Business Secretary has selected Professor Dame
Jessica Corner as the preferred candidate for the role of
Executive Chair of Research England.
As Executive Chair of Research England, Professor Corner will
take up responsibility for quality related research funding to
English universities, largely informed by the results of the
Research Excellence Framework exercise, as well as funding for
knowledge exchange activities. She will also lead Research
England’s role in ensuring the health and stability of English
universities in their research and innovation activities.
Professor Corner will also be part of the UKRI senior leadership team
working closely with UKRI’s Chief Executive,
UKRI Board and
the other Executive Chairs to collectively oversee UKRI’s strategy, funding
programmes and infrastructure.
Professor Corner has an accomplished background as both a trained
nurse and academic specialising in cancer palliative care and
more recently as a senior university leader in the role of
Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange at the
University of Nottingham.
Professor Corner was awarded a DBE
in 2014 for services to Health Care Research and Education and
was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in
2015.
Business Secretary said:
I am delighted to name Professor Dame Jessica Corner as preferred
candidate to steward Research England through the years to come.
I look forward to working closely with her and the UKRI leadership team to
ensure the continued success of the world leading research
carried out by our universities, building on the UK’s reputation
as a science superpower.
I would also like to thank Dr David Sweeney for his tireless work
for the research sector as inaugural Executive Chair of Research
England and previously at HEFCE. I
wish him the very best for his retirement.
Professor Jessica Corner said:
I am delighted to be chosen as the preferred candidate for the
role of Executive Chair of Research England at this time of huge
opportunity for the country’s truly outstanding research base. I
know I will be building on the immense contribution made by David
Sweeney to UKRI,
Research England and our research ecosystem over his extensive
career. I look forward to supporting our national community of
researchers as they continue to explore, discover, and innovate
to transform lives across the globe.
UKRI aims to
create an outstanding research and innovation system that gives
everyone the opportunity to contribute and benefit. It is the
UK’s primary public funding body for research and innovation,
with a budget of £25.1 billion over the spending review period of
2022-2023 to 2024-2025.
Professor Corner is due to succeed the current Executive Chair of
Research England, Dr David Sweeney, who is due to retire.
Professor Corner is expected to start in October.
The post of Executive Chair of Research England is subject to a
pre-appointment hearing by the House of Commons Science and
Technology Select Committee. The Committee have decided to hold a
hearing which will take place on 20 July 2022. Further details
will be available on the Select Committee website.
