2007 meeting summaries
Summary of CST meeting on 12/13 December 2007
Attendees
The meeting was chaired in part by Professor Dame Janet Finch and in part by Sir David King. The other members present were:
- Professor Sir John Beringer
- Professor Geoffrey Boulton
- Professor Peter Davies
- Professor Alan Gilbert
- Professor Wendy Hall
- Professor Alan Hughes
- Dr Sue Ion
- Sir Paul Nurse
- Sir Keith Peters
- Dr Raj Rajagopal
- Dr Philip Ruffles
- Professor Kathy Sykes
- Dr Mark Walport
Apologies were received from Professor Michael Sterling and Dr Hermann Hauser
Ongoing work includes:
- Corporate Venturing - The aim of the project is to identify if sufficient capital investment is available to early stage UK based innovation companies through the medium of corporate venturing. Data gathering phase of the project is now complete with interviews now being conducted with key personnel at targeted corporates to back the data up. A workshop will be held during the early part of 2008 to road-test preliminary conclusions.
- Cross-disciplinary research - This project is investigating mechanisms for encouraging cross-disciplinary research and development, in the UK and abroad and identifying good practice that could be applied more widely to the large number of new cross-disciplinary research centres in the UK and elsewhere. Ian Pearson has agreed to be sponsor Minister for the project
- Water technologies - Key objectives for this project were: to establish practice in the UK; what existing technology is available and if this being taken up (and if not, why not); level of R&D in the UK and whether there should be more spend on R&D
- Since the September CST meeting, reports on Young Researchers (October 2008) and Strategic Focus (November 2008) have been published.
Other items discussed included:
- Research Metrics - CST met with HEFCE to discuss the response to the consultation on the Research Excellence Framework. It was felt that there would be limited benefit in CST responding directly to the consultation and that CST should focus on broader questions such as the interaction between academia and public policy
- Defra CSA, Bob Watson joined CST for lunch and a pre-lunch discussion. CST was interested to learn of the priorities he had for the department, which included: Defra needing world class science to meet policy needs - silos need to be broken down with cross disciplinary work encouraged - currently the right people are not asking the right questions; How to manage what is known on the big issues - even if the evidence base was not complete decisions could be made with available evidence; Eco-system management and the ramifications of decisions made need to be better understood.
- This meeting was Sir David King's last as CST Co-Chair. CST members expressed their best wishes to Sir David for future ventures and remarked how well the Council had worked under his tenure.
The next CST meeting will be on 17/18 March 2008.
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Summary of CST meeting on 18/19 September 2007
Attendees
The meeting, held in Cardiff, was chaired in part by Professor Dame Janet Finch and in part by Sir David King. The other members present were:
- Professor Sir John Beringer
- Professor Geoffrey Boulton
- Professor Peter Davies
- Professor Alan Gilbert
- Professor Wendy Hall
- Dr Sue Ion
- Sir Keith Peters
- Dr Raj Rajagopal
- Dr Philip Ruffles
- Professor Michael Sterling
- Professor Kathy Sykes
- Dr Mark Walport
CST was also joined for dinner by:
- Rhodri Morgan (First Minister of Wales)
- Professor Peter Blood Deputy VC Cardiff University)
- Alan Davies (Consultant, EADS Defence and Security Systems)
- Professor Richard Davies (VC Swansea University)
- Simon Gibson (Chief Executive, Wesley Clover)
- Professor Philip Gummett (Chief Executive, HEFCW)
- Dr Drew Nelson (Chief Executive, IQE plc)
- Sir Jon Shortridge (Permanent Secretary, Welsh Assembly Government)
Apologies were received from Professor Alan Hughes and Dr Hermann Hauser
Also in attendance for parts of the meeting were: Richard Rossington and Dr Alastair Davies (Both Welsh Assembly Government).
Conclusions
Creating a science-led economy in Wales - This theme ran through this particular meeting. The objective was to consider how to create a science-led economy in Wales, and what the roles of Government, Higher Education and the private sector were. To assist with this CST was given presentations from officials within the Government, Higher Education and the business sector, with three themes emerging from the presentations
- Timescales - the need to balance short term and long term, for investment and policy making. Investment in the University research base is vital for long-term but results will not be seen overnight.
- Critical Mass - How can Wales achieve critical mass in the areas it has prioritised?
- People Dimension - Has Wales got the right combination of ideas, people and markets? Not solely related to Wales - how does any economy crack this dimension?
These themes were fed into the dinner discussion with the First Minister
Dinner with First Minister of Wales
This provided CST with an opportunity to discuss the themes above and other issues with the First Minister, who CST were delighted could attend the dinner.
Points raised in discussion included:
- Achieving technology transfer is a big challenge in Wales (and elsewhere). WAG have all the right things in place but it is difficult to measure success. For small countries such as Wales is it realistic to try and be world class at everything. Targeting specific areas may be the way forward.
- The "border" question was raised and there was debate as to whether this was a good or bad thing. Whereas the marketing of Wales in itself is a good thing and the policies that the WAG are putting in place are welcomed, it would be unwise to allow the physical boundaries of Wales to inhibit further progress. Large Universities such as Bristol and Bath are a small distance from Wales - opportunities to collaborate should not be missed just because they are not within Wales.
- Ambition to go for larger prizes must be maintained along with the quest for high-level Government and/or multi-national investment. An example of this is the Institute of Life Science (ILS) at Swansea University which represents a quantum leap in the development of Wales' knowledge economy. The achievement in attracting ILS to Wales should be seen as a starting point not an end game.
- The right people are needed before the right technology. Universities need to give good incentives to attract the right sort of people to their institution. If salaries cannot be matched IP type incentives could be offered.
Other items discussed included:
- CST visited the @Wales Digital Media Initiative, specialist business accelerator. This provided CST with an opportunity to hear the experiences of actual companies and academics 'at the coal face' following previous discussions on creating a science-led economy in Wales.
The next CST meeting will be on 12/13 December 2007.
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Summary of CST meeting on 13/14 June 2007
Attendees
The meeting was chaired in part by Professor Dame Janet Finch and in part by Sir David King. The other members present were:
- Professor Sir John Beringer
- Professor Geoffrey Boulton
- Professor Peter Davies
- Professor Alan Gilbert
- Dr Hermann Hauser
- Professor Alan Hughes
- Dr Sue Ion
- Sir Keith Peters
- Dr Raj Rajagopal
- Professor Michael Sterling
- Professor Kathy Sykes
Apologies were received from Professor Wendy Hall, Sir Paul Nurse, Dr Philip Ruffles and Dr Mark Walport.
Also in attendance for parts of the meeting were:
- Jonathan Adams (Evidence Ltd)
- Fotis Kafatos (President of the European Research Council)
- Philip Esler (Chief Executive, AHRC)
Conclusions
Dinner with Fotis Kafatos
This provided CSR with an opportunity to discuss the ERC and the role of science and research in Europe with the ERC President. Topics discussed included:
- The ERC was fulfilling a new role in Europe, different from Framework Programmes or national funding. It has used its initial funding to launch a Starting Grant scheme for researchers. By funding and empowering the best young researchers the programme would help the EU retain and attract back its stars.
- ERC did not currently involve itself in schemes to improve the economic value of research, although this could be a possibility in the future, depending on funds. Such schemes could be focussed on transnational regions and focus on clusters of excellence within them.
Ongoing work includes:
- Strategic Focus: CST carried out a project to advise Government on what would be the best areas to focus resources for science, technology and innovation which could lead to applications in five years time. CST agreed the broad format of advice to present to the Secretary of State based upon the information gathering exercise that has taken place, workshop held on 13th June and road-testing event on 22nd June. Publication of report is yet to be finalised due to machinery of Government changes.
- Plastic Electronics: CST has visited an EPSRC-funded IKC based in Cambridge and a Plastic Electronics Technology Centre in County Durham as part of the information gathering process. Draft report will be produced over the summer and presented at the September CST meeting.
- The Research Endeavour: CST is considering how the UK should position its research base so that it is fit for purpose in 20 years time. The report has been road-tested and received broad support from HEFCE, Universities UK and the Royal Society. Final re-drafting of the report is being made. Following machinery of Government changes the draft report will be shown to new ministers in DIUS before publication
Other items discussed included:
- CST's future agenda - CST considered the topic of multi-disciplinary research as an new area of work. It was agreed to take this forward. Elements of the project would include: studying the literature that is already in the field; visiting examples of best practice; engaging with key players. A detailed outline of the project plan will be submitted to the September CST meeting.
- CST met with Philip Esler, Chief Executive AHRC. Items discussed included: There needed to be more emphasis on local networks - evidence indicated the strong role that Universities can play in regional development; The need to stimulate the connection between researchers and SMEs was of huge importance. There needs to be a mechanism to let universities know what SMEs require; Tracking what happens to researchers could be improved.
- CST met with Jonathan Adams, Director of Evidence Ltd. Discussions focussed on updating CST on a recent study showing the strong relative international performance of the UK research base in terms of achievement, productivity and efficiency.
The next CST meeting will be on 17/18 September 2007.
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Summary of CST meeting on 5/6 March 2007
Attendees
The meeting was chaired in part by Professor Dame Janet Finch and in part by Sir David King. The other members present were:
- Professor Sir John Beringer
- Professor Geoffrey Boulton
- Professor Alan Gilbert
- Professor Wendy Hall
- Dr Hermann Hauser
- Professor Alan Hughes
- Dr Sue Ion
- Sir Paul Nurse
- Dr Raj Rajagopal
- Dr Philip Ruffles
- Dr Mark Walport
Apologies were received from Professor Peter Davies, Sir Keith Peters, Professor Michael Sterling, Professor Kathy Sykes
Also in attendance for parts of the meeting were: Chris Hendry - Cass Business School, City University, Lord Rees - President of the Royal Society and Professor David Eastwood - Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England.
Conclusions
Dinner with Lord Rees
It was felt that this would be a timely occasion for CST to discuss various aspects of its current and future work with the Lord Rees, President of the Royal Society. Topics discussed included:
- Both sides agreed Multidisciplinary Research was not happening adequately in practice - difference between rhetoric and reality. Should not just focus on research institutes.
- Royal Society is looking to have more involvement in the innovation agenda. CST outlined their work on absorptive capacity/procurement/services/corporate venturing/innovation as an agenda.
- Risk that science was too silo-based, reinforced by the RAE. Contrast this with how business carried out its research
CST agreed to write to the following:
- The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry regarding the transfer of £98 millions from the science budget to fund short-term financial pressures.
- Anne Glover, CSA to Scotland, outlining CST's position on non-CST members being invited to CST members and to explore ways in which CST could work more closely with the Devolved Administrations.
Ongoing work includes:
- Nanotechnology: CST's Nanotechnology report will be published on 28th March.
- Innovation: CST is looking to arrange a dinner with business and influential individuals in the private equity industry to discuss the nature of corporate venturing, what currently happens in the UK and the position of the US as the leader in this field. It is expected this event will take place towards the end of 2007.
- The Research Endeavour: CST is considering how the UK should position its research base so that it is fit for purpose in 20 years time. The vast majority of work has been completed and the report is close to being finalised.
Other items discussed included:
- CST's future agenda - Following the Secretary of State's letter to CST in Feb 2007, it was decided to establish a Strategic Focus subgroup to advice Government on what are the best areas to focus resources on science and technology and innovation which could lead to applications in around five years time. Related to this a further sub-group would be established to to take an in-depth look at the Plastic Electronics sector.
- CST met with Professor David Eastwood, Chief Executive HEFCE. Items discussed included: CST's work on services confirmed the impression that Universities are not necessarily geared towards the needs of the services sector, but that it inadvertently provides individuals to this sector; RAE was seen by many as discouraging multi-disciplinary research. Even if this is not actually the case, the perception could be a driver of behaviour and needs to be addressed.
The next CST meeting will be on 13/14 June 2007.
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