The state of play on public research funding
Scientific research in advanced economies heavily relies on public funding. Since World War II, governments have invested significant resources in advancing scientific knowledge, developing useful technologies, and enhancing skills. However, there is limited information available on the structure, composition, and evolution of the public system of research funding. To address this gap, the Handbook of Public Funding of Research has been published (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2023). The book features 21 chapters authored by top experts from political science, economics, and sociology, summarising the main research and highlighting new directions for study. We spoke about this with Benedetto Lepori, professor at the Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society at USI and editor of the volume, along with Ben Jongbloed and Diana Hicks. Professor Lepori, can you explain the different forms of public funding for research? There are two main forms of public funding for research. The first is funding given to universities and research institutions, who then distribute the funds internally. The second form is funding given directly to individual researchers or research teams for specific projects. These two forms work together, with core funding providing long-term strategies and infrastructure support, while project funding allows for the recognition of outstanding skills and research ideas. However, the balance between the two forms varies by country, with a shift towards project funding in recent years. This is because projects are seen as more directly related to merit and can provide answers to political and economic questions. What are the consequences of the increased use of competitive funding that puts the various institutions in competition?
