The Academy of Medical Sciences, the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society have jointly responded to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Consultation on Proposals for Long-Term Capital Investment in Science and Research. The submission focuses on the following high-level principles to guide the allocation of research capital funding:
- Balanced capital investment guided by excellence.
- Long-term vision for national and international capital investment spanning at least a decade.
- Systemic approach considering the essential interdependence of capital and resources and the broader landscape of research funding.
- Comprehensive operational planning including:
- Ensuring future viability through maintenance, operational provisions and upgrades.
- Ensuring the provision of skilled staff to extract maximum value from capital investments.
- Achieving efficiencies and maximizing returns by ensuring collaboration and business access.
- Disciplinary mix: investing in research capital to support a broad range of disciplines.