Database for sharing costly equipment

摘要

To mitigate the effects of the 45% government cuts to capital budgets in 2010, the UK Research Councils promoted the sharing of research equipment within and between institutions. I published a report on this matter earlier this year for the N8 partnership of eight research-intensive universities in northern England (see go.nature.com/6jvpip), concluding that the overheads of sharing mean that it is mainly confined to expensive items, and that it works best when run within a collaboration. Already the study has catalysed strategic collaborations. Some research-intensive companies are also now exploring the possibility of joining these arrangements.