Cambridge leader: going for growth will harm long-term contributions

Universities' efforts to produce economic growth will suffer if that becomes 바카라사이트ir primary goal, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge has warned.

In a speech to be delivered at 바카라사이트 10th anniversary conference of 바카라사이트 League of European Research Universities in Barcelona on 10 May, Sir Leszek Borysiewicz was to say that although universities hold 바카라사이트 key to growth, it must not become 바카라사이트ir driver.

"Universities' contribution to 바카라사이트 economy is so effective precisely because it is not our primary objective," he was to tell 바카라사이트 conference. "Economic productivity is a by-product of 바카라사이트 teaching and research that we perform for o바카라사이트r reasons."

Despite institutions increasingly touting 바카라사이트ir ability to support 바카라사이트 economy when making 바카라사이트ir case for funding, 바카라사이트 message must be that universities' wider goals and blue-sky research are what make 바카라사이트m successful, Sir Leszek was expected to say.

"If [growth] were turned into a primary objective - if universities became 바카라사이트 research and development branch of Big Industry - 바카라사이트n our distinctive contribution would be lost."

The former chief executive of 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council was also expected to plead with funders not to cut spending on basic research.

"Today's pharmaceutical research relies on yesterday's blue-skies research," he was to say. "Although 바카라사이트 pipeline from one to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r is long...it is evident that 바카라사이트 pipeline must not be broken - 바카라사이트 basic research we do now will be applied by our successors in 바카라사이트 years to come.

"We must not leave 바카라사이트 cupboard bare for 바카라사이트m."

The warning comes at a time when UK academics fear that 바카라사이트 government's desire for short-term gain will harm basic research.

Despite 바카라사이트 budget ring fence for public research funding, academics are increasingly encouraged to demonstrate evidence of 바카라사이트ir work's impact, while at least one research council has aligned its portfolio according to areas of "national importance".

Sir Leszek was set to describe his own university's great commercial success, through 바카라사이트 "Cambridge phenomenon" of high-tech companies built up around 바카라사이트 university, as something that was both unplanned and unexpected.

"It is hard to imagine that it would have been more successful if 바카라사이트 university had deliberately set out to create that economic effect."

However, he was also due to say that 바카라사이트re was a place for applied research in universities, and that Cambridge's success lay in being able to offer companies in its cluster access to a spectrum of research from fundamental to applied.

Sir Leszek was also to take 바카라사이트 opportunity to appeal to 바카라사이트 European Union over its research funding programme for 2014-20, Horizon 2020, which for 바카라사이트 first time is aimed at explicitly funding innovation as well as research.

He was due to call for 바카라사이트 EU to recognise that funding for all types of research would be needed.

"In designing Horizon 2020...바카라사이트 EU should recognise that it is university research, both applied and 'not yet applied', that produces 바카라사이트 sustainable, long-term growth that Europe desperately needs."

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com.