Research funding

UK scientific heavyweights unite to condemn massive cuts to overseas research and urge rethink on potential UKRI reductions

Biomedical funder to widen eligibility of early career awards to encompass scholars returning from career break

A dozen flagship UK-led hubs make up around half the active grant funding from under-threat GCRF budget      

China concern drives leaders of both parties to propose nearly doubling National Science Foundation budget

Experts warn that diverting cash to pay for Horizon Europe association would exert a heavy toll on early career scholars

The cuts will hit organisations helping women and girls to evade violence and access justice, say Christine Chinkin and Sanam Naraghi Anderlini

Research projects examining humanitarian crises and school inequality the latest to come under a cloud

Analysis highlights ‘unacceptable’ disparities in racial representation in UK science

Nobelist and Crick director calls on UK government to ‘come to its senses’ over possible ‘triple whammy’ hit to science funding

Cutting existing research budgets by up to £2 billion would put ‘science superpower’ aim at risk, Greg Clark tells Boris Johnson

An open letter from academics across more than 20 European countries and Israel

Open letter on Ariel University from academics across Europe and Israel says EU has acted against its own position on settlements

Most collaboration will continue, but emphasis on building the EU’s ‘strategic autonomy’ means academics in Israel, the UK and Switzerland could be shut out of some areas

The shortfall will damage the UK’s reputation and halt projects that are making a real difference to communities worldwide, says Joanna Newman

Boris Johnson must rapidly step in after Treasury puts block on extra funding to cover Horizon Europe costs, sector figures warn

Allocation of £422 million last year cut to £125 million this year

Amid the economic ravages inflicted by the coronavirus, the EU has agreed a huge stimulus package. But while research in some countries looks set for a transformational boost, it may be a different story for teaching

Former Downing Street guru says UK’s new research agency must be freed from ‘expensive disaster zone’ of science bureaucracy

Science Foundation Ireland sets out ambitious strategy to recruit internationally as part of growth plans that pivot towards fundamental research

Universities UK and Wellcome Trust express mounting fears about where funding to join European Union research programme will come from

International advisory panel heads condemn ‘inexcusable’ handling of cuts to research supported by foreign aid

Cuts to major international research funds will harm UK’s reputation but also undermine rationale for UK’s main funding body, claim research leaders

Boost in research funding is only a first step in fostering innovation, experts say

Funder says it is unlikely to be able to support ‘majority’ of awards beyond July, and will be unable to approve new applications

Plan for unsponsored, points-based route features in budget, alongside freeze in fees for 2022-23

Advanced Research and Invention Agency bill confirms plan to place agency beyond reach of Freedom of Information Act

Health research funder promises broad attack on racial inequality

New funding should be used to lure researchers from industry and overseas, experts say

Toll on younger scientists highlights lack of research-specific pandemic aid

UK Research and Innovation announces additional £11 million for UK doctoral students but rejects plea for blanket six-month extensions

Ministers promise innovative funding models for Advanced Research and Invention Agency following debate on relationship with umbrella body

Administrative costs thought to account for substantial percentage of US research spending

Evidence shows that universities outside the golden triangle are among the best at creating successful companies, says Brian McCaul

Science and Technology Committee says ‘Arpa’ may be most effective if set up outside UK Research and Innovation

Hefty cuts to the fund supporting two flagship international research schemes do not square with UK’s science spending ambitions, warn leaders

Budget also aims to cut bureaucracy and open up internationalisation avenues 

But the eye-popping amount comes with caveats, experts say

Money ‘reallocated’ from specialist institution fund announced by government last year, UKRI says 

OECD finds science rose to the challenge of coronavirus, but this led to cancelled projects elsewhere and academics working outside their expertise

HBCUs want a chance after decades of federal aid for poorer white-majority institutions

If the UK wins more money from the EU’s flagship research programme it will have to pay it back – but only if the imbalance is structural

Universities welcome certainty on research funding but lament loss of student exchange scheme

Overruling of funding recommendations, apparently over security concerns, divulged following minister’s departure

Hidden crisis of pandemic may push early career researchers out of science, leaders warn

Policy experts say UK institutions would be unlikely to join EU research programme before spring

Research scheme advocated by Dominic Cummings may provide template for streamlined grants process in future

Commercial aid steers research agenda away from public health impacts, Australian study suggests

New research framework programme due to begin on 1 January

Executive chair says funder will ‘smooth bridge’ to creation of UK’s own ‘discovery fund’ if country does not to associate to Horizon Europe 

Committee of peers says government must confirm it will participate in EU programmes or provide details on alternatives

Academics remain wedded to prestige indicators, but peer reviewers may conclude that the journal is profiteering, says Dorothy Bishop

Picking winners at random helps back risky research, boosts niche subjects and curbs nepotism, recipients say

Chancellor’s spending review research boost leaves questions around earlier promises, as funds committed for Erasmus replacement

Victorian budget also confirms hardship packages for universities and foreign students and recovery strategy for international education

Plans for new research funding agency expected to go ahead despite exit of former top adviser to PM, but mission yet to be defined

Budgets and foreign ties likely constrained even with friendlier administration

This week’s spending review could see commitments revisited and important policy documents released, predicts Nick Hillman

Survey finds one in five scholars self-censored their teaching when students from autocratic states were in their class

Key issues on mission, leadership and position of ‘Arpa’ agency within wider system yet to be decided, MPs told

After cutbacks to the programme in July, lawmakers have managed to pad out the budget slightly, but universities remain disappointed