The future of research in the UK - value, funding and the practicalities of rebalancing the UK economy

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Agenda for The future of research in the UK - value, funding and the practicalities of rebalancing the UK economy

Westminster Education Forum Keynote Seminar: The future of research in the UK ‐ value, funding and the practicalities of rebalancing the UK economy
Timing: Morning, Thursday, 24th March 2011
Venue: Princess Alexandra Hall, Royal Over‐Seas League, Over‐Seas House, Park Place, St James's Street, London SW1A
1LR
Draft agenda subject to change
8.45 ‐ 9.00 Registration
9.00 ‐ 9.05 Chairman’s opening remarks
Paul Flynn MP, Member, Public Administration Select Committee and Member, All‐Party Parliamentary University Group
9.05 ‐ 9.30 Research ‐ the current situation and the next steps
A strategic view of the priorities for policy on research funding and organisation in the UK.
Professor the Baroness Greenfield, Professor of Synaptic Pharmacology, University of Oxford and Chair, All‐Party
Parliamentary Group for Scientific Research in Learning and Education
Questions and comments from the floor
9.30 ‐ 10.20 Research and the UK economy ‐ funding priorities and the value to society
Latest views on the value of research to the UK’s economy and competitiveness. As research funding from government is frozen for the next four
years, what are the areas where scarce resources should be focused? How should choices be made between public investment in research
focused on the arts, humanities and social sciences, and that focused on science and technology? How important is arts research in the
development of the UK creative industries? What are the risks if funding for blue‐sky research becomes a lower priority than research that offers
the possibility of more immediate tangible outcomes? What should be the process for decision making on research spending in the Department
for Business, Innovation and Skills? How might expertise outside government in commissioning research and determining its focus be retained?
To what extent can the private sector be expected to support the development of solutions to problems such as disease and climate change,
which might not have the promise of early return on investment? How should the role of Government develop in relation to university and
private research ‐ for example in setting priorities, funding and monitoring practice?
Dr Richard Barker, Director General, Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry
Professor Paul Boyle, Chief Executive, Economic and Social Research Council
Alison Mitchell, Deputy Director, Vitae
Professor Anne Carlisle, Rector and Chief Executive, University College Falmouth
Dr Ian Chatting, Vice‐President, Global Research, Vestas
10.20 ‐ 10.40 Questions and comments from the floor
10.40 ‐ 10.45 Chairman’s closing remarks
Paul Flynn MP, Member, Public Administration Select Committee and Member, All‐Party Parliamentary University Group
10.45 ‐ 11.05 Coffee
11.05 ‐ 11.10 Chairman’s opening remarks
Dr Julian Huppert MP, Vice‐Chair, Digital Economy All‐Party Parliamentary Group and Vice‐Chair, All‐Party Parliamentary Group
for Life Sciences
11.10 ‐ 12.00 The practicalities of ‘rebalancing the UK economy’: hubs, IP, tax credits and immigration
Latest views on the potential for research in science and technology to help rebalance the UK economy and aid the expansion of high‐tech
industries. Will the new Technology and Innovation Centres, bringing together universities and industry, improve innovation and profitability in
UK research as proposed by Government? What role should universities play in supporting science‐based startups? What steps does
Government need to take to encourage the creation of ‘hubs’ of innovative businesses, as seen in Cambridge and planned for the East End of
London? What further ideas or measures need to be put in place to realise the vision of a UK economy underpinned by research, innovation and
science‐based enterprise? What developments in the legal framework for intellectual property rights need to be put in place to encourage
further collaboration between industry and universities? How might the tax regime in the UK be developed to support a rebalancing of the
economy; for example, should R&D tax credits be reformed to focus on SMEs, as proposed by the Dyson Review? What impact will tighter
immigration controls have on research, and how might issues be resolved?
Louise Marston, Policy Advisor, Economic Growth Sectors, NESTA
Dr Tim Bradshaw, Head of Enterprise & Innovation, CBI
Dr Andrew J Herbert, Chairman, EMEA, Microsoft Research
Senior representative, university
Senior representative, science community
12.00 ‐ 12.25 Questions and comments from the floor
12.25 ‐ 12.55 The view from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills ‐ future policy and funding
Dr Graeme Reid, Head of Economic Impact, Science and Research Directorate, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Questions and comments from the floor
12.55 ‐ 13.00 Chairman’s and Westminster Education Forum thanks and closing remarks
Dr Julian Huppert MP, Vice‐Chair, Digital Economy All‐Party Parliamentary Group and Vice‐Chair, All‐Party Parliamentary Group
on Life Sciences
Sean Cudmore, Senior Producer, Westminster Education Forum