13-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Science fund cuts further blow for uni
The cutting of a wide-ranging government science fund is another blow for the University of Otago, academics say.
At this week's university council meeting, Otago University vice-chancellor Grant Robertson mentioned the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) had cut the Endeavour Fund for at least a year while the government works out the new structure of science funding.
"Grants due to expire at the end of October are being given a one-year funded extension instead, but this will also act as an impediment to research productivity, requiring new projects and programmes to wait another full year (or more in some cases) before being able to apply for funding," he said.
The Endeavour Fund is an open, contestable process that focuses on research excellence and broad impacts.
Otago University Endeavour Fund past projects include "future-proofing software reputation and skills development", "development of a multidimensional, fine-scale mapping toolkit for adaptive fisheries management" and "a rapid, point of need diagnostic test for infectious diseases in livestock"
It has two separate strands of funding: "Smart Ideas", which rapidly tests promising, innovative research ideas, and "Research Programmes", which rewards ongoing research which is "ambitious, excellent and well-defined".
There was typically about $17 million available a year in Endeavour's Smart Ideas tranche and $38m a year in the Research Programmes.
MBIE manager for contestable investments Alan Coulson said this cut was a "one-off" to allow the science system reforms to be implemented.
"Endeavour funding will continue to be invested in excellent science with the potential to positively impact New Zealand's economy, environment and society.
"We are working with Science New Zealand, Universities New Zealand and the Independent Research Association of New Zealand (IRANZ) to ensure allocation is done in a fair and equitable way."
Mr Coulson said the available funding for the 2026 Endeavour round would still be allocated into research, science and technology projects.
"It's only the allocation mechanism that is changing for 2026, which is by extending existing Endeavour projects rather than funding new projects.
"Holding off applications for the 2026 round provides some certainty of funding for Crown Research Institutes working through the mergers into their new configurations."
It comes shortly after the government's decision to cut all humanities and social sciences research funding from the Marsden Fund.
Otago University acting deputy vice-chancellor research and enterprise Dr Martin Gagnon said the decision would affect the university's research.
"Taken in isolation, the effect is manageable but does represent a lost opportunity for our researchers who were planning to apply to this round and may find themselves short on funding."
"On the grander scale, this is yet another knock to the New Zealand research funding ecosystem, following the end of humanities and social sciences funding by the Royal Society Te Apārangi, and the sunset of National Science Challenges."
Dr Gagnon said a dollar of research today bought "a lot less than it did 10 years ago".
"It's getting harder to do research in New Zealand, and without proper investments we risk losing capacity, talent and impact."
