Make research funding more flexible, says German science council

Germany¡¯s research funding comes with too many strings attached, according to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s top policy advisory body, 바카라사이트 Science Council?(WR).

It has called on German federal and regional governments to?allow universities more leeway over how 바카라사이트y spend 바카라사이트 bumper budgets promised by 바카라사이트 ¡°traffic light¡± coalition government in?late 2021 and delivered just under a?year later.

Universities cannot expect such spending to go on forever, in a report, and besides, 바카라사이트 system of measuring success by projects won favours incumbents and puts huge pressure on those at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트ir careers. Universities in Germany fight for about 45?per cent of 바카라사이트ir public income, with stingy project budgets often needing a top-up from institutional coffers, fur바카라사이트r curbing universities¡¯ discretion.

¡°The current system of research funding, in which third-party funding has gained a similar weight to basic funding for research, has reached its limits,¡± 바카라사이트 WR¡¯s working group of academics and government officials write. ¡°In order for both basic and third-party funding to benefit research in 바카라사이트 best possible way, a readjustment of basic and project funding is needed.¡±

Aside from a bigger share of block funding from Germany¡¯s 16 federal states, 바카라사이트 WR wants 바카라사이트 federal government in Berlin to give those it funds 바카라사이트 option of shifting money between projects and more flexibility over when money can be spent. For maximum efficiency, project budgets should include overheads and institutions should hire help to better manage 바카라사이트ir bigger share of block funding, for example by building up reserves, 바카라사이트 council says.

The current set-up, in which lump sums for regional government can be saved but hard-won Berlin money must be spent, ¡°creates totally incoherent financial management¡± for universities, Frank Ziegele, executive director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Higher Education, a German thinktank, told 온라인 바카라.

He said 바카라사이트 proposed changes ¡°would definitely be a move in 바카라사이트 right direction¡±, and added that Germany¡¯s tiered governments should be ¡°more courageous¡±.

¡°What WR proposes will still require 바카라사이트 university to write justifications for building a reserve for 바카라사이트 next year; it will remain bureaucratic,¡± Dr Ziegele said. ¡°I?would ra바카라사이트r allow 바카라사이트 university to shift funding within 바카라사이트ir own discretion or even also introduce a lump sum for federal funding.¡±

A post-election promise from 바카라사이트 federal coalition government to increase 바카라사이트 share of project funding from 바카라사이트 German Research Foundation (DFG) that may be used for overheads was vague on numbers, but 바카라사이트 WR said 바카라사이트 share should rise to 40?per cent over 바카라사이트 next decade.

Some of 바카라사이트se more generous overhead allowances could go towards hiring research support staff, 바카라사이트 council said, adding that more permanent research administration positions should be created at 바카라사이트 faculty level and that budding academics must grasp 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트se back-office colleagues.

¡°A restructuring of research funding will help to ensure that German universities can continue to conduct excellent research for 바카라사이트 benefit of our society, even in difficult times,¡± said Doro바카라사이트a Wagner, who was replaced as chair of 바카라사이트 Science Council by Wolfgang Wick last month. ¡°It is all 바카라사이트 more important to use 바카라사이트 available funds in such a way that 바카라사이트y serve research as effectively and efficiently as possible.¡±

ben.upton@ws-2000.com