SFC news published since 2018. See SFC archived content for earlier news articles.
One of the great things about my job at the Scottish Funding Council is the privileged overview we have of the world-leading research that takes place across the whole of Scotland’s university system.
That comes to us from universities via our annual data collection and, of course, the periodic UK-wide research assessment exercise (the REF). What we don’t always see, however, is the fine detail. So, in 2024 – for the first time – we asked universities to share the lesser-known aspects of some really interesting areas of their work. It’s been a fascinating exercise. We’ve learned about the different ways decisions are taken about sharing our funding, what universities see as the value of SFC’s main research grants, and what kind of work is happening to create a positive culture for research.
We’ve been delighted with the willing and constructive participation of the sector in an exercise that has been running alongside SFC’s broader work on the Outcomes Framework and Assurance Model. Without exception, universities have shown that they are as keen as we are to showcase what they achieve with public funding, and the report we have published today will be followed, in due course, by a collection of case studies.
By way of a taster for the case studies, the following examples help to demonstrate the impact, scope and reach of Scottish university research. They further illustrate the many ways in which the work of Scottish researchers is improving people’s day-to-day lives and our understanding of the world around us.
Edinburgh Napier University describes how SFC’s Research Excellence Grant has underpinned its pioneering multi-year partnership with Police Scotland. Bringing together two different strands – police work and public health – the partnership has, amongst other things, shown the life-saving benefits of police officers carrying Naloxone nasal spray to administer emergency first aid for drug overdoses and helped to make this the norm.
Elsewhere, the University of Aberdeen describes how the same grant stream has underpinned over 30 years of research at its Lighthouse Field Station. The work going on there is exploring how both natural and man-made changes to the environment affect the behaviour of marine mammals and seabirds. The findings of the Lighthouse Field Station researchers inform important policy decisions about offshore developments. It goes without saying that it’s the kind of work that needs long-term investment and continuous effort; impossible to do with short-term project funding.
It’s always exciting when something is done for the first time. Being a part of bringing together Scottish universities’ work in the new report has been very satisfying. I hope the above has whetted your appetite to dive into the detail of what makes research and innovation so successful in Scotland.
The Research Assurance and Accountability Returns Report is now available on the SFC website.
Morag Campbell, Assistant Director of Research and Innovation. 9 October 2025.
