Lighting a Candle

For most of June I've been travelling. I went up to Birmingham for the ARMA Conference, and then spent a week in Ghent with my team on an Erasmus+ exchange with colleagues at the University there. Finally, I was at the EARMA Conference in Lulea in Sweden last week.

And those three weeks brought home to me what a wonderful continent Europe is. From the vibrant, multi-cultural metropolis of Birmingham, to the cosmopolitan, relaxed and historic centre of Ghent, to the natural wonder of Lulea and the glittering archipelago of Stockholm: it is a diverse, open and inclusive continent, rich in history, but forward looking. 

Now you will have noticed that I included Birmingham as a natural part of Europe. Because to me it is: the UK is a part of Europe. Whilst the Channel is a geographic boundary, in all other ways the UK is strongly linked with the mainland. Economically, historically, culturally, environmentally, scientifically: on every level we are Europe. 

Which is why the Referendum result on Friday morning felt like a body blow. The messages, like telegrams, came in as I was driving back from Gatwick, from Stockholm, in the early hours, and the darkness that surrounded me felt foreboding.

Don't Panic - but Watch Out...

An interesting comment piece in Research Fortnight today. Don't worry about Impact in the REF, it suggests; sure, we should hold out for 15% rather than 25%, but the really worry is Impact at the Research Councils. Whilst assessment of 'Impact Plans' has been somewhat cursory up until now, there are signs of a change ahead.
'Interpreting signals from government ministers, the research councils have been rapidly increasing the resources they dedicate to programmes that generate impact,' says the article, citing the EPSRC's move to increase its commercialisation spend by £4m over the past 4 years. In addition David Lammy, HE minister, has said that the goverment will be taking a more 'strategic approach', and will “provide funds for the projects with the most tangible economic benefits”.
As the article concludes, 'suddenly those innocuous impact statements on grant applications look like less of a waste of time.'