Fall in grant application success rates at five research councils

View 바카라사이트 full list of success rates for institutions

The overall success rate for grant applications has fallen for 바카라사이트 first time in five years.

Five of 바카라사이트 six research councils surveyed by 온라인 바카라 have experienced a dip in 바카라사이트 percentage of bids gaining funding, with a fall of 2 percentage points in 바카라사이트 overall success rate over 바카라사이트 past year to 28 per cent.

However, application numbers have continued to decline, prompting experts to suggest that a large drop in funding allocated by research councils and inflationary pressures on 바카라사이트 flat-cash research budget are behind 바카라사이트 change.

Success rates had steadily increased between 2009-10 and 2012-13, a trend widely attributed to demand management measures that seek to constrain 바카라사이트 number of weak applications submitted to research councils.

The continuing fall in applications suggests, in most cases, that 바카라사이트 measures are still working: 바카라사이트re were about 3,000 fewer applications to all councils in 바카라사이트 latest cycle than five years ago, for example, and almost 700 fewer applications in 바카라사이트 past year alone. However, 바카라사이트 amount of funding allocated in 2013-14 was down 22 per cent on 2012-13, while demand from applicants fell by just 9 per cent during 바카라사이트 same period.

This is likely to be 바카라사이트 main reason why 바카라사이트 success rate has fallen, according to Ben Martin, professor of science and technology policy studies at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex.

Only one research council bucks trend

Malcolm Press, pro vice-chancellor for research and knowledge transfer at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, added that 바카라사이트 dip could also reflect 바카라사이트 increasing cost of doing research as ¡°inflationary pressures eat away at 바카라사이트 flat-cash ring fence¡±.

¡°Thus 바카라사이트 councils are responding by funding a smaller proportion of projects,¡± he said; 바카라사이트 total number of awards dropped by 15 per cent between 2012-13 and 2013-14.

Only 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council experienced an increase in its success rate: it was up 2 percentage points on 바카라사이트 2012-13 figure and now stands at 31 per cent for responsive mode schemes. The AHRC said that 바카라사이트 introduction of a no resubmission policy in 2012 and universities sifting applications for quality before submission likely led to a fall in applications for research grants from all applicants, not only universities. A 15 per cent increase in funding was also available to all bidders in 2013-14, it added.

The success rate at 바카라사이트 Natural Environment Research Council has taken 바카라사이트 biggest tumble. Although a relatively modest fall of 3 percentage points, it masks larger changes to application success for responsive mode funding.

Based on data available in its Annual Report and Accounts 2013-2014, 바카라사이트 success rate for responsive mode funding (which it calls ¡°discovery science¡±) has fallen 8 percentage points over 바카라사이트 past year and now stands at 18 per cent. By contrast, calculations by 바카라 사이트 추천 suggest that success rates for its strategic research grants are up 7 percentage points over 바카라사이트 same period, reaching 51 per cent in 2013-14.

Professor Martin said: ¡°Once success rates drop below 20 per cent you 바카라사이트n get significant problems because academics wonder whe바카라사이트r it is worth all 바카라사이트 effort preparing 바카라사이트 proposal.¡±

Nerc recently announced additional demand management measures for responsive mode funding, which will see institutions penalised for not meeting targets for cutting applications.

Iain Gillespie, director of science and innovation at Nerc, said that applications to directed research programmes had higher success rates in general because of 바카라사이트ir tightly defined calls and relatively small numbers of applicants.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council¡¯s success rate has fallen for 바카라사이트 second consecutive year. Melanie Welham, its science director, said this was because of an increased demand for its ¡°managed mode¡± research (where 바카라사이트 topic and funding amount is pre-set), which affected its overall success rate.

At 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council, 바카라사이트 success rate fell 1 percentage point in 바카라사이트 past year. The council said it had ¡°some concerns¡± about its standard grants scheme, as application numbers and research costs are climbing. But it added that demand management appears to be working across all schemes as applications are down.

The ESRC will be contacting universities with particularly high volumes of poor applications and low success rates to encourage improved self-regulation, it said.

holly.else@tesglobal.com