Science research funding in universities
Chapter 1: Introduction
Background
1.Many UK universities are recognised globally as some of the best places for conducting scientific research. Professor Louise Richardson, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, told us that “universities are one of the great success stories of the UK. We currently have the top two universities in the world in this country, and the top six universities in Europe.”1
2.The UK is home to some of the world’s most respected researchers; the Campaign for Science and Engineering highlighted that “the UK has just 4% of the world’s researchers but they generate 15% of the most highly-cited papers, used most frequently by other researchers”.2
3.The way in which this research is funded directly affects the quality and quantity of research output. Over the last two years there have been several developments in the research and higher education landscape:
- In November 2017, the Government published its white paper Industrial Strategy: building a Britain fit for the future, which set a target of investing 2.4% of GDP in research and development by 2027.3
- In February 2018 the Government announced a Review of Post-18 Education and Funding, to be led by Philip Augar (hereafter referred to as the Augar Review). The review had a wide-ranging remit and focused on four areas: choice, value for money, access and skills provision.4 Its report was published on 30 May 2019.
- United Kingdom Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body bringing together the seven UK Research Councils, Innovate UK and Research England, was created in April 2018. Research England replaced the research functions of the Higher Education Funding Council for England.5
4.The Research and Innovation budget comprises the majority of the Government’s spending on science, research and innovation. It is largely delivered by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Most of this budget is allocated to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI): £6.38 billion out of £7.51 billion in 2017/18 (85%). The remainder is allocated to organisations such as the UK Space Agency, national academies, Public Sector Research Establishments and BEIS programmes.
5.Of the funding allocated to UKRI in 2017–18, the majority was allocated to research and innovation (76.9%), with the remainder allocated to scientific infrastructure (13.4%), Official Development Assistance (3.7%) and the National Productivity Investment Fund (6%).6 As part of its commitment to invest 2.4% of GDP in research and development by 2027, the Government is investing an additional £7 billion over five years (from 2017/18 to 2021/22) as part of the National Productivity Investment Fund.
Our inquiry
6.In May 2019 we launched a short inquiry into science research funding in universities. We considered the current system of research funding for universities in England7, its relationship with student funding, and its challenges. We examined the effect on research of possible changes to tuition fees resulting from the recommendations relating to higher education in the Augar Review,8 as well as issues that might arise when the United Kingdom leaves the European Union.9
7.We held 10 oral evidence sessions with 26 witnesses and received six written submissions, although we did not issue a call for written evidence due to time constraints.10
Structure of this report
8.Chapter 2 looks at the current issues faced by universities in obtaining sufficient funding for research. Chapter 3 explores the implications for universities if the recommendations of the Augar Review were fully or partially implemented. Chapter 4 considers the effects of Brexit on research in universities.
3 HM Government (2017) Industrial Strategy: building a Britain fit for the future, Cm 9528, June 2018: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/industrial-strategy-building-a-britain-fit-for-the-future [accessed 1 July 2019]
4 HM Government, ‘Prime Minister launches major review of post-18 education’ (February 2018): https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-launches-major-review-of-post-18-education [accessed 1 July 2019]
5 We heard from witnesses that it is too early to assess the impact of the formation of UKRI on research.
6 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, The allocation of funding for research and innovation (July 2018): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/731507/research-innovation-funding-allocation-2017–2021.pdf [accessed 1 July 2019]
7 Higher education is devolved in the UK so we focused on England for this inquiry, as did the Augar Review.
8 Department for Education, Independent panel report to the Review of Post-18 Education and Funding, CP 117, May 2019: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/805127/Review_of_post_18_education_and_funding.pdf [accessed 1 July 2019]
9 We have conducted this inquiry on the basis of current Government policy which is that the UK will be leaving the EU no later than 31 October 2019.
10 All written and oral evidence is online, see House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, ‘Science research funding in universities inquiry’: https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/science-and-technology-committee/inquiries/parliament-2017/science-research-funding-in-universities/publications/