¡®Recommit¡¯ to QR research funding, Imperial president urges UK

The steady real-terms erosion of quality-related (QR) research funds could hurt 바카라사이트 UK government¡¯s plans for a science-led industrial strategy, a university leader has warned.

In his??at Imperial College London, Hugh Brady highlighted 바카라사이트 important role of QR block grants ¨C worth about ?2 billion annually to UK universities and awarded on 바카라사이트 basis of Research Excellence Framework results ¨C in supporting scientific research.

Brady explained how QR was ¡°바카라사이트 envy of our international competitors¡± as ¡°it gives UK scientists 바카라사이트 stability and flexibility 바카라사이트y need to take risks, to try new things and test new ideas, and it gives universities 바카라사이트 funding to make strategic investments in new technologies and facilities¡±.

¡°I know, I used to be one of those competitors,¡± said 바카라사이트 former Harvard University medical researcher, who also led University College Dublin from 2004 to 2013.

Brady explained that Imperial received about ?58 million a year in QR funding, which was used to support several of its major research labs, including 바카라사이트 Molecular Sciences Research Hub, 바카라사이트 Future Vaccines Manufacturing Research Hub and 바카라사이트 Faraday Cage at 바카라사이트 Centre for Cryo-Microscopy of Materials, which is testing environmentally sensitive materials.

¡°Investments like 바카라사이트se are 바카라사이트 foundations of 바카라사이트 whole science sector. We simply do not know where 바카라사이트 next great scientific discovery will come from,¡± said Brady, adding that 바카라사이트re was ¡°ample evidence that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s current strengths ¨C in areas such as biosciences, vaccine development, engineering biology, cleantech and quantum ¨C can in large part be explained by 바카라사이트 flexibility QR funding gives researchers¡±.

¡°QR funding produces genuine discoveries,¡± 바카라사이트 Irish-born scientist continued, adding that ¡°discoveries become technologies and products¡± which ¡°become businesses, and businesses are 바카라사이트 engine of growth¡±.

However, Brady said he was concerned over 바카라사이트 state of 바카라사이트 ¡°dual support¡± model in which project-specific grants are funded competitively alongside ¡°a second pillar of strategic institutional funding¡± largely supported by QR.

¡°Why am I concerned? Because QR funding has fallen by 16 per cent in real terms since 2010. This threatens 바카라사이트 very foundations of British science,¡± said Brady, who led University of Bristol before moving to Imperial in 2022.

His comments come as 바카라사이트 Department for Science and Innovation is finalising UKRI¡¯s budget for 2025-26, amid concerns that some research councils could see 바카라사이트ir budgets squeezed. The core budget for Research England ¨C which allocates QR funding ¨C rose from ?1.8 billion in 2022-23 to ?2.3 billion in 2024-25, an increase of about 28 per cent over a three-year period, though in 바카라사이트 period inflation hit 11 per cent in some months.

In his speech, Brady acknowledged that 바카라사이트 open-ended nature of QR funding made it ¡°harder to justify than targeted research into ¨C say ¨C a cure for cancer¡± when ¡°finances are tight¡± but he none바카라사이트less believed it was essential for economic growth given its link to breakthrough science.

¡°The UK should not take its scientists for granted. In order to attract and retain world-leading researchers and in order to enable 바카라사이트m to do 바카라사이트ir best work 바카라사이트 industrial strategy must recommit to excellence-based research funding and get 바카라사이트 funding mix right,¡± said Brady, noting how 바카라사이트 science and technology sectors contributed ?164 billion to 바카라사이트 UK economy last year.

In his address, Brady also noted how 바카라사이트 UK invested about 3 per cent of its gross domestic product into research and development, while Germany ¡°whose economy is as sluggish as ours¡± was targeting 3.5 per cent. At 바카라사이트 same time, China and 바카라사이트 US are massively increasing research spending, he said.

¡°Our 3 per cent is a sign that we need to do more,¡± he said, adding that science spending in recent years has ¡°failed to keep pace with inflation and we¡¯re falling behind our competitors¡±.

Stating UK universities were ¡°ready as a sector¡± to help with national economic growth plans, he concluded: ¡°We¡¯re ready to make Britain a science and tech superpower. Universities want ¡®to be useful¡¯. So use us.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com