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The article discusses the results of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), that is used to measure the quality of academic research in Great Britain. The RAE is used to calculate funding for research. More than half of the research analyzed was graded as "internationally excellent," including research from Oxford and Cambridge University. A large improvement was seen in the areas of medicine and life sciences, placing Great Britain ahead of Europe and behind the U.S. The REA drives improvement by encouraging schools to evaluate its systems, restructure and retain high quality researchers.

The article reflects on a report authored by administrative law expert Stephen Sedley concerning the failure of the British government to provide a publicly available independent and government-commissioned research about government policy making in an accessible and timely manner.

Discusses the December 7, 1999 announcement by Great Britain's's Trade Secretary Stephen Byers of a multi-million dollar funding package to be given to university science research.