Oxford beats rival in cash dash

Oxford University is beating its ancient rival Cambridge in the battle for private research cash, figures reveal.

Total income from research grants and contracts was Pounds 120.9 million in 1998-99, Pounds 10 million more than Cambridge attracted. But Cambridge appears to be narrowing the gap.

While Oxford's income from "external research sponsors" increased by 5.3 per cent last year, Cambridge managed to increase its income by 9 per cent.

Oxford boasted a total research income of Pounds 179 million for 1998-99, including Pounds 58 million from the Higher Education Funding Council.

Oxford's most significant development last year was an increasingly lucrative partnership with industry. This rose by 48 per cent from Pounds 8 million in 1997-98, to Pounds 11.8 million in 1998-99. The university attributed much of this to a clinical trial on diabetes funded by pharmaceutical company Bayer.

But income from the research councils slipped from Pounds 43.6 million in 1997-98 to Pounds 42.9 million this year. The Medical Research Council is Oxford's largest research council spender.

Oxford's full report will be available later this year.