This week saw significant press coverage of Science Minister George Freeman’s launch of the International Science Partnerships Fund.
According to BEIS the fund will
support and fund UK scientists and innovators to work with peers around the world on some of the most pressing issues facing our world.
In a speech in Tokyo Freeman was keen to stress that this is not an alternative to Horizon but part of the government’s wider priorities to invest in R&D and collaborate with international counterparts. To achieve these aims the fund will involve collaboration, investment, and strengthening the UK’s global leadership on global research challenges. So far so sensible.
New funding for research, particularly within an international framework post Horizon, is always going to be warmly welcomed by the sector. This site has devoted many virtual column inches to highlighting post Horizon plans while maintaining that the current interregnum is destabilising to universities and the wider research community. UKRI were kind enough to let us peek behind the curtain on the enormous amount of work going on to secure post Horizon business relationships.
