Supporting the UK Metascience Unit

What is the issue?

Each year, billions of pounds of public funding are invested in the research and innovation system. Ensuring that this money is used as effectively as possible is critical—not only to advance scientific knowledge but also to deliver maximum benefits for society.

Metascience (also known as research on research, or science of science) plays a crucial role in this process. Rather than focusing on discoveries within a specific scientific field, metascience examines how science is conducted—studying topics such as research funding and assessment, scientometrics, reproducibility, peer review, publication practices, and research culture and collaboration. By identifying strengths and weaknesses in scientific practices, metascience can highlight where funding achieves the greatest impact and where resources may be underutilized or wasted. This leads to more informed decisions about research investments, enhances transparency and accountability, and helps build public trust in the value of science. Ultimately, metascience ensures that the research enterprise delivers high-quality, reliable insights while making the best possible use of public funds.

In 2024, the UK became the first nation in the world to embed a unit dedicated to metascience within government. The unit comprises a team of policymakers, analysts and funding delivery specialists who work across UKRI and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

How are we helping?

The UK Metascience Unit technical support consortium is a partnership designed to provide strategic advice and hands-on delivery support to the UK Metascience Unit across several key areas. This collaborative approach helps the unit tackle critical challenges in research and innovation policy and practice throughout the UK. The consortium’s support includes thought leadership on the scoping, design, and delivery of experiments in research funding practices; access to additional research capacity and expertise; assistance with launching and evaluating funding opportunities; and the provision of training and development support to grant programme award holders.

RAND Europe leads the consortium, which consists of members from

• Universities - King's College London, the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex Business School
• Expert non-profits - CRAC Vitae
• Businesses - LGC Group, and
• Independent experts.