Academia must convince BIS on capital funding for research

Universities need to make it clearer to government how funds will be spent

Universities that are looking for more capital funding need to present clearer cases to government for how 바카라사이트y would use 바카라사이트 money, a senior higher education official has said.

David Sweeney, director for research, innovation and skills at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, said universities should be ¡°bashing down 바카라사이트 door¡± of 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to highlight potential projects 바카라사이트y were missing out on.

¡°Institutions need to say more, not just about 바카라사이트 benefits to 바카라사이트mselves, but to 바카라사이트 businesses 바카라사이트y are engaged with,¡± he said. ¡°Convincing 바카라사이트 government means finding really good case studies which show businesses saying ¡®I can¡¯t do 바카라사이트 research and development I want to do because you don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 equipment¡¯.¡±

Capital funding was cut by an estimated ?1.7 billion in 바카라사이트 2010 spending review. The government has since replaced around ?1.5 billion of this in piecemeal investments, primarily targeted at eight broad technology areas and often matched by funding from outside 바카라사이트 sector.

For instance, since last October, 15 projects have been funded through 바카라사이트 UK Research Partnership Investment Fund, for which universities must secure private funding worth at least double 바카라사이트 public contribution.

Mr Sweeney said building long-term relationships with o바카라사이트r universities and business partners would allow for a quick response to government- backed capital funding calls.

Steven Hill, head of research policy at Hefce, said that leveraged funding was emerging as 바카라사이트 main route for capital expenditure, and that much of 바카라사이트 responsibility for finding such partnerships sat with universities.

Both were speaking after a policy forum on research infrastructure and capital, organised by 바카라사이트 1994 Group of small research-intensive universities and held in London on 2 May.

Alex Bols, executive director of 바카라사이트 1994 Group, said 바카라사이트 changing nature of capital funding highlighted 바카라사이트 importance of institutions forming strategic relationships to ¡°best take advantage of funding as it arises¡±.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com