Research Councils UK (RCUK) is a strategic partnership between the seven UK Research Councils. RCUK was established in 2002 to enable the Councils to work together more effectively to enhance the overall impact and effectiveness of their research, training and innovation activities, contributing to the delivery of the Government’s objectives for science and innovation.
Research Councils support research through three principal mechanisms:
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By providing project or programme funding to higher education institutions, as part of the dual support system
- By funding research in their own research facilities. The status of these facilities varies – some are located in universities, some are wholly owned and administered, while others are more independent, “sponsored” institutes
- By providing access to large facilities for UK researchers. This can be through international subscriptions or the funding of national facilities.
The RCUK is also at the forefront of forging Research links with international organisations. The UK Research Office in Brussels (UKRO) is the UK’s leading service for the provision of advice and information about European Union funding for research and higher education. It aims to promote effective UK participation in EU funded research and training programmes. As well as being funded by the Research Councils, UKRO recieves annual subscriptions from around 150 UK universities, public sector research establishments, research based charities and other UK government bodies. Companies, including non-UK based organisations can also join as associate subscribers.
RCUK has links with the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), a strategic instrument to develop the scientific integration of Europe and to strengthen its international outreach. The competitive and open access to high quality Research Infrastructures supports and benchmarks the quality of the activities of European scientists, and attracts the best researchers from around the world.
Research Councils UK are developing a Newton International Fellowship Association in response to the UK Global Science and Innovation Forum strategy which proposed an alumni network of researchers who have been working in the UK to ensure that in the longer term potentially valuable collaborative relationships are not lost.
The scheme offers exciting opportunities for international networking: the Research Councils estimate that they currently support 140 international fellows through their prestigious fellowship schemes, with a further 40 new international fellows joining each year. The Association is intended to provide mutual benefits to both the members and the UK research community. The possible benefits to members are maintaining contact with the UK, networking opportunities, and possibly engendering new collaborations.