Use joined-up funding to build joined-up research information

UK Research and Innovation should engage with international efforts to make research administration quicker and cheaper, says Simon Kerridge.

A researcher has a great idea and wants to apply for some funding. So she submits a form describing the proposed research, its importance, why she is the person to do it and how much it will cost.

She succeeds, and goes through some internal machinations at her institution to set up a project in the local finance system. Research is done. Outputs are produced and outcomes with impact happen. Reports are sent to the funder to show how wonderful the research was.