Dismay as £54 million talent funds skips north of England

Ministers have been accused of undermining innovation in the north of England after six universities from the south were awarded £10 million (US$13.45 million) to hire overseas talent – with none selected between Birmingham and Glasgow, reports Josh Halliday for the Guardian.

Twelve universities across Britain have been handed a share of the government’s £54 million (US$72 million) global talent fund, which Labour said would “put rocket boosters” under its innovation plans. The money is intended to attract top international academics and was awarded to three “golden triangle” universities – Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College London – and others, including three from the south of England.

MPs and researchers said it was “deeply disappointing” that no universities in the north of England were chosen, given their strong research record and the government’s stated aim to rebalance the UK economy.
Full report on the Guardian site