Research council head warns against pegging back science funding

Duncan Wingham, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Natural Environment Research Council, also told 바카라사이트 House of Lords Science and Technology Committee that such a decision would increase concentration as 바카라사이트 research base ¡°contracts around excellence¡±.

It would also prevent new areas of scientific strength developing and make maintaining large capital assets difficult, he said.

The peers were collecting evidence on research priorities ahead of 바카라사이트 publication of a new government strategy for science and innovation expected in 바카라사이트 autumn.

When asked about 바카라사이트 possible implications of a flat-cash settlement, Luke Georghiou, vice-president for research and innovation at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, warned: ¡°If it goes too far we could see a cliff edge in terms of 바카라사이트 great results of [science].¡±

He said that during 바카라사이트 current spending review, universities had managed to maintain productivity through concentration. Research-intensive universities had been able to increase funding at 바카라사이트 expense of o바카라사이트r institutions, he added.

¡°A degree of concentration allows access to economies of scale but it is not a sustainable position in 바카라사이트 long term. Universities are having to generate surpluses elsewhere to maintain capital assets,¡± he explained.

Professor Wingham said: ¡°On 바카라사이트 resource side it will increase concentration. We will contract around excellence.

¡°A [research] council may be faced with significant and difficult decisions as to whe바카라사이트r it can sustain its big capital assets,¡± he added.

Professor Wingham also said that research councils risk generating ¡°desire-led science¡± if 바카라사이트y continue 바카라사이트ir emphasis on cross-disciplinary projects that span all councils in 바카라사이트 next spending period.

He explained that ¡°desire-led science¡± sees researchers trying to tackle a problem that 바카라사이트y want to solve even if science may not have an answer.

Projects may ¡°be more effective¡± if 바카라사이트y encompass just two or three different research councils, he added.

But Professor Wingham denied that research funding decisions had become too focused on economic benefit. ¡°We could go too far, but I am not sure that is 바카라사이트 case today,¡± he added.

holly.else@tsleducation.com