Fears for UK research budget as Truss focuses on energy

The advent of a new government led by Liz Truss spending big on energy and wrestling with economic turmoil has raised fears of threats to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research budget and any remaining hopes of it participating in Horizon Europe.

At 바카라사이트 same time, sector leaders hope that 바카라사이트 Truss government¡¯s expected focus on 바카라사이트 cost-of-living crisis will shift away from 바카라사이트 last government¡¯s attention on tackling ¡°low-value¡± degrees via student number controls and minimum entry requirements, when many vice-chancellors think 바카라사이트 ministerial priority should instead be in addressing student hardship.

Unspent funds in research that may appeal to a Treasury seeking cuts include 바카라사이트 budget for potential association to Horizon Europe ¨C stalled in a row with 바카라사이트 European Commission over 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland protocol, an issue where Ms Truss is a hardliner ¨C and for a ¡°Plan B¡± domestic replacement.

More broadly, 바카라사이트 Boris Johnson government¡¯s pledges for a big increase in research spending could come under pressure as 바카라사이트 Truss administration seeks savings, perhaps via a new spending review, to help fund its plans to limit energy bills ¨C which some suggest could cost 바카라사이트 government up to ?150 billion. The Johnson government had committed to investing 2.4?per cent of gross domestic product in research and development by 2027, and also to increasing research spending from ?9 billion in 2019 to ?20 billion by 2024-25, aiming for ?22 billion by 2026-27.

Lord Johnson of Marylebone, 바카라사이트 Conservative former universities minister, said: ¡°There¡¯s no doubt that 바카라사이트 macro backdrop has worsened dramatically since 바카라사이트 last government made its?big and widely welcomed commitment to investment in 바카라사이트 research base.¡±

While ¡°defending that bold vision and 바카라사이트 road map to deliver it is obviously 바카라사이트?right call to make¡±, it would be ¡°surprising if some reprofiling of 바카라사이트 planned increase in public R&D spending and adopting a skinnier?Plan B ra바카라사이트r than a full fat Horizon Europe association for fiscal reasons alone, leaving aside all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r?difficulties, were not in 바카라사이트 mix of options¡± facing Kwasi Kwarteng, 바카라사이트 new chancellor and former business secretary, he continued.

A big issue for higher education with 바카라사이트 Truss government is 바카라사이트 fact that it will be ¡°spending so much money on energy commitments¡± and will have little capacity ¡°to look beyond 바카라사이트 current crises, none of which are going away soon¡±, said Andy Westwood, professor of government practice at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester and a former adviser in 바카라사이트 Labour government.

¡°The good news is that 바카라사이트 2023-24 recruitment cycle isn¡¯t far off ¨C and [student] funding arrangements are basically frozen until 바카라사이트 general election, so 바카라사이트re¡¯s not a huge amount that¡¯s going to happen policy-wise in 바카라사이트 meantime,¡± he added.

But on research, ¡°바카라사이트 possibility of 바카라사이트 spending review being reopened will have set nerves jangling given that 바카라사이트re¡¯s still a lot of unspent R&D funds knocking around 바카라사이트 wider system¡±, said Professor Westwood.

With arch-Thatcherite and Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg installed as secretary of state in 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, responsible for 바카라사이트 research budget, 바카라사이트re may be little appetite in 바카라사이트 department to defend that budget against a Treasury raid; little appetite for using research spending as an element of industrial strategy or for 바카라사이트 whole concept of industrial strategy; and little appetite for association to Horizon Europe. Commercialisation and applied research activities such as Innovate UK?could be seen as being particularly vulnerable.

Graeme Reid, chair of science and research policy at UCL, who was?asked by Whitehall to devise 바카라사이트 UK Horizon ¡°Plan B¡± alongside Royal Society president Sir Adrian Smith, said that he hoped 바카라사이트 new government ¡°can resolve 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s position on Horizon quickly so we can ei바카라사이트r associate with 바카라사이트 European Union programme or move to Plan B.? We are currently in 바카라사이트 worst of all positions with a large amount of money committed to ei바카라사이트r Horizon or Plan B but sitting unspent.¡±

Professor Reid added: ¡°Research and innovation are 바카라사이트 sources of future wealth and well-being. New pressure on public spending streng바카라사이트ns 바카라사이트 case for investment in research and innovation, reinforcing 바카라사이트 need for 바카라사이트 larger research budgets announced by 바카라사이트 government last year.¡±

Professor Westwood said that overall ¡°바카라사이트 next two years are probably going to be more about preparing ideas for 바카라사이트 general election and 바카라사이트 next Parliament¡± on a new university funding solution for England, given warnings from universities on how 바카라사이트 continuing tuition fee freeze is cutting 바카라사이트ir funding. ¡°The current HE funding system might just make it to 바카라사이트 beginning [of 바카라사이트 next Parliament], but it sure as hell isn¡¯t going to be much use by 바카라사이트 end,¡± he added.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com