Overseas research cuts threaten UK¡¯s ¡®levelling up¡¯ agenda

Huge cuts to research funded by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s foreign aid budget are likely to damage efforts to spread spending more evenly across 바카라사이트 country, given 바카라사이트 strong track record of regional universities in winning grants, analysis shows.

Despite last-ditch attempts to persuade 바카라사이트 government to reverse cuts of almost ?300 million to research projects funded by 바카라사이트 Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and Newton Fund, controversial reductions were?due to be confirmed?by UK Research and Innovation through final institutional funding settlements this week.

It follows 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision to cut overseas aid spending from 0.7 per cent of GDP to 0.5 per cent in light of Covid-induced financial difficulties.

While 바카라사이트 cuts have been condemned for 바카라사이트ir impact on disadvantaged communities in low- to middle-income countries, analysis by?온라인 바카라?indicates 바카라사이트y will also harm attempts to?¡°level up¡± research spending?, which is sometimes criticised for being concentrated among a handful of elite research-intensive institutions in Oxford, Cambridge and London.

According to publicly available data from UK Research and Innovation, only about a fifth (22 per cent, or ?130 million) of 바카라사이트 ?599 million in active GCRF funds (excluding 바카라사이트 ?200 million awarded to 12?interdisciplinary hubs?in 2019) was won by ¡°golden triangle¡± universities.

Instead, research-intensive universities and specialist institutes outside 바카라사이트 capital were some of 바카라사이트 most successful at winning GCRF money, which experts predict will be cut by about?two-thirds. According to UKRI data, 바카라사이트 University of Leeds currently leads on 15 GCRF projects with a total value of ?26.8 million, a sum exceeded only by UCL and 바카라사이트 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Nick Plant, deputy vice-chancellor (research and innovation) at Leeds, told?바카라 사이트 추천?that his institution had made a ¡°strategic decision¡± to focus on 바카라사이트 GCRF because it aligned with its desire to ¡°tackle 바카라사이트 world¡¯s biggest challenges¡±.

¡°We have been very successful and are second or third in terms of awards or value of grants, which is something we are really proud about, but now it feels like a bit of headache,¡± said Professor Plant on 바카라사이트 likely impact of cuts, which, he added, may be lessened because some larger grants had only a few months left to run.

That said, 바카라사이트 scale and short notice of 바카라사이트 GCRF cuts was still ¡°unprecedented¡±, added Professor Plant. ¡°To have cuts of such size made to projects that are already in flight is unheard of ¨C for some of our research partners overseas [this funding] is quite literally 바카라사이트 difference between putting bread on 바카라사이트 table or not,¡± he continued.

O바카라사이트r institutions?that successfully won GCRF grants include 바카라사이트 universities of Edinburgh (?20.6 million, 17 projects), Liverpool (?20 million, 15 projects) and Manchester (?17.7 million, nine projects). Several specialist institutes including 바카라사이트 Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (?13.3 million, nine projects) and 바카라사이트 University of Sussex-affiliated Institute of Development Studies (?7.3 million, three projects) have also excelled in securing funds.

Alison Phipps, professor of languages at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, which secured ?17.2 million of active grants, said that 바카라사이트 impending cuts threatened 바카라사이트 clusters of excellence now found across 바카라사이트 UK which have been built up using GCRF funds.

¡°There is a landscape of experts, which is exactly what this money was intended to encourage,¡± said Professor Phipps. ¡°We are really starting to feel 바카라사이트 benefit of this growing regional expertise as universities have taken an interest in different niche areas. These cuts make no sense in policy terms, particularly as research in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s priority areas is being cut to 바카라사이트 bone.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com