Abstract:

To address the current challenge of brain drain in science and technology and confront both national and global challenges， the UK has proposed a new objective for the external governance of university research： building a “people-centered” research and innovation ecosystem. On this basis， the UK has， on one hand， translated this governance objective into concrete and actionable strategies by adjusting the operational structures of external governance for university research and clarifying organizational visions， subsequently integrating these strategies into the entire university research system. On the other hand， the UK has formulated and implemented policies conducive to research inclusivity， mitigated the utilitarian emphasis in research evaluation mechanisms， restructured research funding mechanisms based on talent development， and enhanced the study of research culture through evidence-based approaches. This has established a virtuous quadripartite cycle mechanism encompassing “policy standards-social attitudes-problem intervention-evidence management” to ensure efficient advancement of the governance objective. The UK’s experience offers valuable insights for China in accelerating the development of world-leading talent hubs and innovation highlands by reforming the external governance system for university research.

Key words: UK universities, people-centered, research innovation, research governance, research ecosystem