Chartered ABS Research Income Report 2025 published

Business & Management research income reaches record £94.9m

The Chartered ABS's report on research income for Business & Management highlights steady growth in nominal terms for the seventh consecutive year, reaching £94.9m in 2022/23. However, due to high inflation, real-term growth over the past five years has been modest, at just 5%.

A decade of trends: Insights from HESA data (2012/13-2022/23)

The report draws on the latest data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and examines trends over a ten-year period from 2012/13 to 2022/23, with a focus also on the past five years (2017/18-2022/23). In addition to nominal year-on-year changes, the report contextualises these trends by presenting inflation adjusted figures. The analysis includes breakdowns by funding source, region, and institutional mission group, offering a comprehensive view of the research funding landscape for Business & Management.

Research Council funding for Business & Management

The report finds that UK Research Councils remain the dominant funding source for Business & Management research, accounting for 41% of total research income. Over the last decade, funding from the research councils has grown by 112% in nominal terms and 58% in real terms, with an 8% year-on-year nominal increase in 2022/23. EU funding, meanwhile, has remained stable in nominal terms, with EU government bodies contributing 17% of total research funding, but real-term contributions from this source have declined by 19% over the past five years. UK central government funding experienced significant growth, with a £3.2 million (21%) year-on-year increase, while industry funding showed mixed results, with modest growth in UK industry funding (7%) but a strong recovery from recent declines in non-EU industry funding.

Regional differences in research funding

Regionally, the South East continues to lead in Business & Management research income, reaching record-high levels for the fifth consecutive year. However, Scotland experienced a 4% year-on-year decline, making it the only UK nation to report a decrease in research income this year. The report highlights that regional disparities in research income persist, with institutions in London and the South East accounting for a combined 34% of total funding.

Outpacing STEM in growth

This year’s report builds on previous analyses comparing Business & Management research income with other Social Science and STEM disciplines. Over the past five years, Business & Management has outpaced several STEM fields in nominal growth, including IT (+22%), Physics (+16%), and Biosciences (+9%), despite systemic funding challenges. However, it continues to rank among the lowest for average research income per academic. The report also extends its analysis of funding concentration, revealing that the top 10% of business schools account for 41% of the total research income, highlighting ongoing disparities in resource distribution.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships on the rise

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) remain a key area of engagement for business schools, with 121 active partnerships reported this year, valued at £16.9 million in total grants. This represents an increase in value from last year, though business schools' share of total KTP funding declined slightly.

Explore the data: Interactive Tableau dashboards available

To explore the data in greater detail, please login to this page with your email address, where you can access the interactive Tableau dashboard. This tool provides insights into research funding trends for Business & Management over the past decade, allowing users to compare their institution’s performance against others. The dashboard includes filters for visualising data by provider, mission group, incorporation type, and region, offering a comprehensive resource to benchmark and contextualise your institution’s research funding within the sector.

Download the latest Chartered ABS Research Income Report