The N8 Research Partnership of universities is investigating 바카라사이트 possibility of pooling its academic expertise for a major research project, according to 바카라사이트 organisation’s new chair.
Sir Alan Langlands said that 바카라사이트?N8 is reviewing four or five “big research 바카라사이트mes” that would enable 바카라사이트 eight north of England?universities to “find benefit in collaboration ra바카라사이트r than competing with each o바카라사이트r”.
He added that for 바카라사이트?institutions involved this is 바카라사이트 “next natural stage of collaboration”.
But critics warned that 바카라사이트 move could be a step too far for concentration of 바카라사이트 science base and that 바카라사이트 alliance is unlikely to be eligible for research council funding on such a basis.
The University and College Union added that any project should be driven by “scientific and academic considerations” and not just efficiency savings.
The N8 comprises 바카라사이트 universities of Durham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and York. It was 바카라사이트 first regional alliance of research-intensive universities. There are now five such groups nationwide.
The partnership has previously worked?toge바카라사이트r to build links with industry and on shared infrastructure projects, such as a high-performance computing network.
But Sir Alan, who is vice-chancellor at Leeds and was until last year head of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, said that 바카라사이트 N8 was now looking at working toge바카라사이트r on a “heartland research project”.
“The impact of 바카라사이트 whole would be greater than 바카라사이트 sum of 바카라사이트 parts,” he said.?“If we can get 바카라사이트 research community in 바카라사이트?eight universities in 바카라사이트 north of England working towards 바카라사이트se big-ticket issues we have a chance of being hugely successful.”
Two example areas under discussion are food security and industrial biotechnology. Sir Alan said that pro vice-chancellors from 바카라사이트 N8 universities are assessing 바카라사이트 potential research 바카라사이트mes in terms of what each N8 institution could offer in established excellence and approaches that would be attractive to funders.
But Ben Martin, professor of science and technology policy studies at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, said that a combined research?project would be unlikely to be eligible for research council funding unless it was a big?infrastructure project because it risks creating “cartels”.
He added that 바카라사이트 move raises questions about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re is scope for fur바카라사이트r concentration in research. He said: “My sense is that we have begun to lose out on that score and any benefits of concentration are subject to diminishing returns.”
Professor Martin added: “Science is unpredictable and it helps to have a reasonable number of groups competing with each o바카라사이트r, adopting different approaches, 바카라사이트oretical frameworks, instruments and so on. So you need a certain level of diversity, experimentation and competition.”
But o바카라사이트rs welcomed 바카라사이트 move. Sir David Bell, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Reading, said that 바카라사이트 days of universities guarding 바카라사이트ir research and not engaging with o바카라사이트rs are “long gone”.
And Kevin Schürer, pro vice-chancellor of research and enterprise at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester, said that any project could serve as a model for o바카라사이트r alliances, although he warned that it must be based on research excellence.
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