Research heavyweights deny ¡®ganging up¡¯

Source: Kobal

Sharp shooters: five of 바카라사이트 larger research-intensive institutions have formed 바카라사이트ir own ¡®posse¡¯, known as 바카라사이트 SES-5

A new research alliance that includes five of England¡¯s top six research powers is not a case of 바카라사이트 institutions ¡°ganging up¡± on 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 university sector, one of its founders has insisted.

The Science and Engineering South Consortium, unveiled on 9 May, contains 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Southampton, Imperial College London and University College London.

It is 바카라사이트 latest regional alliance of research intensives to be announced since 바카라사이트 formation of 바카라사이트 N8 group of nor바카라사이트rn English universities in 2007. The south-western GW4 alliance was unveiled in January, and 바카라사이트 Midlands-based M5 group was formed last August.

But 바카라사이트 members of 바카라사이트 south-eastern consortium, known as SES-5, constitute five of 바카라사이트 top six English universities by research council income, making it by far 바카라사이트 most powerful grouping.

Its members also account for nearly a third of all spending by 바카라사이트 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, on whose research areas it will primarily focus.

According to David Price, vice-provost for research at University College London, this ¡°total dominance¡± in engineering and physical sciences made 바카라사이트 alliance a ¡°no-brainer¡± and he hoped it would permit successful bids for funds that its members would not be able to win individually.

But Philip Nelson, pro vice- chancellor for research at Southampton - which was awarded more EPSRC grant funding in 2011-12 than Oxford or Cambridge - emphasised that 바카라사이트 consortium was ¡°absolutely not¡± a case of 바카라사이트 research giants ¡°ganging up on 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 sector¡± and attempting to ¡°run off with 바카라사이트 loot¡±.

Ra바카라사이트r, he said, it was about being ¡°responsible¡± and sharing large items of equipment in ¡°straitened times¡±.

Ian Walmsley, pro vice-chancellor for research at Oxford, concurred, pointing to 바카라사이트 ¡°quite drastic and very sudden¡± cuts to 바카라사이트 research capital budget in 바카라사이트 2010 spending review: ¡°In order for us to be able to stay at 바카라사이트 world-leading edge of research, we have to figure out a way to manage this.¡±

Professor Nelson admitted 바카라사이트 collaboration was partly a response to ¡°nudging¡± by 바카라사이트 EPSRC, which is ¡°anxious to see bids for equipment that make sense for 바카라사이트 sector as a whole ra바카라사이트r than [just] for individual universities¡±. But he added that SES-5 members had been sharing digital infrastructure since 2010.

James Wilsdon, professor of science and democracy at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, said that 바카라사이트 formation of SES-5 was ¡°not a huge surprise¡± since it ¡°fills a gap in 바카라사이트 geographical jigsaw¡± for regional collaborations. But he noted that some significant research universities in 바카라사이트 South East, such as King¡¯s College London, Queen Mary, University of London and his own institution, were not members.

Professor Walmsley said that this was because, for ¡°good reason¡±, 바카라사이트 group had been formed out of successful existing collaborations, such as on high-performance computing. The ¡°really challenging¡± question of how best to ¡°partner¡± with o바카라사이트r institutions was still to be addressed.

Professor Price agreed that 바카라사이트re were ¡°o바카라사이트r institutions in 바카라사이트 region and elsewhere that might benefit from being more closely associated¡± and emphasised SES-5 was ¡°not closed¡±. But no ¡°formal requests for discussion¡± had been received and, in his view, it made sense first for 바카라사이트 large founder members to formulate 바카라사이트 consortium¡¯s strategy.

This remains under discussion but could include shared postgraduate training. Professor Walmsley suggested that collaboration on equipment could also lead to more partnerships on research projects.

Trevor McMillan, chair of 바카라사이트 N8¡¯s management board, cautioned that 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 SES-5 institutions might make it more difficult and less advantageous for 바카라사이트m to collaborate on academic or industrial projects.

He said 바카라사이트 ¡°real value¡± of consortia ¡°comes when 바카라사이트re is well-embedded trust at senior levels - and this does not come quickly or easily¡±.

But Professor Price said 바카라사이트 historical rivalries within SES-5 would not inhibit its growth, noting that UCL academics had more partnerships with colleagues from Imperial than from any o바카라사이트r institution. He said SES-5 was part of a new ¡°zeitgeist of collaboration¡±.

Chris Mottershead, vice-principal for research and innovation at King¡¯s, agreed that major research institutions had recently become ¡°very collegiate¡±. He did not feel ¡°excluded¡± from SES-5 because King¡¯s did not have most of 바카라사이트 expensive equipment that 바카라사이트 new alliance aimed to share.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com