At least ?1 billion will be awarded to ¡°significantly scale up¡± the UK¡¯s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria) in the four years up to 2030 under science funding measures revealed in the June spending review.

The uplift to the UK¡¯s ¡°high risk, high-reward¡± science agency, whose initial five-year budget was ?800 million, was laid out in the full spending review document ?shortly after chancellor Rachel Reeves outlined multi-year spending plans to the House of Commons on 11 June.

With the UK government¡¯s overall research spending already confirmed at ?86 billion over the four-year spending review period, hitting ?22.5 billion annually by 2030, the Treasury document explained?that the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) budget will rise to ?16.5 billion in 2028-29, up from ?13.9 billion in 2025-26. This represents an ¡°average real terms growth rate of 2.8 per cent¡± up to 2029.

Of this, DSIT¡¯s research and development (R&D) funding will hit ?15.2 billion by 2029-30, it explains, stating that this funding ¡°will flow to the world-leading scientists and innovators in UK businesses, universities and R&D institutions across the UK¡±.

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This spending will include ?500 million for a R&D Missions Accelerator Programme ¡°to break down barriers and accelerate the delivery of the government¡¯s missions¡± and ?410 million for a Local Innovation Partnership Fund to ¡°support local leaders to drive innovation excellence across the UK¡±.

Over the?weekend, ¡°up to ?500 million¡± was announced for the devolved funding scheme involving metro mayors, with the Treasury making clear that ¡°?410 million falls between 2026-27 and 2029-30¡±.

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The Treasury document also says funding will be made available for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and for ¡°association to Horizon Europe and its successor, supporting vital investment in universities, research institutes and businesses across the UK¡±.

Along with?up to ?750 million for a new supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh, some ?2 billion will also be provided over the spending review period to ¡°implement the AI Opportunities Action Plan in full¡± ¨C a 50-point blueprint drawn up by Aria chair Matt Clifford.

This includes funding for AI fellowships and AI-focused university courses?that will ¡°enable a twentyfold expansion of the UK¡¯s AI research resource capacity¡±, according to the spending review document.

Some ?48 million will be handed to a programme to ¡°drive collaboration with universities to expand AI course provision¡± ¨C one of Reeves¡¯ few mentions of higher education, although the chancellor said in the Commons that she was ¡°proud¡± of the country¡¯s ¡°world-class universities¡±.

Institutions might, however, be concerned by the Treasury¡¯s mention of its ¡°intention to explore introducing a levy of higher education provider income from international students (to be reinvested into the higher education and skills system)¡± ¨C a measure previously unveiled in the recent immigration White Paper.

¡°Final allocations for these measures will be set out in due course,¡± it added.

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The spending review has faced a mixed reaction from sector groups, with Alicia Greated, executive director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, observing that Reeves¡¯ statement was ¡°welcome confirmation of the announcements made at the weekend that the UK R&D budget is being protected in tough fiscal circumstances¡±.

Noting that there are ¡°several promising new initiatives that will need accounting for alongside existing commitments¡±, Greated said it ¡°is important that we now consider the full detail of the spending review publications, as well as, critically, future departmental allocations¡±.

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Joe Marshall, chief executive of the National Centre for Universities and Business, said the ¡°headline commitment to an ?86 billion R&D budget over four years is critical¡± but noted that the ¡°substantial increase in defence-related R&D spending ¨C rising from ?1.7 billion in 2025/26 to ?2.4 billion in 2028/29 ¨C signals a shift in the research landscape that will have significant implications for the kinds of projects funded¡±.?

Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union, welcomed the ¡°additional science and technology research funding¡± but cautioned that the extra money was ¡°long overdue and will do little to avert the wider crisis in our universities¡±.

¡°This spending review is yet another missed opportunity to invest in further education and meet the country¡¯s skills needs after years of funding cuts, job losses and falling pay,¡± she continued, adding: ¡°We need more investment so the sector can recruit and retain the staff needed to deliver on the government¡¯s ambitions.¡±?

John Womersley, former executive chair of the Science and Technology Facilities Council, warned that ¡°a focus on the top-level numbers which look nice and big¡± and ¡°some headline capital investments¡± should not obscure the likelihood that some research councils might need to cut funding in some key areas.

¡°There will be smiles [today] from UKRI and the minister but over the following months, it will become clear, bit by bit, that the nice big top-level numbers do not translate into nice budgets in many areas lower down,¡± he explained.

¡°But it will be the individual research councils that have to come out with this information,¡± he said.

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jack.grove@timeshighereducation.com