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The research system


Institutions, infrastructure, integrity and assessment – how the system holds together and where it is under strain. Newest first. The whole archive →

UKRI pinpoints £11.6bn of higher education cross-subsidyFunder’s TRAC analysis visualises how institutions make the research numbers add upNews · 22 Oct 2026 The state of agricultural research and innovationAg.Impact report breaks down £1.2bn in funding and stakeholder views on the systemNews · 20 Oct 2026 The British Academy asks whether the dual support system is fit for the futureNew report kicks off a programme of work on the future of higher educationNews · 20 Oct 2026 The metascience unit sets out its thinking on AI-powered research evaluationA basket of indicators will support a “new vocabulary” of research qualityNews · 9 Oct 2026 The Home Office responds to recommendations on use of animals for scienceBroad acceptance for a set of proposals from the Animals in Science CommitteeNews · 7 Oct 2026 Solar radiation management and its discontentsThe government has seen the need to put out a position paperNews · 29 Sep 2026 Public support for research funding falls when AI is involved, study findsSurvey also shows reported drop in trust when AI is used in researchNews · 23 Sep 2026 CaSE sets out four actions for a thriving future research systemHow to build an R&D system for 2045News · 23 Sep 2026 OpenAlex asks whether open access colours should be retiredPlus a new report presents the OA state of play in Europe and beyondNews · 22 Sep 2026 Science minister “keenly aware” of pressure on university financesAnd Chris McDonald is supportive of all R&D disciplines, British Academy president Hetan Shah reportsNews · 16 Sep 2026 AI and the research system: report round-upA trio of publications explore artificial intelligence use in manuscript submissions, academic libraries, and across the UKRI communityNews · 14 Sep 2026 Data: Public trust in scientistsKing’s Policy Institute survey finds polarisation by values, identity and politicsNews · 9 Sep 2026 A new typology for policy engagement modelsA report from the Local Policy Innovation Partnership Hub explores the different ways in which university civic institutes are operatingNews · 8 Sep 2026 UK “sleepwalking” into loss of research assets, ARMA warnsThe Association of Research Managers and Administrators’ latest report presents evidence of how financial pressures are bitingNews · 3 Sep 2026 New UKRI funding call on the economic returns of R&DOpportunity supported by the metascience unit looks to tackle the “Griliches question”News · 1 Sep 2026 Lincoln Bishop joins Global University Systems groupUniversity says it is working with UKRI over continued research funding eligibilityNews · 27 Aug 2026 Public opinion shows “stark divisions” over specific R&D issuesNew Campaign for Science and Engineering report sees risk of growing politicisationNews · 27 Aug 2026 On the subject of AI: mathematicsIn May 2026, OpenAI announced that its chatbot had solved an 80-year-old open problem in mathematics.Analysis · 20 Aug 2026 Lift “de facto ban” on new research organisations, UKRI toldAn open letter to the funder argues that UK research must be “visibly open” to innovative new entrantsNews · 19 Aug 2026 Official statistics put R&D at 2.71% of the UK’s GDP in 2024Latest ONS figures show a similar picture to 2023News · 10 Aug 2026 Data: Grant rates continue to fall, new UKRI figures showNew annual grants data from UKRI demonstrates how the proportion of funding applications which are successful has continued to decline. The overall UKRI award…Analysis · 16 Jul 2026

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