The United Kingdom has taken a significant step in the world of science by launching a metascience unit, a practice that involves studying how research is conducted using scientific methodology. This initiative aims to enhance the quality and efficiency of UK research by exploring better ways of conducting, publishing, reviewing, and funding research.
The metascience unit, funded by the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, UK Research and Innovation, and Open Philanthropy, has allocated £5 million for its first call for applications. This funding will support researchers from various disciplines who are interested in conducting metascience studies. The topics of interest include peer review, funding processes, and reproducibility.
James Wilsdon, a research policy scholar, believes that the launch of the metascience unit is a positive step forward in promoting systematic and robust meta-scientific evidence. The review process for grant applications will follow a similar procedure to existing government grants, with each successful applicant receiving up to £300,000 for their research.
Katy Börner, an information scientist, hopes that the findings from research funded by the metascience unit will influence policymakers, funders, educators, and other influential groups. She emphasizes the importance of using research on research to inform decision-making processes.
The establishment of the metascience unit in the UK follows the success of the nudge unit, which used insights from behavioral sciences to inform public policy decisions. This initiative was later adopted by several other countries, demonstrating the potential for the UK’s metascience unit to inspire similar initiatives globally.
While some experts are optimistic about the potential impact of the metascience unit, others like Barbara Lancho Barrantes are cautious, noting that the applicability of such initiatives may vary depending on each country’s priorities and resources. However, the growing interest in innovative approaches to funding research, as seen with the partnership between the US National Science Foundation and the Institute for Progress, indicates a broader trend towards enhancing research practices.
Looking ahead, the success of the UK metascience unit will depend on its ability to fund a diverse range of projects that offer both short-term results and long-term insights into the effectiveness of the research system. James Wilsdon emphasizes the importance of focusing on long-term system reform to ensure that the UK has the necessary structures and data for making informed decisions about research practices in the future.
