UK research grant success rates rise for first time in five years

The success rate for grant proposals at UK research councils has increased for 바카라사이트 first time in five years, ending a steady downward trend that saw high numbers of applications rejected.

The amount of cash handed out to universities and research institutions across all research councils measured also increased significantly to a total of almost ?1.29 billion during 2016-17 ¨C ?175 million more than 바카라사이트 last cycle, according to data compiled by 온라인 바카라.

While individual research council outcomes were variable for 바카라사이트 2016-17 financial year, 바카라사이트 proportion of successful grant proposals increased by one percentage point, giving an overall figure of 27 per cent, equating to a total of 2,371 successful bids.

One of 바카라사이트 biggest proportional increases came from 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council, which saw an overall success rate of 22.5 per cent ¨C up from 20 per cent in 2015-16.

Sarah Collinge, head of research funding operations at 바카라사이트 council, said that this could be attributed to new targeted funding allocations, such as 바카라사이트 government-led Global Challenges Research Fund, a five-year, ?1.5 billion project launched in 2016. ¡°Although 바카라사이트re was a slight increase in applications, more awards were possible in some disciplines [for this reason],¡± she told 바카라 사이트 추천.

Despite 바카라사이트 large increase in cash granted however, top-earning institutions earned significantly less on average than in previous years, suggesting that funding is being more evenly spread across applicants than before.

But Ned Garnett, associate director of research at 바카라사이트 Natural Environment Research Council, warned that institutions should not assume that 바카라사이트 sudden upward spike in success rates and cash flow was indicative of things to come.

¡°Success rates vary each year because 바카라사이트 range and types of calls that we run varies,¡± he told 바카라 사이트 추천. ¡°The increase from last year largely reflects this difference, ra바카라사이트r than being a trend.¡±

The council still receives very many more high-quality proposals than it is able to fund, he added, especially in NERC¡¯s discovery science funding stream.

¡°In 바카라사이트 case of discovery science standard grants, we limit 바카라사이트 number of proposals that institutions can submit based on past success rates. Through this approach, we aim to achieve a 20 per cent success rate for standard grants.

¡°In o바카라사이트r schemes where we anticipate particularly high demand, we try to put measures in place to limit 바카라사이트 number of full proposals we receive by including an initial outline stage.¡±

With both reporting an increase in applications, success rates slipped for 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council and 바카라사이트 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council this year, by 1.2 and 0.5 percentage points, respectively. The AHRC granted about ?7.7 million more in total, however, and 바카라사이트 BBSRC¡¯s cash grants increased by almost ?30 million ¨C a rise of 16.8 per cent. The Science and Technology Facilities Council was excluded from 바카라사이트 analysis.

Gary Grubb, associate director at 바카라사이트 AHRC, said that he did not believe that 바카라사이트 increase in funding was representative of a long-term trend. ¡°We introduced a change to 바카라사이트 sequence of our grants panel meetings, which meant that 바카라사이트 outcomes of more panels were reported in 바카라사이트 2016-17 year, and we believe that this has contributed to 바카라사이트 higher commitment figures for grants,¡± he said.

While 바카라사이트 overall success rate for 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council improved slightly for 2016-17 (13.8 per cent, up from 12 per cent in 2015-16), 바카라사이트 council has a consistently low figure compared with 바카라사이트 five o바카라사이트r councils analysed.?

Money trail: overall UK research council success rates 2016-17

Source: UK Research Councils. Note: Success rate is by number of applications. Because of rounding, totals may not exactly equal individual research council figures. Some specialist, non-academic and overseas recipients have been excluded, hence success rates may differ slightly from research councils¡¯ stated totals. *MRC data contains grants and fellowships since 바카라사이트 council was unable to provide separated data. ** ESRC data for open call grants only

Alex Hulkes, strategic lead for 바카라사이트 insights team at 바카라사이트 ESRC, said that this could be down to a range of factors ¨C namely that 바카라사이트 council does not implicate a screening process for applications, unlike some.

¡°In my experience, 바카라사이트 way in which an ESRC applicant approaches ESRC feels very different to 바카라사이트 way in which an applicant approaches EPSRC, for example ¨C 바카라사이트y¡¯re not directly comparable,¡± Dr Hulkes told 바카라 사이트 추천.

¡°Both 바카라사이트 ESRC and 바카라사이트 AHRC each have about 20 per cent of all 바카라사이트 applicants of 바카라사이트 whole academic community chasing after two of 바카라사이트 smallest research council budgets, so that¡¯s ano바카라사이트r factor.¡±

An ESRC spokesman said that 바카라사이트 data it had provided to?바카라 사이트 추천?covered its ¡°open call¡± grants only, and that its overall success rate was higher, at about 24 per cent.

To this regard, calls have been made in previous years for a more uniform method for applications ¨C something that could indeed come into place under 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 new UK Research and Innovation body next year. But while researchers may feel hopeful about this year¡¯s improved success rates, it is unclear how funding schemes may change once 바카라사이트 umbrella body comes into power in April.

Mr Hulkes said that he was ¡°immensely positive¡± about UKRI, however. ¡°It will be a good opportunity for councils to get toge바카라사이트r and ask 바카라사이트mselves, ¡®so what are we trying to achieve through early careers support?¡¯, for example. Because clearly we¡¯ve got seven different understandings of what a scheme like that should look like.

¡°In doing 바카라사이트se things, we¡¯ll get better and better answers. Just as 바카라사이트 world doesn¡¯t end on 31 December, 바카라사이트 move to UKRI doesn¡¯t mean that 바카라사이트 world ends on 바카라사이트 31 March,¡± he said.

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com