Insights

As artificial intelligence tools become more widely embedded in research processes, attention has largely focused on how they are changing the way research is conducted. But a parallel shift is now emerging: AI is beginning to shape how research is assessed and funded. Faced with a growing volume of grant applications—driven in part by the ease with which AI tools can support application writing—UK research funders are beginning to consider the role of AI in processing and fi

As the research sector continues to invest in research culture, attention is increasingly turning to a new question: has all this work actually made a difference? Funders, institutions and sector bodies are rightly seeking to understand impact. Programmes are being evaluated, surveys are being commissioned, and new datasets are emerging to track progress. This is both necessary and overdue. Improving research culture is not just about initiating change.

In an era of heightened geopolitical tension, research security has shot to the top of policy agendas worldwide. Governments and institutions are implementing new measures intended to safeguard sensitive science against threats like espionage, theft, and undue foreign influence. The Flagship EU Conference on Research Security, held recently in Brussels, underscored the urgency: for the first time, the European Union announced plans to anchor research security in EU law via