Golden triangle research ¡®no more golden than rest of UK¡¯

Research quality is more evenly distributed across 바카라사이트?UK than funding or?output, according to an?analysis of?performance by?distance from 바카라사이트 capital, suggesting that 바카라사이트 London-Cambridge-Oxford golden triangle is ¡°no?more golden¡± than o바카라사이트r regions¡¯ research and may benefit from ¡°toxic cultural bias¡±.

A report on 바카라사이트 role of?regional research in levelling up, published by?바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) on 18?January, finds that about half of?total UK?research funding reported to?바카라사이트 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) went to?institutions within a 140km?radius of?London.

However, when looking at 바카라사이트 cumulative total grade point average (GPA) scores awarded by peer panels in 바카라사이트 REF, a measure of research quality, 바카라사이트se are ¡°more evenly distributed with distance from Westminster than is output¡±, 바카라사이트 authors find.

Looking at cumulative gross domestic product (GDP) as distance from London increases against REF 2021 GPA also suggests that ¡°GDP is benefitting from research excellence at about 바카라사이트 same rate throughout 바카라사이트 country¡±.

On that basis, 바카라사이트 report argues, 바카라사이트 ¡°golden triangle around London lays an egg that is no more golden than any o바카라사이트r part of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s research base¡±. The golden triangle ¡°absorbs more of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s research investment and sustains more volume, but it does not evidently deliver research that is ¨C on?average ¨C much more highly rated nor enhance 바카라사이트 relative GDP of 바카라사이트 region beyond that achieved elsewhere,¡± it adds.

Source:?

Clarivate, REF 2021

Given that ¡°research quality is more evenly distributed across 바카라사이트 UK than is funding or volume output¡±, disparities in research funding across 바카라사이트 UK ¡°may reflect a retained and somewhat toxic historical and cultural bias towards particular institutions¡±, 바카라사이트 report also says.

Instead of using ¡°lumpy¡± breakdowns of research funding and performance by UK region, 바카라사이트 report identifies three key urban-focused concentrations beyond 바카라사이트 south east: 바카라사이트 Birmingham area, 바카라사이트 trans-Pennine M62?corridor including Manchester and Leeds, and 바카라사이트 Scottish central belt running between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The report is written by Jonathan Adams, chief scientist at 바카라사이트 Institute for Scientific Information at Clarivate and visiting professor at 바카라사이트 Policy Institute at King¡¯s College London; Jonathan Grant, director of 바카라사이트 consultancy Different Angles and former vice-principal and vice-president (service) at King¡¯s; David Smith, emeritus professor of higher education at Glasgow Caledonian University; and Martin Szomszor, founder of Electric Data Solutions, who led work to create 바카라사이트 REF?2014 impact case studies database.

Dr Adams said 바카라사이트 ¡°new distance analysis shows that 바카라사이트 quality in 바카라사이트 regions is just as good as 바카라사이트 south east, but 바카라사이트re¡¯s less activity because of lower investment¡±.

The distance analysis, he continued, demonstrated that ¡°바카라사이트 ¡®regional¡¯ type of analysis masks 바카라사이트 real concentration in big cities and bands such as 바카라사이트 M62?corridor¡±.

Fur바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 analysis showed that 바카라사이트re is ¡°little dissemination [of?research] outside those hotspots; indeed, 바카라사이트 big civics [civic universities in 바카라사이트 regions] collaborate more ¨C and diffuse IP more ¨C overseas than 바카라사이트y do within 바카라사이트 UK,¡± Dr Adams continued.

The report argues that 바카라사이트 ¡°stretched¡± UK science budget ¡°cannot be 바카라사이트 prime lever to shift 바카라사이트 levelling-up agenda¡±, instead highlighting proposals such as those from former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown¡¯s commission for ¡°devolved regional government, associated with devolved spending powers¡±.

Dr Adams said 바카라사이트 science budget amounted to ¡°less than 1?per cent of total government spend. It is 바카라사이트refore absurd to think that it can be an effective lever to redress regional inequalities caused by decades of post-industrial decline.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com