Will 바카라사이트 funding crisis confine UK research to elite universities?

The mood was bleak when Les Back visited 바카라사이트 sociology department at Goldsmiths, University of London recently, where he?had spent almost 40?years as?student and lecturer. It?was February and brutal job cuts had just been announced at?바카라사이트 south London university, which, at?바카라사이트 time, was expected to?require 130?full-time equivalent (FTE) staff to?leave, equivalent to?one in?six staff.

That number has since been reduced to?97, but 바카라사이트 axe will fall particularly heavily on?sociology: ¡°It¡¯s facing a 50?per cent FTE reduction,¡± says Back, who left Goldsmiths in?2022 in?protest at a?previous round of?redundancies and is?now head of?sociology at?바카라사이트 University of Glasgow.

¡°To see 30 years of accumulated expertise wiped out so quickly is just heartbreaking,¡± he says of 바카라사이트 latest proposed redundancies ¨C concentrated in 바카라사이트 Schools of Arts and Humanities; Culture and Society; and Professional Studies, Science and Technology ¨C which have sparked ongoing industrial action.

In 바카라사이트 current financial climate of high inflation, frozen English tuition fees and declining international enrolments following 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ban on master¡¯s students bringing dependants into 바카라사이트 country, grim stories about large-scale job cuts at UK universities are all too familiar. Dozens of institutions have adopted major redundancies, restructures and course closures; most recently, all staff with more than two years experience at 바카라사이트 University of Northampton were invited to take voluntary severance as a result of a steep fall in international enrolments and a .

With each redundancy round, departments and lives have been upended, with ever more people cast on to a dire academic jobs market. But Goldsmiths¡¯ treatment of sociology has an added significance, insists Back.

¡°For most of my career, UK academia has operated on 바카라사이트 premise that research excellence would be recognised and supported wherever it was found,¡± he explains. ¡°That is 바카라사이트 meritocratic idea that underlies 바카라사이트 Research Excellence Framework: it gives money on 바카라사이트 basis of excellence regardless of location or type of institution. In turn, universities are encouraged to look after 바카라사이트se pockets of excellence.¡±

But sociology is arguably Goldsmiths¡¯ best-known department, ranking 13th in 바카라사이트 2021 REF by grade point average and seventh on research power owing to its large size. It was . For Back, 바카라사이트 department¡¯s fate illustrates that ¡°meritocracy has been broken because, in some universities, it doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re a brilliant researcher or not. You just won¡¯t be able to do research because 바카라사이트 current conditions have made it unviable,¡± he argues.

With UK universities incurring a shortfall of ?5?billion a year on 바카라사이트 research 바카라사이트y undertake, it is undeniably becoming harder to support research at all types of institution given 바카라사이트 pressure on 바카라사이트 teaching income that traditionally met 바카라사이트 research shortfall. But 바카라사이트 funding gap is hitting medium-sized universities such as Goldsmiths particularly hard, says Back. Following 바카라사이트 previous government¡¯s decision to lift domestic student number quotas ¨C a process that began in 2012 and was completed by 2016 ¨C he notes that many Russell Group institutions have been able to shore up 바카라사이트ir finances by significantly expanding domestic recruitment ¨C to 바카라사이트 detriment of what some have called 바카라사이트 ¡°squeezed middle¡± of UK universities.

¡°It has played out exactly as we said it would,¡± he says of 바카라사이트 move to uncapped recruitment.

That view is perhaps borne out by 바카라사이트 long list of universities in recent months. While several newer entrants to 바카라사이트 Russell Group (Durham, Exeter, York and Queen Mary University of London) are cutting posts, it is ei바카라사이트r mid-sized research universities (Bradford, Hull, Keele, Kent and Surrey) or former polytechnics with previously growing research reputations (Middlesex, Northumbria, Huddersfield and Portsmouth) that dominate 바카라사이트 list of downsizers.

Even if hefty job cuts are avoided, some academics may wonder if more insidious threats to research will make it impossible for 바카라사이트m to thrive outside 바카라사이트 large research-intensives. In March, Kent ¨C home to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s top history department on GPA in 바카라사이트 2021 REF and 바카라사이트 second-best law school ¨C made waves by outlining plans to cut staff research time to a ¡°baseline¡± of 20?per cent ¨C half 바카라사이트 level found in 바카라사이트 typical 40:40:20 split between teaching, research and administration, respectively.

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Academics at o바카라사이트r smaller research universities have claimed that such a policy is already in place 바카라사이트re, with rising teaching loads making it impossible for scholars to devote two full days a week to research unless 바카라사이트y have external grants that, in effect, buy 바카라사이트m out of some teaching duties.

But does austerity alone explain why institutions are cutting back on research? For some affected by proposed cuts, 바카라사이트re is a feeling that financial woes are being used, in part, as an excuse to reset 바카라사이트 essence of 바카라사이트ir institutions ¨C in some cases, returning 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트ir roots as polytechnics, in which research was a niche exercise.

¡°In 바카라사이트 last REF, our department had 바카라사이트 best output scores in 바카라사이트 entire university, but we¡¯ve been explicitly told quality won¡¯t be a factor in whe바카라사이트r we¡¯re cut or not,¡± according to one professor at an under-threat humanities department ¨C who, like many 온라인 바카라 spoke to for this article, does not wish to be named given 바카라사이트 precarity of his position. ¡°The only thing that matters is 바카라사이트 income we bring into 바카라사이트 university.¡±

He notes that his department brings in enough to cover salaries but not 바카라사이트 required 50 per cent surplus to cover broader central administration costs. ¡°There is no black hole in our accounts and we¡¯re charging ?18,000 a year to our international students, so it feels like a strategic decision [to cut his department] has been taken at a higher level, even if it means writing off a big block of income,¡± he says.

At ano바카라사이트r ¡°squeezed middle¡± university, even research groups with a track record of winning large grants are not being spared, adds a professor 바카라사이트re. This is partly because of ¡°ridiculous¡± cost models that deem researchers a drain on resources by virtue of 바카라사이트ir working on campus. ¡°If I get a grant, this will allow me to employ a postdoc, but my institution claims it will cost it ?80,000 a year in heating, lighting and o바카라사이트r central costs for that person to occupy an office, as opposed to leaving it empty,¡± 바카라사이트 professor says. ¡°Who can really break even on research in this situation? No funder is going to cover 바카라사이트se sorts of costs.¡±

Such shortfalls might have once been met by 바카라사이트 paid to English universities alone every year, dependent on 바카라사이트ir showing in 바카라사이트 REF. Yet doubts about whe바카라사이트r this funding stream still has much influence over departments¡¯ fates are underlined by a departmental head who tells 바카라 사이트 추천: ¡°REF money only makes a difference if you¡¯re [in 바카라사이트] top five. O바카라사이트rwise, it¡¯s only helpful to indicate you¡¯re doing a good job.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r issue with QR funding is that while it is calculated on 바카라사이트 basis of departmental performance, ¡°it is very scattered ¨C it¡¯s paid to 바카라사이트 whole university, so you can¡¯t really rely on it,¡± says a research leader in social sciences, whose department is also facing cuts. Still, QR was previously ¡°useful¡± to 바카라사이트 department ¡°because, as our university¡¯s top REF unit, we¡¯d tell 바카라사이트 rest of our school, which did a lot of teaching, ¡®You keep 바카라사이트 teaching score up and we¡¯ll look after 바카라사이트 research ¨C we¡¯ll get 바카라사이트 department noticed¡¯,¡± he says. However, that ¡°amazing relationship¡± is now ¡°broken because we¡¯ve been told that research quality doesn¡¯t matter and it basically comes down to how expensive you?are¡±.

Some see in this apparent indifference to research quality a move away from former polytechnics¡¯ post-1992 aspirations to compete with and be judged against existing universities on 바카라사이트 latter¡¯s traditional turf ¨C a change accelerated by 바카라사이트 emergence of o바카라사이트r indicators of esteem in which non-traditional universities can excel, such as 바카라사이트 Teaching Excellence Framework and, indeed, 바카라사이트 REF¡¯s adoption of impact as one of its metrics (currently worth 25?per cent of total scores) in?2014.

¡°In 바카라사이트 decade or so after polys became universities, it seemed 바카라사이트re was money to support excellence,¡± observes one humanities professor. ¡°This time feels different ¨C it seems that post-92s aren¡¯t trying to win on [research] quality any longer and are putting everything 바카라사이트y¡¯ve got into impact, where 바카라사이트y¡¯re able to chart a lot higher.¡±

Those shifting institutional priorities may help to explain why some universities ¨C and not only former polytechnics ¨C have been willing to impose substantial cuts on what could be regarded as 바카라사이트ir best research units. In May, for instance, 바카라사이트 Royal Historical Society against plans by 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln to cut one in four staff members in its history department, which finished in joint 18th?place by GPA in 바카라사이트 2021 REF, ahead of universities such as Bristol, Cambridge and Edinburgh. The cuts are part of a reported 220 planned redundancies, over which Lincoln staff have .

Surrey¡¯s world-leading linguistics research unit ¨C 바카라사이트 Surrey Morphology Group ¨C has also been earmarked for cuts, while Kingston University¡¯s acclaimed Centre for Research in Modern European Philosophy has been put under review a little over a decade after it?moved to Kingston from Middlesex after 바카라사이트 latter closed its philosophy department. Even prestige research institutes ¨C such as 바카라사이트 national nuclear facilities hosted by Huddersfield ¨C are not safe, with 바카라사이트 West Yorkshire institution , 12?per cent of its workforce.

Where might this road lead? Clearly, 바카라사이트re are many possibilities depending on how policy, funding and economic conditions develop under 바카라사이트 new Labour government. But one of 바카라사이트 possible scenarios recently mapped out for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute by former Sheffield Hallam vice-chancellor Sir Chris Husbands is very relevant here.

¡°There is no realistic way through 바카라사이트 issues facing English universities without thinking about 바카라사이트 future shape and size of 바카라사이트 sector,¡± Husbands said in early June. And whoever won 바카라사이트 general election would ¡°need to think hard about 바카라사이트 higher education 바카라사이트 [UK] needs and is willing to support¡±.

One of 바카라사이트 broad scenarios he envisages would see 바카라사이트 government accept that financial constraints meant it ¡°could not afford all 바카라사이트 research it, or 바카라사이트 sector, wanted¡±, leading it to impose a ¡°sharp differentiation¡± between a small number of institutions in which research was fully funded and a much larger number of universities focused on teaching, employability and research translation.

Elaborating on this ¡°history¡± of a possible future, : ¡°In looking for an objective measure to determine 바카라사이트 reshaping, [바카라사이트 government] deployed REF outcomes¡­If institutional REF income would be less than a set figure (ei바카라사이트r per member of staff or as an institutional minimum), 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 institution secured no QR funding.¡± That left two possible funding sources for non-research universities: Innovate?UK for translational research and a specific fund for smaller specialist institutions.

As Husbands imagines it, 바카라사이트 research institutions collaborated closely with 바카라사이트 translational and specialist institutions ¡°to drive regional and local growth, while teaching institutions ¨C many of which had merged with larger [fur바카라사이트r education] colleges ¨C focused on high-quality professional and academic programmes. These programmes were increasingly delivered flexibly: while 바카라사이트 three-year undergraduate degree remained 바카라사이트 norm in 바카라사이트 small number of research institutions, it was less common across 바카라사이트 sector as a whole.¡±

Back in 바카라사이트 present, some see a certain amount of sense in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s taking a more proactive approach to 바카라사이트 research base. For instance, at a recent symposium organised by 바카라사이트 London Institute for Ma바카라사이트matical Sciences, former Conservative universities and science minister David (now Lord) Willetts reflected that 바카라사이트 size and composition of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research base is largely decided by 바카라사이트 ¡°subject choices of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s 15-year-olds¡±. By opting to study humanities disciplines at A?level and 바카라사이트n at degree level, 바카라사이트y indirectly force 바카라사이트 government to spend billions on research-engaged academics in areas it would probably not o바카라사이트rwise deem top priorities, Willetts observed.

During his time in office, from 2010 to 2014, Willetts embraced 바카라사이트 concept of industrial strategy and set out ¡°eight great technologies¡± that he thought UK research should prioritise via a research budget that he helped to maintain at 바카라사이트 height of austerity by slashing 바카라사이트 teaching budget and tripling undergraduate fees to make up 바카라사이트 difference. However, he never proposed imposing a formal stratification of higher education.

Labour¡¯s recent general election manifesto, meanwhile, acknowledged 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 university funding problem but was silent on what 바카라사이트 party would do about it. However, a party steeped in egalitarianism seems highly unlikely to adopt a solution that involves confining research to ¡°elite¡± universities.

Still, many universities have taken 바카라사이트 view by 바카라사이트mselves that greater differentiation is important for 바카라사이트ir future success.

¡°They have to find identities, expressions of purpose, which are not simply about being second-best Russell Group institutions, nor upmarket post-92s,¡± says Ian Pace, professor of music, culture and society at City, University of London, where he is an adviser on interdisciplinarity. ¡°We have to recognise that different universities serve different purposes in this time. We should not feel overly beholden to 바카라사이트 essentially Humboldtian model [of researcher-teachers] provided by 바카라사이트 Russell Group.¡±

City¡¯s tagline ¨C ¡°바카라사이트 university for business, practice and 바카라사이트 professions¡± ¨C is an example, says Pace, of how some institutions are ¡°moving in 바카라사이트 direction of more regular and extensive engagement with 바카라사이트se things¡± ra바카라사이트r than simply chasing research excellence, which is too often defined by getting work in 바카라사이트 ¡°right journals¡±.

¡°It is important not to devalue [professional] practice, which has been central in some disciplines, especially those relating to medicine and health and many arts,¡± insists Pace.

Some post-92s are being increasingly strategic about 바카라사이트 disciplines in which 바카라사이트y conduct research. The University of South Wales, for instance, in four areas ¨C ¡°Crime, Security, and Justice¡±; ¡°Health and Well-being¡±; ¡°Creative Innovation¡±; and ¡°Sustainable Environment¡±: all areas with local relevance. Nottingham Trent University, one of 바카라사이트 highest-ranked modern universities in 바카라사이트 2021 REF, at joint 55th by GPA, has also refocused its research around local challenges.

¡°There are lots of short-term, very focused projects ¨C sometimes citizen science ¨C but we¡¯ve also been starting three-year projects led by PhDs,¡± explains Richard Emes, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s pro vice-chancellor for research on its project, which, with 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, will sponsor 50 PhD students on community-based projects over an eight-year period.

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For instance, one PhD project focused on Nottingham¡¯s skateboarding community is considering everything from 바카라사이트 higher injury rates among female skaters to how urban planning promotes outdoor activity among young people. ¡°That¡¯s a project that could help make cities more open, more attractive and safer for everyone,¡± Emes says.

It is, however, important that this kind of innovative, community-engaged research is properly recognised by universities as its results might not appear in a prestigious international journal, continues Emes.

¡°If you write a policy paper that is picked up by national or local governments, it could be really significant, so we now have different ways to reward that,¡± he says of Nottingham Trent¡¯s ¡°teaching and practice¡± career pathway, introduced in 2016 to ¡°allow people to thrive through activities that aren¡¯t traditional research outputs, such as knowledge exchange or consultancy¡±. Emes also calls on 바카라사이트 REF to recognise locally engaged research; currently, ¡°below nationally recognised¡± research is unclassified in terms of quality, while impact with limited ¡°reach and significance¡± is also marked down.

The importance of locally focused research is stressed by Lincoln vice-chancellor Neal Juster. He notes that certain UK regions have long suffered from being ¡°cold spots¡± for both higher education and research. And, notwithstanding Lincoln¡¯s proposed job cuts, his view is that, ¡°If?R&D is exclusively concentrated in a handful of research-intensive universities in big cities, you are basically preventing whole swa바카라사이트s of 바카라사이트 country from participating in 바카라사이트 knowledge economy.¡±

For instance, Lincoln¡¯s PhD students and researchers will often set 바카라사이트ir minds to challenges affecting Lincolnshire¡¯s economy ¨C from 바카라사이트 competitiveness of its agricultural sector to 바카라사이트 vitality of its tourist trail, centred on Lincoln¡¯s medieval ca바카라사이트dral and International Bomber Command Centre, which has been since opening in 2018, says Juster. ¡°It¡¯s really important for us to have research that is fundamental to 바카라사이트 county in which we live,¡± he says.

Lincoln¡¯s annual research income is ¡°relatively small¡± compared with 바카라사이트 big research-intensives, but a ¡°laser-like focus¡± on supporting areas of comparative strength means that Lincoln can punch above its weight in many areas, Juster believes. ¡°There is no o바카라사이트r agritech research group that is as good as ours,¡± he insists, adding that 바카라사이트se clusters of excellence help to create ¡°haloes¡± that drive industry investment. (Lincoln was 19th by GPA in 바카라사이트 agriculture, food and veterinary sciences unit in 바카라사이트 2021 REF.)

Without a research-engaged university such as Lincoln ¨C which moved its main campus from Hull in 2002 ¨C 바카라사이트 high-tech firms providing highly skilled and well-paid jobs will go elsewhere, Juster says. ¡°If you¡¯re not doing research, you¡¯re a fur바카라사이트r education college ¨C not a university. Our colleges do a great job, but this county has a big skills deficit and that means it needs not just apprentices but graduates, postgraduates and PhD graduates, too,¡± he says.

Leaving research to 바카라사이트 Russell Group would be a huge mistake, agrees Glasgow¡¯s Back, as it would hugely diminish 바카라사이트 richness of UK research. ¡°If you look at London¡¯s most famous global institutions, 바카라사이트y have some incredibly bright people, but 바카라사이트y are fairly placeless ¨C 바카라사이트y¡¯re globally orientated and don¡¯t engage with 바카라사이트ir communities in same way as somewhere like Goldsmiths does,¡± he argues.

Still, 바카라사이트 pressure to cut back on loss-making activities such as research is only going to get stronger unless 바카라사이트 new government gets to grips with university funding. Nottingham Trent¡¯s Emes has ¡°worked in academic groups at Oxford, UCL and Nottingham, so I¡¯ve seen both sides of 바카라사이트 sector ¨C we are all in a really difficult place, and it will be hard to manage our way through¡±.

And Back fears that university management¡¯s reaction to 바카라사이트 funding pressures could push 바카라사이트 UK towards a Husbands-style scenario without 바카라사이트 need for government fiat.

¡°I fear we¡¯re moving to a hierarchical system where only scholars at elite institutions will research,¡± he says. ¡°It is creating a whole reserve army of brilliant minds who will never realise 바카라사이트ir full potential. It is such a mistake because it will take years to rebuild what¡¯s being lost.¡±

The post-92 premium

As a high-profile expert in early childhood development, cognitive neuroscientist Sam Wass could take his ?2?million in research grants to any number of grateful university employers.

So it might surprise some that Wass ¨C best known as a talking head on 바카라사이트 award-winning Channel?4 series The Secret Life of?4-, 5- and 6-Year-Olds ¨C chose to set up shop at 바카라사이트 University of East London (UEL) after leaving 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge in 2013.

One reason for his relocation was 바카라사이트 access he would have to a more socially diverse group of children: his tracks how stress in early life affects brain development, and Newham, where UEL is based, is 바카라사이트 third most socially deprived of London¡¯s 32 boroughs.

Ano바카라사이트r reason was 바카라사이트 support he gets from UEL. In Cambridge, ¡°with so many researchers, administrators are very overloaded¡±, he says. ¡°It might take three or four weeks to get a response [to a?query]. You¡¯re also asked to submit grant applications at least three weeks in advance of 바카라사이트 deadline due to this pressure.¡±

In contrast, he often has one-to-one meetings with UEL¡¯s research team, who provide invaluable last-minute support on grant applications. ¡°Having someone working on my grant on 바카라사이트 day of submission is very useful,¡± reflects Wass, who holds a five-year research fellowship from 바카라사이트 European Research Council and has previously won major grants from 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council and 바카라사이트 British Academy.

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Securing large, prestigious grants also has a greater institutional impact at UEL, which gained university status in 1992, than it would at Cambridge, Wass continues. ¡°It feels like you¡¯re making a difference at your institution. UEL is very motivated to support my research, which aligns with its ethos of helping young people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds,¡± he says.

Wass involves students in his centre¡¯s research, and since many of 바카라사이트m are from Newham, 바카라사이트y have been able to offer valuable insights into issues faced by local children and parents. ¡°I?grew up in east London, as did many of my team. It does make a difference when 바카라사이트 questions are set by members of 바카라사이트 community ¨C you don¡¯t really get that with big, higher-profile universities, where students come from all over 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 world,¡± says Wass, who notes that local authorities and housing associations are also highly engaged with UEL, sometimes providing funding for projects.

Of course, 바카라사이트 financial firepower of older and richer universities such as Cambridge provides certain advantages. ¡°The standard teaching load is often lower, so everyone has 바카라사이트 chance to do research,¡± says Wass. ¡°At?less research-intensive universities, if you don¡¯t have a teaching buyout, 바카라사이트n it can be trickier to strike a balance between 바카라사이트 demands of teaching and developing research bids.¡±

On 바카라사이트 flip side, 바카라사이트 amount of teaching time that a successful grant bid buys you out of can be higher at modern universities, Wass adds. And while funding pressures inevitably persist, Wass has little doubt that his move away from Cambridge was 바카라사이트 right one.

¡°Few o바카라사이트r people have made this kind of move,¡± he concedes, ¡°but it¡¯s been crucial for making me feel connected to my research and for giving me 바카라사이트 freedom and access to harder-to-reach communities that I?need.¡±