Wellcome Trust raises infrastructure grants

The Wellcome Trust is raising by more than 30 per cent the amount it ringfences for spending on research infrastructure and equipment in universities and institutes in the United Kingdom despite its protests that infrastructure should be government-funded.

The charity's new infrastructure panel will channel Pounds 15 million into infrastructure this year, Pounds 4 million more than last. The trust has a moratorium on funding building projects but pays towards research equipment and refurbishments. The panel is also overseeing equipment purchases with the Higher Education Funding Council for England. HEFCE is putting up Pounds 1 million for the remainder of this year, and Pounds 3 million for 1998-99. The collaboration is intended to lead to a more strategic approach to infrastructure funding.