The Government has today (1 July) set out its ‘Research and Development Roadmap’ to ‘cement the UK as the world’s leading research and science superpower’. At the forefront of the long-term plans is the commitment to creating ground-breaking research, attracting global talent, and cutting unnecessary red tape to ensure the UK is the best place in the world for scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs to live, work and innovate.
The Government has committed £300 million to upgrade scientific infrastructure across the UK through a new World Class Labs funding scheme designed to enable research institutes and universities to make sure UK researchers have access to better lab equipment, digital resources, and to improve and maintain current research facilities.
The key commitments of the roadmap are:
- Increasing investment in ground-breaking research, cutting unnecessary bureaucracy and setting ambitious new goals for research to keep the UK ahead in cutting-edge discoveries
- Attracting, retaining and developing top talent to ensure the UK is the best place for researchers to work, offering careers at all stages that attract a diverse range of people. The government will also establish a new Office for Talent, making it easier for top global science, research and innovation talent to come to the UK
- Securing the economic and societal benefits of world-class research across the UK by setting up a new Innovation Expert Group to review and improve how the government supports research, from idea stage right through to product development
- Supporting our innovators and risk-takers by backing entrepreneurs and start-ups with the funding needed to scale up their innovations, as well as ensuring the UK is making the most of its first-class industries and technologies
- Boosting international collaboration to ensure the UK benefits from global scientific partnerships. This will create new opportunities for trade, growth and influence for the science and innovation communities and research institutions
- Aiming to maintain a close relationship with European partners by seeking to agree a fair and balanced deal for participation in EU R&D schemes. If the UK does not associate with programmes such as the EU’s research programme, Horizon Europe, the government will commit to meeting any funding shortfalls and putting in place alternative schemes to support vital UK research
