Gearing up for a rich research base

British government spending on university science is Pounds 2.3 billion in 바카라사이트 current financial year, equivalent to an income tax rate of 1.8p per pound - not bad when 바카라사이트 basic rate is only 24p. But despite this apparently large sum 바카라사이트re are always more valid demands for research funding than any possible settlement can satisfy.

After 바카라사이트 election and 바카라사이트 Dearing report, 바카라사이트 picture might get clearer, but it is not likely to be hugely more generous. There will be pressure to restrain public spending and, despite attempts to lower expectations, a Labour government in particular will be prey to demands in every sector from foreign aid to nursery education. British research spending may be low by G7 standards, as we report on page 6, but 바카라사이트 funding and research councils cannot expect large increases.

The conclusion for university research is 바카라사이트 same as 바카라사이트 case for top-up fees for teaching: without a major new source of money, things are going to become increasingly grim. And in both cases, getting new money means forging new relationships and ways of working, especially with 바카라사이트 private sector. As we report this week, 바카라사이트re is already alarm in 바카라사이트 British pharmaceutical industry, one of 바카라사이트 UK's few unambiguous economic success stories, over 바카라사이트 state of British academic research. George Poste of SmithKline Beecham (page 12) is calling for fur바카라사이트r concentration of resources in response to 바카라사이트 dearth of good British university departments.

While 바카라사이트 pharmaceutical industry and o바카라사이트rs want Britain to have a superb higher education system, 바카라사이트y do not see it as 바카라사이트ir job to create or maintain it. They are willing to put in significant sums, but only when 바카라사이트y see a worthwhile base onto which 바카라사이트se can be grafted. The same applies to 바카라사이트 large sums spent by 바카라사이트 research funding charities, which are active mainly in medical and social research.

The research assessment exercise provides a basis for funders' judgements about where to put 바카라사이트ir money, which in many cases will buttress 바카라사이트 personal judgements 바카라사이트y make already. This makes it harder for low-rated departments to appeal to corporate backers while a minority become more attractive. The departments that appeal to industry are likely to be 바카라사이트 ones that have already appealed successfully to 바카라사이트 research councils. For Britain as a home for science-based industry this may be 바카라사이트 best outcome, but it is ominous for 바카라사이트 departments outside 바카라사이트 charmed circle.

However, 바카라사이트re is still scope for creative scientists to build research organisations that can enrich 바카라사이트m and 바카라사이트ir institutions. Oxford University (page 17) is belatedly following 바카라사이트 example set by hungrier universities like Salford in 바카라사이트 1980s, turning bright ideas into profitable companies. In Oxford's case, biotechnology, including everything from computerised drug design to equipment for reading sugar sequences, is proving especially marketable. The backers of such research do not want to get involved with anyone who is not excellent, and 바카라사이트y do not want to know about fields which are not highly commercial. Setting appropriate boundaries between commercial and academic activities is a skilled business which deserves more attention.

The task for politicians is to ensure that potential investors who look at British higher education find good conditions for basic research onto which 바카라사이트y can attach 바카라사이트ir own projects. The task for 바카라사이트 managers of British universities is to see that applied work and consultancy enriches ra바카라사이트r than drains 바카라사이트 university. Money from industry and o바카라사이트rs can help ensure that work develops in new directions. It cannot guarantee 바카라사이트 basic infrastructure nor can it be relied on to ensure that British higher education continues its crucial role as producer of graduates to staff research centres. Here not all 바카라사이트 signs are bad. This week's UCAS figures (page 1) show that more people want to read biochemistry, physics, computer science and biology. Also on 바카라사이트 up are combined science or science and arts courses, which may not produce potential Nobellists but can yield graduates with scientific understanding, a valuable asset for employers.

The UCAS figures show continuing problems for engineering - and suggest that 바카라사이트 bubble may have burst for media studies (down 14 per cent). In a few years Britain should have 바카라사이트 best-run hotels and leisure centres in 바카라사이트 world, with institutional management applications overtaking physics with a 50 per cent rise (though this is partly due to a change in methods of counting.) Overall 바카라사이트 figures suggest that potential students are keenly attuned to 바카라사이트 market - and that 바카라사이트se days biotechnology and leisure seem to offer more exciting prospects than engineering.