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21 November 2005 HEFCE logo
To  Heads of HEFCE-funded higher education institutions
Direct Line 0117 931 7300
Direct Fax 0117 931 7203

Circular letter number 29/2005

For further information contact Suzanne Wilson, tel 0117 931 7458, e-mail s.wilson@hefce.ac.uk

Dear Vice-Chancellor or Principal

Continuation of research capability funding until 2008-09

1.    I am writing to tell you that we will be continuing to provide research capability funding for a further three years, until 2008-09. We will be asking institutions that receive this funding to submit revised research capability strategies. We expect to issue this request in March 2006 with a deadline for responses of June 2006.

2.    The research capability fund was established in 2003, to provide additional support for emerging research in disciplines where the research base is not as strong as in traditional disciplines. The eligible disciplines were identified as those units of assessment with a low proportion of staff in departments rated 4 and above, and a high proportion of staff in departments rated 3a and 3b, in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). They are:

  • Nursing
  • Other studies and professions allied to medicine
  • Social work
  • Art and design
  • Communication, cultural and media studies
  • Dance, drama and performing arts
  • Sports-related studies.

3.    The funding was allocated by formula to departments rated 3a and 3b in these disciplines, and awarded on submission of a strategy for building research capability. The strategies covered the three-year period from 2003-04 to 2005-06. Each strategy identified yearly targets and milestones against which progress is monitored in the annual monitoring statement submitted to us.

4.    In 2005 we evaluated the progress to date in departments receiving this funding, to inform advice to the HEFCE Board on whether the fund should continue. The findings were discussed by the expert panels that assessed the original strategies. The panels agreed that there had been much progress, and that further funding would materially help institutions in continuing to build and maintain a healthy and sustainable research base in the selected subjects in the longer term.

5.    The HEFCE Board has therefore agreed to continue research capability funding for all participating departments until the results of the 2008 RAE are reflected in our quality-related (QR) grants for research.

6.    Institutional allocations for 2006-07 to 2008-09 will be calculated according to the arrangements used in this academic year. Institutions that receive research charity income for units receiving capability funding will also be eligible for support under the new charities support stream in relation to those units from 2006-07, provided the income meets the criteria set out in HEFCE Circular letter 16/2005.

7.    Allocations will be announced in the March grant letter to institutions. Following this we will ask institutions to update their existing strategies for building research capability, and to provide us with milestones and targets for the remaining three years of funding to be monitored through the annual monitoring statement.

8.    We intend to undertake a final evaluation of the scheme in 2009.

9.    Further information about research capability funding is available on the HEFCE web-site.

Yours sincerely

Sir Howard Newby
Chief Executive