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Triennial Review of Research Councils

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Introduction

1 The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), ScotlandsNational Academy, welcomes the opportunity torespond to the Department of Business Innovation& Skills Triennial Review of the Research Councils.The RSE is well placed to comment because of the

very broad multi-disciplinary basis of its Fellowship.The RSE has over 1500 Fellows who are basedthroughout the UK and internationally; not just inScotland. This permits us to draw upon advice fromrelevant experts, including many who have ledresearch teams supported by the Research Councilsand others who have served on the ResearchCouncils, including in senior leadership positions.Our broad disciplinary base covers the full range ofResearch Council areas of responsibility. We alsohave Fellows with prominent and wide-ranging

experience and expertise in business and theprofessions.

2 The RSE is a charity registered with OSCR andoperates under a Royal Charter for theadvancement of learning and useful knowledge.

3 Through the RSEs post-doctoral ResearchFellowship schemes and the RSE Young Academyof Scotland, we also have a reach that extendsto talented early and mid-career researchers,many of whom have been awarded Research Councilgrants. It is anticipated that many of the currentmembers of the Young Academy will go on tobecome the academic and business leaders ofthe future.

4 The RSE itself does not have any vested interestsas it is not an applicant for Research Council grants.

5 The RSE helps the Biotechnology and BiologicalSciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Scienceand Technology Facilities Council (STFC) runEnterprise Fellowship schemes on a UK wide basisto encourage commercialisation from the research

base.

6 We have grouped our comments around 6 mainheadings. These are:

Is thecurrentResearch CouncilStructure

appropriate?

MaintainingtheHaldanePrinciple.

Promotinginnovationandeconomicdevelopment, andtherelationshipsbetween

ResearchCouncilsandTechnologyStrategy

Board.

International aspects,especially collaboration

withEurope.

Potential constitutional change.

ResearchCouncils andthenextSpending

Review.

Is thecurrentResearchCouncilStructure appropriate?

7 The structure of Research Councils in the UK hasevolved over many years with the current structurelargely emerging from the RealisingourPotential:A Strategy forScience,EngineeringandTechnology.This 1993 White Paper was produced followingextensive consultation when Sir William StewartFRS, FRSE was Chief Scientific Adviser to the UKGovernment. He later became President of the RSE.

During 1994 and 1995 the Engineering and PhysicalSciences Research Council (EPSRC), Particle Physicsand Astronomy Research Council (PPARC), Councilfor the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils(CCLRC) and BBSRC were formed from previousstructures, joining the Medical Research Council(MRC), Natural Environment Research Council(NERC) and the Economicand Social ResearchCouncil (ESRC).

8 The basic structure of the Research Councils haslargely been successful in supporting UK research,

which is amongst the most highly regarded in theworld.

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9 Part of the structure was the creation of a new role ofDirector General for Research Councils to whom theRC Chief Executives reported. Subsequent changesto the remit and title of the Director Generals posthave made the relationship with Research Councils

less clear.

10 Since the restructuring of the mid 90s, there havebeen important developments, includingtheemergence of Research Councils UK (RCUK) as astrategic partnership between the RCs, the creationof the Arts and Humanities Research Council(AHRC), and the merger of PPARC and CCLRC tocreate the STFC.

11 The RSE fully supported the establishment of theAHRC and wishes to see it continue as a distinctive

feature of the Research Council structure.

12 RCUK has played an increasingly important role inco-ordinating the work of RCs, particularly in areasof shared interest between RCs, in the deliveryof administrative functions, and presenting a morejoined up external face for RC activity.

13 RCUK has achieved this despite having no formallegal status or power in relation to the ResearchCouncilsi. It operates by consensus and goodwill,but there are limits to what can be expected of

an association that depends wholly on thewillingness of the Research Councils to shareor delegate responsibilities. If there are greaterexpectations of the role of RCUK, its responsibilitiesand powers need to be clarified and possiblystrengthened.

14 Over the years there has been a greater convergencebetween previously separate disciplines, as well asthe emergence of important new disciplines thatoverlap traditional boundaries. This requires acapacity for adaptability and co-operation. Existing

boundaries should not be regarded as sacrosanct,but should evolve to reflect modern researchpractices.

15 It is to the advantage of UK research to haveResearch Councils that are adaptable and ableto encourage, promote and assess research that iscarried out across the interfaces of the traditionalResearch Council remits, notably those of EPSRC,NERC, BBSRC and MRC. RCUK already plays a rolein seeking to co-ordinate research across theResearch Council boundaries, but the increasing

interdisciplinary nature of research may lead to acase for re-evaluation of the areas of responsibilityof each Research Council, and/or a strengthening of

the role and membership of RCUK in the governanceof such research, for example by extending themembership of RCUK to include the Presidents ofthe National Academies.

16 Restructuring can be unduly disruptive to theresearch base in the UK. This in turn underminesperformance in an activity where currently the UKcan rightly claim to be amongst the best in the worldand reflects badly internationally. The difficultiescreated by the merger of PPARC and CCLRC, andfrom which STFC is only now emerging, cautionagainst any further mergers, especially when drivenby financial motives.

17 We would caution strongly against restructuring forthe sake of reducing the number of ResearchCouncils in the hope of making efficiency gains,which can prove illusory especially in the short tomedium term.

MaintainingtheHaldanePrinciple.

18 The RSE fully supports the Haldane Principle andthis should be at the heart of research policy in theUK. This important principle was defined in 1964 bythe Rt. Hon. Quintin Hogg MP (later Lord Hailsham),who said Ever since 1915 it has been consideredaxiomaticthat responsibility for industrial research

and development is better exercised in conjunctionwith research in the medical, agricultural and otherfields on what I have called the Haldane Principlethrough an independent council of industrialists,scientists and other eminent persons and notdirectly by a Government Department itself.ii

This being derived from a report by Lord Haldanefrom 1918.

19 As well as the role that the Research Councils play inensuring the retention of the Haldane Principle, thestructure of Chief Scientific Advisers that has beenestablished across Whitehall also has a vital role inadvising HM Government to refrain from overtinterference in the research decisions taken bythe Councils.

Promotinginnovationandeconomicdevelopment,andtherelationshipsbetweenResearchCouncilsandTechnologyStrategyBoard

20 The establishment of the Technology Strategy Boardwas a welcome development, with the TSB able to

build linkages between the research base andindustry as the UK innovation agency.

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21 The link between investment in research andeconomic benefit is not a simple linear relationship,but there is strong synergy. The role of the TSBenables a link to be built with world-class UKdeveloped research, and commerce and industry.

The RSE supports the criteria by which the newTechnology Innovation Centres (TICs) are beingestablished genuine world class researchcapability in the discipline in the UK, private sectorinvestment in the TIC, and the potential of asubstantial market for the technology concerned.Downstream there also needs to be an auditof impact.

22 In Scotland both the Scottish Funding Council andScottish Enterprise play a prominent role ineconomic development, working with the TSB, the

Research Councils and individual HE institutions.

23 There will of course be areas of blue-skies researchfrom which no short to medium term economicbenefit accrues, but such research is essential forthe advancement of human knowledge. Indeed thereare many cases where such research has laterproduced advances and significant economic benefitthat could not have been anticipated at the outset ofthe research. For the UK to maintain its position atthe forefront of research excellence requires us tocontinue to push forward the boundaries of

knowledge.

International aspects, especiallycollaborationwithEurope.

24 The international reputation of UK research shouldbe considered as part of this review. Any proposedchange should only be undertaken if it will enhancethe UKs current outstanding reputation.

25 The UK research base is regarded as one of thestrongest internationally perhaps second only to

the USA.

26 The potential for UK institutions to access fundingthrough European sources, such as the Horizon 2020programme, with an expected budget in the range of70 80 billion, is an important factor that shouldbe taken into account during the Review. In previousrounds of European research funding, the UK has notalways capitalised on the strengths of its academicresearch base.

Potentialconstitutional change.

27 Potential constitutional change within UK shouldnot be a significant factor in this Triennial Review.

28 There will be a referendum in Scotland in 2014 onwhether Scotland wishes to become an independentcountry but the outcome should not be secondguessed, one way or the other. Currently HEinstitutions in Scotland play a major role in theoverall research community in the UK, to the benefitof both the Scottish HE sector and the UK as a whole.

29 The time to decide the impact on the ResearchCouncils structure of whatever decision is takenin the referendum would be at the next TriennialReview. If Scotland should vote for independencefrom the rest of the UK, future collaboration onresearch would undoubtedly be a significant partof any consequential negotiations. Maintaininga UK-wide Research Council structure if Scotlandchooses independence would be a challengingproposition. How research might be affectedby independence or further devolution is oneof several topics to be considered in a seriesof discussion events being organised this yearby the RSE and British Academy with the aimof enlightening the constitutional debate.

30 As things stand, the RSE fully supports the retentionof the UK-wide system of Research Councils.

ResearchCouncilsandthenextSpendingReview.

31 At a time when the UK economy is struggling toemerge from recession and many of our establishedand new international competitors are investing intheir research base, now would be the worst time forthe UK to reduce its investment in research.

32 Whilst it is often difficult to make an exact

correlation between an individual researchprogramme and economic benefit and there is atime-lag between investment in research andeconomic benefit, we are firmly of the view thatoverall funding levels for research should beprotected and if possible increased in real terms.We strongly believe this will prove to be of overallbenefit to the UK economy.

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i http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/about/aboutRCUK/aims/Pages/home.aspx

ii HCDeb, 9 December1964, vol 703 cols 1553-1686

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Additional InformationandReferences

Advice Papers are produced on behalf of RSE Council by an appropriately diverse working

group in whose expertise and judgement the Council has confidence. This Advice Paper has

been signed off by the General Secretary.

Any enquiries about this Advice Paper should be addressed to the RSEs Head of Policy

Advice, Bristow Muldoon. (Email: bmuldoon@royalsoced.org.uk)

Responses are published on the RSE websitewww.royalsoced.org.uk.

TheRoyal Society ofEdinburgh(RSE) isScotlandsNationalAcademy. It isan independent bodywitha

multidisciplinaryfellowshipofmenandwomenof international standingwhichmakesituniquelyplaced

tooffer informed, independentcommentonmatters ofnational interest.

TheRoyalSociety ofEdinburgh, Scotlands NationalAcademy, isScottishCharity No.SC000470

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