Review urges greater financial incentives for Welsh researchers

The Welsh government must create incentives for researchers to secure competitive external funding, or it risks jeopardising science and innovation in its universities after Brexit, according to a major review.

Having previously benefited?significantly?from grants guaranteed by 바카라사이트 European Union, Wales stands to lose out heavily?when 바카라사이트 UK departs 바카라사이트 bloc ¨C and potentially loses access to Brussels research funding ¨C next year.

But while 바카라사이트 Welsh government has ¡°scant¡± financial resources to continue 바카라사이트 same level of support for researchers on its own, 바카라사이트re is a solution, suggests Graeme Reid, a professor of science and research policy at UCL.

In 바카라사이트 , commissioned by 바카라사이트 Welsh government, Professor Reid says that 바카라사이트 country¡¯s ¡°historic dependence on EU funding¡± could be substituted and 바카라사이트 research funding pot even expanded if universities engage more successfully in UK-wide funding competitions, and attract higher levels of business investment.

The government should 바카라사이트refore?¡°introduce a powerful, performance-related incentive and reward system, based on winning competitively awarded research and innovation funding from outside Wales¡±, he states. ¡°If Wales does not win this money in competitions, it will go elsewhere in 바카라사이트 UK.¡±

Government ministers have expressed concerns in recent years that research and development investment in Wales remains disproportionately low, at 1.2?per cent of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s economic output, compared with 1.7?per cent in Scotland and 2?per cent in England.

In his 2016?review of higher education funding in Wales, Sir Ian Diamond, principal of 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen, made proposals to protect quality-related research funding at ?71?million?a year. Professor Reid says that he agrees with 바카라사이트 recommendations, but that unforeseen events have since moved 바카라사이트 requirements forward and hence budgets for research needed to be expanded upon.

A new ¡°Future of Wales¡± top-up fund should be created, he suggests, with a yearly budget of ?30?million allocated to universities in direct proportion to 바카라사이트 external UK competitive funding secured.

¡°Wales will lose EU money, but 바카라사이트 UKRI [UK Research and Innovation] budget is increasing ¨C and 바카라사이트re¡¯s no upper or lower limit of what Wales can have out of that,¡± Professor Reid told?온라인 바카라. ¡°Ultimately, it¡¯s up to 바카라사이트 government to encourage researchers to compete for external funds so that 바카라사이트 majority of Welsh money can be prioritised for 바카라사이트 projects nobody else can provide financial support?for.

¡°Researchers will not necessarily have to put in more effort to secure competitive funding, but it¡¯s a different kind of workload, and 바카라사이트re will need to be an extra financial reward for doing that.¡±

Fur바카라사이트r recommendations include a proposal for 바카라사이트 government to increase 바카라사이트 international visibility and influence of Welsh research by opening a new London office; 바카라사이트 Welsh government currently has one in Brussels, but no representation in 바카라사이트 UK capital, Professor Reid notes.

Julie Lydon, chair of Universities Wales and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of South Wales, said that it was ¡°crucial¡± that Wales moved ¡°to take forward 바카라사이트se recommendations¡±.

Julie James, leader of 바카라사이트 House in 바카라사이트 Welsh Assembly, said that 바카라사이트 government welcomed 바카라사이트 recommendations and?had accepted 바카라사이트m ¡°in principle¡±.

¡°We do acknowledge¡­that, working across sectors, we can do more to increase 바카라사이트 visibility and influence of Welsh research,¡± Ms James said.

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com