Research and innovation infrastructures are needed to underpin the UK’s position as a research superpower, ensure the UK remains a partner of choice for collaboration and to conduct high-quality research and innovation necessary to tackle global challenges.
We have developed a series of informative factsheets designed to be accessible to a range of audiences, in particular policy makers. This series aims to raise awareness of the UK’s work on large-scale infrastructure and highlight the breath of infrastructure capabilities across the UK and their role in supporting key strategic areas.
What is Infrastructure?
Research and innovation infrastructures are facilities, resources and services that are used by the research and innovation communities to conduct research and foster innovation in their fields.
Research and innovation infrastructures work across disciplinary boundaries. They include large-scale facilities that are established to serve a wide range of disciplines, both in the UK and overseas.
The UKRI Infrastructure Fund
The Infrastructure Fund is a pan-UKRI budget to support step-changes in research and innovation infrastructure capability and/or capacity across the disciplinary spectrum. This can include new infrastructure, major upgrades, repurposing, transformative developments and/or decommissioning costs.
To ensure the development of a long-term infrastructure pipeline, UKRI’s Infrastructure Fund supports both full projects and smaller activities, such as design or scoping studies.
How Research and Innovation Infrastructure is Driving Environmental Sustainability
The UK’s ambitious target of achieving Net-Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 requires changes to the way we work and travel, alongside adopting new technologies to support Clean Growth. The Government’s 10 Point Plan outlines how the UK will transform its economy through a Green Industrial Revolution to meet this national ambition.
Underpinning this strategy are research and innovation infrastructures which enable the development and demonstration of novel technologies to help us better understand, monitor and predict environmental changes.
How Research and Innovation Infrastructure Plays a Key Role in Levelling Up
The UK’s research and innovation infrastructure landscape plays a central role in levelling up the UK. Infrastructures leverage significant long-term co-investment from the private sector and act as a magnet for international businesses and collaborations to stimulate innovation and productivity growth, strengthening our science base across the country.
UKRI’s Investments in Large-Scale Infrastructure
Research and innovation infrastructure investments underpin our ability to discover, apply and innovate.
This factsheet looks back at the significant research and innovation infrastructure investments over the last 10 years made through the equivalent of UKRI’s Infrastructure Fund.
If you have any questions about any of our factsheets then please get in touch at infraportal@ukri.org.