Independent report

A year in metascience (2025)

Report outlining the first year of the Metascience Unit, with evidence and insights on how to improve the UK’s research and innovation funding system.

• From: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and UK Research and Innovation
• Published: 30 June 2025

Documents

A year in metascience (2025): executive summary

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A year in metascience (2025)

PDF, 11 MB, 76 pages

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A year in metascience: the past, present and future of UK metascience (Annex)

PDF, 3.13 MB, 34 pages

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Details

The UK Metascience Unit was established in 2024 as a joint unit led by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

The Unit’s remit is that the scientific method ought to be applied to the systems, policies and processes of science itself, so that we can improve them.

This report outlines the Unit’s work in its first year of operation. It contains insights on how to improve the peer review system and details of projects that are underway.

Published 30 June 2025