Isaac Barbosa
@isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social
Journalist at Research Professional News
Reposted by Isaac Barbosa
Peer-reviewed papers are ‘old hat science’, says millionaire investor.
Candy Crush businessman Mel Morris says universities “must embrace AI” to transform into economic powerhouses.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-i...
Candy Crush businessman Mel Morris says universities “must embrace AI” to transform into economic powerhouses.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-i...
Peer-reviewed papers are ‘old hat science’, says millionaire investor - Research Professional News
Candy Crush businessman Mel Morris says universities “must embrace AI” to transform into economic powerhouses
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
June 1, 2026 at 6:28 AM
Peer-reviewed papers are ‘old hat science’, says millionaire investor.
Candy Crush businessman Mel Morris says universities “must embrace AI” to transform into economic powerhouses.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-i...
Candy Crush businessman Mel Morris says universities “must embrace AI” to transform into economic powerhouses.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-i...
Reposted by Isaac Barbosa
Thanks to @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social for inviting me to comment for his piece on China overtaking UK on number of British engineering papers funded www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-i...
China overtakes UK on number of British engineering papers funded - Research Professional News
Acknowledgements of funders in China topped those of British counterparts in 2025, RPN analysis reveals
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
May 26, 2026 at 11:07 AM
Thanks to @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social for inviting me to comment for his piece on China overtaking UK on number of British engineering papers funded www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-i...
Reposted by Isaac Barbosa
New: Lack of planning for university failure risks ‘lasting blow’ to R&D.
Excoriating education committee report on HE finances warns government is not prepared for university insolvencies, with worrying implications for students and academics.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
Excoriating education committee report on HE finances warns government is not prepared for university insolvencies, with worrying implications for students and academics.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
Lack of planning for university failure risks ‘lasting blow’ to UK R&D - Research Professional News
Education committee report on higher education finances warns government is not prepared for university insolvencies
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
May 12, 2026 at 6:30 AM
New: Lack of planning for university failure risks ‘lasting blow’ to R&D.
Excoriating education committee report on HE finances warns government is not prepared for university insolvencies, with worrying implications for students and academics.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
Excoriating education committee report on HE finances warns government is not prepared for university insolvencies, with worrying implications for students and academics.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
Reposted by Isaac Barbosa
STFC budget falling in real terms even as UKRI spending rises.
New figures show pressure on cash-strapped council, as scientists warn of wide-ranging impacts from cuts.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
New figures show pressure on cash-strapped council, as scientists warn of wide-ranging impacts from cuts.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
STFC budget falling in real terms even as UKRI spending rises - Research Professional News
New figures show pressure on cash-strapped council, as scientists warn of wide-ranging impacts from cuts
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
April 10, 2026 at 6:25 AM
STFC budget falling in real terms even as UKRI spending rises.
New figures show pressure on cash-strapped council, as scientists warn of wide-ranging impacts from cuts.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
New figures show pressure on cash-strapped council, as scientists warn of wide-ranging impacts from cuts.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Reposted by Isaac Barbosa
I think this says a lot about the pressure STFC is under: its budget will not have risen (in cash terms) between 2023 and 2030
Inflation is obviously going keep eroding that, and more so with the Iran war
(Details of STFC budget figures over the spending review have not been published before now)
Inflation is obviously going keep eroding that, and more so with the Iran war
(Details of STFC budget figures over the spending review have not been published before now)
April 10, 2026 at 8:38 AM
I think this says a lot about the pressure STFC is under: its budget will not have risen (in cash terms) between 2023 and 2030
Inflation is obviously going keep eroding that, and more so with the Iran war
(Details of STFC budget figures over the spending review have not been published before now)
Inflation is obviously going keep eroding that, and more so with the Iran war
(Details of STFC budget figures over the spending review have not been published before now)
Reposted by Isaac Barbosa
Breaking: Looming physics cuts a ‘failure’, says science committee chair.
Chi Onwurah says science minister and UKRI leadership must “bear responsibility” and “win back trust”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
Chi Onwurah says science minister and UKRI leadership must “bear responsibility” and “win back trust”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
March 13, 2026 at 7:15 AM
Breaking: Looming physics cuts a ‘failure’, says science committee chair.
Chi Onwurah says science minister and UKRI leadership must “bear responsibility” and “win back trust”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
Chi Onwurah says science minister and UKRI leadership must “bear responsibility” and “win back trust”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
Reposted by Isaac Barbosa
Job losses at UK research-intensive universities double in two years.
Exclusive: Scale of redundancies branded a “disaster”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
Exclusive: Scale of redundancies branded a “disaster”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
Job losses at research-intensive universities double in two years - Research Professional News
Exclusive: Scale of redundancies revealed branded a “disaster” for UK research capacity
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
February 25, 2026 at 7:17 AM
Job losses at UK research-intensive universities double in two years.
Exclusive: Scale of redundancies branded a “disaster”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
Exclusive: Scale of redundancies branded a “disaster”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
Reposted by Isaac Barbosa
Full story, on disruptions to core funding streams raising fears for a “generation” of early career researchers, by @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social @fionamcintyre.bsky.social
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
UKRI funding changes ‘pushing junior researchers abroad’ - Research Professional News
Disruptions to core funding streams raise fears for a “generation” of early career researchers
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
February 11, 2026 at 9:25 AM
Full story, on disruptions to core funding streams raising fears for a “generation” of early career researchers, by @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social @fionamcintyre.bsky.social
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Reposted by Isaac Barbosa
Reposted by Isaac Barbosa
The MRC's decision to stop funding research units is biting
Four out of five units at the University of Cambridge will run out of funding by 2027, and staff at risk of redundancty are considering action, @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social reports
An insider said Cambridge is in "an awful position"
Four out of five units at the University of Cambridge will run out of funding by 2027, and staff at risk of redundancty are considering action, @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social reports
An insider said Cambridge is in "an awful position"
Union staff at Cambridge MRC research units consider action - Research Professional News
Medical Research Council under renewed criticism for putting university in “awful position” as redundancies loom
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
January 14, 2026 at 1:05 PM
The MRC's decision to stop funding research units is biting
Four out of five units at the University of Cambridge will run out of funding by 2027, and staff at risk of redundancty are considering action, @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social reports
An insider said Cambridge is in "an awful position"
Four out of five units at the University of Cambridge will run out of funding by 2027, and staff at risk of redundancty are considering action, @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social reports
An insider said Cambridge is in "an awful position"
Reposted by Isaac Barbosa
Early Jan is usually pretty slow for news (Trump notwithstanding) but RPN reporters have started 2026 with some great stories
Today, @francesjones.bsky.social reports on researchers given access to UKRI funding applications to see if AI could help speed up grant review
1/
Today, @francesjones.bsky.social reports on researchers given access to UKRI funding applications to see if AI could help speed up grant review
1/
UKRI to get advice on speeding up grant reviews with AI - Research Professional News
Researchers given access to funding applications to assess how large language models might reduce burden
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
January 7, 2026 at 9:02 AM
Early Jan is usually pretty slow for news (Trump notwithstanding) but RPN reporters have started 2026 with some great stories
Today, @francesjones.bsky.social reports on researchers given access to UKRI funding applications to see if AI could help speed up grant review
1/
Today, @francesjones.bsky.social reports on researchers given access to UKRI funding applications to see if AI could help speed up grant review
1/
Reposted by Isaac Barbosa
Last Friday, @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social published an interview with
Timothy Clement-Jones, in which the Lib Dem peer said that universities must be allowed to continue “moonshot” research despite policymakers’ moves to steer public R&D funding towards government priorities
4/4
Timothy Clement-Jones, in which the Lib Dem peer said that universities must be allowed to continue “moonshot” research despite policymakers’ moves to steer public R&D funding towards government priorities
4/4
Universities must continue doing ‘moonshot’ work, says peer - Research Professional News
Timothy Clement-Jones warns focusing funding on government priorities risks institutions losing “inspirational research”
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
January 7, 2026 at 9:02 AM
Last Friday, @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social published an interview with
Timothy Clement-Jones, in which the Lib Dem peer said that universities must be allowed to continue “moonshot” research despite policymakers’ moves to steer public R&D funding towards government priorities
4/4
Timothy Clement-Jones, in which the Lib Dem peer said that universities must be allowed to continue “moonshot” research despite policymakers’ moves to steer public R&D funding towards government priorities
4/4
Reposted by Isaac Barbosa
🚨BREAKING🚨
REF 2029: Research culture metric overhauled (and weighting reduced).
Research Excellence Framework reworked “to reduce burden”, with elements of 2021 exercise reinstated.
All the headlines as the three-month pause ends. Free to read.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
REF 2029: Research culture metric overhauled (and weighting reduced).
Research Excellence Framework reworked “to reduce burden”, with elements of 2021 exercise reinstated.
All the headlines as the three-month pause ends. Free to read.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
REF 2029: research culture metric overhauled - Research Professional News
Research Excellence Framework reworked “to reduce burden”, with elements of 2021 exercise reinstated
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
December 10, 2025 at 11:04 AM
🚨BREAKING🚨
REF 2029: Research culture metric overhauled (and weighting reduced).
Research Excellence Framework reworked “to reduce burden”, with elements of 2021 exercise reinstated.
All the headlines as the three-month pause ends. Free to read.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
REF 2029: Research culture metric overhauled (and weighting reduced).
Research Excellence Framework reworked “to reduce burden”, with elements of 2021 exercise reinstated.
All the headlines as the three-month pause ends. Free to read.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Reposted by Isaac Barbosa
Our reporter @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social went to the British Library and found staff at the picket line pessimistic about the recovery of library services after the 2023 cyberattack
"Things just aren’t improving", said the PCS union branch chair
Meanwhile, management have upped their pay offer
"Things just aren’t improving", said the PCS union branch chair
Meanwhile, management have upped their pay offer
‘Things will get worse’ for British Library users, warn striking staff.
Picketing workers outside the British Library warn that “things are going to get worse” for the library’s users, as a second wave of strikes at the institution continues.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Picketing workers outside the British Library warn that “things are going to get worse” for the library’s users, as a second wave of strikes at the institution continues.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
‘Things will get worse’ for British Library users, warn striking staff - Research Professional News
Workers say strike coincides with “poor planning”, even as second union accepts fresh pay offer
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Our reporter @isaacbarbosa1.bsky.social went to the British Library and found staff at the picket line pessimistic about the recovery of library services after the 2023 cyberattack
"Things just aren’t improving", said the PCS union branch chair
Meanwhile, management have upped their pay offer
"Things just aren’t improving", said the PCS union branch chair
Meanwhile, management have upped their pay offer