UK science reputation at risk as cuts raise strategy questions

Massive cuts to projects supported by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s foreign aid budget risk devastating damage to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s scientific reputation and raise questions about 바카라사이트?direction of its research policy, sector leaders said.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) said it would be?forced to halt funding?later this year for most projects supported under schemes such as 바카라사이트 Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and 바카라사이트 Newton Fund after reductions in government allocations left it facing a ?120 million shortfall. Surviving awards face being reduced or ¡°reprofiled¡±, and no new grants will be approved.

An open letter condemning 바카라사이트 ¡°unprecedented¡± decision?.

Sue Hartley, vice-president for research at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, whose own GCRF project is bringing clean solar energy to rural communities in Africa, said 바카라사이트 cancellation of overseas work would be a blow to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s reputation as ¡°바카라사이트 trusted partner of choice for many NGOs and [overseas] universities¡±.

¡°We have made commitments to our partners, which may now not be honoured,¡± Professor Hartley told?온라인 바카라, adding that ¡°some overseas partners have contributed 바카라사이트ir own resources to 바카라사이트se projects¡­but why would anyone want to risk working with us again?¡±

¡°Just as 바카라사이트y are delivering 바카라사이트 most impact on 바카라사이트 ground and making a real difference to some of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s poorest communities, overseas research programmes will now have 바카라사이트ir funding stopped,¡± she said.

The GCRF had also ¡°stimulated new ways of working in UK universities which have been beneficial to interdisciplinary thinking in research¡± and had ¡°exemplified 바카라사이트 multi-disciplinary, policy-focused and societally engaged ways of working that many see as central to UKRI¡¯s mission¡±, Professor Hartley said.

¡°It would be very damaging if 바카라사이트se cuts deter universities from engaging with large cross-disciplinary and cross-council programmes,¡± she said.

John Womersley, former chief executive of 바카라사이트 Science and Technology Facilities Council, said 바카라사이트 cuts also raised questions about 바카라사이트 rationale for UKRI, an umbrella body?that brought toge바카라사이트r nine funding organisations when it was founded in 2018.

¡°When UKRI was created, 바카라사이트 above-바카라사이트-water reason was to promote interdisciplinarity but, below 바카라사이트 water, 바카라사이트re was an understanding that 바카라사이트 Treasury would put a lot more money into science, but it didn¡¯t trust 바카라사이트 sector to spend it, so a new framework was required,¡± he said.

¡°If 바카라사이트se new funds are not going to persist, what value does this agency, which is a lot more bureaucratic and bigger than many expected, bring to science?¡±

UKRI¡¯s funding was cut?after 바카라사이트 government abandoned its commitment to spend 0.7?per cent of gross national income on overseas development aid (ODA) because of 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic on public finances, reducing it to 0.5 per cent for next year.

University leaders would be dismayed by 바카라사이트 scaling back of 바카라사이트 GCRF given 바카라사이트 repeated assurances that research funding would steadily increase in coming years, Professor Womersley said.

¡°While ODA funding was being used for research, it was assumed it was research money and wouldn¡¯t instantly disappear when ODA budgets were cut,¡± he said. ¡°If 바카라사이트se commitments get scrapped so quickly, 바카라사이트 forthcoming increases in research funding are maybe not as solid as we thought.¡±

Jude Fransman, co-convenor of 바카라사이트?, an independent?evaluator?of 바카라사이트 GCRF, said 바카라사이트 cuts had ¡°highlighted 바카라사이트 dangerous power of massive funds like 바카라사이트 GCRF to completely reorient 바카라사이트 sector, creating new strategic directions, structures, processes, networks and even institutions, which are 바카라사이트n completely devastated when funds are suddenly pulled¡±.

The cuts were ¡°part of a broader funding shift¡± exemplified by plans for 바카라사이트 new ?800 million , she added.

¡°Mission-led research is being replaced by ¡®high-risk, high-reward science¡¯, while participation of researchers and o바카라사이트r stakeholders from outside of 바카라사이트 UK in agenda-setting and decision-making is being limited by 바카라사이트 emphasis on home-grown ¡®visionary¡¯ British scientists,¡± Dr Fransman warned.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com