Research funding on the rise

Research funding from overseas sources has also increased substantially to just under £1 billion in 2011-12, up from just under £0.5 billion in 2002-03, according to The Economic Significance of the UK Science Base.

The report, published by the Campaign for Science and Engineering, suggests that research council funding peaked at about £1.6 billion in 2008-09 before falling to around £1.5 billion in 2011-12. The overall rise in the amount of research council funding “reflects to a substantial degree” the introduction of full economic costing for research grants in September 2005, says the report.

Research funding from charities and the government’s mainstream quality-related mechanism has increased more slowly, whereas finance from industry has fallen slightly over the decade.

holly.else@tsleducation.com