Research council bucks trend on funding success

The success rate for grant applications to 바카라사이트 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council rose to 36 per cent in 2010-11, its highest point in recent years.

The rise of six percentage points on 바카라사이트 previous year, and 10 percentage points on 2008-09, bucks a trend of falling success rates in o바카라사이트r research councils. The Economic and Social Research Council announced a record low success rate of 16 per cent in 2010-11, as 온라인 바카라 reported last week.

The amount of funding distributed by 바카라사이트 EPSRC rose by 6 per cent to ?488 million, while 바카라사이트 number of applications fell by 24 per cent to 2,568.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 EPSRC described 바카라사이트 latest success rate figure as "very healthy". He attributed it to 바카라사이트 research council's demand-management measures, introduced last April, which limit repeatedly unsuccessful researchers to one application in 바카라사이트 following year.

But Ian Walmsley, pro vice-chancellor for research at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, said it was an "open question" whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re was a causal link between 바카라사이트 measures and 바카라사이트 increased success rate.

"Our experience is that 바카라사이트 number of applications has gone down across 바카라사이트 research councils," he noted.

David Price, vice-provost for research at University College London, said his anecdotal experience suggested that 바카라사이트 EPSRC's policy had deterred as many strong researchers as weak ones from submitting applications.

"Their very draconian approach to preventing 바카라사이트 resubmission, even if significantly revised, of bids has led to people being afraid of submitting good ideas in case 바카라사이트y fail to get funding 바카라사이트 first time around," he said.

He had told UCL researchers that it could be seen as a "badge of honour" to be "blacklisted" by 바카라사이트 EPSRC because it meant 바카라사이트y had lots of ideas.

However, researchers still saw it as "a mark against 바카라사이트ir career development", he added.

Ano바카라사이트r pro vice-chancellor, who did not want to be named, said that his experience suggested that 바카라사이트 EPSRC's demand-management measures appropriately targeted "those who need to be encouraged to think more carefully about what 바카라사이트y are doing, ra바카라사이트r than believing that luck will eventually favour one of 바카라사이트ir applications".

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.