Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has nominated Professor Dame Jessica Corner as the preferred candidate for the job of Executive Chair of Research England.
Professor Corner will be in charge of funding for knowledge sharing initiatives as well as quality-related research funding for English institutions in his capacity as Executive Chair of Research England, which will be primarily informed by the outcomes of the Research Excellence Framework exercise.
She will also oversee Research England’s efforts to support English universities’ research and innovation endeavors and to maintain their strength and stability.
Professor Corner will also be a member of the senior leadership team at UKRI and will collaborate closely with the organization’s CEO, board of directors, and other executive chairs to jointly supervise UKRI’s strategy, financing initiatives, and infrastructure.
Professor Corner has a distinguished experience that includes work as a professional nurse, an academic with a focus on cancer palliative care, and, most recently, a senior university leader serving as the University of Nottingham’s Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange.
Professor Corner received a DBE in 2014 for his contributions to healthcare research and education, and in 2015, the Academy of Medical Sciences elected him as a Fellow.
Kwasi Kwarteng, the business secretary, said:
I’m thrilled to suggest Professor Dame Jessica Corner as the best person to lead Research England in the upcoming years.
I am looking forward to working closely with her and the UKRI leadership team to maintain the excellence of the research being conducted at our universities and advance the UK’s standing as a global science superpower.
Additionally, I want to thank Dr. David Sweeney for his persistent efforts on behalf of the research industry while serving as the first Executive Chair of Research England and before at HEFCE. I’m hoping for the best for him in his retirement.
Jessica Corner, a professor, stated:
At this moment of great opportunity for the nation’s genuinely remarkable research base, I am honored to have been selected as the preferred choice for the position of Executive Chair of Research England.
I’m confident that I’ll be adding to the enormous impact David Sweeney made to UKRI, Research England, and our research ecosystem over the course of his long career.
As our nation’s researchers continue to explore, unearth, and create to impact lives around the world, I look forward to assisting them.
UKRI wants to build a world-class system of innovation and research that allows everyone to participate and gain from it.
With a budget of £25.1 billion for the financial review period of 2022-2023 to 2024-2025, it serves as the main public funding organization for research and innovation in the UK.
Dr. David Sweeney, the current Executive Chair of Research England, is set to retire, and Professor Corner will take his place. Beginning in October is anticipated for Professor Corner.
The House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee will hold a pre-appointment hearing for the position of Executive Chair of Research England.
The hearing will take place on July 20, 2022, according to the decision of the Committee. The website of the Select Committee will provide more information.