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8TH AUG 2008
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 UK universities face threat from overseas competition Science research links between UK universities and the pharmaceutical industry is in decline.
UK universities are at risk of losing their place at the forefront of scientific research thanks to a decline in the number of collaborations with the pharmaceutical industry on PhDs and work placements.
As a result, the number of opportunities for British students to develop their skills on home soil is diminishing, according to data published today by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI).
In the past, the UK has been a world leader in terms of collaborations between the science base and pharmaceutical industry. This has allowed a two-way flow of knowledge and skills, giving universities improved access to state-of-the-art facilities and new materials.
But escalating costs and the increasing difficulty in negotiating contracts mean these sorts of collaborations are at risk, and the industry is increasingly funding such collaborations in overseas universities.
Figures from 11 of the leading R&D-intensive pharmaceutical companies in the UK show that there were 606 PhD Studentships and 327 postdoctoral grants conducted in collaboration with 78 British universities in 2007. But the figures are down from 2003 -by nearly 14% for PhD studentships and almost 25% for the number of postdoctoral grants.
Pharmaceutical innovation - developing new cures to meet unmet medical need and improve patient care - is dependent on access to new research and highly-skilled scientists. We need to take action to restore UK competitiveness.
The ABPI survey shows that in 2007 ten universities - Manchester, Cambridge, Imperial, Oxford, Bristol, Leeds, Nottingham, King's, Sheffield and University College London have just over half the number of PhD studentships, and 80 per cent of the studentships are shared between just 30 per cent of the 78 universities reported.
ABPI Director General Dr Richard Barker said: "With increasing competition for biomedical leadership from Asian economies, it is vital that Government and industry unite to restore confidence and maximise the UK's chances in the global race for pharmaceutical innovation."
For more information visit www.abpi.org.uk
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