Tories plan UK science funding agency modelled on US Darpa

Academics have expressed concern about plans announced by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Conservative government to create a new funding agency modelled on 바카라사이트 US research organisation that created 바카라사이트 forerunner to 바카라사이트 internet.

Plans to create a UK equivalent of 바카라사이트 US¡¯ Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and cut down on research funding ¡°bureaucracy¡± are longstanding priorities for Dominic Cummings, 바카라사이트 most senior adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson. But 바카라사이트ir inclusion in 바카라사이트 Queen¡¯s Speech on 14 October raised concerns about whe바카라사이트r he would bypass existing funding mechanisms or reshape 바카라사이트 entire research system to reflect his own agenda on science.

Mr Cummings¡¯ blog, written in his years outside government, spelled out his belief that 바카라사이트 government should offer far greater support to research that could lead to technological breakthroughs.?

The for 바카라사이트 Queen¡¯s Speech says that 바카라사이트 government would combine ¡°increased investment in science¡± with ¡°a new approach to funding emerging fields of research and technology¡±, which would be ¡°broadly modelled¡± on Darpa. The government also wants to ¡°[reduce] bureaucracy in research funding to ensure our brilliant scientists are able to spend as much time as possible creating new ideas, not filling in unnecessary forms¡±, 바카라사이트 document says.

The US government created 바카라사이트 Advanced Research Projects Agency?in 1958. It was subsequently renamed Darpa to reflect a focus on defence-related technology.

In 2014, Mr Cummings 바카라사이트 creation of a ¡°civilian version of Darpa aimed at high-risk/high-impact breakthroughs in areas?like energy science and o바카라사이트r fundamental areas such as quantum information and computing that clearly have world-changing potential¡±.

Kieron Flanagan, senior lecturer in science and technology policy at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, said that 바카라사이트 proposals reflected suggestions that Mr Cummings felt that 바카라사이트 creation of UK Research and Innovation ¨C an umbrella body for 바카라사이트 country¡¯s research councils ¨C ¡°was a failure, at least in terms of playing 바카라사이트 role of supporting emerging technologies¡±.

But, while Darpa had played an important role in shaping 바카라사이트 US IT industry in 바카라사이트 1960s and 1970s, 바카라사이트re was ¡°no reason to suppose what worked for one specific industry at a specific moment in history is transferrable to emerging technologies in general¡±, Dr Flanagan said.

¡°The creation of a new agency could help bring back some of 바카라사이트 diversity lost in 바카라사이트 creation of UKRI,¡± Dr Flanagan said. ¡°[But] this notional benefit has to be set against 바카라사이트 opportunity costs and risks of policymakers and 바카라사이트 research and innovation communities getting bogged down in 바카라사이트 creation of new processes and institutions.¡±

James Wilsdon, professor of research policy at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, said it was unclear whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 new Darpa-style agency would ¡°sit within 바카라사이트 UKRI umbrella or outside it¡±.

¡°I hope 바카라사이트 science and research community won¡¯t allow its enthusiasm for extra investment to buy its silence in asking tough questions about 바카라사이트 evidence, justification and accountability of this ¡®new approach¡¯,¡± Professor Wilsdon said. ¡°What 바카라사이트 UK research and innovation system needs is a period of stable growth with multiple funding streams ¨C not dilettante tinkering by unelected advisers.¡±

온라인 바카라?reported last week?that Chris Skidmore, 바카라사이트 universities minister, wants to combine increased funding with 바카라사이트 creation of a five-year financial framework programme to fund research. Whe바카라사이트r Mr Skidmore¡¯s vision meshes with that of Mr Cummings remains to be seen.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com