University Alliance, the voice of professional and technical universities, has today written to the Prime Minister seeking assurances as to the future of funding for research in the UK and continued association to the Horizon programme.
Globally connected and locally rooted, Alliance universities work with industry and public sector partners through their research to support local, regional, and national priorities, and can play a major role both in supporting the UK to become a global science superpower, and in delivering the Government’s levelling-up agenda.
With reports that the government is preparing to significantly cut the budget for research, University Alliance are deeply concerned that this would all be at risk if research funding is cut.
Writing in the letter, University Alliance Chair Professor Debra Humphris and CEO Vanessa Wilson said:
“Our members contribute significantly to the levelling-up agenda and regional regeneration – aligning our research to local sector strengths and growth areas, whilst leveraging inward investment globally to fix local challenges. Proposed cuts to the funding for research which would have a considerable impact on the ability of Alliance universities to carry out our vital research focused on real-world issues aimed at making concrete changes in local communities and improving the quality of life in local areas.”
Highlighting how Alliance universities, due to the more applied nature of their research, have traditionally benefited from the UK being part of the Horizon programme, the letter welcomes the UK’s continued association, but calls for clarity on how this association will be funded.
The full letter, signed by University Alliance Chair Professor Debra Humphris and CEO Vanessa Wilson, can be found here
