BU Research Blog

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), after extensive engagement and dialogue with the research community, have published refreshed research area rationales as part of its Balancing Capability strategy.

The Council has reviewed all the research areas that form the building blocks of its portfolio and confirmed the suggested future strategies for these areas over the next five years.

See the full article, including comments from Professor Philip Nelson, EPSRC‘s Chief Executive.

Each piece of evidence was considered in relation to the whole portfolio in order to make well informed decisions. Each research area is accompanied by a ‘rationale’ which states the reasons for the strategic direction for each research area.

The research area strategies have been developed to align with EPSRC‘s Delivery Plan and will help achieve a ratio, committed to by EPSRC‘s Council, of 60 per cent community-led and 40 per cent strategic intervention by 2021. This balance will be achieved by encouraging the research community to continue to work together, across disciplines, and to develop challenges and proposals that are less directed by topic-specific, time bound calls.

To help with planning a list of calls for 2017/18 (PDF) is available with further details to be added as plans become firmer through the main calls page of our website and through the calls alert.  These have also been added to BU’s research blog ‘research toolkit, Research Funders Guide’.

EPSRC is confident that its strategies will result in the UK remaining one of the best places in the world to research, discover and innovate.