The UK's Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) has announced that it supports Business Secretary Vince Cable in his decision to focus on 'excellent research' as it reveals huge financial shortfalls in UK science funding. In his first major speech on science and research, Cable called for scientists to abandon work that is 'neither commercially useful nor theoretically outstanding' and announced a focus on top class 'blue-skies' scientific research. This approach has been welcomed by RSC.
Improving standards at the nation's universities and maintaining their strong research bases is difficult in an age of austerity, but not impossible, the RSC has noted. One area which must be addressed though is the continued deficit for teaching chemistry at university, as high as 50 percent in some parts of the UK. It also pointed out that average funding only covers two-thirds of research activity, as shown by a new RSC report.
Dr. Richard Pike, chief executive of the RSC, urged the government to prioritise investment in research considered vital to the nation's immediate and long-term prosperity. The government should step carefully when prioritising funding in the months ahead, he noted. According to him, focusing on high quality research, which underpins key areas of the economy such as the innovative pharmaceutical healthcare sector, will be vital.
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