The head of a UK research funder has defended the end of public support for an academic thinktank focused on the UK¡¯s post-Brexit relationship with Europe.

The Economic and Social Science Research Council (ESRC) faced widespread criticism after the UK in a Changing Europe (UKICE), based at King¡¯s College London since 2014, warned that it faced an uncertain future beyond its current grant next April.

Among those voicing disapproval were , the former Europe minister, who said it was a ¡°regrettable decision by ESRC which they should reconsider¡±. , the senior Liberal Democrat MP, said it was ¡°such a short-sighted decision¡±, while , the University of Glasgow principal, described it as ¡°astonishing and very sad¡±.

, the former Downing Street director of communications, said: ¡°Very bad news. If one subject requires serious detailed fact-based analysis it is Europe. Because we don¡¯t get much of it from our media or politics right now.¡±

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, the former Financial Times editor, said the ¡°bonkers¡± decision was ¡°nothing less than intellectual vandalism¡±, while , a founding partner of the consultancy Public First, said: ¡°What a stupid decision. God forbid academics do relevant, interesting work that changes the political and policy environment. That¡¯s definitely a waste of money.¡±

, Stian Westlake, the ESRC¡¯s executive chair, said that the council had provided UKICE with ?16.5 million over the years, with its grant most recently renewed in 2022.

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At that stage, he said, the funding panel recommended that any future grant could only come via open competition with other projects ¡°and that UKICE would need to consider this and plan accordingly for its longer-term financial future ¨C not least because our next open competition for impact-focused projects like UKICE is expected to be in the 2025-26 financial year, after the current UKICE funding ends in March 2025¡±.

¡°Without ending funding for projects, it would be impossible to fund new and innovative projects (including, of course, UKICE when it first applied for funding),¡± Mr Westlake said.

¡°Open competitions for funding are one way to lend some fairness to the inherent challenge that any applicant faces; providing advance notice of the end of funding programmes is one way to mitigate the effects this will have on projects already receiving funding.¡±

Mr Westlake said that UKICE had ¡°articulate[d] insights from the social sciences on a matter of pressing public importance in a way that is timely, concise and intelligible to non-experts. This has greatly enriched public discourse, and has injected facts and rigour into a debate where truth-seeking has often taken a back seat to partisanship.¡±

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He said that ESRC planned to run new competitions for impact-focused projects in the coming year, although he acknowledged that this was ¡°not a promise of future funding for UKICE¡±.

Anand Menon, UKICE¡¯s director, said that the thinktank had ¡°hoped ¨C and strived ¨C for another outcome¡± in relation to its ESRC funding.

He said that the team would ¡°of course consider all options to try and preserve the brand¡±.

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com