UK Research & Innovation

Science Secretary Proposes Voluntary Charter for Women Researchers

The UK Science Secretary has proposed a voluntary charter to support women researchers, seeking input from the research sector on commitments including paid maternity leave for PhD students, flexible working, and return-to-work support. The charter aims to address obstacles women face in research careers, with expectations that all PhD funders commit to meeting or exceeding UKRI's parental leave standards of 52 weeks maternity leave with 26 weeks at full stipend. Funding for the Daphne Jackson Trust will double from £1.7M to £4M annually.

UK Compute Roadmap Builds World-Class AI Ecosystem

DSIT and UKRI published the UK Compute Roadmap (32 pages, July 2025), outlining a strategy to build a world-class compute ecosystem supporting AI research and adoption across the UK economy. The Compute Evidence Annex was replaced on 19 March 2026, with content on environmental impacts modelling temporarily removed pending updates expected by summer 2026.

Tay Cities Region Gets Up to £20M UK Government Creative Tech Funding

The UK government has confirmed that the Tay Cities Region in Scotland will receive up to £20 million from the competitive strand of the £500 million Local Innovation Partnerships Fund. The funding aims to accelerate growth in the region's creative technology sector spanning video games, design innovations, and immersive technologies like virtual reality. Dundee, Perth and surrounding areas in Angus, Dundee, Fife, and Perth and Kinross are expected to benefit, with local creative and digital industries having generated £353 million turnover in 2022.

Sir Leszek Borysiewicz Named UKRI Chair Preferred Candidate

The UK government has named Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz as its preferred candidate for Chair of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Sir Leszek previously served as Chair of Cancer Research UK, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, and Chief Executive of the Medical Research Council. He is expected to assume the role later this summer, succeeding Sir Andrew Mackenzie after five years of service. UKRI is the UK's largest public funder of research and innovation, investing £9 billion annually.

UK Regions Awarded up to £20 Million Through Local Innovation Partnerships Fund

UK Research and Innovation announces up to £20 million in funding for regional innovation partnerships across England and Wales, with additional joint support of up to £30m for East Yorkshire/Hull and Tees Valley. The funding supports autonomous technology, clean energy, agri-tech, advanced manufacturing, and materials security projects.