No Northern Winners in UKRI Talent Scheme Sparks Equity Concerns

Critics Warn of Innovation Imbalance as South Dominates UKRI Funding

Ministers have come under renewed pressure over perceived regional disparities in research funding, after it emerged that six southern universities had secured £10 million to recruit overseas talent, while no institutions located between Birmingham and Glasgow were selected. The funding forms part of a £54 million global talent initiative, intended to attract leading international researchers. Of the twelve recipients, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London and three other southern institutions were among those awarded support, prompting criticism from the Labour Party, which suggested the distribution undermined national efforts to rebalance innovation and risked deepening geographic inequalities.

MPs and researchers voiced disappointment at the exclusion of northern universities, despite the region’s strong research credentials and the government’s stated commitment to economic rebalancing. Labour MP Chi Onwurah indicated she would be writing to Science Minister Patrick Vallance, questioning the scientific rigour and policy coherence of the selection process. She reportedly argued that the outcome conflicted with the government’s ambition to ensure equal opportunity across the UK.

Further criticism came from the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, which described the selection criteria as arbitrary and inconsistently applied. It highlighted the omission of major northern institutions such as Manchester, Durham and York, despite a Freedom of Information request showing that seven northern universities had met the £5 million international research funding threshold. Several were excluded due to staff quotas, with Manchester reportedly falling short of the 35% international staff requirement by just 0.3%. Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, welcomed the fund’s intent but warned that its implementation disadvantaged northern innovation. He maintained that the north was not seeking preferential treatment, only equitable consideration, particularly in light of allocations to smaller regions such as Wales. Murison also emphasised that the north represents the UK’s only credible economic counterweight to London, and cautioned against allowing UKRI’s processes to impede national growth.

A government spokesperson responded by stating that institutions across all UK nations had been selected according to transparent criteria, and reiterated the government’s commitment to regional growth through cross-regional research partnerships and a record £22.6 billion R&D budget. In addition to the three ‘golden triangle’ universities, funding was awarded to Queen’s University Belfast, and the universities of Bath, Birmingham, Cardiff, Southampton, Strathclyde and Warwick, as well as the John Innes Centre in Norwich and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge. The incident has sparked renewed discussion about the alignment between national research funding frameworks and regional development objectives.

Editor’s Note:

The recent controversy surrounding the allocation of the £54 million global talent fund raises important questions about fairness and balance in the distribution of public research funding. While the goal of attracting top international talent is commendable, the decision to concentrate funding primarily in southern institutions, excluding universities between Birmingham and Glasgow, appears to contradict the government's narrative of promoting inclusive economic growth across all UK regions. It is essential that research funding not only supports excellence but also reflects the geographic diversity of the UK’s academic and innovation landscape. Northern universities, many of which have demonstrated strong international research capacity, should be given equitable consideration in such schemes.

Skoobuzz believes that, as regional development remains a stated priority, future funding strategies must align more closely with this objective to ensure that innovation opportunities are not limited by postcode. The government must now provide clarity and demonstrate how its funding policies will support all parts of the UK fairly and consistently.