How can public sector research establishments and universities engage with a UK science strategy?
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee will hear from two panels of witnesses in the second evidence session in its inquiry: Delivering a UK science and technology strategy.
On the first panel, the Committee will hear from representatives from public sector research establishments (PSREs). PSREs are bodies that were established to conduct research into specific areas, with varying degrees of public support and public direction. Appearing will be Sir Adrian Smith, Director and Chief Executive, The Alan Turing Institute, Dr Paul Bate, CEO, UK Space Agency, and Chris Wigley, CEO, Genomics England.
On the second panel, the Committee will hear from academics: Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and the Arthur Balfour Professor of Genetics, University of Cambridge; Dr David Richards, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise, University of Hull; and Professor Chris Pearce, Vice Principal for Research, University of Glasgow.
In the first session, the Committee seeks to understand the governance of PSREs: how much influence Government has over their programmes, and whether the relationship between Government and PSREs could be improved. The Committee will explore the role PSREs do, and should, play in delivering government science and technology targets and how their contribution can be maximised. The Committee will examine the collaboration between PSREs, universities, and industry.
In the second session, the Committee seeks to understand the role that universities do, and should, play in delivering a UK science and technology strategy. As part of this, the Committee will ask about the incentives in academia – whether they are effective at supporting work with wide applications – and the funding model for universities. The Committee will ask for the university perspective on the links between universities and the wider research and development ecosystem, including PSREs and industry. The Committee will explore the contribution universities can make to regional economic growth.
Meeting details
Possible question areas
- How PSREs are governed and how they relate to Government departments.
- How the contribution of PSREs and universities to a science and technology strategy can be maximised.
- How the government can influence the research activities of PSREs and universities, and to what extent it should.
- The links between PSREs, universities and the wider research and development infrastructure.
- How the UK’s research and development landscape compares to those in other countries, and how well it collaborates with international partners.