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Brunel University forges closer links with funding agencies

Brunel University’s growing reputation for research has been confirmed by two key developments in the past month.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has invited Brunel to become a strategic partner. The EPSRC is the main UK Government agency for funding research and training in engineering and the physical sciences, investing more than £800 million each year.

The invitation offers Brunel the chance to develop a close strategic relationship with the EPSRC, joining a small group of particularly strongly-funded universities which have been working alongside the agency since 2006.

At the same time, a presentation by Dr. Debbie Buckley-Golder, Head of Research Engagement at the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), given at the London Higher Research Excellence Group, showed that Brunel sits third in the league table of grants given to higher education institutions in London, after UCL and Imperial.

On the national scale, Brunel is 14th in the TSB’s total investment portfolio, and 12th in its list of grants to collaborative research and development partners.  

Professor Geoff Rodgers, Brunel’s Vice Principal for Research said, “The EPSRC invitation was based on our £19.8 m of research income provided by them over the past three years, and our very creditable 38.3% success rate in grant applications.

“This, together with the public recognition by the TSB of our contribution to their work both in London and nationally, is a real milestone in the development of our reputation as a centre for world-class research. With the additional focus on promising areas of work provided by the new three-Institute structure, I am confident that we can go further to join the very best in the quality and quantity of our research.”