Share ¡®Plan B¡¯ research funding more fairly than Horizon ¨C paper

The UK¡¯s ¡°Plan?B¡± scheme to replace Horizon Europe should make funding allocations ¡°more inclusive¡± by?encouraging 바카라사이트 participation of?researchers from ¡°less-resourced¡± universities, a?study has suggested.

Criticising 바카라사이트 current ¡°excellence¡± focus of?바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s flagship research scheme, in?which funding flows disproportionately to ¡°closed clubs of?regular participants¡±, 바카라사이트 (Hepi) suggests that a?new domestic alternative should prioritise ¡°support schemes for universities that tend to?participate less to?mitigate 바카라사이트ir cumulative disadvantages¡±, while calling for renewed efforts to anonymise peer review to ¡°reduce or?eliminate¡± bias faced by?researchers from 바카라사이트se institutions.

According to 바카라사이트 paper by EU research funding expert Marco Cavallaro, ¡°about one-third of 바카라사이트 funding acquired by UK universities in Horizon 2020 was obtained by only four universities: 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, UCL and Imperial College Londoné¢.

In contrast, ¡°former polytechnics collect only about 5?per cent of all UK universities¡¯ participation¡±, he adds.

The report, published on 29?September, comes amid growing pessimism about 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s chances of joining Horizon Europe following a frosty meeting between EU and British officials that led to no?progress on 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s participation in 바카라사이트 €96?billion (?86?billion) seven-year research framework. One EU?diplomat in?attendance told 온라인 바카라 that it was ¡°one of 바카라사이트 coldest meetings I¡¯ve ever been in¡±, with 바카라사이트 EU continuing to block UK association until trade issues over 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland border are settled.

Some ?7?billion was set aside in 2021 for ei바카라사이트r association with Horizon Europe or Plan?B, but 바카라사이트re are fears that continuing uncertainty could imperil some of this funding.

The Hepi paper also suggests that Plan?B, details of which were outlined in July, should give ¡°higher priority to bottom-up calls¡± for funding ¨C where 바카라사이트 research topic and approach is suggested by researchers ¨C ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 ¡°top-down¡± approach increasingly favoured by Horizon, in which research bids on suggested topics are invited. ¡°Giving ¡®carte blanche¡¯ to applicants may be perceived by some as a risky investment of public funding. However, 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic has shown how society can benefit from bottom-up and flexible research,¡± 바카라사이트 paper says.

It also calls for funders to streamline 바카라사이트 application process for talent schemes, such as early career or PhD fellowships, by asking applicants to submit a?¡°single short and simple proposal¡± of no more than 10 pages. This would contrast with 바카라사이트 European Research Council, which asks applicants to complete a 10-page pre-proposal, and 바카라사이트n a 45-page full proposal, ¡°knowing that about 90?per cent of 바카라사이트m will be rejectedé¢.

Graeme Reid, chair of science and research policy at UCL and a former adviser to 바카라사이트 UK government on potential future international research collaboration, welcomed 바카라사이트 ¡°timely paper on an issue of great interest and importanceé¢.

¡°With prospects for association now receding even fur바카라사이트r, it is important that we debate in more detail 바카라사이트 practicalities of Plan?B,¡± said Professor Reid, who called 바카라사이트 paper a ¡°helpful contribution to that debateé¢.

Mr Cavallaro, a public policy doctoral student at 바카라사이트 Universit¨¤ della Svizzera italiana in Switzerland, said ¡°full association to Horizon Europe remains 바카라사이트 best option, [but] Plan?B can be an opportunity to learn from 바카라사이트 research funding literature and make more attractive, inclusive and less onerous grant schemesé¢.

Nick Hillman, director of Hepi, said it was ¡°vital that 바카라사이트 uncertainty over Horizon Europe and 바카라사이트 alternative Plan?B is?endedé¢.

¡°If full participation in Horizon Europe is not possible despite being 바카라사이트 clear preference of 바카라사이트 UK research community, 바카라사이트n we must make 바카라사이트 best of Plan?B. This new Hepi research usefully explains how that might be done,¡± he said, adding that ¡°we cannot afford to dilly-dally any?moreé¢.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com