Russell Group responds to the Science and Technology Framework

06 March 2023

On Monday (6 March) the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology announced its new Science and Technology Framework to build on the UK's success as a global leader in research and innovation.

Responding to the announcement, Dr Tim Bradshaw, Chief Executive of the Russell Group, said:

“The Government’s ambition to invest in and harness the excellent research and innovation taking place across the UK is welcome. It will help to grow our economy, create new high-skilled and high-paid jobs, protect our security and improve lives across the country.

"However, while it is good to see £370m of new funding being announced today, it is still far short of the £1.6bn taken out of the research budget less than two weeks ago.

"In addition to investment, collaboration is the other vital ingredient for world class research. Now the political roadblocks that have held up the UK’s association to Horizon Europe have been removed, the Government’s top priority should be to finalise the agreement that was put in place over two years ago. 

“The Windsor Framework shows that where there is the will there is a way and we hope UK association can be realised before the latest three month Horizon guarantee extension comes to an end.”

Notes to Editors

Examples of UK projects funded by previous Horizon programmes

University of Glasgow – The Emotive Project

Funded through the Horizon 2020 programme, the project allows users to imagine what life might have been like hundreds of years ago through the power of Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality technology and digital storytelling. The project has been used at  UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Antonine Wall and the related Roman Frontier display at The Hunterian in Glasgow and the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük in Turkey. It creates experiences that be used on-site or online so it can be used in classrooms to bring history to life.

Imperial College London - European AIDS Vaccine Initiative

EAVI is a consortium of researchers from 22 public organisations and biotech firms from across Europe, Australia, Canada and the US aimed at making protective and therapeutic HIV vaccines. Led by Imperial College London, EAVI was funded by a €23m Horizon grant, helping scientists pool knowledge and expertise to develop vaccines that can be taken to human trial in five years.

University of Liverpool – PAsCAL.

The PAsCAL project involved 13 organisations from across the EU and looked at how to develop autonomous vehicle systems including airborne ones that would be more user friendly and reassuring for passengers. Researchers at Liverpool offered their expertise in airborne autonomous vehicles to develop a new set of new guidelines and recommendations for industry at the end of 2022.

University of Sheffield – The Amos Project

This project shows how Horizon association provides a platform for global collaboration. Sheffield’s Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) led a €2.6 million four-year collaboration between European and Canadian aerospace manufacturers and researchers to investigate the use of additive manufacturing techniques for repair and remanufacturing of aerospace components (Horizon 2020). The project was supported by Canadian funding agencies CARIC and NSERC. 

University of Nottingham - vehicle noise pollution

The project led by Prof Gregor Tanner investigated noise wave simulation, making it possible to predict noise pollution, with new software that allows car manufacturers to predict how noisy a car will be for passengers, as well as from the outside, so they can take action to reduce the noise. Being able to pick industry partners from across the EU drove up the quality of the research and its findings, as well as the potential for further industry investment. 

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