The End of Dual Support?

The Dept of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is canvassing six bodies on how it should spend the science budget when the current Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) period comes to an end after 2010-11. For the first time the two 'arms' of the Dual Support Mechanism will be considered together. The two arms are:

• quality related (QR) funding, which depends for its distribution on the outcome of the RAE/REF (how many acronyms can I get into one post??),


• project funding, which is distributed by the Research Councils.

Does this signal the end of Dual Support? Some are saying so. However, Prof Adrian Smith ,who is leading the review, is keeping an open mind. Quoted in the Times Higher, he said his aim was 'to get the very best advice and to be as aware, alert and well informed as possible. It is not exciting, but it is a sensible approach.'