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The 2020-21 allocations for R&D are out, and they're
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beis-research-and-development-rd-budget-allocations-2020-to-2021/beis-research-and-development-budget-allocations-2020-to-2021
Significant
for UKRI is a signal of commitment as the economic storm clouds gather.
While reassured, I'm left with three big Q's (thread)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beis-research-and-development-rd-budget-allocations-2020-to-2021/beis-research-and-development-budget-allocations-2020-to-2021
Significant
for UKRI is a signal of commitment as the economic storm clouds gather.While reassured, I'm left with three big Q's (thread)
Q1. Is this âscience as a stimulusâ?
We know R&D offers great long-term returns, but expect pressure to deliver quick economic impacts.
Sector should work constructively with this national priority, but avoid known pitfalls of rapidlyR&D funding:
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/592419
We know R&D offers great long-term returns, but expect pressure to deliver quick economic impacts.
Sector should work constructively with this national priority, but avoid known pitfalls of rapidly
R&D funding:https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/592419
Q1 cont. Is this 'science as a stimulus'?
Sector must steer BEIS/HMT towards a combo that balances short-term economic impact with long-term value for the science base (and ultimately the tax-payer).
Easy to let short-term gains mask long-term waste
Sector must steer BEIS/HMT towards a combo that balances short-term economic impact with long-term value for the science base (and ultimately the tax-payer).
Easy to let short-term gains mask long-term waste
Q2. Who gets what?
No hints on how the new ÂŁ's will be divided between disciplines - so expect a bun fight.
The allocation doc mentions âscience & mathematicsâ, are arts & humanities a lower priority? We're promised 'boosterism', but unclear how balanced it will be.
No hints on how the new ÂŁ's will be divided between disciplines - so expect a bun fight.
The allocation doc mentions âscience & mathematicsâ, are arts & humanities a lower priority? We're promised 'boosterism', but unclear how balanced it will be.
Q3. Can we sustain the upward trajectory?
This is a good start, but R&D must remain a political priority to achieve 2.4%.
The public will need to see the link between these ÂŁ's and outcomes that matter to them. Our R&D Decade work offers some thoughts: https://wellcome.ac.uk/what-we-do/our-work/our-policy-work-government-investment-research
This is a good start, but R&D must remain a political priority to achieve 2.4%.
The public will need to see the link between these ÂŁ's and outcomes that matter to them. Our R&D Decade work offers some thoughts: https://wellcome.ac.uk/what-we-do/our-work/our-policy-work-government-investment-research
