Written evidence submitted by Matrix - The Northern Ireland Science Industry Panel (INI0003)
Introduction
MATRIX, the Northern Ireland Science Industry Panel, is a business led expert panel, formed primarily to advise government, industry and academia on the commercial exploitation of R&D and science and technology in Northern Ireland.
We have a main panel of nineteen business and academic leaders, supported by a small secretariat team based in the Department for the Economy. The Chair of the panel is Dr. Robert Grundy and the Deputy Chair is Mary McKenna.
The MATRIX panel commissions research, analysis and studies, to help DfE build the evidence base for future science and R&D policies within wider innovation policy.
The Matrix panel advises in three main areas:
- Key R&D and science & technology issues affecting business innovation
- The emerging strategic technology priorities impacting on Northern Ireland’s economy, and
- The promotion of a culture of innovation and the importance of R&D and science & technology in the future, particularly with business and in regard to commercial exploitation activities.
Matrix produce regular, in depth reports which outline the work, findings and recommendations of our specialist panels. These reports are an invaluable resource for anyone interested in how new technologies and market opportunities can be developed within the Northern Ireland economy and beyond.
In compiling a response to the Call for Evidence, MATRIX convened a roundtable discussion amongst its members from industry and academia. In advance of the meeting, officials within the Department for the Economy extracted a number of topics from the overall Call for Evidence and put them to MATRIX for discussion. These are:
- Steps the UK Government can take to support the decarbonisation of industry in Northern Ireland and stimulate investment in a sustainable economy
- Assessments of the understanding of the importance of education, and
- Identifying sectors of investment and employment potential
In Attendance
Dr Robert Grundy Chair of Matrix
Michael Shaw RPS Ireland Ltd
Patricia O’Hagan Core Systems
Richard Kennedy Almac Diagnostic Services
Dr Rachel Gawley Whitespace
Steve Orr Catalyst Inc.
Scott Rutherford Queen’s University, Belfast
Alex Chacko Ulster University
Leo Murphy North West Regional College
Mark Gillan Belfast City Council
Sarah Jones Department for the Economy - Observer
Aideen Reilly Department for the Economy - Observer
Tiarnán Millar Department for the Economy - Observer
Stephen Herdman Department for the Economy - Observer
Summary
Steps the UK Government can take to support the decarbonisation of industry in Northern Ireland and stimulate investment in a sustainable economy
- 51% of Northern Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions are produced by transport and agriculture. Northern Ireland is ideally placed to utilise Small Business Research Initiatives (SBRIs) to develop innovative solutions to greenhouse gasses created by agriculture. One such example would be an SBRI focused on lowering emissions by researching what we feed cattle. Additional funding from UK Government for SBRIs would help enable innovative activity in NI to address the challenge of decarbonisation.
- MATRIX hosts an SBRI dedicated portal on its website which highlights SBRI projects available to organisations in Northern Ireland. It is available here: https://matrixni.org/sbri/
- Northern Ireland universities have research strengths in hydrogen technologies and in concrete technologies (less CO2 intensive methods of producing concrete) and can develop upon this if investment is made in these areas.
- Northern Ireland’s unique position in the UK as an island means there is high potential to generate renewable energy including green hydrogen, however there are a number of obstacles (such as the requirement to develop innovative solutions for energy storage) which would require significant investment to overcome.
- Northern Ireland has a large number of towns which are not connected to the all-island rail network. Northern Ireland would benefit significantly from investment in railways, particularly in the west of the region as a means of stimulating economic growth.
- A consortium, led by Energia and including NI based companies and universities, has recently received funding for a green seas technology feasibility study. The focus of the consortium’s research will assess the needs of different maritime locations; a major freight and transport port like Belfast Harbour, a smaller leisure port like Bangor Marina and a remote island such as Rathlin. Northern Ireland could benefit from more funding of this nature to drive research, development and innovation.
- EV infrastructure is not well supported in the region. An SBRI for data analytics to determine how to serve EV in the region and active travel should be considered.
- There are four agri-tech catapults across the UK, but NI does not appear to be well engaged with this network. UK Government should encourage engagement between NI and the catapults to support innovation and economic growth in the sector.
Assessments of the understanding of the importance of education
- Sufficient resources are not being expended in schools on directing students, particularly girls, towards Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) based careers.
- Too much emphasis is placed on achieving higher grades overall, rather than achieving the qualification. One example cited was A2 Level Software engineering, in which a “C” grade would be considered a high grade; however, because of the funding formula used, schools were more likely to orientate students, and encourage parents of students, to opt for subject choices which would more likely result in A*, A or B grade, irrespective of their benefit to the student’s future career opportunities or decisions on post-18 educational options.
- Schools should be encouraged to participate in apprenticeship type schemes; there exists a large number of vacancies at technician level. The example of Germany is cited where around 40% of young people complete professional and technical pathways whereas the prevailing attitude in Northern Ireland is that degrees and certain professions are the only measure of success. UK Government could invest in Higher Level Apprenticeships, potentially based on the successful Swiss model to assist economic growth and job creation.
- Investment in lifelong learning, particularly for learners aged 25+ would be welcomed, and would help stimulate new jobs and economic growth. The Swedish model was cited as a good example of best practice. This strategic model would be useful for people wishing to change careers by giving them the opportunity to complete short courses and gain professional qualifications to improve their job prospects. Additionally a universal basic income could be considered to enable people to step out of their current jobs and allow them to retrain in emerging industries.
- Skills Academy based programmes have been successful in Northern Ireland in meeting industry needs in relation to job creation. This could help address issues associated with an aging workforce, placing an emphasis on reskilling and upskilling for people already in the workforce, as mobility and agility in the workplace and across sectors increases. The Department for the Economy’s Assured Skills Programme is a good example of this. (See Assured Skills Programme | Department for the Economy (economy-ni.gov.uk))
- Northern Ireland employers are already engaging with outside bodies to offer suitable training opportunities for young people. Good examples of this in practice are:
- Catalyst’s Generation Innovation programme, a schools outreach programme which offers high-impact workshops for 5th to Upper 6th Year students and work experience.
- Almac’s strategic partnership with W5 which aims to enhance STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) knowledge and understanding among the next generation of budding scientists through interactive learning.
Identifying sectors of investment and employment potential
- In early 2021 Matrix participated in a study focused on the future direction of the Northern Ireland economy and the skills needed within the region to make it globally competitive.
- In the Department for the Economy’s 10X Economy: Northern Ireland’s Decade of Innovation strategy, The 10X Economy envisions Northern Ireland as a high-skill economy for the benefit of all of our people in a way that we have never before been able to achieve.
5 priority clusters were identified for Northern Ireland: - Digital, ICT and Creative Industries
- FinTech/Financial Services
- Life and Health Sciences, e.g. personalised medicine
- Agri-Tech
- Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (e.g. Composites)
Investment in these sectors would aid economic growth and job creation.
- A number of enabling technologies were identified in the 10X economic vision that will shape the future for Northern Ireland:
- Software engineering and AI
- Robotics
- Advanced Composites
- Zero carbon tech, transport, energy and food
- Digital transactions/ID authentication
- Food Supply Chain/Safety
- Virtual Production, and
- Cybersecurity
- In addition to this, the Panel has highlighted RegTech and Digital Twinning, both of which Northern Ireland currently has submitted an ask to HM Treasury. Supporting these would help encourage economic growth.
- “Global Centre for Secure and Intelligent Regulatory Technologies” (G-SIRT).
- National Digital Twin Centre at Belfast Harbour
- French and German funding models are built around strategic funding investments in core industries, whereas the UK picture appears more piecemeal. A more co-ordinated and strategic approach would assist with job creation and economic growth across the UK and in Northern Ireland.
Addendum
Matrix Panellists who were unable to attend the meeting were asked to submit a written response.
The following comments were made by Mary McKenna, the Panel’s deputy chair:
“Some extra effort should be made to continue fostering the environment within which the leading schools can help the others improve.”
“Education is such a difficult topic to address. Significant and systemic change needs to happen in our universities (everything from how the funding works through to the courses on the curriculum) if we are going to upskill the graduate workforce at any scale.”
“There is also the thorny topic of NI having the highest proportion within the UK of workforce employed by the public sector – 25% is the recorded percentage (although I would argue that it’s higher when you count all the other dependencies and add in the third sector). What’s to be done with them if there’s a budgetary shift?”
“For me it’s about having the bravery & remit to initiate real & meaningful change – otherwise it isn’t worth bothering.”
December 2021