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Smith-Reid Review: at a glance

     

Key points from the ‘new vision’ for UK research from Adrian Smith and Graeme Reid

In their long-awaited report for the government, Adrian Smith and Graeme Reid call for Brexit to be used as “a stimulus for an exciting new vision for the UK”.

They suggest this should focus on the government’s pledges to raise R&D spending, reducing regional disparities, and “work towards a new global positioning for the UK”.

Smith and Reid’s “new vision” at a glance:

  • Strides towards—or beyond—target to spend 2.4 percent of GDP on research
    • An international version of the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund “should run competitions with sizeable rewards for the universities or research institutes that attract large amounts of foreign direct investment in R&D to the UK”.
    • A “Global Talent Strategy” should attract researchers via reformed immigration policy and fellowships.
    • “Substantial additional funding for basic research”.
    • “A flagship programme of research fellowships offering large awards over long periods of time for exceptional researchers”.
  • Regional development 
    • The in-development Shared Prosperity Fund should link up with Innovate UK, and plug any holes for SMEs from the loss of access to EU funding. 
  • Greater agility 
    • “Two major new funding streams to capture fast-moving and unexpected opportunities”:
      • One should provide quality-related funding “for the spontaneous, organic collaborations that are woven into the fabric of research and innovation but can so easily be inhibited by funding models that are tied to specific projects”.
      • A second “should be an ‘Agility Fund’ with distinct strands. The first should enable the UK to invest in emerging international programmes of significant potential benefit to UK research. The second to capture opportunities that arise unexpectedly, including during interactions with other countries at Ministerial levels.”