The government may need to intervene to ensure a more strategic ¡°consolidation¡± of research activity takes place across the UK¡¯s higher education system, the outgoing chief executive of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has suggested.

Speaking to the House of Commons¡¯ science and technology committee, Ottoline Leyser told MPs on 17 June that she recognised UK universities are facing ¡°significant financial challenges at the moment¡±, which is ¡°a matter of concern from the point of view of their teaching and training roles, but also their research roles¡±.

Discussing the ¡°underpinning causes¡± of this financial stress, Leyser explained that ¡°universities have been strongly incentivised to increase the volume of their research¡± and have funded it by expanding ¡°surplus-generating¡± activities ¨C?mainly the education of international students.

Thanks to this funding, ¡°there is a significant amount of university money invested in research and innovation¡±, she continued, but added that this income stream is now declining ¡°for a whole variety of reasons¡±, including changes to visa policies for overseas students, which has led to a fall in international applicants.

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¡°That creates a challenge in the system,¡± explained Leyser, who was ?about her five years at the helm of Britain¡¯s ?9 billion a year research funder prior to her departure this month.

¡°As a result of the really quite sudden financial pressures facing universities, they are making local unilateral decisions [regarding funding cuts] ¨C I would like to find a way to do that in a more coordinated way across the country,¡± she said.

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¡°There will inevitably need to be some kind of consolidation across the university landscape...and that will not necessarily be a huge negative for the UK¡¯s research and innovation endeavour,¡± added Leyser.

¡°But it needs to happen in a more coordinated way so that universities lean into their unique strengths,¡± she continued, arguing that more universities should develop a ¡°unique strategy linked to where they are in the country¡± by working with nearby institutions on their research strengths.?

Given the current financial climate, it does not make sense for some universities to be research active in all fields, Leyser continued.?

¡°If universities are trying to compete by relatively unstrategic expansion of research activity across a wide range of topics, it might be more sensible to focus on a smaller number of topics,¡± she added.

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Asked by committee chair Chi Onwurah if this would mean the closure of certain university departments across the country, Leyser replied: ¡°Potentially¡­or within departments. You can think about this on multiple different scales [of research activity reduction].¡±

On who might lead this coordinated ¡°consolidation¡± of research activity, Leyser said it was important that all government departments responsible for higher education are involved.

¡°The huge strength of our system is this marriage of teaching and research,¡± she said, noting the ¡°dual responsibility¡± for the sector held by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Education.

¡°They are working together to think about this challenge ¨C that is really important and we can supply information of where there is critical infrastructure and capabilities,¡± she said.

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?jack.grove@timeshighereducation.com