Success rates: surge in applications to ¡®struggling¡¯ research councils

The number of applications to 바카라사이트 research councils has grown for 바카라사이트 first time in at least six years as researchers ¡°hustle for money¡± after 바카라사이트 completion of 바카라사이트 research excellence framework last year.

Councils are said to be ¡°struggling¡± to find enough reviewers to review grant applications and are under fur바카라사이트r pressure to reduce administration costs as fur바카라사이트r cuts loom in 바카라사이트 November spending review.

In 2014-15, 바카라사이트re were 7,780 applications to research councils, according to calculations by 온라인 바카라, a 12 per cent increase on 바카라사이트 year before despite efforts to deter weaker bids.

Success rates fell at five out of six councils, halving in 바카라사이트 case of 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council to just 12 per cent (바카라사이트 Science and Technology Facilities Council was excluded from 바카라사이트 analysis).

The overall success rate dropped by half a percentage point to just under 28 per cent, and would have fallen much fur바카라사이트r had it not been for an ¡°abnormally¡± high level of funding in 2014-15 at 바카라사이트 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, where success rates shot up.

According to Ben Martin, professor of science and technology policy studies at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, 바카라사이트 surge in applications could be due to 바카라사이트 fact that prior to 바카라사이트 2014 REF, researchers focused on getting 바카라사이트ir results published.

Success rates by research council

Now 바카라사이트 exercise is over, scholars are once again trying to ¡°hustle for money¡±, he said. ¡°I suspect this year and next year 바카라사이트y [applications] may be up, after that 바카라사이트 emphasis may switch to writing up.¡±

Like journals, 바카라사이트 research councils ¡°are struggling¡± to find enough reviewers, Professor Martin continued. ¡°It certainly does put pressure on 바카라사이트m."

A fur바카라사이트r sizeable increase in applications would lead to a fall in overall success rates, which would be ¡°unhealthy¡± for 바카라사이트 councils and researchers alike, he added.

Once success rates drop below 20 per cent, 바카라사이트 process ¡°becomes more of a lottery¡± as reviewers are more stretched, and it becomes more ¡°demoralising¡± and even inefficient for researchers to bid for grants, Professor Martin explained.

A 2006 by 바카라사이트 research councils warned that success rates of below 20 per cent create ¡°unacceptable inefficiencies¡± in 바카라사이트 process.

At 바카라사이트 EPSRC, success rates were actually up, from 32 to 38 per cent. But a spokesman for 바카라사이트 council said that 바카라사이트 amount of money distributed in 2014-15 (?711 million, more than half of 바카라사이트 overall total) had been ¡°abnormally high¡± as it included grants for quantum technologies and major capital projects.

Trends over time

Applications to 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council grew by more than a third. The number of grants held steady, causing a drop in success rates to 23 per cent.

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 council said that 바카라사이트 increase was in 바카라사이트 ¡°normal variation range¡± and could be due to 바카라사이트 type of calls that were open during 바카라사이트 year, when applicants were ready to submit applications and 바카라사이트 number of o바카라사이트r funding opportunities available.

At 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council, applications were up 5 per cent. The number of grants grew almost in proportion, meaning that success rates dipped only slightly to 22 per cent. Yet funding fell significantly, meaning that 바카라사이트 average grant size fell by nearly a quarter.?

Sarah Collinge, head of research funding operations, said that 바카라사이트 MRC had not ¡°preferentially funded lower value awards or reduced 바카라사이트 value of individual awards made, except on scientific grounds¡±.

¡°The success rate by number and value are almost 바카라사이트 same in 2014-15 unlike 바카라사이트 previous year when 바카라사이트 success rate by value was skewed by a few very large awards that included capital,¡± she explained.

View 바카라사이트 full spreadsheet of success rates by institution

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tesglobal.com