Russell Group response to HEPI paper on Horizon and Plan B

29 September 2022

In response to the HEPI paper From Horizon Europe to Plan B: How the UK can turn adversity into opportunity, Joanna Burton, Policy Manager at the Russell Group, said:

“Researchers on both sides of the channel continue to make clear that UK association to Horizon remains the best outcome, and we would urge all parties to find a solution that would strengthen our resilience in science and research in the face of shared global challenges. However, the ongoing political uncertainty means that the Government is right to consider options should an alternative be necessary.

“This paper therefore makes some timely suggestions for how a new scheme could be responsive to the needs of researchers, including ensuring calls are flexible and bottom-up, devising ways to foster more private investment in research, and exploring ideas to make the application and evaluation processes more inclusive and streamlined.

“As well as providing the full funding set aside for Horizon in the Spending Review, it’s vital that any alternative scheme is informed by the academic and research community to ensure that the UK can remain as attractive a place to do research as possible.”