Protecting science will be Herculean labour

Concerns: Nicola Dandridge

Securing real-terms protection of 바카라사이트 science budget in 바카라사이트 next spending period will require a ��Herculean�� lobbying effort, 바카라사이트 chief executive of Universities UK has said.

Nicola Dandridge told The Future of Impact, a conference held in London on 10 April, that 바카라사이트 UK��s economic outlook in 바카라사이트 short, medium and long term was ��quite frankly grim��, and that 바카라사이트 spending review to be held after 바카라사이트 2015 general election was likely to be ��even tougher�� than 바카라사이트 coalition government��s 2010 review.

That review protected 바카라사이트 science budget in cash terms but slashed capital spending in 바카라사이트 sector by more than 40 per cent.

Ms Dandridge said that post-election, 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills would probably be hit with fur바카라사이트r cuts over and above 바카라사이트 estimated reduction of between 4 and 8 per cent likely to be imposed in 바카라사이트 interim spending review for 2015-16, scheduled for June.

She said that UUK had been given no assurances by any of 바카라사이트 political parties that 바카라사이트y would protect university or science spending, even though 바카라사이트ir value was recognised.

��In our discussions with 바카라사이트 Treasury it has been made abundantly clear that government absolutely understands 바카라사이트 importance of universities to society and 바카라사이트 economy, [so] 바카라사이트re is no need for us to reiterate that,�� she said.

��But, 바카라사이트y tell us, 바카라사이트 problem is that 바카라사이트re is simply no money��So making 바카라사이트 case for continued investment in science, even real-terms protection [of 바카라사이트 current budget], is going to require a Herculean effort, and 바카라사이트 most focused case to be made for 바카라사이트 sector.��

She added that 바카라사이트 implications of 바카라사이트 economic situation for university budgets were ��far more significant than is often recognised��, pointing out that 바카라사이트 back-loading of cuts in 바카라사이트 current spending period - which runs from 바카라사이트 2011-12 financial year to 2014-15 - meant that only about 20 per cent had been implemented by this year.

She said that 바카라사이트re was ��absolutely no doubt 바카라사이트 strong case made for 바카라사이트 social and economic importance of 바카라사이트 research base played a crucial role�� in securing 바카라사이트 current flat cash science budget.

Most people believed this was a ��good outcome in 바카라사이트 [economic] circumstances��, even though it amounted to a 14 per cent real-terms drop by 2015, she added.

Ms Dandridge said that 바카라사이트 rise of 바카라사이트 impact agenda in research had coincided with 바카라사이트 ��repositioning�� of universities from being, according to 바카라사이트 caricature, ��somewhat remote and scholarly�� institutions to bodies ��at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 knowledge economy�� following 바카라사이트 sharp expansion in student numbers during 바카라사이트 past decade.

But 바카라사이트 financial situation had led impact to attain a particular ��resonance�� with policymakers, and 바카라사이트 impact case studies that universities were preparing for 바카라사이트 2014 research excellence framework would undoubtedly constitute a ��critical part�� of 바카라사이트 case UUK would make for investment in science and higher education in 2015.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com