Prioritise funding for research intensives

The latest, and last of its kind, Research Assessment Exercise contains a single powerful message for the UK: we have an outstanding higher education sector by any international standard and our research base is in very good order.

RAE 2008 has confirmed that universities across the country are carrying out high quality internationally competitive research. This is exactly what is required to help the UK out of recession, provided we continue recent trends to translate discovery into product via the spin-out of small- and medium-sized companies.

Despite the efforts it has demanded of universities, which submitted very large quantities of information about their research activities, this form of assessment is extremely worthwhile. It is a robust tool that weighs the research output of the UK and, crucially, allows us to distinguish the best from the good or average.

This selectivity is of paramount importance. The UK should, of course, be proud of and nurture all of its universities–heterogeneity in their focus, mission and overall strategy is to be welcomed. They are the bedrock of our economic competitiveness, and the source of innovative research that improves our quality of life and expands our understanding of the world we live in.

But it is vital to recognise that some universities are more research intensive than others and to selectively support those institutions that are the most competitive internationally, and in terms of translating research to the benefit of UK plc. Thus, we must make a funding priority of those research-intensive universities that have consistently performed at the highest levels, are truly world-leading and internationally excellent.

These are not just national treasures but international treasures. They are also our best defence and, indeed, line of attack against the pressing global challenges of the 21st century.

Nations can and must agree protocols to reduce carbon emissions in order to avert catastrophic climate change, to take the most obvious example. But the effectiveness of such protocols will depend on scientists and engineers coming up with reliable and sustainable clean energy alternatives. The expertise needed to develop solutions can be found in the UK's world class universities.

The same is true for other threats and concerns, from global health to global security. At Imperial College, our governmental, industrial and NGO partners choose to work with us because they know that there is no better place than a world-class university to unravel knotty problems and develop answers to major challenges.

The UK is in the enviable position of being able to boast of four universities in the global top 10, as judged by the 2008 Times Higher Education world rankings. And I am very proud that Imperial has the highest proportion of staff, at 73 per cent, whose research is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent in this RAE. Cambridge and Oxford are close behind with 71 per cent and 70 per cent respectively.

The most urgent advice that I can give to government and industry in these uncertain economic times is this: do not fail to invest in the UK's most valuable and most prized intellectual assets. We must sustain the pipeline of innovation that feeds translation and spin-out engines to support employment and the future growth of the UK economy.

Do not be tempted by short-term cost-cutting to reduce funding or cancel contracts for discovery and innovation. Do not cause the UK to fall behind its competitors or shirk its global responsibilities. The key to long-term health and prosperity in the UK economy is world-class university research.

Today, we celebrate the strength of UK universities and perhaps breathe a sigh of relief that all of the hard work was worthwhile. But we must also look to the future. The RAE judges university research by a robust and tested method. Its successor, the Research Excellence Framework, must be equally robust, fit for purpose and able to distinguish the very best from the very good and, indeed, to measure openly both quality and volume.

Most of all, it must send a clear signal to the world that continued excellence is prized above all else in the UK's universities and that our contribution to discovery and innovation will continue to be supported by government selectivity.
Roy Anderson is Rector of Imperial College London.