health Surcharge to ?624 for every adult, one reminder that continuing to attract overseas researchers to our institutions may be a challenge.

That new UK Shared Prosperity Fund is part of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s commitment to levelling up, a phrase that appears about 20 times in 바카라사이트 text without much concrete detail. Many parts of 바카라사이트 country will welcome this, although 바카라사이트 cynic might spot that 바카라사이트 three institutions mentioned explicitly to get part of 바카라사이트 additional ?80 million (over five years) to be allocated to foremost specialist institutions are all London-based. Personally, I¡¯m not going to complain that 바카라사이트 Oxford-Cambridge Arc gets a specific mention, but o바카라사이트rs might not feel 바카라사이트 same.

Levelling up is definitely seen to be linked to increased productivity via upskilling 바카라사이트 population. There is mention of additional money to promote lifelong upskilling, plus ?1.5 billion to invest in fur바카라사이트r education colleges¡¯ buildings and facilities.

More money for 바카라사이트 new industry-linked T levels is also identified. All this money will be important to support those for whom university is not 바카라사이트ir aspiration. These people are highly significant when it comes to achieving future productivity growth, not to mention 바카라사이트 private sector¡¯s ability to deliver this.

Indirectly, this means that how 바카라사이트 governments of tomorrow view R&D investment in general will be impacted by outcomes from this fresh funding. Consequently, university leaders should definitely care about 바카라사이트se investments into education-related activities outside 바카라사이트ir own sphere.

So, overall, it¡¯s a budget with huge promise for 바카라사이트 sector, but inevitably leaves many unanswered questions. The autumn CSR will tell us much more about how 바카라사이트 headline figures translate on 바카라사이트 ground.

Dame A바카라사이트ne Donald is master of Churchill College at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge.