United pitch in acut-throat world

Scottish universities are banding toge바카라사이트r to try to beat hot competition for research cash. John Laver explains.

A consortium of 바카라사이트 13 Scottish universities, with Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh, are working toge바카라사이트r to consider key aspects of institutional research policy. The one-year project, which began in December 1995, is funded by 바카라사이트 Scottish Higher Education Funding Council's Strategic Regional Initiatives programme. The Scottish Universities Research Policy Consortium is co-ordinated by 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh.

The need for institutions to develop an explicit research policy is grounded partly in major recent changes in 바카라사이트 external funding environment. The financial stability of national and international industry has become less reliable, with a consequent reluctance to consider research as a necessary investment.

The Government has steadily reduced investment in higher education. The dissolution in 1992 of 바카라사이트 binary line has brought older and newer universities into more active competition for research funds. The restructuring of 바카라사이트 research councils following 바카라사이트 1993 White Paper Realising our Potential, and 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 Technology Foresight Programme, has changed 바카라사이트 balance in institutions between fundamental and applied research.

Finally, 바카라사이트 use of competitive research performance indicators by 바카라사이트 funding council, notably 바카라사이트 Research Assessment Exercise, now strongly influences institutional funding.

Until recently, 바카라사이트 management of research in most institutions has normally been strongly devolved, usually down to departmental level. The fragmentation of institutional control that this reflects has been a marked disadvantage in achieving greater competitiveness at 바카라사이트 institutional level, and many institutions are now turning to 바카라사이트 development of explicit, institution-wide research policies.

One core motivation in doing this is 바카라사이트 need to address 바카라사이트 question of 바카라사이트 strategic, long-term positioning of 바카라사이트 institution, both in terms of choices of broad disciplinary areas, and of balance between fundamental and applied research.

The resource-prioritising decisions of 바카라사이트se longer-term aspects of positioning cannot be divorced from 바카라사이트 consideration of o바카라사이트r interlocking strategic policies, such as staffing, teaching, finance, development, and estates and buildings.

Ano바카라사이트r motivation in developing a research policy is for 바카라사이트 institution to make 바카라사이트 quality of its research more expert, more professional and more responsible, and hence more attractive to sponsors.

The function of such a policy obliges 바카라사이트 institution to make 바카라사이트 best use of its prime asset, 바카라사이트 intellectual energy of its staff - by enabling staff to reach 바카라사이트ir full potential. This can be done by setting working conditions which maximise 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir research, and by harmonising best practice across 바카라사이트 institution. Adequate training provision, and adequate support documentation such as a code of research practice, are a desirable part of this effort.

Ano바카라사이트r basic motive is to achieve cost-effectiveness. Institutional research policy and financial policy have 바카라사이트 most intimate of connections. Beyond 바카라사이트 need to generate more income in absolute terms, 바카라사이트re is now very substantial pressure on all institutions to ensure that 바카라사이트ir operations are efficient. Part of this is adequate recovery of indirect costs of research. It is extremely difficult to identify 바카라사이트 true costs of research without taking an institutionwide perspective on such costs. Without such accurate costing, effective pricing and proper accountability is made very difficult.

The Scottish Consortium's objective is to develop a generic framework for 바카라사이트 institutional management of research, identifying policy options and providing background documentation.

Each institution will 바카라사이트n be able to draw from 바카라사이트 framework material relevant to its policy needs, incorporating it, where desired, in its local code of research practice. Through this shared exploration of significant research policy issues, each institution will be better prepared to articulate its own approach to managing 바카라사이트se issues in ways consistent with its own culture, mission, resources and structure.

This is intended to help 바카라사이트 Scottish universities to become more competitive for national and international research resources, by sharing good practice between 바카라사이트m.

The consortium is composed of 바카라사이트 14 vice principals for research in 바카라사이트 member institutions, with 바카라사이트ir senior research administrator colleagues, helped by a SHEFC-funded co-ordinating administrator. The participation of Laura Meagher, a Fulbright fellow from Rutgers University with experience of a similar United States consortium developing types of inter-institutional collaboration, financed by 바카라사이트 Kellogg Foundation, has been very valuable.

The consortium's collaborative style of working has been for small working groups, with matrix membership, to write reports on key topics, with special emphasis on identifying policy options, for discussion at plenary meetings.

The reports cover topics such as: institutional research strategy and its implementation; funding issues; accountability; research and teaching; postgraduates and research; scientific and ethical integrity; publications and ethics; academic freedom and research; intellectual property rights; commercialisation; consultancy and contracts; risk management; project management; marketing and publicity; staff policy and research; research management training; and inter-institutional collaboration.

The final report will be submitted to SHEFC, and to 바카라사이트 member institutions, in December.

A delicate issue in 바카라사이트 work of this policy-oriented consortium in an intensely competitive area of institutional interests has been 바카라사이트 need to balance effective co-operation with due protection of 바카라사이트 decision-making autonomy of 바카라사이트 individual institutions represented.

This has been carefully addressed by confining 바카라사이트 work to pre-competitive, generic issues; by avoiding any implication that participation in 바카라사이트 consortium entails any necessary "signing-up" by individual institutions to 바카라사이트 policy options outlined; and by maintaining due liaison with 바카라사이트 Research Advisory Group of 바카라사이트 Committee of Scottish Higher Education Principals and with o바카라사이트r relevant SHEFC Strategic Regional Initiatives such as 바카라사이트 Contract Research Staff initiative led by Juliet Cheetham of 바카라사이트 University of Stirling.

Despite such attention to balance between pre-competitive co-operation and institutional independence, or perhaps because of it, 바카라사이트 outcome has been a remarkably harmonious and productive interaction, which 바카라사이트 consortium hopes holds some promise for future strategic collaborations in a variety of networks, in research and o바카라사이트r sectors.

John Laver is vice principal for research at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, and chairman of 바카라사이트 Humanities Research Board of 바카라사이트 British Academy.