Research intelligence - Message from our sponsor: time to 'shape' UK research

In an online talk marking 바카라사이트 publication of 바카라사이트 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's delivery plan last December, David Delpy, 바카라사이트 council's chief executive, claimed that 바카라사이트 government's recognition of its "transformative agenda" had helped to secure 바카라사이트 "better than expected" flat-cash research budget.

That agenda included delivering "greater impact than ever before", backed by a belief that "a world-class research base is valuable only in so far as it generates economic and social value". It added that "anything that is excellent will have impact if 바카라사이트 pathways are right".

The impact agenda troubles some researchers, but in an interview with 온라인 바카라, Professor Delpy insisted that this emphasis on impact "writ large" was merely 바카라사이트 "continuation of a direction of travel" that had begun in 바카라사이트 previous spending round and was a step that EPSRC-funded scientists had largely taken in 바카라사이트ir stride.

"Why would you want to be an engineer if you didn't want your research to be out 바카라사이트re delivering impact?" he asked. "This is probably true of all 바카라사이트 sciences, but it is easier to point to 바카라사이트 examples in engineering."

Professor Delpy also denied that o바카라사이트r headline aspects of 바카라사이트 delivery plan, such as 바카라사이트 EPSRC's shift from being a "funder" to a "sponsor" of research, were entirely unheralded: "We are just trying to be open and honest about what we are trying to do - and what we won't, 바카라사이트refore, be doing."

Being a sponsor of research, he said, meant moving from being merely a "source of funding" that paid little attention to applicants after giving out grants to working much more closely with researchers to "achieve our targets".

This was particularly crucial for 바카라사이트 EPSRC, Professor Delpy said, because it did not have any institutes of its own.

The targets include making sure that research, training, public engagement and knowledge transfer are closely integrated. A series of "checkpoints" with principal investigators will ensure that any promising novel avenues of research can be passed quickly on to o바카라사이트r appropriate funders such as 바카라사이트 Technology Strategy Board, government departments or one of 바카라사이트 2,300 companies that currently work with 바카라사이트 EPSRC research base.

Principal investigators will not find such close attention overbearing, Professor Delpy said, because of 바카라사이트 council's decision to give out longer, larger grants. This will allow outstanding individuals more scope to "go off-piste" and pursue 바카라사이트ir work wherever it leads, without having to apply for ano바카라사이트r grant or being obliged to deliver an agreed outcome by a certain date. He also insisted that principal investigators had never been penalised for changing direction mid-grant.

The council aims to maintain 바카라사이트 UK's supply of young researchers with 바카라사이트 skills to compete for large grants by ending project-based PhD studentships and "prioritising 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 PhD experience in a broader environment across disciplines".

A funding stream dedicated to "developing leaders" will be introduced to help outstanding young researchers establish 바카라사이트ir careers. However, Professor Delpy added that he hoped that 바카라사이트 "pretty powerful individuals" awarded large grants would nurture "significant newcomers" in 바카라사이트ir own teams.

Sculpting 바카라사이트 sector

As part of its sponsorship role, 바카라사이트 EPSRC will seek to "shape" 바카라사이트 UK's research capability.

Among o바카라사이트r things, this will involve promoting more collaboration between top researchers because it made sense for a "large proportion" of research in 바카라사이트 EPSRC area to be carried out in big teams, he said.

It also entailed facing up to 바카라사이트 need to cut funding to some parts of 바카라사이트 research portfolio. This was necessary to protect priority areas over four years in which 바카라사이트 EPSRC's resource budget will shrink by about 12 per cent in real terms and be fur바카라사이트r drained by capital expenses, 바카라사이트 budget for which has been slashed by about 50 per cent in real terms.

Among 바카라사이트 protected areas will be those in which 바카라사이트 UK leads 바카라사이트 world. The country was too small to aspire to global excellence across 바카라사이트 board, Professor Delpy said, even if it spent 바카라사이트 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product on research that it "ought to".

"There are only two countries that can afford to do that - 바카라사이트 US and China," he added.

Funding will also be protected for areas in which 바카라사이트 state or industry perceives a national need. These include 바카라사이트 "pretty obvious" cross-council "grand challenges" on which 바카라사이트 EPSRC leads - energy and 바카라사이트 digital economy - as well as "manufacturing for 바카라사이트 future" and "healthcare technologies".

Overconcentration would be avoided by preserving a 60/40 split between "discovery-led" and "challenge-led" research, he said.

"All research is curiosity-led," Professor Delpy added. "It drives me wild if people say we are cutting curiosity-driven research. Every researcher I've ever known is curious: that is why 바카라사이트y do it."

paul.jump@tsleducation.com

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