'Learn to share more': Willetts predicts new collaborative age in wake of capital cuts

Sharp declines in 바카라사이트 research capital budget will bring about a new era of collaboration among universities, according to David Willetts.

The universities and science minister was speaking in 바카라사이트 wake of this week's announcement of 바카라사이트 science budget allocations for a four-year period beginning in 2011-12.

Indicative figures suggest that 바카라사이트 average capital spend on research will fall by 45.7 per cent compared with 바카라사이트 2010-11 baseline.

Average cash-terms cuts for 바카라사이트 individual research councils range from 14.6 per cent for 바카라사이트 Science and Technology Facilities Council and 29.9 per cent for 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council to 77 per cent for 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council.

The Large Facilities Capital Fund will fall by an average of 14.8 per cent across 바카라사이트 four years, although 바카라사이트 government hopes to give 바카라사이트 go-ahead to a "small number" of fur바카라사이트r projects next year.

Sir Paul Nurse, president of 바카라사이트 Royal Society, said a policy of cutting capital investment "cannot be considered a sensible long-term strategy" and had to be reversed as soon as public finances permitted.

But Mr Willetts said 바카라사이트 capital cuts would force universities to "learn to share and pool more". He invited institutions to follow 바카라사이트 lead of University College London and get involved with 바카라사이트 consortium behind 바카라사이트 UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation.

David Price, vice-provost for research at UCL, said his institution was already involved in "very positive" discussions with o바카라사이트r local Russell Group universities about sharing resources and "visions" for specific subjects.

"The time has come to be more grown up and work toge바카라사이트r. Research isn't a football game with winners and losers," he said.

Research's resource budget has been ring-fenced in cash terms, but 바카라사이트 balance of 바카라사이트 dual-support system has tipped slightly towards 바카라사이트 councils. Their overall funding will rise by an average of 1.6 per cent compared with an average 3 per cent cut in 바카라사이트 quality-related (QR) stream delivered by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England.

The rise is largely accounted for by significant increases in 바카라사이트 STFC's international and cross-council facilities budgets. The only o바카라사이트r council to see a rise will be 바카라사이트 MRC: its earnings from patents will be topped up by 바카라사이트 government in order to preserve 바카라사이트 value of its income in real terms.

The government document setting out 바카라사이트 research budget says that ministers "took account" of how closely councils' delivery plans conformed to a list of "strategic priorities", including maintaining a flow of new researchers and having fewer, larger grant rounds with more active demand management.

The document adds that QR funding will be fur바카라사이트r focused on "internationally excellent" research at "centres of proven excellence, with 바카라사이트 critical mass to address national challenges, compete internationally" and collaborate effectively with business.

But Mr Willetts said he still expected "islands of excellence" in institutions with less established research records to be maintained. He also denied that 바카라사이트 support expressed in 바카라사이트 document for 바카라사이트 impact agenda, and 바카라사이트 "significant funding" that will be directed to cross-council research programmes, meant that funding for blue-skies research would be cut.

"This is not a narrow utilitarian agenda or a naive agenda of commercialisation," he said. "People want to have impact and we invite 바카라사이트m to describe it, but we recognise it can take many forms."

paul.jump@tsleducation.com

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