HEPI’s new Policy Note examines how public investment in research can deliver clearer, more visible benefits for the UK.
From investment to outcomes: Capabilities to deliver purposeful public investment in research (HEPI Policy Note 69), authored by Sarah Chaytor and Grace Gottlieb, argues that strengthening the foundational capabilities of the research base is essential if Government ambitions for growth and societal impact are to be realised.
The paper contends that, as UKRI sharpens its strategic priorities, the focus must shift from inputs to outcomes. Universities and publicly funded research organisations provide the infrastructure, expertise and talent pipelines that underpin scientific strength, yet long-standing funding pressures and fragmented data limit the system’s effectiveness. The authors identify four core characteristics of a high-performing research ecosystem: sustainability, disciplinary breadth in blue-skies research, cross-disciplinary capacity to tackle complex challenges and deeper societal engagement – particularly important when fewer than half of the public currently see research as relevant to their lives.
At a critical moment for the future of UK research funding, this Policy Note sets out how a more purposeful, data-driven and systems-based approach could unlock greater economic, social and cultural returns. To understand where targeted investment could deliver disproportionate impact – and how to secure stronger public support for science and research. Click here to find the press release and a link to the full paper.