RCUK demonstrates impact of working together

Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts has today (24 January 2013) announced the publication of the Research Councils UK (RCUK) Impact Report 2012, during his speech at the Policy Exchange to update on progress of the Government’s industrial strategy.

The report details the various activities through which the Research Councils are working together to achieve greater impact. Additionally, it complements the individual Impact Reports prepared by the Research Councils, also published today.

David Willetts said: "These excellent reports show that the UK research base is not only at the cutting edge of scientific and academic discovery, but also is doing more to translate this into practical wider benefits. This helps to keep us ahead in the global race.”

As highlighted in the recently published RCUK Strategic Framework for Capital Investment, ‘Investment in research capital is essential to ensure that the UK has the best available resources to stimulate growth and support the wellbeing of the nation.’

The capital funding allocations made in the Chancellor’s 2012 autumn statement are particularly welcomed by RCUK in this context; the investment opportunities outlined below are part of this landscape, and will make a significant contribution to ensuring the future sustainability of UK research competitiveness; supporting the UK in maximising its innovation potential and driving economic growth.

The RCUK Impact Report 2012 highlights RCUK’s co-ordinated investment in priority areas such as the cross-Council research themes, facilities and infrastructure, and other initiatives where there is a shared interest. It also focuses on RCUK’s co-ordinated approach to working with key strategic stakeholders to facilitate knowledge exchange, our partnerships with other funders, and our collective policy influence to drive culture change in the higher education sector.

Professor David Delpy, RCUK Impact Champion, said: “By working in partnership, RCUK provides the world class research and skills that are the foundation of a strong and productive UK economy, helping to achieve a balanced growth as well as contributing to a healthy society and a sustainable world. Respondents to our latest User Satisfaction Survey told us that the Research Councils working in partnership and combining investment is having a significant impact on UK research, particularly in specific societal and economic grand challenge areas. We have a key role to play in ensuring that the UK builds capacity and ensures the long-term sustainability of interdisciplinary research.”

The RCUK Impact Report 2012 contains many examples of the ways in which the Research Councils are achieving impact collectively, including:

• the cross-Council research themes, which demonstrate clear value from working together as RCUK. A key activity from the Digital Economy Theme is the India UK Advanced Technology Centre (IU-ATC) of Excellence in Next Generation Systems and Services. This is first and largest collaborative project between the UK and India, which has leveraged additional funding of £10.2m in 2012 alone. As a result, the UK is now third on the Indian Government’s preferred list of partners, which presents opportunities for RCUK to consider further collaborative opportunities through its office in India. The project has also generated a large number of patents and other commercialisation outcomes that will impact on billion-dollar markets.

• aligning the strategic objectives of the Research Councils and the research we fund with cross-government objectives, and having relationships with a wide range of government departments. For example, RCUK provides input to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Behavioural Research Network (BRN), which is a group of professionals drawn from the higher education, private and public sectors who share an interest in behavioural research. A series of policy seminars were also held at DCLG as a part of the cross-Council Connected Communities programme to address topical policy issues.

A copy of the RCUK Impact Report 2012 is available here.

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Notes to editors

1. Individual Research Council Impact Reports can be accessed through the following links:

   • Arts & Humanities Research Council
   • Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council
   • Economic & Social Research Council
   • Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council
   • Medical Research Council
   • Natural Environment Research Council
   • Science & Technology Facilities Council

2. Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the strategic partnership of the UK's seven Research Councils who annually invest around £3 billion in research. We support excellent research, as judged by peer review, that has an impact on the growth, prosperity and wellbeing of the UK. To maintain the UK’s global research position we offer a diverse range of funding opportunities, foster international collaborations and provide access to the best facilities and infrastructure around the world. We also support the training and career development of researchers and work with them to inspire young people and engage the wider public with research. To maximise the impact of research on economic growth and societal wellbeing we work in partnership with other research funders including the Technology Strategy Board, the UK Higher Education funding bodies, business, government, and charitable organisations. www.rcuk.ac.uk.

   The seven UK Research Councils are:

   • Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC);
   • Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC);
   • Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC);
   • Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC);
   • Medical Research Council (MRC);
   • Natural Environment Research Council (NERC);
   • Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC).