1. STFC Update – Programmes Directorate PPAP Community Meeting
20 July 2017
Tony Medland

2. Current Challenges Managing Core Programme within a flat cash budget.
Supporting our communities to access GCRF, Newton Fund and ISCF
Impact on our communities of Brexit and potential loss of EU funding.
Demonstrating impact of the science we support (e.g. CERN Impact Evaluation)
Implementing BoP recommendations and upcoming Programme Evaluations.
Preparing for transition to UKRI
UKRI - develop an overarching research and innovation strategy
Strategic prioritisation of resources - especially for interdisciplinary and cross-cutting research and investment in research infrastructure
Maintain strong leadership and strategic oversight in domain specific areas

3. Managing Flat Cash
Continuing flat-cash allocation through to 2019/20. Putting the budget under extreme pressure
Flat cash means reducing volume
Programme has survived largely by big projects moving downstream (E-ELT, LHC upgrades), but can’t continue forever
Strategic reviews to tension the programme (LHC Upgrades, Neutrinos, Phenomenology)
Sub-optimal funding , PRD cancelled
Little benefit to date from centrally held funds like ISCF and GCRF
BEIS and UKRI understand our flexibility is now very low
STFC pressing for financial uplift to protect our science programme

4. BoP – Next Steps
Following on from the 2017 Balance of Programmes Report…
“Recommendation 12: We recommend a Particle Physics programme evaluation be carried out in late 2017, with a view to ensuring that the programme is optimal, balanced, coherent and sustainable.”
Firstly, and to feed into this, we must undertake…

5. PP Theory Review Feeds into Programme Evaluation
STFC BoP 2016 endorsed recommendation of 2015 Review of Phenomenology that
“STFC reviews the level and balance of funding for particle theory ”
To review the quality and impact of UK PPT research across core themes and advise the STFC Executive on the future breadth and balance of STFC-support, including:
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for each theme
Appropriate breadth and balance of PPT programme to ensure sustainability, impact within available funds;
Computing requirements
Feeds into Programme Evaluation
Report to Science Board Feb 18

6. PP Programme Evaluation
4-yearly Programmatic Review process for evaluating STFC’s core programmes replaced by new two stage process:
Balance of Programme (BoP) exercise every 3 years, supported by
Detailed programme evaluations of specific science areas during intervening period
First BoP Exercise completed in published spring 2017
Excellent world-leading science programme
Exploitation funding a priority in all areas to maintain capability
Uncertainty over future funding introduces risk for future development and maintaining breadth of programme
Will now be followed up by programme evaluations of each science area during 2018 to feed into next BoP in 2019

7. PP Programme Evaluation
PP Theory Review
Q4 2017
PP Programme Evaluation
Q3 2018
BoP2
2019
Completed by May 2019 to feed into next BoP exercise
Inter-dependencies between areas to be managed (e.g. PA and PP)
Each review will explore consequence of + 10% funding over the next 5 years
metrics to track and compare progress and performance
Impact potential will be important.

8. PP Programme Evaluation
Programme Evaluation Schedule and Terms of Reference still to be finalised but will include:
Evaluation sub-panels with appropriate representation
Fact-finding and analysis using standard proforma to request inputs from projects and experiments
Review by Science Board
Additional evaluations that could usefully feed into next BoP:
the PRD programme and whether it should be modified or replaced;
the funding delivery method for exploitation grants and construction projects, to ensure benefits and objectives of these processes continue to be met

9. PPGP(E) Consolidated Grants
New 3 year CG mechanism, with review period beginning earlier to maintain longer planning horizon
Approximate timeline:
Activity
Timing
Kick-off Meeting
10 August 2017
CG Proposals & Form X Closing Date
13 February 2017
Clarification Meetings
March to May 2018
Experiment Panel Meeting
April 2018
Peer Review Meeting
June 2018
Report to Science Board
July 2018
Grants Announced
September 2018
Grants Begin
October 2019
Consolidated grants will be awarded as three year grants, with the potential to request up to a one year no cost extension providing flexibility to start posts later in the grant period

10. PPGP(E) Consolidated Grants
Kick Off meeting 10 August
New Applicant and Reviewer Guidelines. Incorporate lesson learned from previous grant round to improve review process:
Structure and content of submissions
Effectiveness of external reviewer process
Ring-fenced Effort. Maintaining level of support for projects in the last round proved difficult because of long-term effects of flat cash
PPGP may not be able to ring-fence the level requested due to impact on the wider experimental programme.

11. Any Questions…?