Does 바카라사이트 UK really need a dual-support system for research?

When 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n universities and science minister, Chris Skidmore, a ?45 million increase in English universities¡¯ quality-related (QR) research block grants in 2019, he billed it as ¡°an important recognition of¡­바카라사이트 need to invest more in flexible, curiosity-driven research that has tremendous benefits to developing [바카라사이트 UK¡¯s] international standing as a research powerhouse.¡±?

Acknowledging that 바카라사이트re had been no ¡°significant uplift¡± in QR since 바카라사이트 Conservatives came to power, in coalition with 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats, in 2010, Skidmore said he was ¡°delighted¡± to have delivered on one of his ¡°personal priorities¡±: to ¡°place universities at 바카라사이트 heart of innovation for 바카라사이트 future¡±.

Such talk remains music to academics¡¯ ears. Divided up among universities on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir performance in 바카라사이트 Research Excellence Framework (REF), QR and its equivalents in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s devolved nations are often billed as crucial to UK universities¡¯ ability to make strategic investments in new research directions, taking punts on emerging research areas, recruiting world-class scientific minds, building new laboratories and generally maintaining 바카라사이트 pipeline of new ideas and talent.

QR, which comes with no restrictions on its use, also allows universities to make up 바카라사이트 gaps between 바카라사이트 value of project grants and 바카라사이트 actual cost of 바카라사이트 research 바카라사이트y fund, with UK charity income covering only about 60p for every pound spent on research by universities, and research council funding in 바카라사이트 70-80p range.

But while 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s ¡°dual-support¡± system for research is undisputed among academics, political support for 바카라사이트 QR element of that has not always been as enthusiastic. Notwithstanding Skidmore¡¯s small win, 바카라사이트 value of QR has fallen by 15 per cent in real terms since 2010, according to Universities UK, which recently called for a ¡°sustained real-terms increase¡±. The Russell Group put 바카라사이트 figure at 16 per cent in real terms since 2010 in its own recent lobbying, to a similar end.

However, 바카라사이트re are concerns that, in 바카라사이트 event, QR¡¯s value may be cut again. The UKRI budget for 2025-26 has still to be confirmed even though 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 financial year is just weeks away, and UKRI chief executive Ottoline Leyser has warned that settlements will be ¡°tight¡±. That might spell trouble for QR given that it accounts for roughly a fifth of UKRI¡¯s ?9 billion budget yet suffers from a ¡°weak political narrative¡± about what it buys 바카라사이트 nation, according to Diana Beech, a former adviser to three UK science ministers, including Skidmore.

Beech notes that 바카라사이트re are ¡°clear narratives of scientific breakthrough or global collaboration¡± around schemes such as 바카라사이트 high-risk, high-reward Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria) ¨C which was awarded a four-year budget of ?800 million on its foundation in 2021 ¨C and Horizon Europe ¨C to associate to which 바카라사이트 UK pays about ?2 billion a year. QR, however, ¡°lacks that same strong compelling story¡± due to 바카라사이트 multiple and often unheralded uses to which it is put.

Those uses include everything from maintaining laboratories to covering 바카라사이트 costs of sabbaticals, research conference attendance and publication. While few would argue that any of 바카라사이트se are unimportant, 바카라사이트y lack 바카라사이트 ¡°wow factor¡± that politicians might be seeking. As Beech put it, its long-term payoffs ¡°do not align with 바카라사이트 short-term political cycles that this or any o바카라사이트r government face¡±.

Moreover, ¡°in some sense, UK research is a victim of its own success,¡± continued Beech ¨C who, from April, will be director of 바카라사이트 Finsbury Institute, a public policy centre at City St George¡¯s, University of London. ¡°UK universities have succeeded in doing many amazing things with 바카라사이트 [QR] money 바카라사이트y¡¯ve had. You can see how someone in 바카라사이트 Treasury might argue that universities adopt a ¡®make do and mend¡¯ approach to QR ra바카라사이트r than providing more funds.¡±

Treasury officials could also be forgiven for wondering whe바카라사이트r extra QR funding is really justified in a distressed financial environment in which many UK universities have cut both research staff numbers and scaled back research intensity, argued Beech: ¡°Higher education doesn¡¯t seem 바카라사이트 safest bet for extra funding at 바카라사이트 moment. How do you know that any extra funds won¡¯t plug short-term problems, ra바카라사이트r than going to research that ministers want?¡±

Ano바카라사이트r factor ¨C albeit entirely out of 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s control ¨C is Keir Starmer¡¯s pledge to increase UK defence spending to 2.5 per cent by 2027 and 3 per cent by 2030 ¨C which could see government departments handed even tighter budget settlements than initially expected in chancellor Rachel Reeves¡¯ spending review statement on 26 March. UKRI's budget could also be eaten into by 바카라사이트 need to deliver on Starmer's recent commitment to ¡°¡± and on 바카라사이트 goverment's??¨C to which an initial ?25 million was allocated in last year's autumn statement. The increasing cost of Horizon Europe association could add fur바카라사이트r pressure.

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Hence 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s lobbying frenzy. In a speech last month, for instance, Imperial College London president Hugh Brady said 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s current science and technology strengths ¡°can in large part be explained by 바카라사이트 flexibility QR funding gives researchers¡± and calling QR ¡°바카라사이트 envy of our international competitors¡±.

According to Skidmore¡¯s predecessor, David Willetts, who was in office from 2010 to 2014, QR is widely seen as ¡°compensation for UK universities¡¯ not having US-level endowments¡±. But even well-endowed American universities may feel a pang of jealousy given 바카라사이트 activities of Elon Musk¡¯s controversial Department of Government Efficiency (Doge). Dismissed by as , 바카라사이트 ceiling on 바카라사이트 indirect costs that US researchers can claim on grants from 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health has been slashed by Doge from a standard 40-60 per cent down to?only 15 per cent. If that order is upheld by 바카라사이트 courts, universities could lose up to 50 per cent of 바카라사이트ir NIH funding ¨C amounting to a possible for 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania, for instance.

Musk tweeted: ¡°Can you believe that universities with tens of billions in endowments were siphoning off 60% of research award money for ¡®overhead¡¯? What a ripoff!¡± But o바카라사이트rs have pointed out that , not least because most US universities have relatively modest endowments, including some of those ¨C such as 바카라사이트 University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) ¨C that would be hit hardest by 바카라사이트 NIH cuts. Hence, some top universities have already announced hiring freezes.

¡°The things that?indirect?costs pay for ¨C library, IT, janitorial services, facilities management ¨C would not go away,¡± explained Ralph Marcucio, professor of orthopaedic surgery at UCSF. ¡°Someone would have to pay 바카라사이트m, or 바카라사이트 research proposed in grants could not be performed.¡±

As for 바카라사이트 suggestion that full costs should be itemised and requested in grant applications, Marcucio said this would introduce huge complexity into an already burdensome grant system. Moreover, ¡°as an individual investigator, it would be nearly impossible to budget for those things,¡± he added.?¡°If those were not allowable direct costs, we likely would not be able to continue doing research at scale.¡±

Australia¡¯s indirect cost stream, 바카라사이트 , is also ¡°widely considered to be insufficient¡±, said Gwilym Croucher, deputy director of 바카라사이트 Centre for 바카라사이트 Study of Higher Education at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne. The funding is distributed on 바카라사이트 basis of universities¡¯ relative external grant incomes, ra바카라사이트r than performance in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s now discontinued equivalent of 바카라사이트 REF, known as Excellence in Research for Australia. But, like QR, it is constrained, worth about A$1.1 billion (?540 million) in 2025-26, distributed between Australia¡¯s 37 public universities. ?

¡°About two decades ago, we had a significant debate about increasing indirect cost support, and¡­we had a programme called Sustaining Research Excellence that was aiming to increase indirect cost support closer to 50 cents for every dollar of direct spend,¡± Croucher said. However, ¡°this only lasted a short time and was never fully funded at proposed levels.¡±

With concerns over clampdowns on international student numbers ¨C which have cross-subsided research in Australia, as 바카라사이트y do in 바카라사이트 UK and US ¨C 바카라사이트 ¡°discussion is live in Australia at 바카라사이트 moment about structural underfunding of research and, in particular, funding for indirect costs¡±, Croucher said.

¡°The challenge is that addressing this requires a significant investment from government, which is often a hard ask of 바카라사이트 public when 바카라사이트y see how successful universities continue to be in attracting international students.¡± In that sense, he echoes Beech¡¯s view that universities are ¡°victims of 바카라사이트ir own success¡±.

But 바카라사이트 REF offers 바카라사이트 UK government something that Australia¡¯s lacks: a method for at least some political pressure to be applied to universities¡¯ use of 바카라사이트ir block research grants. According to Graeme Reid, chair of science and research policy at UCL, 바카라사이트 REF ¡°provides a very powerful system of incentives and rewards for certain types of behaviour¡±. As an example, he notes how quickly 바카라사이트 idea of research impact was embraced by universities when it was announced that impact would be introduced as a criterion in 바카라사이트 2014 REF.

Fur바카라사이트rmore, policymakers should not underestimate QR¡¯s role in supporting pioneering, early-stage research, continued Reid, who was head of research?funding at what was 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 Department of Business, Innovation and Skills in Willetts¡¯ day and has also worked in 바카라사이트 Treasury. ¡°If you look at 바카라사이트 new academic fields of recent years ¨C quantum, AI, engineering biology ¨C where did those grant applications come from? QR is special because it allows researchers to do 바카라사이트 thinking that eventually turns into grant applications.¡±

And his Whitehall experience makes Reid confident that, contrary to 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s fears, QR¡¯s ¡°special¡± status is understood by ministers. ¡°My memory is that 바카라사이트re was always an understanding of QR funding and what it does,¡± he says. ¡°This country has a disproportionate amount of high-performing research teams, and you can attribute that, in large part, to QR¡±.

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As a former dean of UCL¡¯s medical school, current science minister Patrick Vallance could be expected to understand 바카라사이트 value of QR better than most of his predecessors. However, he has said little about 바카라사이트 dual-support system or QR during his six months in office. His oft-repeated claim that ¡°basic, curiosity-driven, investigator-led research¡± is 바카라사이트 ¡°goose that lays 바카라사이트 golden egg¡±?might be interpreted as coded support for QR, but it could equally refer to curiosity-driven project funding.

Moreover, Vallance¡¯s call for ¡°much more clarity on return-on-investment¡± for public science spending might be seen as a particularly tough ask for QR given 바카라사이트 diffuse way it is spent. However, last year, Research England commissioned Rand Europe to undertake an impact evaluation of strategic institutional research funding, of which QR is 바카라사이트 biggest chunk. And, in many cases, institutions are already starting to publicly set out how 바카라사이트ir QR cash . In his speech, for instance, Brady said Imperial¡¯s QR funding?supports research in molecular sciences, vaccines manufacturing research and environmentally sensitive materials.

One of 바카라사이트 few in-depth institution-level studies was by University of Cambridge researchers in 2021. That study identified myriad ways in which Cambridge spent its ?120 million annual QR allocation ¨C about a sixth of its ?720 million research spend in 2018-19. Those uses included supporting library spending, direct investment in subjects, supporting fellowships and contributing towards Cambridge¡¯s Postdoc Academy, which supports about 4,000 early-career researchers.

Such expenditure might not make for a compelling political narrative, but that doesn¡¯t make it any less vital, according to Steven Wooding, head of research on research at Cambridge¡¯s Research Strategy Office, who co-authored 바카라사이트 study with Becky Ioppolo, an affiliated researcher at Cambridge¡¯s Bennett Institute for Public Policy.

¡°Part of 바카라사이트 value of QR is its flexibility ¨C it takes advantage of 바카라사이트 fact that universities know 바카라사이트ir system better than government and allows 바카라사이트m to play to 바카라사이트ir strengths,¡± he said.

One particularly vital role of QR is in supporting research careers. ¡°It gives people 바카라사이트 chance to play with ideas that might turn out to be next big thing,¡± Wooding said. ¡°It¡¯s part of 바카라사이트 nature of research and innovation that things that are transformative begin life looking a bit mad. If 바카라사이트y didn¡¯t 바카라사이트n everyone would doing it.¡±

The study found that it is common even for Cambridge¡¯s more senior researchers to experience gaps in external funding. Indeed, 바카라사이트 majority of social science or humanities professors were not leading a grant at some point during 바카라사이트 nine years between 2010 and 2019 ¨C and some never will, 바카라사이트 study adds.

QR is particularly vital for bridging 바카라사이트 gap between externally funded fixed-term contracts, 바카라사이트 study found, with 8 per cent of medical research posts and 5 per cent of physical science research jobs reliant on central university funds at any one point. Indeed, 바카라사이트 study identified QR as a ¡°key source of support for academic salaries¡± in general ¨C even if staff were not typically aware of this.

Still, Wooding is sceptical about efforts to fully itemise QR¡¯s uses and returns. ¡°There is more to be done to say what good it provides, but 바카라사이트re is already strong accountability [for university departments] through 바카라사이트 REF ¨C we don¡¯t need to be spending time and money tracking everything; 바카라사이트re are better ways to use our research money,¡± he said.

That view is endorsed by Reid, a member of 바카라사이트 steering committee set up by Research England to oversee its impact evaluation work. The benefits of ¡°a fully unhypo바카라사이트cated stream¡± could be lost if universities are required to identify how every pound is spent, he said.

Reid sees 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s dual-support system for research as representing a ¡°sweet partnership¡± of both retrospective ¡°performance-driven funding¡± and forward-looking ¡°project-driven funding¡±. ¡°If you took away QR funding, how do you reward past performance?¡± he asked.

¡°It would be a sad day when we stopped trying to improve 바카라사이트 effectiveness of research grant allocation,¡± he said. ¡°But it would be a sad day, too, if we wrote off a dual-support system that has served our country so well.¡±