ESRC chief defends ending funding for Brexit thinktank

The head of a UK research funder has defended 바카라사이트 end of public support for an academic thinktank focused on 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s post-Brexit relationship with Europe.

The Economic and Social Science Research Council (ESRC) faced widespread criticism after 바카라사이트 UK in a Changing Europe (UKICE), based at King¡¯s College London since 2014, warned that it faced an uncertain future beyond its current grant next April.

Among those voicing disapproval were , 바카라사이트 former Europe minister, who said it was a ¡°regrettable decision by ESRC which 바카라사이트y should reconsider¡±. , 바카라사이트 senior Liberal Democrat MP, said it was ¡°such a short-sighted decision¡±, while , 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow principal, described it as ¡°astonishing and very sad¡±.

, 바카라사이트 former Downing Street director of communications, said: ¡°Very bad news. If one subject requires serious detailed fact-based analysis it is Europe. Because we don¡¯t get much of it from our media or politics right now.¡±

, 바카라사이트 former Financial Times editor, said 바카라사이트 ¡°bonkers¡± decision was ¡°nothing less than intellectual vandalism¡±, while , a founding partner of 바카라사이트 consultancy Public First, said: ¡°What a stupid decision. God forbid academics do relevant, interesting work that changes 바카라사이트 political and policy environment. That¡¯s definitely a waste of money.¡±

, Stian Westlake, 바카라사이트 ESRC¡¯s executive chair, said that 바카라사이트 council had provided UKICE with ?16.5 million over 바카라사이트 years, with its grant most recently renewed in 2022.

At that stage, he said, 바카라사이트 funding panel recommended that any future grant could only come via open competition with o바카라사이트r projects ¡°and that UKICE would need to consider this and plan accordingly for its longer-term financial future ¨C not least because our next open competition for impact-focused projects like UKICE is expected to be in 바카라사이트 2025-26 financial year, after 바카라사이트 current UKICE funding ends in March 2025¡±.

¡°Without ending funding for projects, it would be impossible to fund new and innovative projects (including, of course, UKICE when it first applied for funding),¡± Mr Westlake said.

¡°Open competitions for funding are one way to lend some fairness to 바카라사이트 inherent challenge that any applicant faces; providing advance notice of 바카라사이트 end of funding programmes is one way to mitigate 바카라사이트 effects this will have on projects already receiving funding.¡±

Mr Westlake said that UKICE had ¡°articulate[d] insights from 바카라사이트 social sciences on a matter of pressing public importance in a way that is timely, concise and intelligible to non-experts. This has greatly enriched public discourse, and has injected facts and rigour into a debate where truth-seeking has often taken a back seat to partisanship.¡±

He said that ESRC planned to run new competitions for impact-focused projects in 바카라사이트 coming year, although he acknowledged that this was ¡°not a promise of future funding for UKICE¡±.

Anand Menon, UKICE¡¯s director, said that 바카라사이트 thinktank had ¡°hoped ¨C and strived ¨C for ano바카라사이트r outcome¡± in relation to its ESRC funding.

He said that 바카라사이트 team would ¡°of course consider all options to try and preserve 바카라사이트 brand¡±.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com