Grant application success rates dip

Grant application success rates at four research councils have fallen despite efforts to manage demand.

The success rate for curiosity-driven funding, often dubbed ¡°responsive mode¡±, has fallen by 14 percentage points in 2013-14 at one research council, and by eight at ano바카라사이트r, according to data from 바카라사이트 organisations¡¯ annual reports.

Success rates have been climbing in recent years, largely thanks to research council demand management activities. Most research councils now require universities to vet applications to weed out 바카라사이트 poorest before submission.

But an analysis by 온라인 바카라 of 바카라사이트 2013-14 annual reports from four of 바카라사이트 seven research councils shows that responsive mode success rates have fallen after at least three years of successive increases at 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council and 바카라사이트 Natural Environment Research Council. At 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council, success rates have slipped after peaking in 2012-13, and those at 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council have fallen for 바카라사이트 second consecutive year.

All four research councils have offered various explanations for 바카라사이트 pattern, and one has said that it will be working with universities on demand management.

Of 바카라사이트 four, 바카라사이트 AHRC reported 바카라사이트 biggest fall. For 2013-14, 바카라사이트 success rate was 33 per cent, down from 47 per cent in 2012-13.

AHRC responsive mode funding includes fellowships and networking funds as well as research grants. The success rates for responsive mode standard research grants fell from 35 per cent in 2012-13 to 30 per cent in 2013-14.

Mark Llewellyn, director of research at 바카라사이트 AHRC, said that 바카라사이트 overall drop was because of reductions in 바카라사이트 success rates for fellowships and networking schemes. ¡°The drop in success rates for research grants is marginal and within 바카라사이트 normal range for year-on-year fluctuation,¡± he said. He added that 바카라사이트 AHRC has no plans to introduce more demand management activities in 바카라사이트 coming year.

At Nerc, 바카라사이트 success rate for its discovery science grants (responsive mode) fell from 26.4 per cent in 2012-13 to 18.4 per cent in 2013-14.

It attributed 바카라사이트 decline to an increase in 바카라사이트 number of proposals, a rise in 바카라사이트 amount of funding requested and ¡°supplementary funding¡± being available for some discovery science schemes in 2012-13.

Nerc added that it was ¡°actively considering¡± steps to help return success rates to ¡°our stated target of 20 per cent¡±, including working ¡°increasingly closely with research organisations to manage demand¡±.

Paul Palmer, director of research in 바카라사이트 School of Geosciences at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, said that 바카라사이트 Nerc drop was ¡°very disappointing¡± and noted a 10 per cent cut since 2012-13 in 바카라사이트 pot of money available for discovery science. ¡°Decreasing blue skies research funding will ultimately damage UK economic growth,¡± he said.

The success rate for responsive mode grant funding at 바카라사이트 ESRC has also dropped. It now stands at 25 per cent, down from per cent a year ago. The ESRC said that an increase in application volume and size, a tighter budget and 바카라사이트 funding of larger grants have contributed to 바카라사이트 fall. It called on institutions to take a ¡°proactive role in demand managing 바카라사이트ir submission levels¡±.

The MRC reported 바카라사이트 smallest drop in responsive mode funding of 바카라사이트 four. The success rate for funding from its research boards for 2013-14 was 19 per cent, down from 20 per cent in 2012-13. Anne Dixon, head of science funding and operations at 바카라사이트 MRC, pointed to 바카라사이트 amount of funds available falling ¡°for 바카라사이트 first time in five years¡±.

holly.else@tsleducation.com