More than 70 awards to promising young researchers, as well as more senior academics, are expected to be made over the next two years. The initiative is funded jointly by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Wolfson Foundation research charity. Both are contributing 2m. But its chairman, Professor Richard Joyner, believes much more needs to be done to stop the exodus and tackle the larger problem of recruiting and retaining staff in universities and science and engineering generally. Universities currently pay professors a minimum salary of 35,000 to 40,000.
Lecturers earn less.
Professor Joyner said funding closer to 100m was needed to bring academic salaries up to date. He said scientists and researchers also needed better equipment, facilities, time and freedom from interference. If we do not compete in science and if we do not compete in technology, we do not compete - end of story. The initial 4m will provide funding for a year, but the aim is to renew the scheme in subsequent years.