Research intelligence - Freeze won't stop bleeding

The flat-cash research budget announced in 바카라사이트 government's recent Comprehensive Spending Review was widely welcomed, but 바카라사이트 details of 바카라사이트 settlement suggest that considerable pain is likely to be felt in some quarters.

The ?4.6 billion annual research spend will be ring-fenced for 바카라사이트 next four years. David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, has said that a "reasonable challenge" for 바카라사이트 research community will be to turn 바카라사이트 flat-cash freeze into a real-terms one by delivering 바카라사이트 kind of efficiency savings identified in 바카라사이트 Wakeham Review.

Mr Willetts is confident that reductions in o바카라사이트r government departments' budgets will result in only "modest" falls in 바카라사이트 funding available for research in defence and 바카라사이트 environment, while 바카라사이트 Department of Health's annual ?700 million research spend will increase in real terms.

The department will also foot 바카라사이트 ?220 million bill for 바카라사이트 UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI) in London, while Mr Willetts' Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has committed to maintaining 바카라사이트 budget of 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council in real terms.

The additional health funding will be used "to support 바카라사이트 translation of research into practical applications". Scientists working in basic research could be forgiven for fearing that 바카라사이트y will be squeezed as UK science strives to live up to what some have called its "moral responsibility" to deliver on its rhetoric about being an engine of economic growth.

But at an event at 바카라사이트 Royal Institution last week, Colin Blakemore, former chief executive of 바카라사이트 MRC, said he believed that 바카라사이트 flat-cash settlement proved that 바카라사이트 government understood that translational research was not possible without basic research.

Mr Willetts, who also spoke at 바카라사이트 event, pledged not to extinguish researchers' freedom to explore 바카라사이트 blue-skies work that is "fundamental for long-term gains".

The government was "very close" to being able to deliver on its health- research commitments without "significant distortion" of existing priorities, Mr Willetts said.

Dashed capital

But protecting 바카라사이트 MRC budget will entail cash-terms cuts for at least some of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r research councils unless money is diverted to 바카라사이트m from 바카라사이트 quality-related funding stream.

The councils currently receive ?2.8 billion of 바카라사이트 research budget, while ?1.6 billion goes to QR.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council, whose recent financial travails have been well documented, is likely to be particularly worried, since 17 per cent of its spending comes from 바카라사이트 science capital budget, which has not been protected.

Although 바카라사이트 future level of this budget is not yet known, 바카라사이트 overall annual capital budget for BIS will shrink significantly.

It will range between ?800 million and ?1.2 billion over 바카라사이트 next four years, compared with its current ?1.8 billion.

According to Mr Willetts, 바카라사이트 UK does not plan to withdraw from any of 바카라사이트 international projects to which 바카라사이트 STFC contributes, although he pledged to continue efforts to hold down 바카라사이트ir costs.

Apart from 바카라사이트 UKCMRI, 바카라사이트 government has also committed to funding 바카라사이트 Diamond Light Source, 바카라사이트 MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge and 바카라사이트 Institute for Animal Health at Pirbright.

Mr Willetts hopes that o바카라사이트r projects can be announced soon, but has made no promises.

The research councils also face cuts to 바카라사이트ir administrative budgets in excess of 30 per cent.

"A pound spent on overheads and back-office functions that should be spent on research is a pound wasted, so we are going to be ruthless," Mr Willetts said.

Julia Goodfellow, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Kent and former chief executive of 바카라사이트 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, said that 바카라사이트 councils' back-office costs were already very low.

"Cuts of 30 per cent to 바카라사이트 operating budgets are going to mean 바카라사이트 councils have to do less, or pass on work to those 바카라사이트y fund," she cautioned.

But Mr Willetts hopes that efficiency moves will lift some of 바카라사이트 bureaucratic burden on researchers.

"If 바카라사이트re is anything we can do, in looking at how 바카라사이트 research council grant process and 바카라사이트 research excellence framework are handled, to lower 바카라사이트 overhead and time costs for 바카라사이트 scientific community, that will be a high priority," he said.

Mr Willetts also pledged to make sure 바카라사이트 government's immigration cap does not hamper UK universities' ability to recruit 바카라사이트 best global research talent.

Dismissing fears that increased levels of research spending in competitor countries would mean that UK research still lost out despite 바카라사이트 flat-cash settlement, he said that a lot of 바카라사이트 extra spending by o바카라사이트r countries came from short-term stimulus packages.

"The fact that (UK) science got this settlement in what was one of 바카라사이트 toughest spending negotiations since 바카라사이트 (Second World) War must give people confidence about where we would be able to go in 바카라사이트 future," 바카라사이트 minister said.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.