Research funding in a time of austerity

By Steven Hill. The UK research system has survived through a difficult period of flat-cash funding, but what are the prospects in the run-up to the next spending review and general election? In the five years I have worked at Research Councils UK the world has changed. As I joined in 2007, the Northern Rock collapse was unfolding, heralding the broader financial crisis that was to have impacts on all areas of society. From my perspective, the last five years in UK research policy have been a period of considerable change, driven by the broader financial environment. Much of this change has been subtle, below the radar, but small effects can accumulate and lead to big consequences. With an interim spending review currently under way, and the next full spending review expected following the general election in 2015, the UK's national academies this week called for continued and enhanced support for research. If heeded, this intervention could mark an important turning point in funding policy. Read more...