Edition 7
Welcome to the seventh edition of NESTA Innovation Digest (ID), a new intelligence service from NESTA. ID is intended to provide fortnightly information and links on the latest news from the world of innovation policy and research and news of international issues and events. We hope you will benefit from this new service.
We're sifting news and updates from dozens of websites and bulletins for each edition of ID. We're keen to know how we could improve this service, or perhaps you have suggestions for inclusion - please email digest@enews.nesta.org.uk.
Regards,
Richard Halkett - Executive Director, NESTA Policy and Research Unit
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This issue
With Parliament still in recess, the policy world remains relatively quiet. However, Iain Gilmour Gray has just been appointed new Chief Executive of the Technology Strategy Board and DBERR and the Treasury have just launched a consultation of business owners across the UK. An OECD report reveals that the UK’s overall educational performance ‘remains strong’ but shows that the UK is falling from third position of graduates in 2000 to tenth in 2005. A British Council report reveals that the total value of education and training exports to the UK economy is £28 billion (2003/04). Finally, the London Design Festival enhanced the reputation of London and the UK as a place for creative excellence and innovation.
Policy
DIUS – Iain Gilmour Gray appointed new Chief Executive of the Technology Strategy Board 20/09/07
Mr Gray is currently Managing Director and General Manager Airbus UK. He will be joining the TSB at the beginning of November.
UK Intellectual Property Office – Consultation on fast track processing of Patents & Trade Marks 21/09/07 to 12/12/07
Consults on a new single simple process for accelerating the processing of a patent application where, for an additional fee, UK-IPO actions will be fast-tracked so that a patent could be granted within a year from the date of filing.
DBERR and Treasury – Consultation of business owners across the UK 20/09/07
Alistair Darling, John Hutton and Stephen Timms consult 20 of the UK's most successful businesses owners on what Government can do support business growth among SMEs. It is the first in a series of consultation events with business owners across the UK.
Qualification and Curriculum Authority consultation – Employer training and the national qualifications system 12/09/07 to 12/10/07
Invites employers to give their views on the benefits they envisage from having their in-house training recognised within the national system and the ways in which this might best be achieved. Closing date is 12 October 2007.
Conservative Party's Quality of Life Policy Group review – Blueprint for a Green Economy 13/09/07
John Gummer MP and Zac Goldsmith argue for VAT on domestic flights, increased investment in the rail network, cuts in planning regulations, taxing out-of-town parking and the creation of a new body: the Public Diet Institute.
The Conservative Party Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Task Force report – An Innovative Society: Capturing the Potential of Science and Engineering 20/09/07
Calls for a single government Department for Science & Innovation, more support towards product-driven research, the creation of an Innovative Products Agency to support the commercialisation of innovative ideas and reforms of science education.
Scottish Government – Skills for Scotland: a lifelong skills strategy 10/09/07
Identifies the need for more cohesive structures in the Scottish skills landscape. Careers Scotland and Learndirect Scotland are to be merged to create a unified skills body.
European Commission launches EUROSTARS to finance R&D partnerships with SMEs 12/09/07
A EUR 400m and six-year joint programme with 27 EUREKA countries to finance R&D partnerships with research-performing SMEs. Participating countries will pool their national programmes and research funding in favour of SMEs through EUROSTARS.
Tesco – £25 million to promote sustainable consumption 12/09/07
Tesco has invested £25 million to support the Sustainable Consumption Institute at the University of Manchester which will undertake research into low carbon lifestyles and the role of new technologies in delivering them.
British Chambers of Commerce report – A Tale of the Cities: the best of times? 20/08/07
Describes how businesses have worked with local authorities and regeneration agencies to drive economic growth in nine UK cities. Argues that such partnerships should be formalised through devolution of decision-making to the sub-regional level.
UK Space Exploration Working Group report – Report of the UK Space Exploration Working Group 13/09/07
Recommends that the UK plays an active role in the Global Exploration Strategy and shows that the UK’s involvement in robotic planetary science has helped built a capable skills and technology base in universities and industry.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee report – Climate change: the “citizen’s agenda” 13/09/07
Calls for a central Government strategy to help local authorities develop local greenhouse gas reduction programmes, more demanding building regulations and more ambitious carbon emissions reduction targets for energy suppliers.
Johnson & Johnson launches £500,000 research fund for diabetes 28/08/09
A fund designed to accelerate research into diagnosis and management of diabetes and related illnesses. It is available exclusively to companies in the SEEDA region and to academic institutions anywhere in the UK.
Research
OECD report – Education at a Glance 2007 18/09/07
Reveals that the UK’s educational performance ‘remains strong’ and that investment has increased strategically. However, it also shows that the UK is falling from third position in 2000 to tenth in 2005.
Royal Academy of Engineering and Engineering and Technology Board – Public Attitudes to and Perceptions of Engineering and Engineers 17/09/07
Reveals that two thirds of young people know very little about engineering and three quarters don't understand what engineers do. Young people and groups with lower levels of education should be the primary target for raising awareness of engineering.
NESTA and The Young Foundation report – In and Out of Sync 12/09/07
Examines how social innovations spread and grow, drawing on eleven case studies. Identifies conditions for developing sustainable social innovation on a large scale and contains lessons for innovators, funders and policy-makers.
Universities UK report – Patterns of Higher Education Institutions in the UK 13/09/07
Looks at trends in the HE sector from 1996/97 to 2005/06. Shows that strategic subjects such as engineering and technology have higher levels of enrolments from non-UK students, and overall enrolments have increased by 33 per cent since 1996.
British Council and University of Sheffield report – Global Value: The Value of UK Education and Training Exports 18/09/07
Reveals that the total value of education and training exports to the UK economy is £28 billion (2003/04) and worth more than those of the automotive, food and drink and financial services industries.
Forthcoming Events
Engineering and Technology Board, 2nd annual skills conference - Delivering Vocational Skills, London 10/10/07
Aims to examine how best to ensure a supply of appropriately skilled individuals to meet future SET skills needs of UK businesses and to inform policymaking.
The London Design Festival – 15/09/07 to 25/09/07
The hub of the Festival is the Southbank Centre. The Festival presents over 200 projects created in partnership with museums, educational institutes, creative businesses, trade shows, magazines and international cities.
Futurelab’s conference – Why Don’t You…? Supporting innovative approaches in education, London 30-31/10/07
An international panel of speakers will discuss how teachers and policymakers can exploit the developments in digital technologies to encourage innovation in education and inform policymaking in the UK.
Connect Investment Conference, Edinburgh 30/10/07
There will be a debate on the main challenges that the technology sector faces. Technology entrepreneurs will be able to network with investors. The second SEP Technology Leaders Forum will be held as part of conference.
10th European Conference on Creativity and Innovation, Denmark, Copenhagen 14-17/10/07
The opening question is: ‘Is it possible to create a new type of convention on creativity and innovation?’ It will focus on the dynamics between user, creativity and innovation. There will be presentations from more than 30 different countries.
GEM: Third Research Conference, Washington, USA 01-03/10/07
50 countries will be presenting results from their analysis of GEM data, with a focus on developing countries. Differences in entrepreneurship, level and extent of economic development and public policies will be the central theme.
Science and Innovation 2007: Competing in the global economy, London 04/10/07
300 delegates will look at how the UK can increase international scientific collaborations, exploit the skills base which women in STEM could provide and look at the Government's recent Climate Bill. Speakers include Professor Sir Keith O'Nions.
NESTA, People into enterprise, Etc… and Create Express - Create to Innovate!, London 26/09/07
Cora Robinson, Jane Shaw and Dr Kevin Byron will explore how creative skills can be harnessed to meet the challenges arising in all areas of the innovation process.
RAENG - Engineering Research Forum 2007, London 28/09/07
Annual event to highlight the range of research supported by RAENG funding schemes, with a series of presentations and exhibitions.
Past Events
NESTA - Corporate Open Innovation Challenge launch 18/09/07
Ian Pearson MP, launched NESTA Corporate Open Innovation Challenge and Joachim von Heimburg Director of Corporate R&D at Procter & Gamble talked about the importance of open innovation. The event brought together MNCs, policymakers and entrepreneurs.
ESRC conference – Science in Society: innovation culture or anti-science Britain? 16/09/07
Two sessions discussed the government's position on public trust and understanding of science and the role of scientists in society. Speakers included Professor Arie Rip of University of Twente, Lord Rees and Phil Willis MP.
Universities UK Annual conference, University of Leicester 13/09/07
John Denham MP called on universities to promote more flexible modes of study, work in closer partnership with businesses and provide more support to working-class pupils.
OECD conference – Globally Competitive, Locally Engaged: Higher Education and Regions, Valencia, Spain 19/09/07 to 21/09/07
A report under the same title was launched at the conference. International policymakers, managers of HEIs and practitioners discussed how successful regional engagement in HE can drive innovation in the regions.
The British Association for the Advancement of Science, Festival of Science, York 09/09/07 to 15/09/07
Hosted over 250 events. 400 leading scientists and social commentators from home and abroad described the latest developments in research. Speakers included Lord Robert Winston, Lord Browne and Sue Nelson. In 2008, the Festival will take place in Liverpoo
UK Cities Co-Operation Conference, Edinburgh 12/09/07
Representatives from the UK’s 15 leading cities and around 60 businesses and policymakers discussed ways to improve connectivity between the cities, support key sectors and attract investment to compete more effectively.
Innovation in Public Services, London 19/09/07
Policymakers and businessmen discussed the impact of new technologies on public services delivery. Among others, speakers included Allyson Reed, Technology Strategy Board and Chris Haynes, Cabinet Office.
The International Entrepreneurship Educators Conference, Cambridge 10-12/09/07
Brought together entrepreneurship educators and practitioners from around the world, to share knowledge, experience and best practice in developing students entrepreneurial skills in all disciplines.
CBI – Skills Summit, London 12/09/07
Richard Lambert, John Denham MP, Sir Terry Leahy, Dr Annette Doherty and others discussed partnership working between businesses, universities, colleges and skills providers and a more ‘demand-led’ education system.
Delivering Public Sector Services in Scotland 2007, Glasgow 12/09/07
Conference to explore flexible methods for transforming and modernising Scottish public service management and delivery, such as risk management and procurement practices, as well as seeking new models of partnership working.
The third annual national Higher Education Researcher Development Conference, London 13/09/07
Professor Paul Blackmore, Iain Cameron, Professor Mary Bownes and others debate building capacity for research in the UK and the growth, support and development of the research workforce.
British Academy - Working Together Across Disciplines, University of York 13/09/07
As part of the Festival of Science 2007, Wyn Grant, Robert Fish, Liz O’Brien and others discussed the experience of interdisciplinary research and the problems that arise in co-operation.
International
Austria – Vienna gives grants to support creative businesses 10/09/07
Intends to attract talent from Eastern Europe to make Vienna a more innovative city. The initiative is called ‘departure’ and give grants to creative entrepreneurs. Total funding per company cannot exceed €200,000 over three years.
Norden Nordisk InnovationsCenter – Women Entrepreneurship: A Nordic perspective 17/09/07
Shows that issues gender gaps does not suffice to explain the low level of women entrepreneurs: lack of financing, risk adverse culture, networking, access to mentors also play a central role. Makes seven policy recommendations.