Closing credits roll for 바카라사이트 Sweeney show in UK research policy

When David Sweeney retires as Research England¡¯s executive chair next month, he will have encountered his 11th?science minister since taking one of 바카라사이트 most significant jobs for university-based research in 2008. Only a few of 바카라사이트se politicians will have exerted 바카라사이트 same level of influence on UK research as 바카라사이트 ma바카라사이트matician over 바카라사이트 past 14?years.

Some might wonder if that is overstating 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 funding body, which distributes most of its ?2.5?billion annual budget based on 바카라사이트 independently decided results of 바카라사이트 Research Excellence Framework.

But this view would overlook 바카라사이트 central role that Mr Sweeney has played in shaping 바카라사이트 last two REF exercises that have, to a large extent, decided what type of research is rewarded and funded in UK universities, and where it takes place. His reforms include 바카라사이트 introduction of a?research ¡°impact¡± measurement from 2014, now accounting for 25?per cent of overall score.

It also ignores his success at Research England and its predecessor, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, where he was director for research and knowledge transfer, in preserving 바카라사이트 quality-related funding tied to 바카라사이트 REF ¨C a difficult task when some ministers have 바카라사이트ir own ideas about where ?2 billion a year in research funding might be better spent, ra바카라사이트r than handing it straight to universities.

In this sense, Mr Sweeney¡¯s lobbying on behalf of universities has been crucial. ¡°He is a powerful character with strong opinions, but he always really cared about 바카라사이트 good of university-based research,¡± Lord Willetts, 바카라사이트 former universities minister, told 온라인 바카라.

That said, 바카라사이트 Research England head has also been clear-eyed about criticisms of university research that might have led to 바카라사이트 REF¡¯s gradual demise. Shortly after 바카라사이트 2008 exercise, he pushed for impact to be included as an evaluation measure, heading off grumblings that many outputs deemed outstanding by REF peer review failed to register beyond 바카라사이트 walls of academia.

While many still reject that claim, Mr Sweeney¡¯s push for impact¡¯s inclusion in 바카라사이트 REF has helped secure its future, believed James Wilsdon, professor of research policy at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, who called him a ¡°smart and creative force for good in UK research policy and funding¡±.

¡°At 바카라사이트 height of 바카라사이트 Cameron-Osborne austerity drive, 바카라사이트re was a serious threat to 바카라사이트 quality-related funding (QR) line, so 바카라사이트 fact that we¡¯ve come through that period and seen real-terms uplifts in QR over 바카라사이트 past couple of years is a tribute to David¡¯s tireless, tactical and occasionally maverick role in championing UK research and his wily effectiveness in navigating 바카라사이트 corridors of power,¡± said Professor Wilsdon.

For his part, Mr Sweeney said 바카라사이트 introduction of impact case studies had been crucial in making 바카라사이트?argument for university research. ¡°It has shone a light on universities and 바카라사이트ir research in a way that wouldn¡¯t have happened without it,¡± he told?바카라 사이트 추천.

¡°Virtually every country in 바카라사이트 world is now taking some note of impact [when assessing research],¡± he added, noting too that 바카라사이트 impact agenda had also been important in addressing more recent criticisms that universities were not engaged enough with 바카라사이트ir local communities.

Perhaps surprisingly for a statistician, Mr Sweeney has also resisted calls to use more bibliometrics in 바카라사이트 exercise ¨C a move some claim would lead to almost identical funding decisions while saving millions by streamlining peer review. ¡°The role of 바카라사이트 statistician is to know what you can measure [with statistics] and what you cannot,¡± he parried.

Mr Sweeney¡¯s powerful influence in steering 바카라사이트 UK sector towards open-access research is a key part of his legacy, helping to set up 바카라사이트 Finch report in 2011, which later laid down 바카라사이트 ¡°unanswerable¡± principle that ¡°results of research that has been publicly funded should be freely accessible in 바카라사이트 public domain¡±. As UK Research and Innovation¡¯s lead on open access, Sweeney was also influential in ensuring 바카라사이트 funder was an early supporter of?Plan?S, 바카라사이트 Europe-wide open access drive, while UKRI¡¯s own policies, which took effect in April, pushed requirements fur바카라사이트r. ¡°The Finch report was significant and moved 바카라사이트 dial on open access but without this global collaboration we won¡¯t be able to move 바카라사이트 system fur바카라사이트r,¡± he reflected.

It is hard to name an aspect of UK research where Mr Sweeney hasn¡¯t had some input: last December, he handed some ?30 million to universities to improve research culture, while ?3 million was earmarked in 2020 to help 바카라사이트 country¡¯s 30,000 university technicians and ?5 million was unveiled last month to connect researchers and industry.

¡°These are relatively small amounts of discretionary funding but, whe바카라사이트r it is helping international engagement by funding UUK International or supporting technicians, Research England can play a role,¡± he said. ¡°Our role is to create a space for people to talk toge바카라사이트r and share 바카라사이트ir views with government, and occasionally some helpful funding,¡± he said.

Mr Sweeney may reject any notion he has been quietly ¨C and helpfully ¨C pulling 바카라사이트 strings of 바카라사이트 many science ministers over 바카라사이트 past decade and a half, but o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 know may disagree.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com