The UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF) supports investment in higher education facilities across the UK. Universities must attract a further £2 from non-public sources for every £1 invested by the fund.
UKRPIF is a competitive grant funding scheme designed to support investment in higher education research facilities and drive research partnerships. It is the largest scheme managed by Research England.
A unique and fundamental feature of the scheme is the double match funding that is required from non-public investors. This means for every £1 awarded through UKRPIF, universities must attract £2 from other sources.
To date, UKRPIF projects have secured commitments of over £2 billion of co-investment from industry partners, charitable organisations and philanthropic donors.
Established in 2012, the scheme will have provided over £900 million of capital funding to 53 state-of-the-art research centres and facilities in universities across the UK by the end of 2022.
Over half of the projects are now operational, creating new space for academics to work alongside clinicians, industrial partners and local small and medium-sized enterprises.
What UKRPIF funds
UKRPIF provides funding for large-scale capital projects that underpin excellent research. The funding can be used to support the development of research infrastructure, this includes new buildings, major refurbishment of existing facilities, or the purchase of high-cost research equipment.
Applications need to demonstrate how the new facilities will further the higher education provider’s capability to deliver excellent research that will support the realisation of the UK government’s research and development ambitions; strengthen existing and support new partnerships; and unlock private investment.
Objectives
The objectives of UKRPIF are to:
- enhance the research facilities of universities undertaking world-leading research
- encourage strategic partnerships between universities and other organisations active in research
- stimulate additional investment in higher education research
- strengthen the contribution of the research base to economic growth
UKRPIF: Net Zero (pilot fund)
UKRPIF: Net Zero is an £18.9 million pilot funding initiative designed to support capital activities which will reduce the carbon emissions of existing UKRPIF-funded research facilities and make the research processes they support more environmentally sustainable. Funded activity will also support the core aims of the wider UKRPIF programme.
In 2021, UK higher education providers were invited to apply, on a competitive basis, for capital grants to enhance, upgrade and adapt existing UKRPIF-supported infrastructure and capital projects. As a pilot initiative, the funding opportunity aimed to support a range of activity to widen the understanding of best practice in environmental sustainability-focused capital projects.