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Another month has gone by where the funding of the UK’s research base has attracted headlines. Following UKRI’s explanation in December that it will focus activities into three “buckets”, questions have been asked and speculation has mounted over what the new model might mean for the long-term future of curiosity-driven research and for the UK’s long-established system of quality research (QR) funding.
To quote Research Professional: “Curiosity-driven research remains the biggest pot of money at UKRI, so it is perhaps not surprising that when funding has to be redirected elsewhere, the fattest kid in the playground has their lunch money stolen. But the trend towards reductions for blue-sky grants is clear as day.” Meanwhile, in an open letter, the head of UKRI stressed that whilst curiosity-driven research is protected and will “remain stable” in the funder’s plans for 2026-30, “hard decisions” on funding will mean “negative outcomes for some”.
There have since been questions raised as to whether all QR funding will sit in “Bucket 1” (for curiosity-driven research, where it should be) or whether it will now be scattered across all of UKRI’s buckets. This is an important distinction, as QR is a funding stream which supports the capacity of universities to allocate funds without being centrally directed, and a departure from this would represent a major (and potentially damaging) upheaval.
Elsewhere, UKRI published an independent report into relationships between universities and startup investors. It followed an excoriating report last year from the Lords’ science and technology committee which concluded that the UK is essentially an incubator for R&D which then gets bought up by overseas investors the moment late-stage capital is required to scale up the innovation. In contrast, the new UKRI review argued that the UK “has the leading startup ecosystem in Europe and is second only to the US in the value generated from university spinouts… [but to] remain internationally competitive, the UK should address early-stage funding and unlock pension capital”.
And finally (and importantly given the concerns about UKRI’s broader changes) the ESRC has given a welcome outline of the details of two new schemes, React and Connect, which will launch in April and run until October, each offering researchers the opportunity of between £50,000 and £100,000 funding. React will apparently focus on “time-critical, impact-orientated research, where there’s a need to come up with some new knowledge to support policymakers or practitioners”, whilst Connect will explore “novel, exploratory, high-risk ideas, building foundations for future research and innovation”.
Other news in brief
- Geography cuts hit hard: A new report by the Royal Geographical Society has examined the state of geography in UK universities, and found that 61% of responding institutions have experienced reduced staff numbers in the last year, with three-quarters saying staff workloads have increased. The greatest pressures have been experienced in smaller, non-Russell Group institutions, but there were fears across the board about what may come in the years ahead. While few institutions have closed geography departments, 15% have closed postgraduate programmes in the past year, and two-thirds of geography programmes are reducing the number of optional modules available to students. More than half have reduced internal research funds for academic staff.
- OfSE inspection: The Office for Students in England released a critical inspection report concerning RTC Education’s business and management courses, which are delivered through partnership arrangements with the University of Greater Manchester (previously the University of Bolton). At the time of the inspection, there was also a partnership arrangement with Buckinghamshire New University. An assessment report published in October 2024 identified areas of concern with these courses during the 2022-23 academic year, relating to assessment, educational challenge, staff numbers, student support, the physical environment and library facilities.
- Potential Global Talent Fund expansion?: The UK Government has said it will consider expanding the £54 million Global Talent Fund (£), which aims to attract top international researchers to the UK, with an initial review starting in the spring. In November, a report by the House of Lords Science & Technology Committee called for the Fund to be increased, in recognition of the “unique opportunity to attract the scientists and entrepreneurs of the future to the UK”.
- Change of Director for REF 2029: Research England announced that Rebecca Fairbairn will be stepping down as Director of the next REF exercise.