Breaking: Looming physics cuts a ‘failure’, says science committee chair. Chi Onwurah says science minister and UKRI leadership must “bear responsibility” and “win back trust”. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Something of a Friday 13th for the science department today - Chi Onwurah has lambasted Patrick Vallance over "wholly unacceptable" physics cuts - The NAO has reported a £5.6bn repair backlog to uni infrastructure - MPs have said regional growth is suffering from poor data on R&D spending 🧵 ...

Really stinging criticism by @chionwurah.bsky.social of Dsit, UKRI and STFC leadership over cuts to physics funding. The Commons science committee chair writes in a new letter to Patrick Vallance and UKRI's Ian Chapman:

University job cuts are leading to cuts in academics' research time, spotlighted here by @resprofnews.bsky.social. At the very same time the govt is looking for more economic return from the R&D budget, UK research capacity is being cut. Here's Kent as an example:

Tipping point reached in the university exodus from X? More universities "now off X than on it", finds @andytattersall.bsky.social analysis. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Birmingham v-c Adam Tickell made some really interesting comments at @britishacademy.bsky.social conference. Called university languages closures a "national catastrophe", said uni mergers may be needed to address it. Not many v-cs are willing to take public stand on national sector issues.

Significant from Patrick Vallance at Lords science committee: He is "determined that UKRI must find a way to look after" STFC's physics, astronomy and nuclear grants. "Tension" between STFC facilities and grants funding "needs to be resolved". www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

UUK chief exec Vivienne Stern asked, at British Academy event, if govt should review HE system: Risk of "opening up Pandora's Box". Don't review "if you don't know what's going to come out of it". Plan 2 loans pressure such there's "real danger Treasury will think only way out is another review".

Patrick Vallance speech at @britishacademy.bsky.social SHAPE conference: - pledging to "protect and grow" curiosity-driven research funding - creation of UKRI means "a big pot of money becomes visible"; benefits/outcomes need explaining - wanting UK to "be in early" on EU's next Horizon Europe

Nottingham move to cut academics' protected research time to 25%, as staff-student ratios rise, brings strong warning from the UCU branch - this "threatens Nottingham's status as a research-intensive institution".

Redundancies at research-intensive universities double in two years, FOI requests from @resprofnews.bsky.social @chrisjparr.bsky.social reveal. Scale of job losses branded "disaster" for UK research capacity. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

With England's system of tuition fees and student loans under fierce criticism, @chrisjparr.bsky.social speaks to the creator of that system, David Willetts. Willetts points out Labour govt has not found an alternative model (though I don't think it has really tried to look for one).

Former UKRI leader Ottoline Leyser talks to @francesjones.bsky.social about the "horrible" funding problems facing Science and Technology Facilities Council. STFC funds major facilities and labs, along with grants for physics and astronomy. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

It's been a busy couple of weeks covering the funding changes at UKRI, to put it mildly Here are my thoughts on how it's played out TL;DR...the message that curiosity-driven research is protected is not going to reassure those who are seeing their funding streams disrupted

🧵 New Research Fortnight out today! In this issue, we put the spotlight on the impact and implications of major changes to funding being introduced by UK Research and Innovation. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Warnings that UKRI funding changes are pushing some early career researchers to move abroad. STFC-funded research groups already "haemorrhaging", this researcher tells @resprofnews.bsky.social.

Breaking: Research Excellence Framework director to step down in April. Former director Kim Hackett returning to oversee strategy while successor to Rebecca Fairbairn is found. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Powerful opinion piece about impact of UKRI pulling UK funds from Electron-Ion Collider project - US-based international facility for research into structure of matter - by Daria Sokhan, principal investigator on EIC-UK.

Unusual to hear a Russell Group v-c talking in the terms Manchester's Duncan Ivison does in interview with @chrisjparr.bsky.social. He thinks scrapping the "massive, bureaucratic" REF should be on the table. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Fierce criticism of UKRI's decision to pull funding from upgrade of a detector on Cern's Large Hadron Collider. Tim Gershon, leader on the experiment, warns it will "collapse" the project and international partners could "end up just wasting their money".

UKRI's chief executive said recently that the UK "may wish to explore" paring back its association to the EU's research programme, to make it partial. That would be a "profound strategic error", critics now warn. By @clanicholson.bsky.social www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

STFC's science board was told of "long-term cut" to grants for physics and astronomy researchers, former member claims. STFC, which funds both major facilities and grants, plans cuts of £162m by 29-20, as @resprofnews.bsky.social has revealed. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

More on the impact of UKRI pulling funding from a major experiment at Cern's Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator. Experiment's leader tells @francesjones.bsky.social upgrade of LHCb detector is "essential" to maximising upgrade of LHC itself.

Nature sums up 3 elements of UKRI funding changes: MRC/BBSRC grant pauses; STFC cuts; infrastructure deprioritised. Shame there's no credit for @resprofnews.bsky.social which first revealed all three! Stellar work by @francesjones.bsky.social @robinbisson.bsky.social @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social

Is notion of a reproducibility crisis in science "exaggerated"? After ERC's Maria Leptin suggests just that, @fionamcintyre.bsky.social talks to those studying the issue. To judge whether there's a crisis, we would need to know "normal" level of reproducibility, says @martmichaelis.bsky.social

UK is pulling its funding for Cern's Large Hadron Collider upgrade, STFC leader Michele Dougherty confirms, after news first revealed by @francesjones.bsky.social @resprofnews.bsky.social "We simply don’t have the money to do everything." www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Last week, RPN broke a string of stories on significant changes to funding across a number of research councils (see thread below) This morning, UKRI chief executive is appearing at the Commons science committee, where he is being asked about them by MPs Here are some key moments so far 🧵

The leaders of four major physics infrastructure projects due to receive over £280m from UKRI were told in December they have “not been prioritised” for funding The projects include an upgrade to the LHC at Cern and a new US particle accelerator ...

Another big story on changes to UK research funding - UK shelving £280m funding for physics infrastructure. Source tells @resprofnews.bsky.social if UK contribution to upgrade Cern's LHC is cut, project cannot go ahead By @francesjones.bsky.social www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Awkward timing for Michele Dougherty's Desert Island Discs to be broadcast, given scientists' concerns over cuts set out by STFC, which she leads. She was asked about keeping Musk in Royal Society: "I think it was the right decision...He's done a lot for improving our ability to get into space."

UKRI shelves physics infrastructure projects worth £280m, @resprofnews.bsky.social reveals. Projects affected include a collaboration with Cern to upgrade the Large Hadron Collider. Another big story from @francesjones.bsky.social. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Further impacts from UKRI "period of transition" as it shifts more to "national priorities" after spending review. MRC tells grant boards to cut funding rates; BBSRC pauses applicant-led calls By @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social @robinbisson.bsky.social www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

The MRC has asked each of its grant review boards to recommend no more than 3 applications for funding, RPN has heard from multiple sources Normally, boards recommend an average of 12-13 bids, so the success rate this year will be tiny This affects applicant-led calls which closed in 2025...

Nobel winner and senior scientists slam cuts to UK physics “These cuts are the inevitable consequence of the government’s choices,” Nobel winner Andre Geim tells me www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

UK Research and Innovation secured a strong four-year budget settlement following the spending review last year. But it's becoming clear that a govt-driven shift in UKRI funding towards research linked to "national priorities" will have big impact for UK research and researchers...

Science and Technology Facilities Council told staff yesterday it aims to cut £162m by 29-30 and "challenge we are facing is by far the biggest in STFC’s history", @resprofnews.bsky.social reveals. Project leaders asked to model cuts of up to 60%. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Science and Technology Facilities Council seeking £162m in cuts by 29-30, with existing research projects facing axe, @resprofnews.bsky.social reveals. Backdrop is wider funding shift at UKRI. Big story from @francesjones.bsky.social www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

The "period of transition" underway at UKRI after spending review settlement will have big implications for many researchers. "Grave concerns" on applicant-led funds at MRC and BBSRC may herald wider pressure on curiosity-driven funds. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

The reforms to UKRI under Ian Chapman are only just starting, but there are already worries about what they mean for the bread and butter, applicant-led funding calls at research councils While UKRI insists comparisons with previous years are impossible, figures from December suggest...

The UK is set to lose £330m of fee it paid the EU to join Horizon Europe, after faring poorly in 2024, @resprofnews.bsky.social has revealed. Now there are calls for ministers to consider whether UK should opt against joining next Horizon Europe. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

UKRI is "changing the way some of its investment is directed to align with national priorities". Impact seen in apparent drop in funds for applicant-led research at two research councils. Warning this will be of "grave concern for many in sector". www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Is Trump reshaping not just US science, but world science? Seven global science leaders and experts weigh up his administration's impact on international collaborations, climate science, place of science in democratic societies. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...

Horizon Europe must not be "cannibalised" by the EU's new competitiveness fund, MEP Eszter Lakos tells @francesjones.bsky.social. Commission's harder drive for economic "independence" amid Greenland crisis may push this issue further. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

Not many details yet, but this is a genuine shift after *years* of campaigning by research sector to lower visa fees Treasury release mentions AI, quantum, semiconductors, life sciences and clean energy (i.e. industrial strategy sectors) But which fees? NHS surcharge, the big one, seems doubtful

Shift the govt wants at UKRI - and its new CEO wants - already in evidence as it pauses some funding calls. UKRI says it is in a "period of transition" after spending review, as it aligns more funding to "national priorities" and economic growth. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

After years of lobbying from science orgs fell on stony ground, it seems govt is finally willing to recognise that lowering visa fees could help attract science talent to UK. Treasury in driving seat here. And this plan only for key tech fields. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Geopolitics "changing the nature" of EU's Horizon Europe research programme, says MEP Christian Ehler. It's likely to become less open, which is "suboptimal for science and innovation", he warns. By @francesjones.bsky.social www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

UK Research and Innovation, plus its research councils, quietly quit X. Via @robinbisson.bsky.social @sophieatrpn.bsky.social www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Birmingham v-c aims to counter claims that Russell Group has "undue influence" on policy. Adam Tickell's @resprofnews.bsky.social piece comes after suggestions REF and international fee levy policy changes benefit research-intensives. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

This looks significant: UKRI pauses several funding calls, as it enters "period of transition". MRC applicant-led scheme, coming under curiosity-driven "bucket", one of them. Comes with govt directing UKRI to align with "national priorities". www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...