The Government has been accused of undermining the North of England, after excluding every one of its universities from a £54 million talent fund.
Mayors, MPs, and universities have been left outraged after the North was left out of a drive to recruit 60 to 80 of the world’s leading researchers to the UK.
A total of 12 higher education institutions across the country will share in the Global Talent Fund, which Labour says will “fire up the UK economy” and “put rocket boosters” under its plans.
While the likes of Oxford and Cambridge universities will benefit, none of the chosen 12 are from any part of the North.
Eight regional mayors, including the North East’s Kim McGuinness, said in a joint statement on Thursday that they were “deeply disappointed that universities in the north of England, some of the best and brightest in the world, have once again been overlooked in the allocation of national innovation funding, despite their research credentials”.
Ms McGuinness added: “The North is home to some of the best universities in Britain . We’re known for innovation! Yet, once again that legacy is ignored. More Whitehall-centric decisions saying talent only exists in the South? It’s not good enough. It needs to change and change for good.”
Other beneficiaries of the £54 million scheme include Imperial College London and the universities of Bath, Birmingham, Southampton, and Warwick.
Wales’ Cardiff University, Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland, and the University of Strathclyde in Scotland are also in line for funds.
Image: Northumbria University Newcastle
Professor Andy Long, vice-chancellor of Northumbria University and chair of the Universities for North East England (UNEE), said the region’s higher education institutions “do not understand the rationale for overlooking the opportunity to bring global talent to the North”.
He added: “The five North East universities – Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside – have the capability to host and nurture global talent for the benefit of the UK. We collaborate on research that brings considerable benefits to the country and region – economically, socially and culturally. The impact of this decision is felt by us all.”
Dame Chi Onwurah, the MP for Newcastle Central and West, said that the approach “seems to be at odds with the Government’s stated mission to boost opportunities in every part of the country”.
Dame Chi, who chairs the House of Commons’ Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, said: “It’s disappointing that whilst the Global Talent Fund distribution recognises the role of devolved nations, it doesn’t recognise the importance of regions within England. The Fund misses out the north of England entirely, despite being home to many world-class research institutions that would benefit massively from extra help to attract top researchers from abroad.
“I’m writing to Science Minister, Lord Vallance, to press for further details on how the Government selected the twelve institutions that will receive GTF funding; and why no region north of Birmingham was prioritised.”
In a letter to Dame Chi last month, Lord Vallance said the Government was “determined to maximise the opportunities in every part of the country, including the North of England” and that many, if not all, UK research institutions outside the chosen 12 “also have significant strengths in attracting and retaining international talent”.
He added: “Our £100 million Innovation Accelerators programme is already boosting the growth of the highpotential innovation cluster in Greater Manchester. While up to £500 million for the new Local Innovation Partnerships Fund will help the innovation ecosystems grow in Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, the Liverpool City Region, and the North East Mayoral Combined Authorities.”
