Home / Science / UK Science Faces Funding Cuts: Cern Membership at Risk
UK Science Faces Funding Cuts: Cern Membership at Risk
16 Feb
Summary
- UKRI plans significant cuts to particle physics and astronomy funding.
- Cern membership and international project collaborations may be impacted.
- Research community fears physics department closures and researcher exodus.
Alarm is growing within the UK's research community over proposed changes by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The organization plans to reallocate £38.6 billion in public research and development funding over the next four years, with significant implications for areas like particle physics and astronomy.
Investment in these fields is set to fall by 30%, according to UKRI's Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). This reduction could critically impact the UK's participation in major international collaborations, including its membership in Cern. Researchers warn that such cuts may lead to physics department closures and cause scientists to leave the UK.
These changes come as UKRI introduces a new funding framework categorizing research into "buckets": curiosity-driven, strategic priorities, supporting innovative companies, and enabling R&D. While UKRI aims for greater transparency and outcome measurement, concerns remain about the actual balance of resource allocation and the protection of fundamental research.
The potential damage to the UK's research ecosystem is significant, especially given the positive developments in international science diplomacy, such as the appointment of a British director-general at Cern. There is a critical window to reassess these decisions and avoid long-term harm.
