2019/20 has been an exceptional year for our University. Within Edinburgh Research Office, the response to the Covid-19 pandemic came at a time when we were embedding change, adapting to new structures and striving to deliver the best service for our researchers. Image This year saw the submission of over 2800 research grant applications with a record value of almost £1.2bn and an increase of over 10% during the months of lockdown. We enabled the University to win £330.9m in research funding, including £39m in European Commission funding despite uncertainties created by Brexit, and to secure £296.1m in research income. We have welcomed many new staff through team mergers and recruitment. Their response to joining our team, having never met their colleagues face to face, has been heartening and testament to our culture. As a team now at full strength, something we have not been able to say for two years, I can see the desire to improve our service to the academic community firmly at the heart of what we do. We have so much that we want to achieve in order to enable researchers to grow their ideas. Building on our progress and achievements in 2019/20, we will continue to strive to be better. I am incredibly proud of the contribution of every member of Edinburgh Research Office to delivering our service to the research community. The exceptional challenges we have faced have demonstrated the commitment and hard work of every one of our colleagues. Lorna Thomson, Director Read the Edinburgh Research Office 19/20 Activity Report This article was published on 2024-07-01
