Research and Innovation Funding Scottish Universities 2021-04-28
2021-04-28
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Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Scottish universities are facing significant cuts in official development assistance funding, which has led to a loss of £2.5 million each for Aberdeen and St Andrews universities.
What recent assessment has been made of the effect of the recent reduction in official development assistance funding to UK Research and Innovation on Scottish universities?
The United Kingdom is a research superpower with R&D spending at its highest level in four decades. The Government has committed to investing nearly £15 billion in R&D in 2021-22, much of which will be used to fund the work being led by world-class universities.
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Assessment & feedback
The effect of the funding reduction on Scottish universities was not addressed specifically.
Hedging
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Aberdeen University has lost £2.5 million in official development assistance funding, affecting a £1.8 million research initiative into the spread of infectious diseases between rodents and humans.
Given that we have recently been reminded of the importance of long-term, well-funded research in responding to a global crisis, what steps are being taken to ensure that these cuts do not impair Scotland's ability to respond to future crises?
All universities have benefited from significant investments through UK Research and Innovation or city and regional growth deal programmes, focusing on R&D initiatives like clean energy and sustainable farming.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific steps to mitigate the impact of funding cuts were not addressed.
Changing Subject
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Universities Scotland claims the ODA funding cuts amount to a 70% reduction in overseas funding for development projects across universities in Scotland.
Can the Minister explain how these cuts are reconciled with the Conservative Government's idea of their post-Brexit ambition to build a global Britain?
I am willing to discuss individual programmes with universities, but R&D investment from this Government is significantly up and Scottish universities are securing a share of that.
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Assessment & feedback
How the cuts align with the vision for a global Britain was not addressed specifically.
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Response accuracy