CaSE welcomes government support for university research to drive post-Covid recovery

The Government has announced a package of measures designed to support the UK university research base from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The measures include:

• Around £280m to immediately support research in universities, including current grant extensions
• Universities to receive up to 80% of their income losses from a decline in international students

Commenting on the package, CaSE Executive Director Dr Sarah Main said:

“Research and innovation will drive the UK’s health and economic recovery post-Covid. It is vital that research remains financially viable across the UK economy: for universities, research institutes, large and small businesses and research charities.”

“In a time of significant losses, this package provides welcome protection for research projects and the research workforce by helping universities support their researchers and their partnerships with businesses and charities. For UK research to drive the next generation of innovation, it will be important for Government to ensure that the inspiring range of research activity across the private, public and third sector, large and small, is able to recover and flourish. Today’s announcement is a good first step and we look forward to working with the government on their roadmap to ensuring the UK becomes a more research-intensive country.”

Notes

1. As part of the government’s ‘levelling-up’ agenda, CaSE has published a new report, The Power of Place, on how to maximise the local economic impact of greater R&D intensity across the regions and nations of the UK.
    
2. In May CaSE wrote to the Science Minister, calling on the government to ensure that all areas of the UK research base are protected from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
    
3. Dr Sarah Main wrote an article for the CaSE website on how the entire research ecosystem must be protected from the effects of the pandemic.