Robin Bisson
@robinbisson.bsky.social
UK News Editor, @resprofnews.bsky.social.
Mostly #researchpolicy, #researchfunding, #highered.
British Journalism Awards finalist.
Once likened to Tintin.
Also into rivers.
Tip? [email protected]
Mostly #researchpolicy, #researchfunding, #highered.
British Journalism Awards finalist.
Once likened to Tintin.
Also into rivers.
Tip? [email protected]
Only 3 months I think? There was a sustained recovery to pre-2024 levels in the first half of 2025, but it petered out after May (see second graph in thread)
January 9, 2026 at 11:16 AM
Only 3 months I think? There was a sustained recovery to pre-2024 levels in the first half of 2025, but it petered out after May (see second graph in thread)
Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at Bristol and Oxford, said it was “a danger sign on the demand side...a softening of demand means some individual institutions may struggle to meet targets”
12-month totals are still well down on 2023, a trend that looks persistent
12-month totals are still well down on 2023, a trend that looks persistent
January 8, 2026 at 3:48 PM
Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at Bristol and Oxford, said it was “a danger sign on the demand side...a softening of demand means some individual institutions may struggle to meet targets”
12-month totals are still well down on 2023, a trend that looks persistent
12-month totals are still well down on 2023, a trend that looks persistent
Last Friday, @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social published an interview with
Timothy Clement-Jones, in which the Lib Dem peer said that universities must be allowed to continue “moonshot” research despite policymakers’ moves to steer public R&D funding towards government priorities
4/4
Timothy Clement-Jones, in which the Lib Dem peer said that universities must be allowed to continue “moonshot” research despite policymakers’ moves to steer public R&D funding towards government priorities
4/4
Universities must continue doing ‘moonshot’ work, says peer - Research Professional News
Timothy Clement-Jones warns focusing funding on government priorities risks institutions losing “inspirational research”
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
January 7, 2026 at 9:02 AM
Last Friday, @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social published an interview with
Timothy Clement-Jones, in which the Lib Dem peer said that universities must be allowed to continue “moonshot” research despite policymakers’ moves to steer public R&D funding towards government priorities
4/4
Timothy Clement-Jones, in which the Lib Dem peer said that universities must be allowed to continue “moonshot” research despite policymakers’ moves to steer public R&D funding towards government priorities
4/4
On Monday, @fionamcintyre.bsky.social wrote that a metascience researcher has said humans could be replaced by artificial intelligence in some social science surveys, since AI can produce results that are “shocking” in their similarity to human responses
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AI ‘could replace humans’ in some social science surveys - Research Professional News
Metascientist says AI responses are similar enough to humans and could offer productivity gains
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
January 7, 2026 at 9:02 AM
On Monday, @fionamcintyre.bsky.social wrote that a metascience researcher has said humans could be replaced by artificial intelligence in some social science surveys, since AI can produce results that are “shocking” in their similarity to human responses
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Yesterday, @sophieatrpn.bsky.social reported that the number of PhDs funded by the private sector has shrunk by 20 per cent over the past decade, with industry concerned that fewer ideas are being generated
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Industry-funded PhDs decline by 20 per cent in 10 years - Research Professional News
Rise in cost of PhDs for companies shows “complexities of research funding”, NCUB warns
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
January 7, 2026 at 9:02 AM
Yesterday, @sophieatrpn.bsky.social reported that the number of PhDs funded by the private sector has shrunk by 20 per cent over the past decade, with industry concerned that fewer ideas are being generated
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.. If implemented, researchers around the globe will be able to publish OA in these titles, without paying an article publishing charge, thanks to the support of the new Jisc agreement"
newsroom.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/jisc-and-tay...
newsroom.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/jisc-and-tay...
Jisc and Taylor & Francis sign new UK open research agreement
Comprehensive deal offers researchers expanded OA publishing options and licensing for AI use.
newsroom.taylorandfrancisgroup.com
December 22, 2025 at 10:05 AM
.. If implemented, researchers around the globe will be able to publish OA in these titles, without paying an article publishing charge, thanks to the support of the new Jisc agreement"
newsroom.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/jisc-and-tay...
newsroom.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/jisc-and-tay...
A bit more detail on how the trials will work from @tandfresearch.bsky.social:
"With sufficient support, several humanities and social science journals with a high proportion of UK authors will convert to open access for at least their 2026 volumes, including King’s Law Journal...
"With sufficient support, several humanities and social science journals with a high proportion of UK authors will convert to open access for at least their 2026 volumes, including King’s Law Journal...
December 22, 2025 at 10:05 AM
A bit more detail on how the trials will work from @tandfresearch.bsky.social:
"With sufficient support, several humanities and social science journals with a high proportion of UK authors will convert to open access for at least their 2026 volumes, including King’s Law Journal...
"With sufficient support, several humanities and social science journals with a high proportion of UK authors will convert to open access for at least their 2026 volumes, including King’s Law Journal...
@jisc.bsky.social, which brokered the deals, said:
"A new trial will remove fees on a per article basis from certain journals, converting to a fully open access model when thresholds are met. It is a global first for agreements to include a non article-based model of this nature"
"A new trial will remove fees on a per article basis from certain journals, converting to a fully open access model when thresholds are met. It is a global first for agreements to include a non article-based model of this nature"
December 22, 2025 at 10:05 AM
@jisc.bsky.social, which brokered the deals, said:
"A new trial will remove fees on a per article basis from certain journals, converting to a fully open access model when thresholds are met. It is a global first for agreements to include a non article-based model of this nature"
"A new trial will remove fees on a per article basis from certain journals, converting to a fully open access model when thresholds are met. It is a global first for agreements to include a non article-based model of this nature"
Today's figures also show how big a change is underway at UKRI
Research councils are less significant in terms of how the money is divided up than ever before
Instead, the industrial strategy areas are the new lens for looking at much of UKRI's spending
Research councils are less significant in terms of how the money is divided up than ever before
Instead, the industrial strategy areas are the new lens for looking at much of UKRI's spending
December 17, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Today's figures also show how big a change is underway at UKRI
Research councils are less significant in terms of how the money is divided up than ever before
Instead, the industrial strategy areas are the new lens for looking at much of UKRI's spending
Research councils are less significant in terms of how the money is divided up than ever before
Instead, the industrial strategy areas are the new lens for looking at much of UKRI's spending