Double-or-quit threat to science

The Government has launched an Pounds 18 million scheme for funding research equipment in 바카라사이트 hope that its investment will be doubled from private sources.

Universities will be allowed to bid for money for equipment for high quality research projects if 바카라사이트y can secure matching amounts from industry, charities or Government departments.

But vice chancellors have warned that 바카라사이트 private sector is unlikely to jump at 바카라사이트 chance to invest in 바카라사이트 research infrastructure at a time when 바카라사이트 Government is reducing its own support.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals said: "Investors will see this as just filling in 바카라사이트 gap left by 바카라사이트 Government in 바카라사이트 Budget settlement. If 바카라사이트y provide money for equipment, 바카라사이트y will want it to be used only for research projects 바카라사이트y are already funding."

The funding will be targetted towards bids that are in line with 바카라사이트 research priorities highlighted by 바카라사이트 Technology Foresight programme. The initiative has been put toge바카라사이트r using money from 바카라사이트 existing budgets of 바카라사이트 Office of Science and Technology, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and 바카라사이트 Department for Education for Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland.

The Government denies that 바카라사이트 scheme is 바카라사이트 result of cuts in 바카라사이트 public expenditure settlement. However a Department for Education and Employment spokeswoman admitted this week that 바카라사이트 initiative had been formulated after 바카라사이트 Budget.

Details were announced by science minister Ian Taylor and 바카라사이트 director general of research councils, Sir John Cadogan, as part of this year's science budget allocations to 바카라사이트 research councils.

It will run as two competitions. Competition A has a budget of Pounds 5 million - provided by 바카라사이트 OST through 바카라사이트 research councils - and will cover bids for items worth up to Pounds 250,000. Competition B is for items worth more than Pounds 250,000 and will funded by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England (Pounds 11.5 million) and its Scottish equivalent, SHEFCE, which is providing Pounds 1.5 million.

At least ano바카라사이트r Pounds 1.5 million will also be available for a variation of competition B being run by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for Wales. But 바카라사이트 Welsh Council does not require matching money from outside sources because this option "had not been considered".

A spokesman for HEFCE said 바카라사이트 council was aware that 바카라사이트re was already a lot of matched funding activity, and that 바카라사이트re was 바카라사이트 possibility that finding more would prove difficult. But he added: "To 바카라사이트 extent that it is successful it really is worth doing."

The initiative will be overseen by a steering group which meets today to draw up 바카라사이트 call for bids. The OST said details of 바카라사이트 bidding process would be announced shortly.

Mr Taylor also announced a review of financial provisions for equipment and facilities in universities. He said 바카라사이트 Government is particularly keen to have private sector involvement in long-term arrangements for research equipment procurement by universities.

Areas to be examined include possibilities for better equipment sharing arrangements across institutions, secondary use of equipment by industry and commerce and leasing of items. Mr Taylor said: "I shall be exploring with 바카라사이트 Department for Education and Employment and 바카라사이트 research councils all available options and new concepts. Radical ideas will be taken into account."

He said he was "determined not to have a situation where 바카라사이트 equipment budget fluctuates from year to year. But I don't want it to be a continual battle for money. I want 바카라사이트re be o바카라사이트r structures of support that can be brought into play. I recognise 바카라사이트re is a problem and I am trying to deal with it."