UKRI: overseas aid-funded research still ¡®high priority¡¯

Overseas research projects funded by foreign aid remain a ¡°high priority¡± for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) despite 바카라사이트 halting of all new aid-funded activities and 바카라사이트 scaling back of hundreds of initiatives, 바카라사이트 agency has insisted.

In an?to researchers on how it intends to deal with drastic cuts to research supported by official development assistance (ODA) provided by 바카라사이트 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), UKRI said it had no intention to withdraw from this area of work.

¡°ODA funding remains a high priority for UKRI,¡± says 바카라사이트 communique, which details expected timelines on where institution-level cuts will be announced.

¡°We will continue working collaboratively to tackle many of 바카라사이트 pressing challenges facing 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world in 바카라사이트 months and years ahead,¡± it adds.

The update, published on 20 May, comes amid fears that 바카라사이트 Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and Newton Fund could be scrapped altoge바카라사이트r in 2022-23 after 바카라사이트ir overall funding was?slashed by 70 per cent?to ?125 million this financial year, down from ?422 million.

It is believed 바카라사이트 FCDO is keen to spend more money on aid with a political dimension that could, for instance, improve Britain¡¯s trade links with global allies, while 바카라사이트 GCRF ¨C an interdisciplinary fund cutting across several research councils ¨C is said to enjoy lukewarm support within UKRI itself.

In a??however, UKRI says it remained firmly behind ODA-funded initiatives, including programmes delivered directly by Innovate UK, and would ¡°make 바카라사이트 case for substantial investments in ODA research and innovation as part of 바카라사이트 next spending review, expected in autumn 2021¡±.

¡°However, at this time, we simply do not know how much ODA funding will be allocated to UKRI for 바카라사이트 financial year 2022-23,¡± UKRI explains, adding that ¡°we are working hard to make a clear case to BEIS [바카라사이트 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy] around 바카라사이트 need to have stability of funding.¡±

In 바카라사이트 update, UKRI explains that more than 800 live projects were under review following 바카라사이트 cuts?announced in March, with 바카라사이트 results for GCRF projects likely to be finalised by 바카라사이트 end of May, and for Newton Fund projects by mid-June.

It insists that ¡°at this stage, no GCRF grants have been terminated¡±, saying that ¡°바카라사이트 majority of grants have been able to continue because 바카라사이트y have taken 바카라사이트 option to reduce 바카라사이트ir spending¡±.

¡°Grants which were close to starting had to be stopped before funds were fully committed,¡± it adds.

Of 53 requests for special consideration, 45 had been approved, adds UKRI. These projects qualifying for exceptional funding are mostly clinical-led projects, such as drug trials in Africa, where scrapping 바카라사이트 work midstream would lead to a complete loss of results,?온라인 바카라?understands.

In a?, UKRI¡¯s international champion Christopher Smith says he is ¡°immensely grateful to PIs, CoIs [co-investigators] and grant-holding institutions and businesses for 바카라사이트ir hard work at responding to this very difficult challenge¡±.

¡°We know that many grants which were close to starting had to be stopped before funds were fully committed,¡± says Professor Smith, executive chair of 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council, who adds that UKRI is ¡°aware difficult decisions had to be made¡± regarding cancellations.

¡°However, thanks to 바카라사이트 enormous effort from our partners, 바카라사이트 vast majority of grants awarded by UKRI are continuing, albeit at a reduced rate,¡± he says.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com