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Herald Scotland

Tuesday 22 March 2011

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Anger at £3m cut threat to research funding

cutting EDGE: Research leader Professor Muffy Calder heads joint university project on how human cells communicate. Picture: Martin Shields

Andrew Denholm Education Correspondent

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19 Mar 2011

SCOTTISH universities have attacked plans to axe £3 million from a fund that supports cutting-edge research.

University principals said the 15% cut would damage the country’s research at a time when it was needed to lead a revival of the ailing economy.

And they urged the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), which distributes higher education money on behalf of the Government, to reverse the cut.

The controversy centres on research pooling, where departments from different universities work together.

There are currently 10 Scottish research pools that receive backing from the £20m fund. Examples of different departments working together include experts in telephone technology and biochemistry at university combining their skills to understand how human cells communicate with each other. The research was led by Professor Muffy Calder.

Set up following weak research performance in a number of subject areas in 2001, pooling is based on the simple concept that, working together, researchers can produce work of international significance.

Michael Russell, the Education Secretary, described the initiative as a “world beater”. “Our research pooling programme is recognised globally. It is time to take this to the next level,” he said.

However, Professor Pete Downes, principal of Dundee University and a spokesman on research for Universities Scotland, cast doubt on the future effectiveness of pooling given the funding cut.

“Pooling is the jewel in the crown of Scottish research. It is tried and tested and, through working collaboratively, our universities have generated significant additional income and international esteem for Scotland,” he said. “Our response to the required cuts must prioritise spending to ensure areas of excellence continue to thrive. Pooling is a distinctive quality of Scottish research and deserves unequivocal support.

“Mr Russell’s call that we should take research pooling to the next level is one that universities are keen to respond to but this cut could stall progress, or even throw it into reverse.”

Mark Batho, chief executive of SFC, said the cut to research pool funding was “reasonable” in the financial climate.

“We will be providing £200m of university research excellence grants in the next academic year, which means we’ve been able to maintain the level of grant for this in cash terms,” he said.

“We’ve reduced research pooling funding for next year by £3m, which we feel to be a reasonable response to the need to achieve savings of £71m across the wider spectrum of university activity.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: “Unlike in England, where research funding is falling by 2.8%, we have protected core funding for research. Research pools remain one of Scotland’s research strengths and we expect that to continue in the future.

“However, the requirement to seek efficiencies from the research pools was specifically agreed with Universities Scotland in November. We are surprised by Universities Scotland’s late change of heart.”

Leader comment: Page 14

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