Cuts for British Science
Posted on December 17, 2009 Comments (1)
Cuts mark ‘sad day for British science’
Fellowships and student grants for PhD projects will be cut by 25% from next year. The announcement has appalled senior physicists who warn the cuts threaten Britain’s future as a leading player in science.
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In February, Gordon Brown delivered his first speech on science in Oxford and stated: “The downturn is no time to slow down our investment in science but to build more vigorously for the future.”
Politicians like to talk about funding science investment. And they do so to some extent. However, they are more reluctant to actually spend money than to talk about the wonders of science. Several countries in Asia are not just talking, they continue to invest, large amounts of money. The USA seems to be willing to put some money (not the kind of funds paid to protect bankers bonuses but significant amounts). Still the amounts the USA is investing is, I believe, falling as a percentage of global investment.
Related: posts on funding investments in science – Britain’s Doctors of Innovation – Economic Strength Through Technology Leadership – Science and Engineering in Global Economics – Science and Engineering Workforce Indicators – The value of investing in science and engineering – Saving Fermilab – Nanotechnology Investment as Strategic National Economic Policy
Categories: Economics, Funding, Research, Science, Universities
Tags: Europe, fellowships, Funding, politics, Research, Science, UK, Universities
One Response to “Cuts for British Science”
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January 6th, 2010 @ 11:21 am
It sad that any country would cut back their research spending because this inhibits the sense of competition and friendly rivalry between countries. Hopefully too, the US will divert some of the money they are spending bailing out CEOs to more qualified pruposes.