Policy input: EU Framework Programme for R&D: Call for Evidence - closing date 4 January 2011

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has published a Call for Evidence, inviting the UK’s R&D community to have their say on the European Union’s Framework Programme. The Framework is the EU's main mechanism for funding research, technological development and demonstration. UK participation in the current 2007-2013 iteration of the Framework Programme (known as FP7) has been strong – with UK researchers receiving €1.83 billion of funding from the €12.7 billion awarded to date.

BIS would like to hear from those with first-hand experiences of this initiative – academics, researchers and businesspeople – so that BIS can better equip the UK to maximise on the opportunities on offer and strengthen the UK's negotiating position in advance of the next Programme.

The main call for evidence document can be found at www.bis.gov.uk/fp8-call-for-evidence In addition, a more informal discussion is available via the Technology Strategy Board _connect platform.

The call for evidence closes on 4th January 2011.

Policy input: Parliament enquiry into future of Bioengineering in the UK, c/d 4 December 2009

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee is conducting an inquiry into Bioengineering and is seeking written evidence.

The Committee will be examining how the UK can maintain a globally competitive position in emerging and existing bioengineering research fields. The inquiry will focus on three areas: research, translation and regulation. The inquiry will take synthetic biology, stem cells and genetic modification (GM) as areas within which to explore the issues of research, translation and regulation.

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee is a Select Committee of Parliament, and scrutinises the work and policies relating to the Government Office for Science (GO-Science), and so the Committee can examine the activities of departments where they have implications for, or made use of, science, engineering, technology and research. Although its reports and recommendations are not binding, they must be responded to by the relevant government department, and are influentual.

For each inqury it undertakes, it gathers evidence (statements of fact and suggestions of recommendations), which it reviews. For each inqury it undertakes, it asks for written evidence (statements of fact and suggestions of recommendations), which it reviews.

Anyone may submit written evidence, which should be brief, written specially for the Committee, and should answer at least one of the following questions:

For the areas of synthetic biology, stem cells and GM:

• What is the UK's research capacity?
• How easy is it to translate and commercialise research?
• How do UK and international regulations affect research and translation?
• How can the UK maintain and grow its internationally competitive position?

Evidence for this enquiry should be submitted by noon on Friday 4 December 2009 in the format described on the Bioengineering inquiry webpage.

Policy Input: Royal Society policy study: The Fruits of Curiosity: science, innovation and future sources of wealth, c/d 11 Sep 2009

The Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of science, has opened a major policy study, The Fruits of Curiosity: science, innovation and future sources of wealth, that will review the landscape for UK science and innovation policy and explore its direction over the next 10-20 years. They are requesting views on some important questions, to ensure that their recommendations take account of the UK R&D community.

The study will measure the different forms of value created by science, engineering and medicine for the UK’s economy and society and will consider the role that science will play in equipping Britain to meet future economic, social and environmental challenges.

The Royal Society believes that it is timely to review these issues ahead of the forthcoming General Election and Spending Round, and to seek to influence debates about what lies beyond the current 10-Year Investment Framework for Science and Innovation.

The Royal Society believes that if the study is to realise its full potential, it is vital that they draw on insights, expertise and experience from a variety of settings, and have asked the R&D Society to encourage our members and contacts to submit their views.

The Society has listed a number of questions they would like answered in a Call for Evidence (PDF). In your submission, you may answer as many or as few of the questions listed in the call for evidence as you feel able to. Key questions of relevance to R&D Society members and contacts include:

• 1. What role should curiosity-driven research play in the UK science base in the next 15-25 years?
• 2. Which elements of policy for science and innovation over the past 10 years have been successful and should be maintained? Where is there room for improvement?
• 9. How can we make research careers – within academia or industry – a more attractive option for young people, both within the UK system and from abroad?
• 11. Does the standard career-track model need to be re-evaluated? Should we take more account of the movement of skilled individuals between academia, industry and business?
• 12. How can we strengthen science and innovation in all parts of the private sector in the UK, and further improve the exchange of knowledge and expertise between the public and private sectors?
• 13. How can we improve the scale and contribution of private sector R&D?
• 14. What initiatives (e.g. tax credits) have been successful or not with regards to supporting innovative businesses in the UK? How can the UK better support business?
• 17. What role should public sector R&D outside the ring-fenced science budget (e.g. departmental spending, government procurement and national laboratories) play in supporting the UK science base?

Submissions (ie, your answers to any of the above questions), can be made by email to: fruitsofcuriosity@royalsociety.org preferably by 11 September 2009. In your submission, you should state if you do not want your name or your submission to be made public, and give a contact name and telephone number.

Policy input: E-Forum for Parliamentary Inquiry into Engineering, c/d 9 December 2008

The House of Commons Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee is conducting an inquiry into Engineering.

The Committee is keen to hear, via its new e-forum on engineering, directly from those who are studying engineering, are considering doing so, or who are working in engineering. The web-forum offers participants the opportunity to express their opinions on whether engineering a good career choice, what inspired them to consider a career in engineering, whether their education prepared them for a career in engineering and what they would do to improve engineering in the UK.

The House of Commons Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee is a Select Committee of Parliament, and scrutinises the work and policies relating to the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Although its reports and recommendations are not binding, they must be responded to by the Department, and are influentual. For each inqury it undertakes, it gathers evidence (statements of fact and suggestions of recommendations), which it reviews. In this case, the Committee is specifically seeking input from engineers in the UK.

Views posted online will inform the recommendations the Committee makes to the Government in its final report. It is therefore a valuable opportunity to contribute to the formulation of policy affecting the future of UK engineering.

The forum will run from midday on 28 October 2008 to 9 December 2008.

Policy Input: Royal Society policy study: Innovation in services, the role of science, technology, engineering & maths, c/d 18 August 2008

The Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of science, has opened a study on the role of science, technology, engineering & maths (STEM) in services sector innovation and has issued a ‘call for evidence’ to solicit views on some key questions. R&D Society members and contacts are encouraged to respond.

Services account for approximately 70% of the UK economy and include some of the country’s most innovative and highest performing sectors – financial services, business support services, retail and the creative industries among them. Although there is growing recognition of the importance of innovation in services, understanding of the role of STEM and other related disciplines in services sector innovation remains poor.

This policy study will consider evidence of interactions between STEM and services organisations with a focus on the nature, extent and role of these engagements in services sector innovation processes. The Royal Society is interested in areas of success, areas of current weakness and ‘fertile areas’ of the UK services economy, in which innovative capabilities could be scaled up or accelerated with the help of STEM.

The main objective is to develop policy recommendations on ways to enhance the contribution of STEM to services sector innovation.

Separate “calls for evidence” have been produced for firms (services organisations and trade bodies (from the private, public or voluntary sector)) and academics (research and academic institutions). These request answers to specific questions by email to nicola.berkley@royalsociety.org by 18 August 2008. You are encouraged to respond. You do not need to answer all the questions – you may answer as many or as few as you are willing or able to do. Indeed, if there are other important issues not addressed by the call for evidence, the Royal Society would be grateful to have them pointed out.

For firms, the most important questions are as follows – see the “call for evidence for firms (pdf file)” for details of all of them:

3. At which point(s) in your organisation’s value chain does STEM contribute to innovation? How does the STEM input at this/these point/s impact innovation in your organisation? If possible, please describe the importance of the contribution of STEM in comparison to other factors in innovation in your organisation.

4. What mechanisms does your organisation use to support engagement with the STEM community in universities and research institutes? (For example journals, industry-university consortia, conferences, collaborative research programmes supported by the Research Councils).

• Do your organisation’s innovation needs steer research activity in academia? If yes, how is academic research changing in response to these needs?
• Has engagement with the universities helped to shape the academic curriculum?

5. Please tell us about scientifically trained people employed in your organisation. Among other things we are interested in:

• Numbers/proportions of employees who are STEM graduates or scientifically trainedT
• The kinds of roles they occupy and how this has changed in the last five to ten years
• Whether STEM graduates/postgraduates are meeting your requirements
• Whether you expect your organisation’s STEM skills needs to change (qualitatively or quantitatively) in the next five to ten years (and if so, why)

6. Please tell us about the influence of service users or customers on innovation in your organisation. Among other things we are interested in:

• Whether and how you involve users/customers in your innovation processes
• How STEM can help your organisation to understand consumer needs and their responses to service innovations
• Whether developments in STEM (e.g. ICT) are driving customer demand for, and consumption of, innovative services

7. We are interested in ‘fertile areas’ of the service economy in which the UK could develop, accelerate or scale-up innovative service capabilities. Please describe two or three important business opportunities or strategic challenges faced by your organisation that would require new or different offerings from the STEM community. If appropriate, please expand on any developments relating to innovative capabilities in the following areas (or any others):

• Data – e.g. information management, data security, data analysis, data modelling and visualisation and supply chain logistics.
• The interface between people and services – e.g. human responses and interactions with services and systems.
• People and skills – the development and supply of appropriately skilled and entrepreneurial individuals.

9. What are the main barriers to further links between your organisation and the STEM community?

• What steps could be taken by companies, universities or government to enhance the impact of STEM on innovation in the services sectors?

An electronic version of the call for evidence and more information can be found at: www.royalsociety.org/servicesinnovation The closing date for submissions is 18 August 2008 by email to nicola.berkley@royalsociety.org . The R&D Society office would welcome being copied in on submissions at rdsociety@royalsociety.org

Policy input: Higher Education at Work – High Skills: High Value, c/d 7 July 2008

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills is consulting on its high level skills strategy, 'Higher Education at Work – High Skills: High Value'. The strategy wants to "equip the workforce with the skills required for an innovative and competitive economy." They define these as skills associated with higher education.

They are asking employers to answer questions such as

• What incentives would encourage employers to be more involved in providing careers information, advice and guidance both before, and during university?
• How can we encourage business people to be increasingly contributing directly to course content, design and teaching of university courses?
• How can we do more to increase the level of STEM skills in the existing workforce?
  

You can find out more about the consultation at the'Higher Education at Work – High Skills: High Value'. To respond, fill out the Higher Education at Work online response form. You don't need to answer all the questions - answering only one or two questions is useful too. Responses are accepted until 7 July 2008.

Policy input: Parliament enquiry into Biosecurity in UK research laboratories, c/d 26 January 2008

The House of Commons Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee is seeking written evidence for its enquiry on Biosecurity in UK research laboratories. Issues to be examined include the current capacity for research on dangerous pathogenic material in the UK and the capability to conduct research on the causative agents of disease that may emerge at a future time and the state of biological containment facilities in the UK. The House of Commons Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee is a Select Committee of Parliament, and scrutinises the work and policies relating to the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Although its reports and recommendations are not binding, but must be responded to by the Department, and are influentual. For each inqury it undertakes, it asks for written evidence (statements of fact and suggestions of recommendations), which it reviews. Anyone may submit written evidence, which should be written specially for the Committee, and should be brief. Evidence for this enquiry should be submitted by noon on Friday 26 January 2008 in the format described on the Biosecurity in UK research laboratories webpage.

Policy input: Parliament enquiry into renewable electricity generation technologies, c/d 15 January 2008

The House of Commons Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee is seeking written evidence for its enquiry on Renewable electricity generation technologies. Issues to be examined include the current state of UK research and development in, and the deployment of, renewable electricity-generation technologies; public funding, and other support, for the development of renewable electricity-generation technologies and incentives for technology transfer; the establishment and role of the Energy Technologies Institute; commercialising renewable technologies; and whether the UK has the skills base to underpin the development of renewable technology. The House of Commons Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee is a Select Committee of Parliament, and scrutinises the work and policies relating to the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Although its reports and recommendations are not binding, but must be responded to by the Department, and are influentual. For each inqury it undertakes, it asks for written evidence (statements of fact and suggestions of recommendations), which it reviews. Anyone may submit written evidence, which should be written specially for the Committee, and should be brief. Evidence for this enquiry should be submitted by noon on Friday 15 January 2008 in the format described on the Renewable electricity generation technologies webpage.

Policy input: Fast-track patent application process c/d 14 December 2007

The Gowers Report on Intellectual Property recommended that the UK Intellectual Property Office (formerly the Patent Office) provide new accelerated services for processing patent and trade mark applications. The Intellectual Property Office are now consulting on proposed new fast track services for patents and trade marks, both of which will be available to all applicants upon payment of a fee. The consultation document lists several questions that they would like you to answer one or more of, by email or post, including which of their fee structures proposed you'd prefer, and what you think the minimum period for filing third party observations on patent applications should be. The deadline for responses is 14 December 2007.

Survey: Research and Development management, by Sensors & Instrumentation Knowledge Transfer Network (SIKTN)

The Sensors & Instrumentation Knowledge Transfer Network (SIKTN) is carrying out a small survey into Research and Development management by leading UK organisations. The survey, run by Qi3, is centred around the size and nature of spending on research and development and the extent to which partnering and outsourcing are used to further R&D aims. Complete the short survey to receive a copy of the results.

Policy input: Government (DBERR): Simplifying Business Support c/d 14 Sep 2007

Government wants to simplify the £2.5BN business support in England from around 3000 schemes to no more than 100 by 2010. The Simplifying Business Support consultation outlines and seeks views on the business support government might fund in the future. The majority of the questions posed are of general interest to all businesses. Of specific R&D relevance is that

1. The government is proposing that all business support it offers is in one of six themes, one of which is "Product development", which includes Connection with
   knowledge institutions; Innovation collaborations; Innovation guidance and advice; and, Innovation finance.
   
2. The consultation asks several questions about whether the business support themes are the right themes, whether they adequately covers the key needs of business, and what publicly-funded business support is the highest priority?

Full details, including how to respond, are available at the Simplifying Business Support consultation website. As with all consultations, you do not need to answer all the questions listed when responding.

Policy input: Royal Society - Synthetic biology: call for views, cd 27 August 2007

The Royal Society is seeking views on the emerging area of synthetic biology, to shape the focus of the Royal Society's policy future work in this important area.

Synthetic biology is an emerging area of research that can broadly be described as the design and construction of novel artificial biological pathways, organisms or devices, or the redesign of existing natural biological systems. Synthetic biology has the potential to lead to a wide range of useful applications, but it also raises a number of uncertainties including its possible impact on society, regulation and ownership, sharing and innovation frameworks (including intellectual property).

To contribute to the Royal Society's study, consult the instructions on the Royal Society website.

Policy input: Office of Science and Innovation’s Horizon Scanning Centre: Wider Implications of Science and Technology c/d 13 Aug 2007

The Government's Horizon Scanning Centre is undertaking a survey to help it prepare better for the future by identifying the implications (both opportunities and risks) of new and emerging areas of science and technology. The survey is wide ranging both in terms of the technologies covered, and in the type of issues that they might raise (safety, health, ethical, environmental etc.). Closing date for participation: 13 August 2007.