Latest Research Fortnight lead by me: Vice-chancellors are divided over whether greater research concentration across UK universities could ease pressure across the funding system as demand for grants ratchets up. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

It was a pleasure to attend the @britishacademy.bsky.social Ideas Festival yesterday evening (which is free for the public to attend tonight and tomorrow)!

It was lovely to attend the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists! More science events with champagne and 17th century paintings, please

Finally seeing some sun in London!

Pleasure to be at the European Parliament listening to MEP’s discuss international research collaboration in a world of “US protectionism and Chinese subsidies”

British Library boss unexpectedly quits amid ongoing strike (over pay) Further blow to national institution as Rebecca Lawrence steps down after just 10 months Also how good is this pic I took of the BL last week researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...

Great to attend the @britishprogress.bsky.social summer soirée last night & hear Peter Kyle and Matt Clifford speak on the UK’s strengths in science and tech, thank you!

Thrilled to have my story picked up by @thetimes.com Trump administration axes UK university research projects The original is free to read here, researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

@sophieatrpn.bsky.social & I are excited to be travelling up to Edinburgh for #ARMA2025 . Bring on my first Irn Bru!

Fascinating talk by global tertiary education expert Jamil Salmi. He calls exams & rankings a “disease” & questions the centuries old predominant ‘classroom’ model of teaching. Salmi urges more flexibility in learning

Brilliant to attend the BSME talent awards last night with the RPN team! Congrats to all the winners & big thanks to Yakult drinkable yoghurts for sponsoring (but would not recommend drinking alongside tequila)

& that’s a wrap!! Check out all our free coverage of EARMA 2025 in the link below & a huge thanks to all the organisers for such an educational event :)

Fantastic to be in Madrid reporting on research security & discussing various things US/research at EARMA / INORMS 2025. Balance needed on open research and security, expert warns researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-world-…

Now at the Royal Society for an FST event on, ‘How can space science mission advance science’. On the STEM gender skills gap, Carole Mundell, director of science at ESA, says that we lose the interest of most girls in space/science from the age of six to 12.

Great to attend this talk at UCL on the ‘strange institutional conservatism of UK public science and technology’ where Geoff Mulgan asks if the UK’s S&T institutions are fit for purpose. He highlights that UK R&D institutions UKRI, Catapults & ARIA are all based on “old models”.

Lovely day at the Royal Society for Research Professional News Live, covering engaging panels on how R&D can drive inclusive growth across the UK & research integrity ! Huge thanks to all panellists & attendees

Great to be at the @britishacademy.bsky.social conference where Julia Black urged the HE sector to share ideas for solutions to the sectors well-known financial problems

Great to be at CityLabs 4.0 launch in Manchester, listening to an all-female panel on healthcare innovation!

Fantastic to attend DSIT’s Horizon Europe showcase at Oval today. A real celebration of all the hard work that went into getting the UK associated to the £96 billion programme

Inspiring to hear Bridget Phillipson, Julia Gillard & Kelly Beaver at King’s for IWD yesterday. Phillipson spoke about growing up in the North East, brought up by a single Mother surrounded by strong Labour female figures & Beaver presented research on rising tensions between men & women

Good start to the morning attending Hepi’s breakfast seminar asking if HE needs to take a different approach to EDI, an important topic given that the US’ crackdown on EDI initiatives could influence the UK approach

Pleasure to attend the S&T Foundation’s event this eve on governing AI for humanity. Key takeaways inc value of AI for velocity in decision making across industry and public services & the UK’s potential to lead globally on creating a data trust..

Good to hear skills minister Jacqui Smith & David Willetts talk HE at a packed out event at the Resolution Foundation yesterday evening..

Great to attend the Lords S&T Committee hearing today in person on science visa policy. Looking forward to see how this develops from evidence being given on the high upfront costs of visas putting off early-career researchers coming to the UK.

Thank you to the BA for hosting such an engaging panel on Human Agency & AI this evening. Featuring Alondra Nelson & Chi Onwurah. Lots of food for thought on how to make the benefits of AI equitable, holding big tech accountable & preventing biases in AI when they are trained on human intelligence.