U.K. research funding cut: Despite a dramatic quality improvement in university research, the government is not true to funding its schools - Business & Finance

Electronic News, March 25, 2002 by Melanie Reynolds

Almost half of the higher education establishments in England will see their research funding drop next year.

Of 115 higher education establishments, 55 will suffer a decrease in funding for the 2002-2003 academic year. University research staff have become extremely disillusioned by the latest round of funding awarded by the government, after having worked hard to improve the quality of their research.

"Our staff feel betrayed, having improved hugely from a zero start and brought their research up," said Michael Goldstein, vice chancellor at Coventry University.

This year [pounds sterling]940 million ($1.3 billion) is being distributed, an increase of 5.9 percent. It is allocated according to the grades received by university departments in the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), which assesses the quality of research. The grades range from 1 star to the top-rated 5 stars.

The last RAE in 2001 saw more departments awarded a 5-star than ever before, but the funding has not been increased adequately to accommodate this improvement. This means only 5-star departments will receive an average increase of 2.5 percent in funding and only departments rated 3A and above will receive funding.

University campaign group Universities UK places the funding shortfall at [pounds sterling]140 million ($199 million). Coventry University improved its average grade rating from 2 in 1996 to 3A in 2001, but its funding is being cut by more than 35 percent. Its electronics and electrical engineering research improved from 1 to 3A. "We'll have to work even harder," Goldstein said. "It will make life difficult for us, but it will not in any way lessen our resolve to develop in research."

The Association of University Teachers (AUT) union fears the funding cuts will result in redundancies. "This year's settlement will not be able to fund the pay of staff in Universities," said Sally Hunt, AUT assistant general secretary. "The ax will cut deep across the university sector unless the government takes immediate action to fully fund the latest results of the Research Assessment Exercise."

Melanie Reynolds is an editor for Electronics Weekly, a sister publication of Electronic News.