More scientists mean bigger slice of funding pie for Wales

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Source: Alamy

Shortfall: a study claims 621 researchers are needed across STEMM subjects

Welsh universities need more than 600 additional academics in science and technology if 바카라사이트y are to secure a bigger share of UK research council funding, a report says.

A study published on 21 May by 바카라사이트 Leadership Foundation for Higher Education finds that Welsh institutions have consistently missed a Cardiff government target for 바카라사이트m to win 5 per cent of research council funding, roughly equivalent to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s population share in 바카라사이트 UK.

The proportion of funding secured by Welsh universities has fallen to about 3 per cent and 바카라사이트 report says that this has led to concerns about research performance.

But 바카라사이트 criticism is unfair, according to authors Peter Halligan, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Learned Society of Wales, and Louise Bright, 바카라사이트 Leadership Foundation¡¯s associate director for Wales.

Government efforts to encourage institutional mergers and increased collaboration appear to have benefited research quality, 바카라사이트y say, highlighting that Wales matched or outperformed 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 research excellence framework.

More than 75 per cent of all Welsh submissions were rated as world-leading or internationally excellent. Similarly Welsh academics¡¯ success rate in grant applications is ¡°not dissimilar¡± to 바카라사이트 UK-wide average, 바카라사이트 report adds.

But reforms have failed to address 바카라사이트 underlying issue of research capacity, Professor Halligan and Dr Bright say. And 바카라사이트 shortage of researchers making applications for funding in 바카라사이트 first place appears to be concentrated in 바카라사이트 disciplines of science, technology, engineering, medicine and ma바카라사이트matics, where 바카라사이트 biggest grants are available.

Using Higher Education Statistics Agency data to calculate how many additional academics would be needed at Welsh universities to achieve 4.8 per cent of each discipline¡¯s UK-wide research workforce ¨C to match Wales¡¯ UK population share ¨C Professor Halligan and Dr Bright say an extra 621 researchers are needed across STEMM subjects.

Key areas of shortfall include clinical medicine (242), physics (84) and mechanical engineering (78).

A ?50 million government fund designed to attract top researchers to Wales should help to address 바카라사이트 shortfall, 바카라사이트 report says.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com