John Morgan

Publishers to trial removing fees from some journals in UK deals - Research Professional News Agreements under negotiation will include open access pilots hailed as “fundamental shift in business model”

Exclusive: Publishers to trial removing fees from some journals in UK deals.

Agreements under negotiation will include open access pilots hailed as “fundamental shift in business model”.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-o...

Does Nobel winner have R&D cure for Europe’s ills? - Research Professional News Philippe Aghion wants Europe to emulate US innovation—four economists give verdicts on his model

Is Europe's best economic hope to follow Silicon Valley model of tech-led innovation?

Four economists, incl @neillee.bsky.social, debate a big question prompted by Philippe Aghion's Nobel prize for economics win and his agenda for European R&D.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

Danish minister: ‘Europe must unite on research to be competitive’ - Research Professional News Christina Egelund tells RPN that “massive investments” are needed to compete with US and China

"I think we’re at a moment of testing the unity in Europe, seeing if we can actually be a united player [in] science and research."

As Denmark holds EU council presidency, @francesjones.bsky.social hears from its science minister, Christina Egelund.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

Block grants for university R&I to rise by £425m over four years - Research Professional News Treasury confirms real-terms protection of quality-related grants and Higher Education Innovation Funding in autumn budget

Confirmed in Treasury budget document: QR research funding (used by unis to back curiosity-driven research) and Higher Education Innovation Funding "protected in real terms over spending review period [2026-30]—a cumulative increase of over £425m".

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

International levy to be flat fee of £925 per student - Research Professional News Budget 2025: Government sets out details of international student fee levy, with 2028 start date

Reaction to flat-fee £925 per student international levy:

"Bad day for sector", in particular smaller unis, says Nick Hillman of @hepi-news.bsky.social.

Levy means "serious damage to UK’s growth prospects", warns Northern Powerhouse Partnership.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Here's the DfE consultation document on international student fee levy, just gone live.

"Providers will pay a simple flat fee of £925 per student per year, which will not be introduced until 2028/29."

consult.education.gov.uk/internationa...

Budget document confirms protection on QR:
"To support economic contribution of UK’s universities, UKRI’s investment in core quality-related block grant and Higher Education Innovation Funding will be protected in real terms over Spending Review period, a cumulative increase of over £425 million."

Budget document on levy continues: income "fully reinvested" into HE and skills, "including" to fund maintenance grants.
"We will keep the rate under review, with future decisions on deployment of the proceeds set out at the next spending review."

International student fee levy details confirmed in Budget document: flat fee charged on institutions "of £925 per student per year of study, starting in August 2028 academic year 2028-29".

No charge for first 220 students per year.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6926eb...

I actually laughed out loud at this intro:
Is Haldane dead? The short answer is “yes”. Richard Burdon Haldane died in 1928.

Great feature on an important topic.

REF changes ‘to help deliver new UKRI objectives’, says Chapman - Research Professional News National funding agency handed targets tied to government priorities as part of R&D revamp

UKRI will be "more interventionist, more directive" than in past, its new chief exec says.

UKRI now has new set of objectives, including protecting curiosity-driven research and ensuring its portfolio is "aligned with delivering govt’s priorities".

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Is the Haldane principle under threat? - Research Professional News Increasing political direction in the allocation of research funding is alarming some policy experts

Liz Kendall talked about Haldane principle this week as she set out (broadly) how UKRI would spend 4-year, £38.6bn budget.

@chrisjparr.bsky.social looks at whether Haldane under threat from more interventionist govt - or whether it is misunderstood.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Alan Turing Institute staff decry ‘unjustified’ cuts to research - Research Professional News Internal documents detail extent of changes to projects and personnel at national AI institute

The Alan Turing Institute's travails have made it subject of ministerial interventions and think tank reports.

@resprofnews.bsky.social reports on internal documents showing projects/positions cut in reform programme at UK's data and AI institute.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...

Dual-use restrictions ‘against very idea of research’ - Research Professional News MEP René Repasi warns defence turn could restrict collaboration under EU research and innovation programme

German MEP René Repasi leads for European Parliament on parts of legislation for EU's next Horizon Europe.

The ex-academic tells @resprofnews.bsky.social he is "very much afraid" its budget will be "hijacked in order to finance defence spending".

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

Special report: Research Offices of the Future 2025 - Research Professional News Findings from two Research Professional News surveys on the changing nature of research services around the world

Here's how to read the full Research Offices of the Future 2025 report, by @chrisjparr.bsky.social.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...

AI use widespread in research offices, global survey finds - Research Professional News RPN’s Research Offices of the Future survey also reveals fears for impact on research integrity

Research Offices of the Future 2025 is out: @resprofnews.bsky.social report on surveys of 1,100 research office staff and 1,400 researchers, looking at future challenges.

One finding: a third of research office staff using AI for core funding tasks.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...

Former senior Darpa official picked as new Aria chief executive - Research Professional News Computer scientist Kathleen Fisher becomes second American to take helm at UK research agency

Aria, the "high-risk, high-reward" research funder created by Dominic Cummings, has named its next chief executive.

Kathleen Fisher is a former senior leader at the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (the model for Aria).

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

'Tracey, who has seen numerous REF cycles over a nearly 30-year career at Oxford, said: “I’ve been very clear that the REF has to do what it says on the can. It’s about research excellence and that has to be the predominant thing it’s trying to measure."'

When did the tin become a can? 1/3

Norway moves to snatch up US researchers - Research Professional News Government hopes to attract disenfranchised foreign talent, especially from the US

Norwegian govt says 10 out of 13 researchers coming to Norway under international talent scheme are leaving US.

Research minister talks about academic freedom being "under pressure" in US, and "unpredictable position" for many US researchers.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

‘Reform universities to boost Europe’s tech power hopes’ - Research Professional News Ex-PMs bolster Tony Blair Institute report seeing tech as route to European prosperity and security

Call for university and Horizon Europe reform in Tony Blair Institute report on how Europe can be tech power.

(Counter argument: if there are so many barriers here, maybe Europe should be trying to compete on kinds of innovation that aren't tech.)

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

Oxford VC says REF ‘must do what it says on the can’ - Research Professional News Irene Tracey also warns of “unintended consequences” from government’s planned international student fee levy

Oxford v-c Irene Tracey with some carefully phrased caution/criticism around REF people, culture and environment metric, plus govt's international student fee levy, in interview with @resprofnews.bsky.social @francesjones.bsky.social.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Tech tycoon’s Oxford institute ‘importing Silicon Valley attitude’ - Research Professional News Chief operating officer says billionaire behind Ellison Institute of Technology is “close to the scientists”

Larry Ellison putting £billions of private money into UK R&D via Ellison Institute of Technology in Oxford.

@francesjones.bsky.social heard from an EIT leader on importing US "go big, fail fast attitude", and Ellison being "close to the scientists".

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-i...

UK’s Horizon rebate: getting your money back is bad news - Research Professional News Efforts needed to ensure lower-than-expected return from EU research programme remains a post-Brexit blip

I wrote about how the UK needs to ensure that its disappointing Horizon Europe performance in 2024 remains a blip - or making the case to join future EU research programmes could become much tougher.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

UK expects Horizon Europe rebate after limited winnings - Research Professional News Clawback in prospect after UK’s sluggish EU research programme start, with losses capped at £330m

As @resprofnews.bsky.social reported this week, UK expecting a rebate on fee it paid EU to join Horizon Europe in 2024 - a rebate that could come close to £1bn - after winning less than forecast.

But UK is still going to lose £330m because of that.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

UK weak spots in Horizon Europe ‘likely to feature in FP10 talks’ - Research Professional News Science committee chair blames Brexit for underperformance in elements of EU research and innovation programme

Commons science committee chair Chi Onwurah warns UK is "performing less well" in parts of EU's Horizon Europe since Brexit.

Comes after @resprofnews.bsky.social reveals UK expects a rebate on £2bn it paid to join, after winning less than forecast.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

'“There is a generation of young scholars who are finding themselves stuck in what feels like a period of protracted adolescence,” wrote one young academic earlier this year, in a series of blogs on the early career researcher experience published by the Society for the Study of French History.' 1/3

Early career researchers feel sharp end of jobs crisis - Research Professional News As universities shed jobs, those setting out in academia are feeling pain of diminished prospects

How early career researchers are at the sharp end of the university jobs crisis.

"It’s really squeezing people out because there aren’t opportunities for them to go into, and then the people who remain in jobs have their workloads squeezed."

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

UK expects Horizon Europe rebate after limited winnings - Research Professional News Clawback in prospect after UK’s sluggish EU research programme start, with losses capped at £330m

When getting your money back is a bad thing: UK expecting a rebate on £2bn paid to EU to join its research programme in 2024, @resprofnews.bsky.social reveals.

UK fared worse than expected in winning Horizon Europe grants.

By @annamckie.bsky.social
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

UKRI allocated £39bn budget over next four years - Research Professional News Agency will receive around £9.2 billion next year, as Dsit plans “more agile” R&D funding

UKRI's 2026-30 budget allocation announced by govt today.

Interesting to see in that a Dsit pledge for “new, more agile approach” to managing all its R&D funding, allowing it to "deprioritise investment not delivering outcomes expected”.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

UKRI allocated £39bn budget over next four years - Research Professional News Agency will receive around £9.2 billion next year, as Dsit plans “more agile” R&D funding

UKRI leader Ian Chapman on its £38.6bn four-year budget: "strong platform to deliver on each part of our mission to advance knowledge, improve lives, drive growth".

UKRI will focus on delivering mission "in areas where UK can lead on global stage".

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...