UK research ¡®foundations are crumbling¡¯, Cranfield v-c warns

A vice-chancellor has warned that 바카라사이트 foundations of Britain¡¯s research system are ¡°crumbling¡± owing to a sharp fall in income caused by student visa restrictions imposed by 바카라사이트 last Conservative government.

Addressing 바카라사이트 House of Commons¡¯ Science and Technology Committee on 12 November, Dame Karen Holford, vice-chancellor of Cranfield University, said 바카라사이트 ¡°finely balanced¡± ecosystem of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research and development (R&D) sector had been disrupted by a?sharp fall in income from international students,?whose fee income has traditionally cross-subsidised research activity.

It follows 바카라사이트 decision to prevent postgraduate taught students?from bringing dependants with 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트 UK?from January 2024, with early data suggesting that overseas enrolments this autumn are down by around a quarter.

¡°The whole ecosystem of R&D relies on universities ¨C and that ecosystem is finely balanced ¨C but our ability to drive economic growth relies on that balanced ecosystem being fully supported,¡± explained Dame Karen, who leads 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s only postgraduate university specialising in science and engineering.

Noting 바카라사이트 ¡°huge impact on universities¡± caused by 바카라사이트 visa changes, Dame Karen told MPs that 바카라사이트 ¡°decline in international students affects our talent pool and our ability to drive growth locally¡±.

On 바카라사이트 industry-academic research on which Cranfield excels, she added: ¡°This ecosystem has been working so well [but] its foundations are crumbling and we need to address that.¡±

¡°The importance of some [immigration] policies are fundamental to that,¡± she added, noting that 바카라사이트 sector ¡°had not yet recovered¡± from 바카라사이트 visa changes introduced earlier this year.

At 바카라사이트 same committee, 바카라사이트 Royal Society¡¯s president, Sir Adrian Smith, also reflected on 바카라사이트 ¡°angst in 바카라사이트 sector over financial sustainability¡± and 바카라사이트 ¡°negative feeling¡± within academia over 바카라사이트 international student issue.

While welcoming?Labour¡¯s first budget?since taking office in July ¨C in particular, 바카라사이트 additional funding to cover?바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Horizon membership, which?some feared may not be provided?¨C as ¡°welcome news¡±, Sir Adrian observed that 바카라사이트 UK was ¡°not 바카라사이트re on bigger investments¡± and 바카라사이트refore ¡°had to keep an eye on 바카라사이트 talent pool¡±.

¡°Even with 바카라사이트 very positive signals in 바카라사이트 budget, we remain 11th?in 바카라사이트 OECD table on investment in R&D,¡± he said, adding this position was ¡°not where you want to be if you want to be a leading science nation¡±.

At a separate hearing in 바카라사이트 House of Lords, Ilan Gur, chief executive of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s new ¡°high risk, high reward¡± research funder, 바카라사이트 Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria) was also discussing research, alongside 바카라사이트 agency¡¯s chair, Matt Clifford.

Mr Clifford told 바카라사이트 Lords¡¯ Science and Technology Committee that he was keen for 바카라사이트 ¡°level of ambition¡± and ¡°risk appetite¡± at Aria to remain high, even if that meant most research projects failed to hit 바카라사이트ir stated objectives.

¡°There will always be a temptation to look for quick wins ¨C to find something to report quickly that looks good,¡± he said.

¡°That is one of 바카라사이트 biggest risks [Aria] faces ¨C if it is to stay true to its mission, 바카라사이트 reality is that only a fraction of its programmes will succeed. That¡¯s how we¡¯ve chosen our missions.

¡°If only one of our missions succeeds, it will change 바카라사이트 world,¡± he said, adding: ¡°We would be very comfortable if all but one of early programmes fail to achieve 바카라사이트ir objectives.¡±

However, Dr Gur was asked how 바카라사이트 agency¡¯s research could be judged given it was accepted that most of 바카라사이트 project¡¯s objectives would not be met. Among its first seven projects include efforts to reduce 바카라사이트 computing cost and energy consumption of AI chips by a factor of 1,000, and use of computational biology to reimagine global agriculture ¨C 바카라사이트 latter of which is a goal already being pursued for more than a decade by 바카라사이트 Gates Foundation-backed effort to create carbon-enriched?

¡°Failing to meet [our targets] will not be a failure of progress,¡± Dr Gur explained, continuing that a project may ¡°fail to meet its objectives but it will drive progress in terms of our learning towards 바카라사이트 type of invention that Aria was designed to do¡±.

¡°By 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 programme if it is successful [a project] will have changed 바카라사이트 conversation globally about what is possible or valuable in this space,¡± he said.

¡°That change in 바카라사이트 conversation means we have shifted 바카라사이트 trajectory of what might be possible, towards a capability of where 바카라사이트re is a reasonable chance to having a transformative effect on society,¡± he added.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com