John Morgan
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John Morgan
@johnmorgan3.bsky.social
Managing editor, @resprofnews.bsky.social
UKRI's allocation of budget up to 2030 just out. More about 'buckets' than just allocations for individual research councils this time round.

Spending on curiosity-driven research flat, while budget linked to govt priorities, innovation will rise.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Flat cash for curiosity-driven research at UKRI up to 2030 - Research Professional News
But spending on government priorities and innovation will increase as share of agency’s budget
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
December 17, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Just out: Four major publishers agree deals with UK university sector after long-running talks. Elsevier, Springer Nature, Taylor & Francis and Wiley have met "sector-agreed thresholds for acceptance", says Jisc.

Via @robinbisson.bsky.social

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-o...
Four major publishers agree deals with UK university sector - Research Professional News
Elsevier, Springer Nature, Taylor & Francis and Wiley meet “sector-agreed thresholds” in long-running talks
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Patrick Vallance on REF as scaling back of research culture metric is announced: "That is a fundamental thing that REF needs to do: make sure that we really assess the outputs—where are they world class…and where are they not so?"

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
REF 2029: research culture metric overhauled - Research Professional News
Research Excellence Framework reworked “to reduce burden”, with elements of 2021 exercise reinstated
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
December 10, 2025 at 11:30 AM
All the info on this morning's major announcement on REF 2029 - including scaling back/renaming of new research culture metric.

via @chrisjparr.bsky.social

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
REF 2029: research culture metric overhauled - Research Professional News
Research Excellence Framework reworked “to reduce burden”, with elements of 2021 exercise reinstated
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
December 10, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Claire Gorrara is a key champion for the humanities as new dean of the School of Advanced Study.

She tells @fionamcintyre.bsky.social some "losses" are inevitable, but maps out new futures for the humanities in era of "challenge and reinvention".

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Humanities champion maps futures amid ‘challenge and reinvention’ - Research Professional News
Collective effort can secure subject’s place despite losses, School of Advanced Study’s Claire Gorrara believes
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
December 10, 2025 at 9:38 AM
UKRI's new CEO wants shift from "transactional" short-term grants to strategic relations with universities, based on "continuity and commitment".

Ian Chapman in his first sit-down interview - with @resprofnews.bsky.social @robinbisson.bsky.social

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
UKRI chief pledges shift from short-termism in research funding - Research Professional News
In RPN interview, Ian Chapman heralds specialisation drive for UK universities via “continuity and commitment”
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
December 10, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Reposted by John Morgan
‘No one seems to care’: scholars decry plight of British Library

Historian Peter Mandler said it was “a sorry state when a major piece of public infrastructure like this is hit so badly and no one in authority even seems to notice, much less care”.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
‘No one seems to care’: scholars decry plight of British Library - Research Professional News
Humanities researchers suffer amid “agonisingly slow” recovery from 2023 cyberattack, as strikes cause further delays
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
December 8, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Reposted by John Morgan
Exclusive: Publishers to trial removing fees from some journals in UK deals.

Agreements under negotiation will include open access pilots hailed as “fundamental shift in business model”.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-o...
Publishers to trial removing fees from some journals in UK deals - Research Professional News
Agreements under negotiation will include open access pilots hailed as “fundamental shift in business model”
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
December 5, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Is Europe's best economic hope to follow Silicon Valley model of tech-led innovation?

Four economists, incl @neillee.bsky.social, debate a big question prompted by Philippe Aghion's Nobel prize for economics win and his agenda for European R&D.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...
Does Nobel winner have R&D cure for Europe’s ills? - Research Professional News
Philippe Aghion wants Europe to emulate US innovation—four economists give verdicts on his model
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
December 4, 2025 at 1:07 PM
"I think we’re at a moment of testing the unity in Europe, seeing if we can actually be a united player [in] science and research."

As Denmark holds EU council presidency, @francesjones.bsky.social hears from its science minister, Christina Egelund.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...
Danish minister: ‘Europe must unite on research to be competitive’ - Research Professional News
Christina Egelund tells RPN that “massive investments” are needed to compete with US and China
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
December 4, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Confirmed in Treasury budget document: QR research funding (used by unis to back curiosity-driven research) and Higher Education Innovation Funding "protected in real terms over spending review period [2026-30]—a cumulative increase of over £425m".

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Block grants for university R&I to rise by £425m over four years - Research Professional News
Treasury confirms real-terms protection of quality-related grants and Higher Education Innovation Funding in autumn budget
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Reaction to flat-fee £925 per student international levy:

"Bad day for sector", in particular smaller unis, says Nick Hillman of @hepi-news.bsky.social.

Levy means "serious damage to UK’s growth prospects", warns Northern Powerhouse Partnership.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
International levy to be flat fee of £925 per student - Research Professional News
Budget 2025: Government sets out details of international student fee levy, with 2028 start date
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Here's the DfE consultation document on international student fee levy, just gone live.

"Providers will pay a simple flat fee of £925 per student per year, which will not be introduced until 2028/29."

consult.education.gov.uk/internationa...
consult.education.gov.uk
November 26, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Budget document confirms protection on QR:
"To support economic contribution of UK’s universities, UKRI’s investment in core quality-related block grant and Higher Education Innovation Funding will be protected in real terms over Spending Review period, a cumulative increase of over £425 million."
November 26, 2025 at 1:58 PM
International student fee levy details confirmed in Budget document: flat fee charged on institutions "of £925 per student per year of study, starting in August 2028 academic year 2028-29".

No charge for first 220 students per year.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6926eb...
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
November 26, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Reposted by John Morgan
I actually laughed out loud at this intro:
Is Haldane dead? The short answer is “yes”. Richard Burdon Haldane died in 1928.

Great feature on an important topic.
Liz Kendall talked about Haldane principle this week as she set out (broadly) how UKRI would spend 4-year, £38.6bn budget.

@chrisjparr.bsky.social looks at whether Haldane under threat from more interventionist govt - or whether it is misunderstood.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
Is the Haldane principle under threat? - Research Professional News
Increasing political direction in the allocation of research funding is alarming some policy experts
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:48 AM
UKRI will be "more interventionist, more directive" than in past, its new chief exec says.

UKRI now has new set of objectives, including protecting curiosity-driven research and ensuring its portfolio is "aligned with delivering govt’s priorities".

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
REF changes ‘to help deliver new UKRI objectives’, says Chapman - Research Professional News
National funding agency handed targets tied to government priorities as part of R&D revamp
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Liz Kendall talked about Haldane principle this week as she set out (broadly) how UKRI would spend 4-year, £38.6bn budget.

@chrisjparr.bsky.social looks at whether Haldane under threat from more interventionist govt - or whether it is misunderstood.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
Is the Haldane principle under threat? - Research Professional News
Increasing political direction in the allocation of research funding is alarming some policy experts
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:26 AM
The Alan Turing Institute's travails have made it subject of ministerial interventions and think tank reports.

@resprofnews.bsky.social reports on internal documents showing projects/positions cut in reform programme at UK's data and AI institute.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Alan Turing Institute staff decry ‘unjustified’ cuts to research - Research Professional News
Internal documents detail extent of changes to projects and personnel at national AI institute
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:19 AM
German MEP René Repasi leads for European Parliament on parts of legislation for EU's next Horizon Europe.

The ex-academic tells @resprofnews.bsky.social he is "very much afraid" its budget will be "hijacked in order to finance defence spending".

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...
Dual-use restrictions ‘against very idea of research’ - Research Professional News
MEP René Repasi warns defence turn could restrict collaboration under EU research and innovation programme
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Research Offices of the Future 2025 is out: @resprofnews.bsky.social report on surveys of 1,100 research office staff and 1,400 researchers, looking at future challenges.

One finding: a third of research office staff using AI for core funding tasks.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...
AI use widespread in research offices, global survey finds - Research Professional News
RPN’s Research Offices of the Future survey also reveals fears for impact on research integrity
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Aria, the "high-risk, high-reward" research funder created by Dominic Cummings, has named its next chief executive.

Kathleen Fisher is a former senior leader at the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (the model for Aria).

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Former senior Darpa official picked as new Aria chief executive - Research Professional News
Computer scientist Kathleen Fisher becomes second American to take helm at UK research agency
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Reposted by John Morgan
'Tracey, who has seen numerous REF cycles over a nearly 30-year career at Oxford, said: “I’ve been very clear that the REF has to do what it says on the can. It’s about research excellence and that has to be the predominant thing it’s trying to measure."'

When did the tin become a can? 1/3
Oxford VC says REF ‘must do what it says on the can’.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
November 17, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Norwegian govt says 10 out of 13 researchers coming to Norway under international talent scheme are leaving US.

Research minister talks about academic freedom being "under pressure" in US, and "unpredictable position" for many US researchers.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...
Norway moves to snatch up US researchers - Research Professional News
Government hopes to attract disenfranchised foreign talent, especially from the US
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 17, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Call for university and Horizon Europe reform in Tony Blair Institute report on how Europe can be tech power.

(Counter argument: if there are so many barriers here, maybe Europe should be trying to compete on kinds of innovation that aren't tech.)

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...
‘Reform universities to boost Europe’s tech power hopes’ - Research Professional News
Ex-PMs bolster Tony Blair Institute report seeing tech as route to European prosperity and security
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 17, 2025 at 11:30 AM