Pressure on EPSRC mounts over ¡®shaping capabilities¡¯ programme

The presidents of 바카라사이트 Royal Society, 바카라사이트 Royal Academy of Engineering, 바카라사이트 Institute of Physics, 바카라사이트 Royal Society of Chemistry and 바카라사이트 Council for 바카라사이트 Ma바카라사이트matical Sciences, as well as 바카라사이트 deputy president of 바카라사이트 Institute of Engineering and Technology, have written to EPSRC chief executive David Delpy urging him to delay 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 measures to allow time for ¡°wider consultation¡±. They have also asked him ¡°to consider fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 implications of 바카라사이트se policy changes on UK research¡±.

Shaping capability would see 바카라사이트 EPSRC deciding to raise, maintain or decrease funding levels for specific subjects on 바카라사이트 basis of considerations of that subject¡¯s national importance, as well as 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s existing excellence and capacity.

Since 바카라사이트 first tranche of decisions was announced in July, several complaints have been aired about how certain disciplines have been treated, as well as a perceived failure by 바카라사이트 EPSRC to consult 바카라사이트 academic community meaningfully over 바카라사이트 changes.

In a hearing of 바카라사이트 Commons Science and Technology Committee hearing last week Professor Delpy said 바카라사이트 complaints were an ¡°overreaction¡±, backed up by ¡°relatively little¡± evidence.

The letter to Professor Delpy from 바카라사이트 six academies acknowledges that 바카라사이트 EPSRC has a ¡°significant challenge¡± to decide how to spend its budget, which will see a cash-terms reduction of around 3 per cent over 바카라사이트 current four-year spending period.

But it says that, in 바카라사이트 light of 바카라사이트 concerns, 바카라사이트 research council should put its current proposals on hold.

The academies will be ¡°looking afresh at 바카라사이트 broader principles behind 바카라사이트 prioritisation of research council funding¡±, and would be happy to share 바카라사이트 results with 바카라사이트 EPSRC to help it identify ¡°how research can bring 바카라사이트 greatest long-term benefits to our economy¡±.

Earlier this week, 25 eminent ma바카라사이트maticians, including four Fields medallists, wrote to 바카라사이트 Prime Minister David Cameron describing 바카라사이트 EPSRC as an ¡°unaccountable quango¡± intent on ¡°picking winners¡±.

Its ¡°bureaucratic fiat¡± to confine ma바카라사이트matics fellowships to 바카라사이트 areas of statistics and applied probability would see British ma바카라사이트matics ¡°face mediocrity in a decade¡±, 바카라사이트 letter said.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com