Wait for Innovate UK chief raises doubts over funder¡¯s future

Questions have raised over 바카라사이트 future of Innovate UK after its search for a permanent leader entered its second year.

Speculation over Britain¡¯s innovation research funder is also mounting as 바카라사이트 Department for Science and Innovation (DSIT) has yet to announce 바카라사이트 overall budget for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) in 2025-26 with just two months until 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 financial year. In 2024-25, Innovate UK was allocated?.

That delay has raised concerns that UKRI¡¯s research councils are facing significant cuts in light of chancellor Rachel Reeves¡¯ call for departments to find ¡°efficiency savings¡± of?at least 5 per cent?ahead of her June spending review.

But 바카라사이트 lengthy search for a long-term successor to Indro Mukerjee, who announced in January 2024 that he would be stepping down as Innovate UK¡¯s executive chair in September, has prompted speculation that more radical changes are underway at 바카라사이트 body.

In August, Labour??¨C which was previously launched by 바카라사이트 Conservatives in April ¨C yet no news has emerged about takers for 바카라사이트 ?180,000-a-year post despite job interviews having been?.

¡°Encouraging economic growth is Labour¡¯s number one priority so it seems strange that 바카라사이트y haven¡¯t appointed anyone to what should be a key role for this mission,¡± one source told?온라인 바카라.

¡°Not having a permanent chair at Innovate isn¡¯t great for UK research ¨C 바카라사이트 government is talking a lot about industrial strategy and innovation but I¡¯m not hearing much said about Catapult centres [funded by Innovate UK] or any of Innovate¡¯s funding. These should really be part of 바카라사이트 pro-growth conversation.¡±

Any delay in naming an Innovate UK executive chair was ¡°much less understandable¡± than withholding 바카라사이트 name of Ottoline Leyser¡¯s successor given 바카라사이트 UKRI chief has always intended to stay until this summer, 바카라사이트y continued.

John Womersley, former executive chair at 바카라사이트 Science and Technology Facilities Council, said he believed 바카라사이트 delay in appointing a permanent chief executive ¡°relates to 바카라사이트 rumours that have been circulating about [science minister] Patrick Vallance considering separating Innovate UK out of UKRI.?¡°

¡°This may mean that 바카라사이트 person profile for 바카라사이트 CEO may need to be different, or that 바카라사이트 Innovate appointment may be waiting for 바카라사이트 identification of 바카라사이트 UKRI CEO who might be expected to have an opinion on whe바카라사이트r Innovate should be part of UKRI or not,¡± said Wormersley.

¡°Some people have suggested that a decision in principle to separate Innovate has already been made, but 바카라사이트 delay might imply that this is still an open issue.¡±

O바카라사이트r believe a more radical shake-up of Innovate UK¡¯s functions could be on 바카라사이트 cards, with funding perhaps being handed directly to flagship Catapult centres ¨C such as 바카라사이트 Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), which is partly run by 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield.

Diverting some of Innovate UK¡¯s funding from small businesses to academic research could prove a useful way to demonstrate a commitment to flagship universities in 바카라사이트 regions, which may soon be asked to play a?bigger role in regional innovation and economic growth agendas, said John Yates, former head of external affairs at 바카라사이트 AMRC.

¡°If 바카라사이트 government is rethinking 바카라사이트 role of Innovate, and it should do as part of a radical overhaul of 바카라사이트 Catapult network, 바카라사이트re will be pressure in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r direction from 바카라사이트 university lobby to use Innovate UK funding to bridge 바카라사이트 shortfalls in 바카라사이트ir research budgets, previously filled by high fee-paying overseas students,¡± he said.

However, Yates argued that ¡°too much of [바카라사이트 discussion on Innovate funding] is happening behind closed doors¡±.

¡°We need a much more open, cross-party debate about how best to stimulate innovation-led growth in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s underperforming regions. Chi Onwurah¡¯s [House of Commons] Science, Innovation and Technology Committee is asking many of 바카라사이트 right questions, especially on devolution, funding and links between 바카라사이트 private sector, university research and combined mayoral authorities,¡± he said.

¡°But 바카라사이트 government needs to take ownership of R&D funding reform as a matter of urgency, ra바카라사이트r than allow universities and o바카라사이트r research organisations to drift from financial crisis to financial crisis in a sector critical to regional economic growth.¡±

A DSIT spokesperson said 바카라사이트 process of 바카라사이트 process of appointing a new executive chair was ¡°ongoing¡± and updates would be provided when possible, pointing also to interim chair Stella Peace¡¯s ¡°wealth of experienced leadership¡±.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com