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The Future of Science and Research in the UK

The Future of Science and Research in the UK. Professor Sir Adrian Smith UK Deans of Science Meeting Durham University May 16 th 2012. Recessions. Source: National Institute of Economic and Social Research, 2011. A tough economic climate.

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The Future of Science and Research in the UK

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  1. The Future of Science and Research in the UK Professor Sir Adrian Smith UK Deans of Science Meeting Durham University May 16th 2012

  2. Recessions Source: National Institute of Economic and Social Research, 2011

  3. A tough economic climate Increasing competition fromChina, India and Brazil. Distribution of global GDP Source: World Bank estimates for 2009, PWC model estimates for 2050

  4. The role of Government “Globally, science and technology are also crucial for overcoming the financial crisis and ensuring stable, balanced and sustainable economic development.’’ Wen Jiabao Premier of the People's Republic of China Royal Society, June 2011

  5. The role of Government “Innovation also demands basic research…Don't gut these investments in our budget… Support the same kind of research and innovation that led to the computer chip and the Internet….” President Barack Obama State of the Union address 2012

  6. The role of Government "Governments that choose to provide support for R&D are likely to get better results if that support is stable, avoiding a pattern of feast and famine." Ben S. Bernanke Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System May 2011

  7. Excellence The UK research base is second in the world for excellence and the UK is the most productive country for research in the G8

  8. Announcements £100mfor Research & Innovation Campuses: Babraham ▪ Norwich ▪ Daresbury ▪ Harwell ▪ International Space Innovation Centre (2011 Budget) £50m to support the commercialisation of graphene ▪ £145m for high performance computing (October 2011) Innovation and Research Strategy for Growth (December 2011) • £200m of new science capital funding: • Institute of Animal Health • large-scale demonstrators of new • technologies • the next generation of small radar • satellites • ARCHER Phase II • essential infrastructure • (Autumn Statement, 2011) Wilson Review of University– Business Collaboration

  9. Budget 2012 • £100m Research Partnership Investment Fund • For universities investing in major long-term capital projects for research facilities • Bids between £10m and £35m, should be attracting at least double that amount in private investment • Fund administered by HEFCE, independent advisory panel chaired by Peter Saraga • Now open for expressions of interest

  10. Collaboration and campuses Research complex at Harwell • Thriving environments for businesses, industry and universities • Access to world-leading facilities and services • Collaboration and innovation which supports the creation and • growth of business • Access to unique training environments and world-leading • expertise

  11. Norwich Research Park Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital University of East Anglia 10,000 staff including 2,700 scientists ▪ annual research spend > £100m covers 160 ha ▪over 30 science related businesses ▪ extra £26m investment John Innes Centre Sainsbury Laboratory …and now with TGAC Institute of Food Research

  12. The Cambridge Ecosystem

  13. Global collaboration • Strengthening EU engagement and access to EU funding • Joint RCUK and Chinese MOST funding to undertake bilateral research projects

  14. Proposed Horizon 2020 structure Overarching framework [multiple legal bases] Industrial Leadership Societal Challenges Excellent Science Health, demographic change and well-being SMEs SBRI ERC Food security, sustainable agriculture, bio-economy CIP FET Secure, clean and efficient energy Financial instruments EIB, EIF Smart, green and integrated transport Mobility Climate, Resource efficiency, Raw materials KETs Infrastructures Inclusive, innovative and secure societies JTIs Common eligibility & reimbursement rules Simplification

  15. Proposed Horizon 2020 funding breakdown

  16. Contributions to Public Policy • Independent Commission on Banking, chaired by Sir John Vickers • Commission on Funding of Care and Support, chaired by Andrew Dilnot • Lord Nicholas Stern’s Review of the Economics of Climate Change

  17. New innovation challenges • £10m for an Open Data Institute • Research Councils ‘Gateway to Research’ • NESTA UK Prize Centre and Prize Fund • More focussed work on public procurement including Centres of Expertise and Public Private Procurement Compacts

  18. £115m Maritime Centre of Excellence

  19. Energy £89 million investment – Strathclyde’s single-biggest investment in its research capacity Partners include Scottish and Southern Energy, ScottishPower and the Weir group.

  20. Automotive engineering Tata Motors has invested over £85m in collaborative research with the Warwick Manufacturing Group.

  21. Live issues

  22. Efficiency savings issues • Implementation of the Wakeham Review of full economic costs • Managing demand for research funding • Allocating appropriate funding to research which addresses strategic priorities • Encouraging the reduction of estates costs and the sharing of resources including facilities and instrumentation

  23. Open access • RCUK supports principle of Open Access to publicly funded research • Published a position statement in June 2006, currently revising its policy and seeking informal feedback on the draft • Research Councils are members of Dame Janet Finch’s National Working Group on Expanding Access to Published Research Findings

  24. Research Outcomes System • ROS is a web-based system through which grant holders are required to report research outcomes • Can be filled in by grant holders personally or by the university research office • Now live for AHRC, BBSRC, ESRC and EPSRC • NERC to adopt ROS from 2013 • MRC and STFC use e-Val system, data will be shared between e-Val and ROS

  25. Demand management • To reduce costs all round, Research Councils need institutions to encourage self-management of demand and quality control • Peer review only works at its best when weak applications have already been sifted out • EPSRC’s demand management policies have improved success rates to 35% • Research Councils continuing to seek dialogue with the community

  26. Capital funding • RCUK plans to publish a new Capital Investment Roadmap in autumn 2012. • Will replace the Large Facilities Roadmap, which provided a national overview of projects over £25m that could be considered for the Large Facilities Capital Fund • Will articulate the need for the UK to maintain a world-class research base, and set out the central importance of capital within funding policy

  27. The Government’s ambitions • best place in the world to do science • more universities in the world’s top 100  • universities’ knowledge exchange funding from external sources to grow by 10% over the next 3 years  David Willetts ‘Our Hi-Tech Future’, January 2012

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