The £54 million Global Talent Fund is a central component of the UK Government’s Plan for Change, which aims to stimulate economic growth through cutting-edge research and new breakthroughs. Spanning sectors such as advanced manufacturing, life sciences, digital technologies, and creative industries, the initiative will attract internationally renowned researchers and their teams to the UK, targeting priority fields critical to the future. 

Queen’s will use its share of the investment to recruit international researchers in sectors central to Northern Ireland’s innovation-led economy, including advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity and life sciences.  

The fund will be administered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and will run over five years, starting this year. It covers 100% of eligible costs, including relocation, research expenses, and visa costs for researchers and their dependants, removing key financial and administrative barriers to global recruitment. 

Professor Sir Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor at Queen’s, said: 

“We are proud that Queen’s has been selected as one of the 12 UK institutions tasked with delivering the Global Talent Fund. This funding, announced today (Friday 18 July), will allow us to bring world-leading researchers to Northern Ireland in priority areas such as advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity, fields that are vital to our economy and to the UK’s global competitiveness. 

“By attracting exceptional talent from outside the UK, we are enhancing our strong research base and helping to drive innovation within the local economy. This is a clear endorsement of the excellence and impact of research at Queen’s, and of our role in helping to deliver the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy.” 

Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

“Genius is not bound by geography. But the UK is one of the few places blessed with the infrastructure, skills base, world-class institutions and international ties needed to incubate brilliant ideas, and turn them into new medicines that save lives, new products that make our lives easier, and even entirely new jobs and industries. Bringing these innovations to life, here in Britain, will be critical to delivering this Government’s Plan for Change. 

“My message to the bold and the brave who are advancing new ideas, wherever they are, is: our doors are open to you. We want to work with you, support you, and give you a home where you can make your ideas a reality we all benefit from.”   

The Global Talent Fund is part of a wider £115 million investment in boosting global recruitment and enhancing the UK’s capacity for high-impact research. The initiative will be supported by the Global Talent Taskforce, a concierge service reporting directly to the Prime Minister and Chancellor, which will support incoming researchers, as well as entrepreneurs, and investors, in bringing their skills to the UK. 

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: 

“The UK is home to some of the world’s best universities which are vital for attracting international top talent. Supported by our new Global Talent Taskforce, the Global Talent Fund will cement our position as a leading choice for the world’s top researchers to make their home here, supercharging growth and delivering on our Plan for Change.” 

The potential economic impact of this scheme is significant. AI alone could be worth up to an average £47 billion to the UK each year over a decade, according to IMF estimates, and quantum computing could add over £11 billion to the UK’s GDP by 2045. 

The other institutions selected to deliver the Global Talent Fund are University of Bath, University of Birmingham, University of Cambridge, Cardiff University, Imperial College London, John Innes Centre, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Oxford, University of Southampton, University of Strathclyde, and University of Warwick. The 12 institutions selected reflect the UK’s commitment to becoming a global hub for scientific leadership and technological transformation. 

Media

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