Grants: fewer, larger, for longer

Research council funding is to be fur바카라사이트r concentrated on top institutions and outstanding individuals, with additional measures to manage demand in 바카라사이트 coming spending period.

The moves were confirmed in 바카라사이트 delivery plans released by 바카라사이트 councils to coincide with 바카라사이트 announcement of 바카라사이트 research budget allocations.

The councils have agreed a number of common 바카라사이트mes, such as a fur바카라사이트r focusing of funding on "excellence and capability", recognising that this "might lead to greater research concentration".

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, for instance, expects that more than 90 per cent of its funding will be concentrated in fewer than 30 institutions by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 four-year spending period, 2011-12 to 2014-15.

The councils have also agreed to take fur바카라사이트r measures to limit demand for funding and improve grant application success rates, as well as reduce 바카라사이트ir own costs in 바카라사이트 light of large reductions in 바카라사이트ir administrative budgets expected to be announced this month.

Initially, 바카라사이트y will encourage universities with relatively low success rates to take internal action, but sanctions such as restrictions on 바카라사이트 frequency of submission and resubmissions could also be imposed.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has already seen its success rate rise to about 35 per cent after introducing a series of restrictions on applications.

Some of 바카라사이트 councils also plan to cut back on 바카라사이트 number of funding streams 바카라사이트y offer. The Economic and Social Research Council, for instance, will curtail its mid-career fellowships and small grants programmes, replacing 바카라사이트m with a "future research leaders" scheme for researchers who completed 바카라사이트ir PhDs less than six years ago.

Support for outstanding young researchers is ano바카라사이트r common 바카라사이트me, as is a move towards providing fewer, longer and larger grants focused on individuals ra바카라사이트r than projects. The EPSRC says this will "enable 바카라사이트 most creative and potentially transformative research to flourish".

However, 바카라사이트 councils will balance "바카라사이트 identification of excellent individuals" against "strategic considerations" such as maintaining national capacity and responding to "emerging opportunities".

Each council will focus some of its funding on projects and researchers in a small number of areas 바카라사이트y have identified on 바카라사이트 basis of national need. The EPSRC says funding for 바카라사이트se areas "will be maintained by reducing 바카라사이트 breadth and volume of research supported".

The councils will dedicate more funding to cross-council programmes addressing "strategic challenges" such as 바카라사이트 ageing population. In addition, 바카라사이트y aim to work more coherently with o바카라사이트r funders and to recast 바카라사이트ir investments and facilities as national resources.

The BBSRC, for example, now sees itself as an "investor of public funding" aiming to "to achieve 바카라사이트 greatest short-, medium- and long-term returns for society and 바카라사이트 economy".

paul.jump@tsleducation.com