HEPI / Elsevier Roundtable dinner: The changing geography of research

On Thursday 27 November 20255, HEPI and Elsevier will host a roundtable dinner in central London looking at The changing geography of research.

The global landscape of research is changing, reflecting political trends and economic transformation across the world. In this discussion, we consider the position of the UK and the implications for the future in a changing world of research.

For example, over the past 30 years, the proportion of scientific articles written by people in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) – such as China, India, Brazil, Iran, Turkey, Indonesia, Mexico and many other countries – has shot up. At the same time, the number of authors linked to research bodies in these countries has overtaken the number in High Income Countries (HIC) since 2022. The growth rate in the number of authors in LMIC is currently 11% per year, while that for HIC is just 3.3% per year, so the gap keeps on growing.

This changing geography of research will have real-world consequences, such as in the approach taken by research funders and international bodies towards research collaboration, not least because the desire for more research collaboration seems destined to continue growing. It also means that in many LMIC there are now universities that, in certain fields, attract graduate students from other LMIC.

At this roundtable dinner, which will bring together a mix of senior colleagues from across the sector, we will discuss:

• The future of UK research capacity in a changing global research environment
• What hurdles do UK universities face in remaining a competitive research destination?
• What opportunities does a more global research environment create for UK research, including partnerships and collaboration?
• What do the changes mean for the international governance of research?
• How can an increasingly global research capacity support and accelerate the UN-Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

The dinner will be chaired by Nick Hillman OBE, Director of HEPI, under the Chatham House Rule.

Please note this dinner is invitation-only. For any queries, please contact Emma [email protected] or Carole [email protected].