Strategic Plan: Efficiency and effectiveness

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BBSRC is committed to utilising resources effectively and responsibly to maximise funding for science.

BBSRC deploys funding with maximum effectiveness and will maintain a comprehensive resource management framework. Our plans for efficiency and effectiveness cover three distinct areas:

Institutes

BBSRC funds 8 institutes which, in 2009, received BBSRC funding of over £180M and employed over 2000 staff. Working with governing bodies BBSRC will promote high standards of accountability, propriety and efficient use of resources. This will be achieved through:

Ongoing changes to clarify and simplify governance
Annual business plans and implementation of a 10-year capital investment strategy
Operation of robust and transparent research management accounting systems which contribute to sustainability through full cost recovery under Full Economic Costing
Detailed assessment of each institute’s science and associated activities (such as knowledge exchange, training and leadership, public engagement) every 5 years
Institutes working together and/or with other partners to harmonise and share resources

Universities

Although the Higher Education Funding Councils have the sponsorship responsibility for the HE sector, we take steps to ensure that the two thirds of our resources invested in universities are used for the intended purposes and in a manner that is efficient and accountable. This will be achieved by:

Working closely within RCUK to harmonise the interface with universities
Maintaining clear and largely common Research Council conditions attached to funding
Engaging with the development of the REF to ensure that it recognises and rewards not just excellent research but efforts to achieve impact of the research, such as knowledge exchange activities
Visits to universities to validate use of funds and operation of best practice
Promoting collaboration and strategic partnerships with key universities and institutes

Administration

Effective and efficient administration will be achieved by:

Increased collaboration and merging of support activities with other Research Councils, largely through the implementation of the SSC Ltd, with emphasis on a more harmonised interface for stakeholders
Development of annual delivery plans to define in detail the full range of actions that flow from this Strategic Plan
Maintaining contact with industry, Government, universities and institutes to review strategies and plans on a regular basis
Ensuring that funding opportunities are communicated widely and applications processed on a fair and timely basis using effective and efficient peer review procedures
Implementing enhanced information systems to support the above activities

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Contact

Corporate Policy and Strategy
bbsrc.cps@bbsrc.ac.uk