Research Councils UK (RCUK), the strategic partnership of the eight Research Councils, has welcomed this morning’s announcement by the Department of Trade and Industry that two of its members will be merged to create a new Large Facilities Council to oversee the large facilities requirements of the UK research community.
The Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC) and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) will be merged from 1 April 2007 to create a Large Facilities Council. The decision follows the Government’s 'Next Steps' consultation.
The new Council will help to secure access to leading large research facilities for UK scientists. The other Research Councils will now be working closely with CCLRC and PPARC to facilitate its successful creation and look forward to welcoming the Large Facilities Council as a full member of the RCUK partnership.
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Research Councils UK Press Office
Matt Goode, Research Councils UK
Tel: 01793 413299
About Research Councils UK
The eight Research Councils are independent non-departmental public bodies, funded by the Science Budget through the Office of Science and Innovation. They are incorporated by Royal Charter and together manage a research budget of over £2.5 billion a year.
Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the partnership between the Research Councils. Through RCUK, the Research Councils work together to champion the research, training and innovation they support.
RCUK was created to increase the collective visibility, leadership and policy influence of the Research Councils; to stimulate multi-disciplinary research that encourages collaboration; to provide a single focus for collective dialogue with stakeholders and to encourage greater harmonisation of internal operations.
The partnership is led by the RCUK Executive Group, which meets monthly and comprises the chief executives of the eight Research Councils. The Group is currently chaired by Professor Ian Diamond, Chief Executive of the Economic and Social Research Council.
The eight UK Research Councils are:
- Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC);
- Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC);
- Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC);
- Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC);
- Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC);
- Medical Research Council (MRC);
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC);
- Particle Physics & Astronomy Research Council (PPARC).