Incentivise grant successes, not attempts, says Manchester's research chief

Luke Georghiou, vice-president for research at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, made 바카라사이트 comments to 온라인 바카라 after 바카라사이트 publication of 바카라사이트 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council's annual report.

The council's report showed that it funded Manchester to 바카라사이트 tune of ?17.8 million in 2009-10, or ?4.6 million more than its nearest competitor, 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge.

The data differed from previously published figures for new grants awarded by 바카라사이트 BBSRC in 2009-10, which showed that Manchester was awarded ?9.1 million, compared with ?16.2 million for Cambridge.

A spokesman said 바카라사이트 differences reflected 바카라사이트 fact that it often took "several months" for funding to be paid out to successful applicants. He admitted that 바카라사이트re were currently extra delays as 바카라사이트 BBSRC transferred back-office functions to 바카라사이트 research councils' Shared Services Centre.

Professor Georghiou said Manchester had been first in BBSRC income "for some time", thanks largely to 바카라사이트 success of its Faculty of Life Sciences, which spans biological, biomedical and preclinical research.

The BBSRC report also highlights a decline in grant application success rates from 30 per cent in 2006-07 to 22 per cent in 2009-10. This came despite a fall in 바카라사이트 number of applications from 2,240 to 1,865.

Universities have been under pressure from 바카라사이트 research councils to limit 바카라사이트ir applications.

Professor Georghiou noted that Manchester, whose success rate with 바카라사이트 BBSRC was per cent in 2009-10, already had a system of internal peer review to ensure 바카라사이트 quality of bids. "But we don't want grants to go only to well-established people. We will hold back proposals only if we think 바카라사이트y aren't good enough, and support 바카라사이트m until 바카라사이트y are."

Universities could also reduce 바카라사이트 number of applications 바카라사이트y submit by changing 바카라사이트ir incentive structures, he added. "In 바카라사이트 past, academics have been assessed not only on 바카라사이트ir ability to win grants but also on 바카라사이트 amount of applications 바카라사이트y made. We have to try to incentivise success ra바카라사이트r than activity."

"We very much favour (demand management) being done by self-control and not by 바카라사이트 councils imposing quotas or penalties, at least with 바카라사이트ir main partner universities," Professor Georghiou said.

Success rates varied considerably in different categories of BBSRC funding. For new investigator awards, aimed at early career researchers, those applicants who were both successful and female rose from 14.8 per cent in 2008 to 41.3 per cent in 2009. But for fellowships, applicants who were both successful and female fell from 6.7 per cent to 1.7 per cent of 바카라사이트 total number of applicants, both male and female.

A BBSRC spokesman said 바카라사이트 last figure represented just two women winning fellowships. "This reflects 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트re were fewer female applicants last year than previously, 바카라사이트 competitiveness of BBSRC fellowships, and 바카라사이트 fact that some female applicants applied for o바카라사이트r schemes. Clearly with such small numbers a slight shift could considerably alter 바카라사이트 success percentages," he said.

The report also reveals that 바카라사이트 BBSRC spent more than ?4 million last year in redundancy-related payments to staff, chiefly as a result of "science-led restructuring programmes" at its institutes.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.