Research funding in the United Kingdom

Last updated

Research funding in the United Kingdom is divided mainly among Non-Departmental Government Bodies: UK Research and Innovation ('UKRI'), and 'Higher Education Funding Bodies'. [1] The budgets of both the UK Research Councils (which later merged into UKRI) and the Higher Education Funding Bodies budgets were set by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills prior to 2016, at which point Department was succeeded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. [2] [3] UK research funding follows the government policy, the 'Haldane principle', this means research is evaluated by scientists themselves through peer review, not politicians. [4]

Contents

UK Research Councils

There are seven Research Councils in the UK (see table below), all of which are now part of UK Research and Innovation. Each council receives funding from the Government's Science Budget (administered through the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) to fund research in a different area of research with a view to improving the UK economy, society and creating a sustainable world. [1] Some Research Councils also receive income from other Government Departments, commercialisation of research and other research funders. [5]

Research CouncilWebsite
Arts and Humanities Research Council AHRC Website
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council BBSRC website
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council EPSRC website
Economic and Social Research Council ESRC website
Medical Research Council MRC website
Natural Environment Research Council NERC website
Science and Technology Facilities Council STFC website

Higher Education Funding Bodies (UK Funding Councils)

The four Higher Education Funding Bodies, also referred to as "Funding Councils" [5] (listed below) provide "block grant funding" to support research infrastructure and enable institutions to undertake ground-breaking research. [3]

Funding bodyWebsite
Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) HEFCE Website
Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) HEFCW website
Scottish Funding Council (SFC) SFC website
Department for Employment and Learning, Northern Ireland (DELNI) DELNI website

Dual Research Funding Support System

The Research Councils and the Higher Education Funding Bodies make up a dual support system. Research Councils provide grants for specific projects and programmes, while the Higher Education Funding Bodies provide block grant funding to support the research infrastructure and enable institutions research of their choosing. Such funding also provides the capacity to undertake research commissioned by the private sector, Government Departments, charities, the European Union and other international bodies. [5]

Government funding

The Government's research budget allocations for the financial year 15/16 are outlined below. [6]

OrganisationResource Allocation (RDEL) in £MCapital Allocation (CDEL)in £M
Arts and Humanities Research Council98.30
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council351.271
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council778.580
Economic and Social Research Council153.225
Medical Research Council580.336
Natural Environment Research Council28935
Science and Technology Facilities Council400129.1
Higher Education Funding Council for England1573.3N/A
Contribution towards Higher Education Innovation Funding113N/A
Research Capital EnglandN/A117.3
HEI research capital EnglandN/A86.2
HEI Research Capital (Scotland)N/A16.1
HEI Research Capital (Wales)N/A3.7
HEI Research Capital (NI)N/A1.7
RIPF (UK)N/A100

See also

Related Research Articles

Further education in the United Kingdom and Ireland is additional education to that received at secondary school that is distinct from the higher education (HE) offered in universities and other academic institutions. It may be at any level in compulsory secondary education, from entry to higher level qualifications such as awards, certificates, diplomas and other vocational, competency-based qualifications through awarding organisations including City and Guilds, Edexcel (BTEC) and OCR. FE colleges may also offer HE qualifications such as HNC, HND, foundation degree or PGCE. The colleges are also a large service provider for apprenticeships where most of the training takes place at the apprentices' workplace, supplemented with day release into college.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Science policy</span> Form of policy

Science policy is concerned with the allocation of resources for the conduct of science towards the goal of best serving the public interest. Topics include the funding of science, the careers of scientists, and the translation of scientific discoveries into technological innovation to promote commercial product development, competitiveness, economic growth and economic development. Science policy focuses on knowledge production and role of knowledge networks, collaborations, and the complex distributions of expertise, equipment, and know-how. Understanding the processes and organizational context of generating novel and innovative science and engineering ideas is a core concern of science policy. Science policy topics include weapons development, health care and environmental monitoring.

Education in England is overseen by the Department for Education. Local government authorities are responsible for implementing policy for public education and state-funded schools at a local level. State-funded schools may be selective grammar schools or non-selective comprehensive schools. All state schools are subject to assessment and inspection by the government department Ofsted. England also has private schools and home education; legally, parents may choose to educate their children by any suitable means.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Institute for Fiscal Studies</span> UK economic research institute

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) is an independent economic research institute based in London, United Kingdom, which specialises in UK taxation and public policy. It produces both academic and policy-related findings.

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, is a non-departmental public body (NDPB), and is the largest UK public funder of non-medical bioscience. It predominantly funds scientific research institutes and university research departments in the UK.

In British research policy, the Haldane principle is the idea that decisions about what to spend research funds on should be made by researchers rather than politicians. It is named after Richard Burdon Haldane, who in 1904 and from 1909 to 1918 chaired committees and commissions which recommended this policy, which has evolved over time since then.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is a British Research Council that provides government funding for grants to undertake research and postgraduate degrees in engineering and the physical sciences, mainly to universities in the United Kingdom. EPSRC research areas include mathematics, physics, chemistry, artificial intelligence and computer science, but exclude particle physics, nuclear physics, space science and astronomy. Since 2018 it has been part of UK Research and Innovation, which is funded through the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish Funding Council</span>

The Scottish Funding Council, formally the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council, is the non-departmental public body charged with funding Scotland's further and higher education institutions, including its 26 colleges and 19 universities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Research Councils UK</span> Non-departmental government body

Research Councils UK, sometimes known as RCUK, was a non-departmental public body that coordinated science policy in the United Kingdom from 2002 to 2018. It was an umbrella organisation that coordinated the seven separate research councils that were responsible for funding and coordinating academic research for the arts, humanities, science and engineering. In 2018 Research Councils transitioned into UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), formerly the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). UKRI is a non-departmental public body (NDPB) funded by the UK government. ESRC provides funding and support for research and training in the social sciences. It is the UK's largest organisation for funding research on economic and social issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University Alliance</span> Association of British universities formed in 2006

University Alliance (UA) is an association of British universities formed in 2006 as the Alliance of Non-Aligned Universities, adopting its current name in 2007.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is a United Kingdom government agency that carries out research in science and engineering, and funds UK research in areas including particle physics, nuclear physics, space science and astronomy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills</span>

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) was a UK government department created on 28 June 2007 to take over some of the functions of the Department of Education and Skills and of the Department of Trade and Industry. Its head office was based at Kingsgate House, 66-74 Victoria Street, London SW1, which has now been demolished. In June 2009 it was merged into the newly formed Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. It was responsible for adult learning, some parts of further education, higher education, skills, science and innovation.

Innovate UK is the United Kingdom's innovation agency, which provides money and support to organisations to make new products and services. It is a non-departmental public body operating at arm's length from the Government as part of the United Kingdom Research and Innovation organisation.

The British Accreditation Council (BAC), also known as The British Accreditation Council for Independent Further and Higher Education, is an educational accreditation agency recognised by the British Government for international students entering the United Kingdom on student visitor visas. The British Accreditation Council was established in 1984, making it the oldest national independent accrediting body for non-EFL independent further and higher education providers in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Department for Business, Innovation and Skills</span> Defunct ministerial department of the government of the United Kingdom

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) was a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It was created by the Gordon Brown premiership on 5 June 2009 by the merger of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. It was disbanded by the Theresa May premiership on the creation of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 14 July 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Department for Education</span> Ministerial department of the UK Government

The Department for Education (DfE) is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for child protection, child services, education, apprenticeships, and wider skills in England.

The National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) develops, promotes and supports collaboration between universities and business in the United Kingdom. NCUB is a trading name of the Council for Industry and Higher Education, a registered charity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy</span> Defunct department of the UK Government

The Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) was a ministerial department of the United Kingdom Government, from July 2016 to February 2023.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is a non-departmental public body of the Government of the United Kingdom that directs research and innovation funding, funded through the science budget of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

References

  1. 1 2 Research Councils United Kingdom (RCUK). "About the individual Research Councils", Retrieved on 5 April 2015.
  2. Research Councils United Kingdom (RCUK). "About the RCUK partnership", Retrieved on 5 April 2015.
  3. 1 2 Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS). "Policy: Research and development, subsection: Science and research funding", Retrieved on 5 April 2015.
  4. Daily Hansard - Written Ministerial Statements. "Science and Research Funding (2011-12 to 2014-15)", Retrieved on 5 April 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 Research Councils United Kingdom (RCUK). "Government funding", Retrieved on 5 April 2015.
  6. Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS). "Science and research budget allocations for financial year 15/16", Retrieved on 5 April 2015.