UKRI required to review Official Development Assistance funding

Signing paperwork with a fountain pen.

UKRI has today written to UK higher education institutions, institutes and businesses setting out our need to review all Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding in the financial year 2021/22.

As you will be aware, the UK is facing severe financial pressures as a result of COVID-19 and its impact on the economy. As a result, the UK government has decided to reduce the funds available for ODA. This will have a significant impact on the work we fund under ODA programmes.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s ODA allocation to UKRI has reduced significantly its planned ODA expenditure for FY21/22, leading to a £125m budget and a £120m gap between allocations and commitments to grant holders.

It is too early to detail the final impact of this review on individual grants funded by the Global Challenge Research Fund (GCRF), Newton Fund and other ODA funds within our councils including Innovate UK.

We will be following up directly with institutions in the coming weeks and providing further guidance on matters that require special consideration.

ODA grant holders or partner organisations who have questions should contact via odaenquiries@ukri.org

Top image:  Credit: Duncan Andison/Getty Images

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