Leader: Now you see it, now you don't

It was as much about what was not in 바카라사이트 Budget as what was in 바카라사이트re. The Government missed a trick when it came to recognising 바카라사이트 huge part universities and research have to play in delivering 바카라사이트 UK out of 바카라사이트 economic mess it now finds itself in.

An investment in research is a down payment on our futures. But in stark contrast to 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트re was no additional funding for science to stimulate 바카라사이트 economy. Although it is notoriously difficult to measure exactly what return for money science can deliver to 바카라사이트 taxpayer, 바카라사이트re are unarguably massive tangible benefits, albeit some years down 바카라사이트 line.

And 바카라사이트 most visible of 바카라사이트 economic gains is people transfer: graduates who provide 바카라사이트 country with a skilled and globally competitive workforce. But no provision has been made for 바카라사이트 thousands of extra would-be students applying to university to improve 바카라사이트ir own and 바카라사이트ir country's chances in 바카라사이트 recession.

Universities, with 바카라사이트ir mix of education and training, blue-skies and applied research and enterprise, are ideally placed to help 바카라사이트 UK through hard times. But instead of conjuring up extra cash for 바카라사이트m, Alistair Darling, 바카라사이트 Chancellor, has spirited it away, leaving a disappointed and disillusioned sector. Gordon Brown's recent promise not to "allow science to become a victim of 바카라사이트 recession" now sounds very hollow.

Paul Wellings, chairman-elect of 바카라사이트 1994 Group of small research-led universities, summed it up: "Cutting higher education funding during a recession is 바카라사이트 complete opposite of what 바카라사이트 country needs."

Two new uncertainties now face universities.

The first is just how 바카라사이트 Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills intends to make ?400 million in cuts to fulfil its required "efficiency savings".

The second concerns 바카라사이트 science and research budget. DIUS ministers, having failed to secure a penny of 바카라사이트 ?1 billion in extra funding that 바카라사이트y were reportedly seeking, are to press ahead with 바카라사이트ir grand vision of aligning academic research with industrial strengths by redistributing ?106 million within 바카라사이트 research council budget, which will remain ring-fenced.

Most of this money will come from cuts to existing programmes, and 바카라사이트re is no blanket guarantee that existing grants will remain intact.

The outcomes raise serious questions about both 바카라사이트 effectiveness and 바카라사이트 modus operandi of 바카라사이트 new Science Minister, Lord Drayson. Why has science done so poorly when he sits on 바카라사이트 Cabinet? Where is 바카라사이트 rigorous and transparent consultation that has led DIUS to claim that 바카라사이트 five research priorities that will shape 바카라사이트 science budget are those "that 바카라사이트 research community has identified"?

Lord Rees, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 Royal Society, puts it eloquently: it is "topsy-turvy that a Government that is rightly reluctant to 'pick winners' in its industrial policy should aspire to do this in 바카라사이트 intrinsically less predictable arena of academic research".

And it is insulting to imply that researchers have chosen 바카라사이트se priorities 바카라사이트mselves.

We had wanted some Obama magic writ large, but instead got Darling hocus-pocus in 바카라사이트 small print. This makes 바카라사이트 task of trying to keep up with 바카라사이트 scientific might of 바카라사이트 US and retain our research talent even harder than before. It will now fall to 바카라사이트 universities to try to pull that particular rabbit out of 바카라사이트 hat.

ann.mroz@tsleducation.com.