UKRI's 2026-30 budget allocation announced by govt today. Interesting to see in that a Dsit pledge for “new, more agile approach” to managing all its R&D funding, allowing it to "deprioritise investment not delivering outcomes expected”. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

UKRI leader Ian Chapman on its £38.6bn four-year budget: "strong platform to deliver on each part of our mission to advance knowledge, improve lives, drive growth". UKRI will focus on delivering mission "in areas where UK can lead on global stage". www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

UKRI budget for 2026-30 announced: totals £38.6bn. Rises to around £9.2bn in 26-27, up from £8.8bn. Reaches nearly £10bn in 29-30. Dsit pledging "more agile" R&D funding, allowing it to "deprioritise investment not delivering outcomes expected". www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Ex-UKRI head Ottoline Leyser on the REF: "We’ve made it about individuals...and that’s something we really need to break." On volume of research: "We need to...think very hard about how effectively to do less." By @sophieatrpn.bsky.social www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Research is being hit by National Archives fears over GDPR, warns academic involved in talks over closure of records. Really interesting piece that spotlights wider "conflict" between research and personal data laws, as archives fear legal action. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

A two-track REF 2029, seen as increasingly likely prospect, "could create a two-tier research ecosystem with major long-term—and unnecessary—negative consequences", one sector body warns. @francesjones.bsky.social @fionamcintyre.bsky.social report www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Another delay to the research culture metric planned for next REF - may raise more questions on its future. PCE pilot results were due for publication by end of October - now not coming until REF pause ends in December. By @robinbisson.bsky.social www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

"The implications of opening Horizon Europe to dual-use and military research are wide and deep. Researchers and their institutions need cast-iron assurances...it will remain a civilian research programme," says Jan Palmowski of @guildeu.bsky.social. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

Linking Horizon Europe to EU competitiveness fund, and opening it to projects with military potential, could transform the bloc's research and innovation programme. Worries on these two huge changes are lingering, as @clanicholson.bsky.social hears. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

"The war-readiness of modern democracies depends just as much on universities...and civil institutions as it does on the fearsomeness of our weaponry." @chrisjparr.bsky.social looks at what Europe's defence spending boom could mean for research. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

Larry Ellison's Oxford-based institute unveils plan to spend £10bn over 10 years on "science programmes, scholarships and talent" - on top of £890m announced last week to build campus. Raises big questions on what kind of research will be funded. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-i...

Govt's post-16 education white paper plans spell "more efforts and powers behind the drive for both specialisation between institutions and for economic growth", including in research, writes @andywestwood.bsky.social. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

Push for specialisation in university research; potential for a “more focused volume of research"; REF reforms to "better incentivise excellence" - @robinbisson.bsky.social pulls out key parts of govt's research plan in post-16 education white paper www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

“On the one hand, universities are being urged quietly to see if we can get US talent…but at the same time, it’s getting more difficult,” UEA deputy vice-chancellor Steven McGuire tells @sophieatrpn.bsky.social Someone else called 10-year qualifying time for settled status simply..."bonkers"

Generative AI performs better than citation data for judging quality of academic papers, suggesting a potential use for AI in the REF, according to a (preprint) study. By @francesjones.bsky.social www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Will govt's tougher route to UK settled status deter foreign researchers? Could add £5k-£7k per person, Royal Society figures shared with @resprofnews.bsky.social suggest. @sophieatrpn.bsky.social spotlights another immigration issue for research. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

There's a German research funder where staff get told they should "love failures" and being taken to court on funding decisions is good - because it shows they were taking risks. @francesjones.bsky.social speaks to Cyberagentur's Christian Hummert. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

AI in peer review: best to accept "genie is out of the bottle" and agree some guidelines? Or is AI use going to mask structural problems in peer review? @fionamcintyre.bsky.social hears from publishers and academics on where to draw the line. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...

The next Horizon Europe is set to open up to fund projects with both civil and military potential. Could that undermine civilian nature of the EU's research and innovation programme? @sophieatrpn.bsky.social hears views on key dual-use questions. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

Another question I have about this: if 100k fewer people every year go to university/do apprenticeships instead, what kind of jobs do the Conservatives think these people will end up in? www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

More action on the increasingly busy "ease visas for researchers" front, this time from @russellgroup.bsky.social, specifically in relation to US. Useful for Vallance, given his apparent moves within govt on this issue. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

With work on REF paused, should getting rid of the whole thing be on agenda? Is it QR's defence, or outdated policy's "monster"? Views from @gemmaderrick.bsky.social, @kieronflanagan.bsky.social and others, in @fionamcintyre.bsky.social analysis. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

I wonder if this Conservative announcement will be seen as saying, "Don't vote for us if you want your children to go to university". Not convinced the dislike of expanded higher education in some political circles is widely evident among voters. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Starmer in Labour conference speech the latest in a long line of politicians to "scrap" the Blair target for 50% of young people to enter higher education. When was the last time it actually applied in any real sense in public policy?

Yet more warnings to govt on its plan for a levy on universities' international student fees. Levy would push further 14 universities into deficit, including three Russell Group members, MPs on education committee told. By @sophieatrpn.bsky.social www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Royal Society's governing council will meet on 1 October to consider expelling Elon Musk. Adrian Smith, its president, taking a new stance in light of Musk address to far-right rally in London last week. @francesjones.bsky.social with the latest. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...

UK-US tech deal includes "historic research collaboration" on AI. @chrisjparr.bsky.social with the details. Unfortunate that when it comes to "Britain’s booming AI sector" as Liz Kendall describes it, 2 out of 3 companies mentioned now foreign owned www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Nice to have Ian Chapman, UKRI's new chief exec, writing exclusively for @resprofnews.bsky.social. Here's analysis of his comments on UK research "trying to do too many things", calling for focus on world-leading areas, by @robinbisson.bsky.social. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Peter Kyle’s exit as science secretary not going to halt plans for the Alan Turing Institute to refocus on defence, the institute’s chair has told an all-staff meeting. @francesjones.bsky.social with inside track again on Turing developments. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...

Comments from UUK president that seem like a harbinger of things to come. Govt doesn't want funding going to "areas of research where we don’t have the quality". Unis can't afford "hobbyist research", Malcolm Press tells @harrietswain.bsky.social www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Liz Kendall to replace Peter Kyle as science secretary. Skills moved from DfE to Department of Work and Pensions, under its new secretary Pat McFadden. By @robinbisson.bsky.social www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Big changes afoot after REF pause Explicit from Research England that the pause is to “ensure alignment with the UK government’s priorities and vision for higher education” Changes may include RE rewarding collaboration and specialisation - exactly direction of HE reforms expected in white paper

'RPN understands that one option on the table is for smaller institutions to get core funding without having to submit a REF return, to guard against the cost of submitting a return outweighing the funding they receive.' 1/3

Another REF announcement out just now: Research England considering a two-track approach where less research-intensive universities get lighter touch. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Alan Turing Institute chief executive to step down after science secretary's intervention - latest development in a very significant running story about the national data and AI institute, and the extent of govt power over publicly funded research. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Story on science minister Patrick Vallance just now announcing three-month pause in work on REF "to get it right". REF still going to be in 2029, he says. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Vallance announces three-month pause in REF at UUK conference.

'More than 20 disgruntled Labour backbenchers signed a letter sent to the Home Office and Department for Education, suggesting there is significant worry in Labour ranks about the implications of a levy for R&D funding levels.'

Eloquent guide to the abundant changes planned for next REF, potential implications and why this is all causing such ructions, by @annamgrey.bsky.social. I gather we may hear updates in response to the ructions very soon... www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

Wrote about what illiberal democracy means for science. Even the most non-party political science relies on institutions that are being politicised, intensely. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

If Labour's five missions are now sort of ditched - three main priorities instead, no more mission delivery unit - what does that mean for the R&D Missions Programme and the five mission directors UKRI was hiring? www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

I'm sorry, I've been writing at REF again. I tried really hard not to be cynical and write something quite factual. I think I managed that, but yes, agree with Glen, something has to give.

This is a really astute analysis. Read it if you have access.

Labour MPs write to Home Office and DfE warning against plan for levy on universities' international student income, in letter seen by @resprofnews.bsky.social. Skills minister Jacqui Smith set to meet them today, @chrisjparr.bsky.social reports. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Health research at Russell Group universities losing millions in Trump's science policy turmoil. Projects losing combined £8m mainly from NIH cutting grants for collaborations with foreign researchers, FoI by @francesjones.bsky.social reveals. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

A lot of REF news here from @chrisjparr.bsky.social: * People, Culture and Environment weighting to be scaled back * PCE to move closer to 2021 environment statements * REF team considering creating a new ‘4-star plus’ rating www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Important REF 2029 news: new people, culture and environment element set to have its weighting reduced, @resprofnews.bsky.social @chrisjparr.bsky.social learn. Sector leaders had raised concerns about what they saw as delays/lack of clarity on PCE. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Nearly half of UK universities with Bluesky accounts aren't posting, despite migration from X. @sophieatrpn.bsky.social reports on unis' "wait-and-see" approach to Bluesky (my guess: they don't see it as offering scope to market to students). www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

The number of grant applications assessed by UK Research and Innovation has almost doubled over the past seven years, while the award rate has almost halved, new data show. Trends prompt warning that system is "overstretched or broken". www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Very soundbitey from DfE on free speech act coming into force. New free speech duties will "restore the integrity of our universities". Might a long-term plan for funding of universities also help restore their integrity? www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...