The research sector has consistently been a British success story, if sometimes under-appreciated, with countless contributions that have changed our understanding of the world and life in it, and contributed significantly to our health and wealth. There is an epoch-making example.
Last week in Manchester we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of graphene by researchers at the University of Manchester. Graphene has completely reshaped many research fields, including materials science and condensed matter physics, and is now slowly but steadily expanding into industrial and consumer products, far beyond the life sciences. Masu.
The breakthrough that enabled scientists to first isolate graphene was only possible because universities had the funding and flexibility to give scientists the freedom to explore early-stage, bolt-from-the-blue research. This is an important aspect of our dual support research funding system, which has often played a leading role. Unexpected commercial benefits can be obtained. More recently, it has led to game-changing initiatives such as advances in clean technology, renewable materials and, most notably, coronavirus vaccines. These are just some headline-grabbing examples.
Research and innovation in universities, and the associated infrastructure and commercialization opportunities, make a significant contribution to the prosperity of regions across the UK. Here in Manchester, the university’s former North Campus is being transformed into a £1.7bn innovation precinct called ‘Sister’, along with Bruntwood Sitec. We have also launched a new Unit M, which will help the university further promote business development and industrial clusters in the region.
South Korea’s investment levels are almost double the UK’s, so we need to be wary of the risk of the UK starting to fall behind.
Across the UK, the commercialization of research supports over 250,000 jobs at Russell Group universities alone. These achievements don’t necessarily come from a flash of inspiration or a serendipitous moment. These are the result of years of nurturing talent and innovation pipelines and building expertise and knowledge clusters. All of this requires long-term, stable and strong financial support, which now appears to be under threat. As governments focus on growth both regionally and nationally, protecting research and development (R&D) funding is part of the puzzle to building the right environment for economic resilience over the next decade and beyond. It has become an important piece of the
If the government implements the rumored cuts to the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology’s budget, universities and other research institutions could suffer as they will be forced to make increasingly difficult decisions regarding this type of research and innovation. The reason why this is so high is probably in research and innovation that has reached the top. What kind of research they can support and who can fund it to continue it. UK universities typically leverage over £1 billion of research and development investment from UK charities and £5.6 billion from businesses every year, and the impact of their research is felt everywhere.
For cancer, the 10-year survival rate has doubled since the 1970s. Thanks to advances in research, diagnosis and treatment, more than one million deaths have been averted in the UK since the mid-1980s. Internationally, we could invest anywhere, of course in charities such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, but we chose to partner with us in the UK because of the quality of our R&D base.
However, this situation may change as competitors compete to increase investment in growth-generating research and development. South Korea’s investment levels are already nearly double those of the UK, and there is a need to be wary of the risk that the UK will start to fall behind from its world-leading position. We all understand that we are working in a difficult fiscal environment, and it is inevitable that governments will have to make tough and unpopular decisions.
However, if you commit to supporting research and development over the long term, the rewards will be rewarding. Research and development is an investment, not a cost. This is recognized as a much higher rate of return than the average on capital investment across government spending lines (every £1 of Higher Education Innovation Fund invested in research-intensive universities brings £12 into the economy ). It also has a significant impact on the UK’s reputation and global standing, with international influence that can be leveraged to attract new foreign direct investment into the UK.
We are deeply concerned by the potential funding cuts touted last week, of up to £1 billion, and fears that there will be no funding available for UK research and innovation next year. will cause real damage to research. and an innovation ecosystem. Simply put, if governments move to cut off the flow of R&D funding now, they cannot turn the tap back on a few years later and expect the same results.
Professor Sir Andre Geim of the University of Manchester is the 2010 Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics and Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell is a former President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester.
