Research update from Professor Neil Crout 

Following COP27 in Egypt, I am pleased to share news of how our researchers are delivering solutions to climate change, from a new energy system set to reduce carbon emissions and homeowners’ bills at an award-winning community energy scheme in Nottingham, to the development of the world’s first biodiversity credit standards, to help businesses and governments to quantify their impacts on the natural world. 

In Indonesia, our partnerships with Southeast Asia’s largest economy are helping to develop infrastructure for the development of electric vehicles and a new net zero translation centre in West Java, to support the transition of Indonesia’s most populous province a net zero economy. 

Research investment to support sector while Horizon negotiations continue 

The government has announced almost £500m in funding for the UK’s R&D sector to mitigate the “increasing pressure on UK universities and research organisations” caused by ongoing uncertainty over UK participation in Horizon Europe.

Science Minister George Freeman made a written statement to the House of Commons indicating that details of the government’s planned alternative to Horizon would be published shortly. 

Some £280 million of the new funds will be distributed by UKRI, including just over £70m each for both the UKRI World Class Labs fund and the Research Capital Investment Fund, as well as £100m in QR funding for English universities, with additional funding for the other UK nations.

The package also includes £30m for the Talent and Research Stabilisation Fund, designed to help with talent retention in the absence of Horizon association. 

Best wishes 

Professor Neil Crout
Interim Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange 

Read Professor Crout’s full update