News Talks by Times Higher Education
Sep 16, 2026 · 24 min · 9 segments
We discuss how Chris McDonald is progressing in his role as minister for science, and whether his appointment signals a major change in direction for research activities in UK universities. \…
Jack GroveGuest
Rosalind SkillenHost
So, Jack, you were in the room when Chris McDonald told vice chancellors that he would be adopting an unrelenting focus on science.
So perhaps you could give us a flavour of how universities reacted to those comments.
I think it's important to explain the context in which that question was asked, because Malcolm Press, he is the president of Universities UK and the vice chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University.
asked Chris McDonald explicitly where he saw funding for the arts and humanities in terms of research.
And Chris McDonald was quite explicit in that he didn't really see this as a priority for him.
He thought that the responsibility for that actually lay more with another department, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
But Chris McDonald, actually, in his speech, had made it quite clear that he saw himself as standing up for science more than anything.
By training, he went to Cambridge University and he actually ran a private research institute linked to the steel industry up in Middlesbrough.
So he's got a great scientific background, but it's very much for sort of industrial science.
And I think there is a concern that the funding for arts and research, humanities and social science projects is going to be neglected under his watch because he doesn't really see it.
He doesn't have that attachment to it that maybe some other previous science ministers have had.
They understood the need to support technology and science, but also were very committed to the social sciences and humanities and could talk very convincing about that.
He was the chief scientist at GSK, and he was the government's scientific advisor.
He was the dean of UCL Medical School, and he understood the need for supporting the arts and humanities and social sciences.
So I think there was a little bit of concern about that, given that these subjects are already facing a pretty tough time in universities, lots of course closures and things like that.
So, yeah, I think there was definitely a bit of concern and consternation in the room when he responded with that.
So, Jack, you were in the room when Chris McDonald told vice chancellors that he would be adopting an unrelenting focus on science.
So perhaps you could give us a flavour of how universities reacted to those comments.
I think it's important to explain the context in which that question was asked, because Malcolm Press, he is the president of Universities UK and the vice chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University.
asked Chris McDonald explicitly where he saw funding for the arts and humanities in terms of research.
And Chris McDonald was quite explicit in that he didn't really see this as a priority for him.
He thought that the responsibility for that actually lay more with another department, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
But Chris McDonald, actually, in his speech, had made it quite clear that he saw himself as standing up for science more than anything.
By training, he went to Cambridge University and he actually ran a private research institute linked to the steel industry up in Middlesbrough.
So he's got a great scientific background, but it's very much for sort of industrial science.
And I think there is a concern that the funding for arts and research, humanities and social science projects is going to be neglected under his watch because he doesn't really see it.
He doesn't have that attachment to it that maybe some other previous science ministers have had.
They understood the need to support technology and science, but also were very committed to the social sciences and humanities and could talk very convincing about that.
He was the chief scientist at GSK, and he was the government's scientific advisor.
He was the dean of UCL Medical School, and he understood the need for supporting the arts and humanities and social sciences.
So I think there was a little bit of concern about that, given that these subjects are already facing a pretty tough time in universities, lots of course closures and things like that.
So, yeah, I think there was definitely a bit of concern and consternation in the room when he responded with that.
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