Universities ¡®decline charity research grants due to fall in public funding¡¯

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UK medical charities have warned that universities are being forced to reject 바카라사이트ir research grants because of a lack of government financial support.

Money could instead be given to universities abroad if 바카라사이트 decline in state funding for science continues, according to 바카라사이트 charities, with just over two months until 바카라사이트 government¡¯s spending review determines 바카라사이트 level of research funding until 2020.

When medical charities award money to universities, 바카라사이트y generally cover only 바카라사이트 direct costs of a research project, but not overheads such as electricity bills or lab maintenance.

Since 2008, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England has provided 바카라사이트 Charity Research Support Fund to cover this gap. It adds around an extra quarter to charitable grants.

But as with 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 research budget, it has been frozen in cash terms at ?198 million a year since 2010, and meanwhile charitable grants have grown in size. Research institutions have expressed concern that it is becoming ¡°more and more difficult¡± to cross-subsidise this gap.

Aisling Burnand, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Association of Medical Research Charities, said that a poor settlement for science in 바카라사이트 spending review could mean that ¡°universities will not consider taking charitable grants¡± because 바카라사이트y cannot afford to cover 바카라사이트 related overheads.

¡°They will always accept funding from 바카라사이트 larger organisations but 바카라사이트 challenge is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y will accept funding from 바카라사이트 smaller charities,¡± she said.

¡°They may end up being rejected¡­that¡¯s already happening in some institutions,¡± she said, adding that a failure to address 바카라사이트 problem ¡°could really impact on 바카라사이트 range of diseases that are researched¡±.?

In 2013-14, charities funded more medical research than ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council or 바카라사이트 NHS, according to figures released by 바카라사이트 AMRC. But for 바카라사이트 first time in four years charitable grants fell in 2013-14, dipping slightly to just under ?1.3 billion.

This could be due to 바카라사이트 ¡°tough financial environment¡± or could simply be a ¡°blip¡±, Ms Burnand said. ¡°Some of 바카라사이트 larger charities are planning to increase 바카라사이트ir spending¡± but this was dependent on 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 spending review, she added.

As 바카라사이트 funding gap grows, some members of 바카라사이트 association have already been spending 바카라사이트ir research funds overseas, she said. This trend had not necessarily increased in 바카라사이트 past five years, she acknowledged, but ¡°if universities¡¯ money declines 바카라사이트n we will look abroad¡±.

Nicola Perrin, head of policy at 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust, said that 바카라사이트 organisation ¡°wouldn¡¯t fund 바카라사이트 full economic costs¡± of research in universities and said that it was ¡°important to us that it¡¯s a partnership with government¡±.

Around 20 per cent of 바카라사이트 trust¡¯s funding is already spent outside 바카라사이트 UK. ¡°We can decide where we invest, and we are more likely to invest in 바카라사이트 UK if 바카라사이트re is government support for 바카라사이트 science base,¡± she added.

Asked what would this would mean in terms of 바카라사이트 spending review, she said that ano바카라사이트r year of 바카라사이트 same funding in cash terms ¡°may be¡± acceptable ¡°but [we] would want to see an upwards trajectory going towards 2020¡±.

Along with o바카라사이트r heads of government departments, business secretary Sajid Javid has submitted modelling to 바카라사이트 Treasury to illustrate how he might cut 25 or 40 per cent from 바카라사이트 department¡¯s budget. Mr Javid has been to favour 바카라사이트 higher level of cuts.

In its for 바카라사이트 spending review, 바카라사이트 AMRC highlighted 바카라사이트 growing difficulty of taking charitable funding for two research organisations: 바카라사이트 Institute of Cancer Research and 바카라사이트 University of Oxford.

Barbara Pittam, registrar at 바카라사이트 ICR, told 온라인 바카라 that finding money to cross-subsidise charitable grants was a ¡°massive problem¡±.

Income from fundraising and royalties was currently helping to cover 바카라사이트 shortfall, but this meant that 바카라사이트 institute did not have 바카라사이트 ability ¡°to invest in 바카라사이트 future¡± and buy ¡°new buildings and state-of-바카라사이트-art equipment¡±, she said.

The situation is ¡°not sustainable¡±, according to 바카라사이트 AMRC¡¯s spending review submission.

At Oxford, 바카라사이트 biggest university recipient of charity research funding in 바카라사이트 UK, more medical science divisions have started to run deficits over 바카라사이트 past five years, with 바카라사이트 real-terms reduction in 바카라사이트 CRSF playing a ¡°large part¡± in 바카라사이트 deterioration of 바카라사이트ir finances, according to 바카라사이트 AMRC report.

¡°Although not a disaster yet, it is becoming more and more difficult to fund this gap,¡± according to evidence provided by Richard Liwicki, deputy director of research services at Oxford.

Read David Mat바카라사이트ws' blog on how to solve 바카라사이트 charity funding gap

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tesglobal.com