The advent of a new government led by Liz Truss spending big on energy and wrestling with economic turmoil has raised fears of threats to the UK’s research budget and any remaining hopes of it participating in Horizon Europe.
At the same time, sector leaders hope that the Truss government’s expected focus on the cost-of-living crisis will shift away from the last government’s attention on tackling “low-value” degrees via student number controls and minimum entry requirements, when many vice-chancellors think the ministerial priority should instead be in addressing student hardship.
Unspent funds in research that may appeal to a Treasury seeking cuts include the budget for potential association to Horizon Europe – stalled in a row with the European Commission over the Northern Ireland protocol, an issue where Ms Truss is a hardliner – and for a “Plan B” domestic replacement.
