Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps UKRI are taking to support interdisciplinary working in UK research.

UK Research and Innovation has established several mechanisms to encourage and support multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research and this is a central theme in the organisation’s recently published Delivery Plans. In addition to examples taking place across its Councils, UKRI supports a multibillion pound portfolio of cross-cutting funds demonstrating commitment to interdisciplinary research.

The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and Future Leaders Fellowships, for example, were both designed to encourage and support interdisciplinary projects. The Strategic Priorities Fund realises Sir Paul Nurse’s vision of a ‘common fund’ and is already investing in interdisciplinary projects that each bring together several of UKRI’s councils along with government departments to tackle shared challenges and opportunities.

In addition to these targeted programmes, quality-related funding awarded by Research England allows universities and researchers in England to address their research priorities as they identify them