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£2.2bn research funding for English universities for
2019-20 announced today to help translate our researchers best
ideas into reality
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An overall increase of £91m including an additional
£45m for quality-related research (QR) funding – representing a
real-terms increase of 2.3%
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The move forms part of Government’s Industrial Strategy
commitment to boost R&D spending to 2.4% of GDP by 2027 –
the highest ever level of R&D investment in the UK
Universities and Science Minister has today (Tuesday 2 July)
confirmed an additional £91 million for university-led research,
taking the annual budget allocations for university-led research
to a record high.
Research and development is at the heart of the Government’s
modern Industrial Strategy, and today’s increase means
universities in England will receive £2.2 billion in the 2019-20
academic year to support their research. Funding forms part of
the Government’s overall aim to boost spending on R&D to 2.4%
of GDP by 2027; the UK’s highest recorded level ever.
Additional funding includes a real-terms uplift of 2.3% for
mainstream quality-related (QR) research funding. The money for
university research was announced today by Research England in
its annual budget allocations.
The additional funding will give universities more capacity
to invest in the people, partnerships and infrastructure that are
essential for delivering cutting-edge research that brings
real-world benefits. For example, past funding has supported the
Manchester Cancer Research Centre, based at the University of
Manchester, that is improving clinical care and treatment for
cancer patients, and the funding underpins the work of the Cyber
Security Innovation at Royal Holloway, University of London, to
carry out research into pressing cyber security problems across a
number of industries. It is allocated in line with
universities’ research strengths as measured through
periodic quality assurance review.
Universities Minister said:
“I am delighted that for the first time since 2010, we have
a significant uplift in QR funding for universities. One of my
personal priorities has been to place universities at the heart
of innovation for the future and I’m pleased to have worked to
deliver on this.
This announcement today marks an important recognition of
university research and the need to invest more in flexible,
curiosity-driven research that has tremendous benefits to
developing our international standing as a research powerhouse.
Increased investment in research and development is a key
ambition of the Government which has committed to 2.4% GDP spent
on R&D by 2027 – a vital part of our industrial strategy. The
Government has already committed to investing an additional £7
billion on R&D by 2021, the largest increase for forty
years.”
The increase includes additional contributions from the National
Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF), supporting universities
to implement the Government’s Industrial Strategy.
Government investment in university research funding is now at a
record high. This funding enables universities to play their
fullest role in delivering on the Government’s modern industrial
strategy, helping to meet the Grand Challenges including the
needs of the ageing society and moving to a cleaner, greener
economy.
Commenting on the announcement of £91m in additional
university-driven research funding, including a £45m increase in
QR funding, Alistair Jarvis, Chief Executive of Universities UK,
said:
“This is a significant investment into the future of research in
the UK, and a positive step towards the Government’s target to
invest 2.4% of GDP into R&D.
“Quality-related research funding plays a key role in developing
new talent, strengthening research culture and building the
skilled workforce the UK needs if we are to perform effectively
as a modern knowledge economy.
“With many of the greatest research discoveries and advances
having evolved from curiosity-driven research, it is critical
that we continue to invest across all subject disciplines.”
The detailed budget allocations are available on the Research
England website.
