Examination of Witnesses (Questions 98-99)
WEDNESDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2003
PROFESSOR EBRAHIM
MAMDANI, PROFESSOR
IAN W. MARSHALL
AND PROFESSOR
MARTYN THOMAS
Chairman: Thank you very much, you heard the
questioning in the areas we are interested in and we look forward
to your answers.
Dr Turner
98. Professor Mamdani, the Academy's memorandum
say that United Kingdom applicants are not as adept at playing
the system as some of our European counterparts and the United
Kingdom does not give that much help in supporting the successful
bids. How helpful do you feel that UKRO have been and what do
you think the Government should be doing to help those of less
experience to gain contacts with Brussels and the skills they
need to build successful bids?
(Professor Mamdani) You have to realise
that our responses come from asking our Fellows to respond, and
some 40 out of 1,200 Fellows have responded. The responses are
not absolutely uniform. I suspect that those kind of comments
are coming from people who are at the bottom end of the learning
curve, they have had difficulties raising funds.
99. Does the fact that people are having difficulties
give some indication that the route is not exactly clearly sign
posted?
(Professor Mamdani) One of the earlier answers that
you received is quite correct, those of experience are able to
raise funds, those that are not are going to have difficulty,
it is a learning curve issue I think.
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