Raging over ROPA

-- TRYING to forge a strong link between the
researchers and the industrialists has
proved to be a thankless job for the
British government. The office of science and technology is about to come
up with a report on a unique scheme
called Realising Our Potential Awards
(ROPA). Introduced in the
beginning of 1993, it was
primarily a "pat on the
back" for those scientists
who made an effort to hase
with the industry. It was a
follow-up of a White Paper
on science and technology
which supported basic
research of the applicant's
choice, but patronised only
those who had already Surceeded in securing a certain arnown
funds from the industry. But
scheme, is at present at the receiving
of a barrage of criticisms from c
cerned scientists who are furious%
the government for taking out ma
from the National Research Coum
budget and using it for "second
projects under ROPA. Now, the issue
come to a boil. "The government
effectively taken money out of the C3
ing system", says Dai P4
chief executive of
medical research cow
(mRc). And the result
been disastrous. More 4
70 per cent of the top pi
rity projects under the MRC
had to be shelved this year
due to lack of funds, while a
number of not-so-signals
cant ones were given the
green signal.