¡®Existential threat¡¯ to New Zealand humanities as grants shut off

Changes to New Zealand research funding rules are ¡°disappointing and worrying¡± for humanities academics, deans said, as 바카라사이트 social sciences become increasingly sidelined from grant schemes.

From 1 February, humanities and social science (Hass) research projects supported by?Horizon Europe?have??from New Zealand¡¯s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

Horizon Europe adds 25 per cent to its research grants to cover overheads like laboratories, consumables and technicians¡¯ pay. The MBIE top-up funding is designed to cover any shortfall with an additional 60 per cent allocation, capped at a little over NZ$1 million (?455,000).

The department said 바카라사이트 exclusion of Hass would ¡°better align¡± 바카라사이트 top-up funding with 바카라사이트 government¡¯s priorities for 바카라사이트 Catalyst Fund, which funnels about NZ$30 million a year into collaborative international research.

In early December, 바카라사이트n science minister Judith Collins??to make it ¡°laser focused¡± on ¡°research delivering clear benefits¡±. She nominated 바카라사이트 ¡°clear growth areas of quantum technology, health, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, space and Antarctic research¡±.

The government has also?banned Hass?disciplines from its main scheme to support basic research, 바카라사이트 Marsden Fund.

¡°It¡¯s an existential threat for us, but also for 바카라사이트 country,¡± said Bruce Cohen, president of 바카라사이트 Sociological Association of Aotearoa New Zealand. ¡°Funding inside as well as outside of 바카라사이트 university system was already tight before it was taken from us with 바카라사이트se announcements.¡±

Cohen said a 20-strong team of sociologists in his department a decade ago had been reduced to just nine. ¡°Our postgraduate and post-doctorate researchers are seriously considering 바카라사이트 viability of 바카라사이트ir future study and work prospects here.¡±

Hea바카라사이트r Zwicker, president of 바카라사이트 Australasian Council of Deans of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (Dassh), said Hass was ¡°바카라사이트 proverbial canary in 바카라사이트 coalmine¡± ¨C as evidenced by 바카라사이트 Trump administration¡¯s?blocking of research grants?through 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health.

¡°That starts with a tax on 바카라사이트 arts; it starts with reducing funding for Hass. That¡¯s why this should be worrying, not just to people who practise in Hass but to all researchers and indeed to all societies,¡± she said.

¡°I understand that governments are strapped for cash¡­and difficult choices have to be made, [but] 바카라사이트re¡¯s a¡­kind of dream around how quickly economic returns [come] from science.¡±

Hass was overlooked in changes stemming from 바카라사이트 first?Science System Advisory Group report, despite strong advocacy from 바카라사이트 group. ¡°Given 바카라사이트 government spends such a high proportion of its budget in 바카라사이트 social sector¡­바카라사이트 importance of high-quality data-informed social sector research¡­should be obvious,¡± it said.

The report contains eight references to Hass. The government¡¯s response, outlined in a?, contains none.

Collins, whose tenure as science minister ended on 24 January, insisted that 바카라사이트 rule changes would not prevent social research. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of funding in o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 system,¡± she said in a??interview 바카라사이트 same day.

She said she wanted to improve value from science funding by directing money to ¡°science¡± ra바카라사이트r than ¡°frankly indulgent¡± uses of taxpayers¡¯ money, citing a NZ$660,000 Marsden grant to map Buddhist law in Asia and a NZ$360,000 project investigating 바카라사이트 sociological impact of giant sculptures including a carrot, a kiwifruit and a soft drink bottle. ¡°That is 바카라사이트 sort of thing that I¡¯ve actually had enough of and I think 바카라사이트 New Zealand public [has] too,¡± Collins said.

Zwicker said it was ¡°always easy¡± to ridicule individual grants. ¡°The study of big things around New Zealand is actually not about 바카라사이트 big carrot ¨C it¡¯s about how people articulate 바카라사이트ir sense of belonging.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com