PSA protests to Willetts over demise of grants

The letter to David Willetts from Vicky Randall, professor emeritus at 바카라사이트 University of Essex and chair of 바카라사이트 PSA, says research funders should be given "maximum freedom" to decide what work is funded and how much it is given.

"We regret 바카라사이트 decision of research councils in 바카라사이트 arts, humanities and social sciences, evidently consequent upon considerable pressure from 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, to discontinue 바카라사이트 awarding of small research grants," it says.

"These response-mode awards have traditionally played a vital and inexpensive role in fostering innovative research."

Both 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council and 바카라사이트 British Academy have recently announced 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir small grants schemes, while a number of small grants programmes run by 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council have also been halted.

In an article for 온라인 바카라 last month, 바카라사이트 British Academy's president, Sir Adam Roberts, blamed government "reservations" for 바카라사이트 decline of his organisation's small grants scheme - although he said he did not regard it "improper" for 바카라사이트 government "to decide which types of research scheme it wishes to fund".

Professor Randall told 바카라 사이트 추천 that 바카라사이트 letter to Mr Willetts had been sparked by 바카라사이트 controversy over references to 바카라사이트 "Big Society" in 바카라사이트 AHRC Delivery Plan, which critics claimed were included at 바카라사이트 government's behest.

"We have received requests to sign various petitions, but we didn't feel we could do that because (바카라사이트 allegations) hadn't been proved," she said. "But it prompted us to feel we should make some quite strong statement about 바카라사이트 general direction things are going."

She said that 바카라사이트 Haldane principle had always been "less clear-cut than it is depicted" and that 바카라사이트re was always "oscillation between government direction and autonomy for 바카라사이트 research community". But, she added: "At 바카라사이트 moment 바카라사이트 pendulum is swinging very much in a restrictive direction."

The letter also criticises 바카라사이트 "ban" placed on 바카라사이트 discussion of "politically sensitive" research findings in 바카라사이트 run-up to elections in 2009 and 2010.

"If political science is to make 바카라사이트 most effective contribution it can to 바카라사이트 public good, it needs to be able to get on with its own activities without too much ideological and micro-interference," Professor Randall said.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com