Events

Westminster Higher Education Forum Keynote Seminar

The future of UK science and innovation - Brexit, the Industrial Strategy and the Knowledge Exchange Framework

This seminar will examine the future priorities for UK science and innovation:

To register for this event use the on-line booking form available here

• Following the publication of the Government’s Industrial Strategy White Paper, which includes commitments to increase R&D investment to 2.4% of GDP by 2027 and lift the rate of R&D tax credit to 12%;
• As the Higher Education sector prepares for the formation of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI);
• In light of the announcement of the new Knowledge Exchange Framework, aimed at supporting and improving research commercialisation at UK universities; and
• Amid uncertainty over the UK’s future access to EU science and innovation initiatives post-Brexit.

Higher Education institutions who have already booked to attend include: Anglia Ruskin University; Bournemouth University; Brunel University London; Coventry University; Dundee University; London South Bank University; Loughborough University; Oxford Brookes University; Queen Mary University of London; University of Birmingham; University of Bradford; University of Central Lancashire; University of Cumbria; University of East London; University of Essex; University of Greenwich; University of Huddersfield; University of Liverpool; University of Portsmouth; University of Sheffield; University of Southampton and University of Warwick

The agenda includes keynote addresses from Dr Sharon Ellis, Director of International Science & Innovation, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; Alice Frost, Head of Knowledge Exchange Policy, HEFCE and Dr Ruth McKernan, Chief Executive, Innovate UK.

Delegates will examine Innovate UK’s priorities and the impact of the new arrangement bringing it under one overarching body - UKRI - with the Research Councils.

They will also assess the future of the UK’s position as a world leader in science and innovation, including:

• The new Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund - its impact on the UK’s ability to take the lead on commercialising emerging technologies;
• Collaboration with EU nations - future arrangements and how losing access to EU science programmes might affect levels of investment in UK research more widely;
• Investment in innovation - encouraging long-term funding, including the Government’s Patient Capital Review; and
• Wider backing for in-UK research - including the future for the R&D tax credits and the Patent Box initiative, with France and Germany increasing R&D spend to 3% of GDP.

Further sessions discuss next steps for improving the commercialisation of UK research, looking at:

• Knowledge exchange strategies - including findings from HEFCE’s recent report on the position in universities;
• IP management - improving its effectiveness for universities, and in their dealings with spin-out companies, as well as their management of IP more broadly;
• R&D partnerships - progress in university-business collaboration since the Dowling Review and what further steps could be taken; and
• Catapult Centres - the future for the current network, the prospects for additional centres to be developed, and implications of their absence from the Industrial Strategy Green Paper.

Speakers:

Keynotes: Dr Sharon Ellis, Director of International Science & Innovation, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; Alice Frost, Head of Knowledge Exchange Policy, HEFCE and Dr Ruth McKernan, Chief Executive, Innovate UK.

Further confirmed speakers: Alan Carlton, Managing Director and Vice-President, Europe, InterDigital; Dr David Docherty, Chief Executive, National Centre for Universities and Business; Morag Macdonald, Partner and Joint Head, International Intellectual Property Group, Bird & Bird; Dr Sarah Main, Executive Director, Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE); Belinda Phipps, Chief Executive, Science Council; Dr Tony Raven, Chief Executive, Cambridge Enterprise, University of Cambridge and Dr Irene Lopez de Vallejo, Director of Collaborative Research, Regional and International Development, Digital Catapult.

Chairs: Liz Saville Roberts MP, Shadow Plaid Cymru Spokesperson, Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Catherine West MP, Member, House of Commons International Trade Committee.