There have been recent controversial cuts to the UK’s aid budget – slashed from 0.7% of gross national income to 0.5% last month – which have undermined the country’s commitment to “be a force for good in the world”. The cuts will have a devastating impact on the provision of services in humanitarian crises, such as in Yemen, and it will also affect vital research projects.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the body that controls research funding in the UK, has told universities that projects under the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), part of the UK’s official development assistance, are to be defunded. This is due to a budget shortfall of £120million (US$166million), amounting to a 70% reduction for the financial year 2021-2022.